The Faculty of Education at UBC is advancing educational research and understanding in ways that celebrate diversity, equity, and innovation, and welcomes international collaboration in an increasingly borderless world.

UBC’s Faculty of Education, one of the world’s leading education faculties, has served the local, national, and international education community through leadership in research, teaching, service and advocacy for more than 60 years. As the largest Faculty of Education in British Columbia, it plays a critical and influential role in the advancement of education in the province, shaping and participating in education’s possibilities and potential as a social good. 

Today, the Faculty of Education creates conditions for transformative teaching, innovative learning, and leading-edge research guided by the highest standards of scholarship and the principles of collaboration, social justice, inclusion and equity. Offering undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional development opportunities, the Faculty of Education enrolls thousands of students each year on two campuses and ranks 10th in the world, according to QS World University Rankings (2021).

UBC’s Faculty of Education prepares more than 45% of the elementary and the majority of secondary educators in British Columbia, and a significant proportion of British Columbia’s school counsellors, administrators, special education professionals, and school psychologists. With more than 57,000 alum located in 100 countries, the UBC Faculty of Education truly is a global entity. 

The Faculty of Education is home to four departments (Curriculum and Pedagogy, Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, Educational Studies, and Language and Literacy Education) and two schools (the School of Kinesiology and the Okanagan School of Education).

Mission
To advance education's role in the well-being of people and communities.
 

Research Centres

Research Facilities

We provide outstanding research facilities for faculty and graduate students that promote leading-edge research. Our Education Library is a specialized resource with access to all of UBC’s research and special collections, including the X̱wi7x̱wa Library with materials produced by Indigenous organizations, tribal councils, schools, researchers and publishers.

The Faculty’s Education Research and Learning Commons at Ponderosa Commons features technology-enhanced teaching and learning spaces and also informal learning spaces. A number of faculty manage their own research labs, situated throughout campus. 

Many of our PhD students have been selected as UBC Public Scholars and have received other honours.

Research Highlights

Notable strengths are in literacy education and multilingualism; struggling and marginalized youth; Indigenous education, decolonization, and research; transformational program and curriculum design and inclusive pedagogies for schools, community organizations and higher education; sexual orientation and gender-identity inclusive education; social-emotional learning and well-being; autism; exercise physiology, socio-cultural aspects of health; neuromechanical studies; and multidisciplinary research in diversity, health, early childhood education, and digital media. The School of Kinesiology ranks 1st in Canada and 4th in the world by QS World University Rankings (2021).

UBC’s Faculty of Education is the national leader in the number of education graduate student fellowships received from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Additionally, the Faculty of Education is home to six Canada Research Chairs, one CIHR chair and nine donor-funded research chairs and professorships. 

