It started with a crisis that made international news.

In 2016, forest fires ravaged Fort McMurray. Almost 100,000 people were evacuated and 2,400 homes were destroyed. In the aftermath, Nathalie Reid’s research into trauma-sensitive pedagogy found many student-focused resources, but there were few resources for educators also experiencing trauma.

Reid, who crosses the virtual convocation stage to receive her PhD in Elementary Education on June 12, realized that the significant research gap might present an opportunity to better support teachers in schools.

Congratulations to the following Education faculty members and students who have achieved distinction and have recently been acknowledged for their impactful work, both within and beyond the academic community.

Faculty of Education Teaching Awards and Grants

The Teaching and Research Awards ceremony scheduled for March 26 had to be postponed. And though a global pandemic might have kept us from gathering, nothing can keep us from celebrating the faculty, sessionals and graduate students honoured with teaching and research awards in the Faculty of Education this year.

Marilyn Shaw had already been teaching Cree to K-12 students in her home community of Cadotte Lake, Alberta for more than a decade when her principal encouraged her to pursue her Community Linguist Certificate (CLC) through the Canadian Indigenous Languages

Faculty of Education members swept the awards at this year’s Alberta Teachers’ Association Science Council. Secondary Education doctoral student Ian Doktor took home the Outstanding Science Teacher Award and Elementary Education department chair Jerine Pegg won the Distinguished Service Award. It just so happens that Pegg is Doktor’s graduate supervisor, and she was nominated by him.

“I've known Jerine for many years,” says Doktor.

Congratulations to the following Education faculty members and students who have achieved distinction and have recently been acknowledged for their impactful work, both within and beyond the academic community.

Faculty awards

New Elementary Education faculty member Hayley Morrison is the recipient of this year's UAlberta On Campus Annual Inclusive Education Award for her dedication to inclusive education and classroom diversity. Read more about her research here.

Educators and educational leaders are always seeking ways to improve their pedagogy, their classrooms, their school environments and the systems in which they work. The University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education offers professional learning opportunities that are more relevant, more flexible and more accessible than ever for education professionals in Alberta and beyond who want to continue growing and learning while pursuing their careers.

Greta Thunberg is not the only one looking to foster hope and inspire change in the current political and ecological climates. A speaker series organized by a professor and student in the Department of Secondary Education hopes to spark conversation and foster community in a similar vein.

For many, summer is a time for camping, outdoor sports and cold drinks on a warm patio. But for educators, summer isn't always about winding down—it's about catching up on research and writing, travelling to international conferences, and devoting time to exciting projects.

Politicians and pundits have long contended that a populace with a good grounding in the study of history are bound to be more engaged citizens. But is there really a connection between the study of history and civic engagement? And how do educators and other purveyors of historical information best teach history in order to create an engaged citizenry?

As a nursing student at the University of Alberta, Josh Bergman said access to financial support made a big difference to him at a critical time and a lasting impression post-graduation.

“I came from modest circumstances, I was the first one in my family to get a post-secondary education,” Bergman (‘05 BScN) said. “At one point, I had to pay for a spring course but I had no money, and my faculty was able to help access some money to get me through that time. And I remember thinking if I had the opportunity I’d like to give back to the U of A in some way in that regard.”