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.”

Even though Alberta’s Teacher Quality Standards place an emphasis on including Indigenous histories and knowledges, many teachers continue to be unsure of how to present such material, or of the role of settler colonialism in nation-building, according to a PhD candidate in Educational Policy Studies.

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

The Faculty of Education has a proud tradition not only of producing great educators, but great educational research. Here are some recent stories you may have missed about UAlberta education researchers and the important work they do to improve teaching and learning in Alberta, in Canada and around the world.

Dr. Denise Larsen, a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and Associate Dean Research, has been named a Canadian Psychological Association Fellow.

This honour recognizes Larsen’s distinguished contribution to the advancement of the profession of psychology along with her service to the association.

[Dr. Heather Brown is a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology. To mark World Autism Awareness Day (April 2), she has shared an essay about her personal experience with autism spectrum disorder and how it has informed her research.]

The Faculty of Education joins the global community in mourning the passing of alumnus Darcy Belanger (‘94 BEd), who was among the 157 lives lost on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10, 2019.

For decades, more than a century of Alberta’s education history has lived on in the Faculty of Education’s H.T. Coutts Library. Unfortunately, it’s lived on in a windowless room in the basement behind a locked door, accessible only by request. But thanks to a generous bequest from a former University of Alberta education professor, this archive will be available to anyone anywhere at any time.