Schools / Departments

School

Department

Graduate Degree Programs

Research Supervisors in Faculty

or browse the list of faculty members in various academic units. You may click each unit to view faculty members appointed in that unit. View the full faculty member directory for more search and filter options.
Name Academic Unit(s) Research Interests
Abdi, Ali Department of Educational Studies Citizenship and human rights education, International Development Education, Multi-centric Philosophies and Methodologies of Education, postcolonial studies in education, Social and Cultural Foundations of Education
Ahenakew, Cash Department of Educational Studies Cultural studies, Higher Education, Indigenous Studies, Leadership and Organizations, Post-colonial studies, Race/ethnicity, Research methodologies, Social justice, Sociology of Education
Anderson, Ann Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy Math education
Anderson, David Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy Curriculum, pedagogy and didactics; Science, technology and engineering curriculum, pedagogy and didactics; Specialized studies in education; Cultural Institutions (Museums, Libraries, etc.); Informal Learning; Long-term Memory; Metacognition; Museum Education; Nostalgia; Science Education; Visitor Studies
Andres, Lesley Department of Educational Studies Higher education; life course research; international comparative higher education; sociology of higher education
Beauchamp, Mark School of Kinesiology Kinesiology; social determinants of health; Health Promotion; Quality of Life and Aging; Mental Health and Society; Children; Exercise Psychology; Group Processes; Health Psychology; Intervention; Leadership; Older Adults; Physical Activity; Social Cognition; Sport Psychology
Bedi, Robinder Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Counselling psychology; The Contextual Model of Counselling/Psychotherapy / Viewing Psychotherapy as a Cultural Practice; Counselling psychology disciplinary and professional issues; Counselling/psychotherapy in India; Counselling/psychotherapy/mental health with Punjabi/Sikh individuals
Belliveau, George Department of Language & Literacy Education Theatre; Arts-based research; Drama Education; Research-based Theatre; Interdisciplinary Arts
Bennett, Erica School of Kinesiology Sport and exercise psychology; stress, emotion, and coping; Aging; sport; chronic illness; disability; Physical Activity; community and critical perspectives in physical activity psychology
Berard, Marie-France
Blouin, Jean-Sebastien School of Kinesiology Kinesiology; sensorimotor integration; Motor System; robotics and automation; Trauma / Injuries; Physiology; Balance robot; Computational approaches; Head and neck; Sensorimotor physiology; Sensory virtualisation; Standing balance; Whiplash injuries
Borgen, William Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Career Counselling, Career/life transitions, Developmental approaches to counselling, Group counselling
Bournot-Trites, Monique Department of Language & Literacy Education Specialized studies in education; Bilingualism and Multilingualism; Teaching and Learning Systems; bilingualism; French immersion; Intercultural communication; Language Assessment; reading
Boushel, Robert School of Kinesiology, Department of Family Practice Kinesiology
Bredin, Shannon School of Kinesiology human motor learning, expertise and development, physical education, teacher preparation and effectiveness, Human motor behaviour (motor learning, development, and expertise), life span physical activity and health, physical and health literacy, health knowledge, health-related physical fitness, interactive gaming, telehealth, psychomotor markers of performance
Bryson, Mary Department of Language & Literacy Education technology, media, cultural studies, gender, queer theory, deviance studies, post-colonial pedagogies, Sociology, Women's Studies, Education, media and gender, media and education
Buchanan, Marla Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Counsellor Stress, Narrative Inquiry, School Counselling, Traumatic Stress
Bundon, Andrea School of Kinesiology Kinesiology; Social Contexts; critical disability studies; disability; Paralympics; social media; sociology; sport
Butler, Deborah Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education special education, learning disabilities, inclusive educational practices, intervention research for students with learning disabilities, Collaboration and co-regulation in teachers' professional learning, collaborative professional development models, learning disabilities in adolescence and adulhood, mathematics, metagocnition and self-regulated learning, research methods in educaiton, strategic performanc ein reading, writing
Cannon, Joanna Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Special Education and Social Adaptation; Teacher Education; Educational Approaches; Speech and Language Development Disorders; Language Acquisition and Development; Cognition and Language; Literacy Training; Education of Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing; Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing with complex language or cognitive needs
Carpenter, Mark School of Kinesiology neural control of movement, fear of falling, Neural control of movement, postural control, fears of falling, balance disorders, Parkinson's disease
Chan, Jennifer Department of Educational Studies transnational social movements, international and comparative education, Japanese civil society, Islam in multicultural societies, Adult education, Citizenship and democracy, Gender studies, International and Comparative Education, Multiculturalism, Post-colonial studies
Christensen, Carly
Chua, Romeo School of Kinesiology Human perceptual-motor control, vision and action, perceptual-motor compatibility, coordination
Clark, Penney Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy history education, Curriculum Studies Research, History Education and Historical Consciousness, History of Education, Pedagogy, Social Studies Education Research

Pages

Graduate Student Stories

Linnea Kalchos

Master of Arts in School and Applied Child Psychology (MA)

School-Based Support Services through the Process of School Integration: A Phenomenological Exploration of Newcomer Youth Experiences

Tonje Molyneux

Doctor of Philosophy in Human Development, Learning, and Culture (PhD)

Supporting systemic, school-based social and emotional learning through teacher professional development

Jem Arnold

Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD)

Using near-infrared spectroscopy and cycling power to detect iliac artery blood flow limitation in endurance athletes

Xinyi Shen

Master of Education in Adult Learning and Education (MEd)

Halina Deptuck

Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MA)

Facilitating change in maladaptive beliefs: a quantitative exploration of crisis counsellor helping behaviours among clients with active suicide ideation

Laura Werbitsky

Master of Arts in Curriculum Studies (MA)

Teachers experience with curriculum change at an international education company in China

Emmanuel Kwarah

Master of Education in Science Education (MEd)

Isaac Ohene Gyan

Master of Education in Higher Education (MEd)
All Student Stories

Alumni on Success

Brigid Goitse Conteh

Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) [2020]

Job Title
Lecturer

Employer
University of Botswana

Olen Gunnlaugson

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) [2009]

Job Title
Associate Professor in Leadership and Organizational Development

Employer
Université Laval

Andrea Bundon

Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD) [2014]

Job Title
Assistant Professor

Employer
The University of British Columbia - School of Kinesiology

Suzanne Windsor-Liscombe

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD) [2014]

Job Title
Teacher-Administrator

Employer
Retired Educator from the Burnaby School District

Ashwani Kumar

Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) [2011]

Job Title
Associate Professor

Employer
Mount Saint Vincent University

Ryan van den Berg

Master of Arts in Educational Studies (MA) [2016]

Job Title
Analyst

Employer
Library of Parliament

Randy Wollf

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) [2008]

Job Title
President

Employer
PaperLift Document Editing

Kenneth Tupper

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) [2011]

Job Title
Director of Implementation & Partnerships

Employer
BC Centre on Substance Use
All Alumni Stories

Recent Publications

This is an incomplete sample of recent publications in chronological order by UBC faculty members with a primary appointment in the Faculty of Education.

 

“You're wrong, I'll switch, I'm wrong, I'll stay”: How task-switching strategies are modulated by a partner in a multi-task learning protocol
Publication: Acta Psychologica
UBC Author(s): Nicola Hodges (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 00016918
Volume: 222
Publication Date: February 2022

View Publication
Changes in Movement Control Processes Following Visuomotor Adaptation
Publication: Journal of Motor Behavior
UBC Author(s): Romeo Chua (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 00222895
Volume: 54
Page Range: 113-124
Publication Date: 2022

View Publication
Physiological markers of traffic-related stress during active travel
Publication: Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour
UBC Author(s): Eli Puterman (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 13698478
Volume: 84
Page Range: 223-238
Publication Date: January 2022

View Publication
Exploring perceptions of positive mental health in young adults with intellectual disabilities
Publication: Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities
UBC Author(s): Vicki Floyd Knight (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education), Laurie Ford (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 13602322
Volume: 35
Page Range: 160-169
Publication Date: January 2022

View Publication
A Randomized, Community-Based Feasibility Trial of Modified ESDM for Toddlers with Suspected Autism
Publication: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
UBC Author(s): Edward Kroc (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 01623257
Publication Date: 2022

View Publication
Research-based Theatre about veterans transitioning home: A mixed-methods evaluation of audience impacts
Publication: Social Science and Medicine
UBC Author(s): George Belliveau (Language & Literacy Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 02779536
Volume: 292
Publication Date: January 2022

View Publication
From “education for sustainable development” to “education for the end of the world as we know it”
Publication: Educational Philosophy and Theory
UBC Author(s): Cash Ahenakew (Educational Studies / Faculty of Education), Sharon Rebekah Stein (Educational Studies / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 00131857
Volume: 54
Page Range: 274-287
Publication Date: 2022

View Publication
Teachers learning to apply neuroscience to classroom instruction: case of professional development in British Columbia
Publication: Professional Development in Education
UBC Author(s): Yuen Sze Michelle Tan (Curriculum & Pedagogy / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 19415257
Volume: 48
Page Range: 70-87
Publication Date: 2022

View Publication
Associations Between School Environments, Policies and Practices and Children's Physical Activity and Active Transportation
Publication: Journal of School Health
UBC Author(s): Guy Faulkner (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 00224391
Volume: 92
Page Range: 31-41
Publication Date: January 2022

View Publication
Different spokes for different folks: experiences with cycling and the bicycle from the perspective of variably-housed cyclists in Vancouver
Publication: Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health
UBC Author(s): Brian Wilson (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 2159676X
Publication Date: 2022

View Publication
An extended challenge-based framework for practice design in sports coaching
Publication: Journal of Sports Sciences
UBC Author(s): Nicola Hodges (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 02640414
Publication Date: 2022

View Publication
Developing pre-service O&M specialists’ reflective practices to improve problem-solving opportunities during instruction
Publication: British Journal of Visual Impairment
UBC Author(s): Kim Zebehazy (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 02646196
Volume: 40
Page Range: 75-82
Publication Date: January 2022

View Publication
Tailored physical activity behavior change interventions: challenges and opportunities
Publication: Translational behavioral medicine
UBC Author(s): Mark Beauchamp (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
Volume: 11
Page Range: 2174-2181
Publication Date: 14 December 2021

View Publication
Passive stiffness changes in the lumbar spine following simulated automotive low speed rear-end collisions
Publication: Clinical Biomechanics
UBC Author(s): Kayla Fewster (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 02680033
Volume: 90
Publication Date: December 2021

View Publication
Impact of COVID-19 on School Psychology Practices in Canada
Publication: Canadian Journal of School Psychology
UBC Author(s): Laurie Ford (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 08295735
Volume: 36
Page Range: 358-375
Publication Date: December 2021

View Publication
Accuracy of Automated Written Expression Curriculum-Based Measurement Scoring
Publication: Canadian Journal of School Psychology
UBC Author(s): Sterett Mercer (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education), Joanna Cannon (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 08295735
Volume: 36
Page Range: 304-317
Publication Date: December 2021

View Publication
Video Prompting to Teach Robotics and Coding to Middle School Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Publication: Journal of Special Education Technology
UBC Author(s): Vicki Floyd Knight (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 01626434
Volume: 36
Page Range: 187-201
Publication Date: December 2021

View Publication
How the helping process unfolds for clients in suicidal crises: Linking helping-style trajectories with outcomes in online crisis chats
Publication: Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
UBC Author(s): Daniel Cox (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 03630234
Volume: 51
Page Range: 1224-1234
Publication Date: December 2021

View Publication
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (SARS-CoV-2 receptor) expression in human skeletal muscle
Publication: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports
UBC Author(s): Robert Boushel (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 09057188
Volume: 31
Page Range: 2249-2258
Publication Date: December 2021

View Publication
Cardiac-specific VEGFB overexpression reduces lipoprotein lipase activity and improves insulin action in rat heart
Publication: American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and Metabolism
UBC Author(s): Robert Boushel (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 01931849
Volume: 321
Page Range: E753-E765
Publication Date: December 2021

View Publication
The Physical Activity Messaging Framework (PAMF) and Checklist (PAMC): International consensus statement and user guide
Publication: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
UBC Author(s): Guy Faulkner (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
Volume: 18
Publication Date: December 2021

View Publication
Validity of automated text evaluation tools for written-expression curriculum-based measurement: a comparison study
Publication: Reading and Writing
UBC Author(s): Sterett Mercer (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 09224777
Volume: 34
Page Range: 2461-2480
Publication Date: December 2021

View Publication
Case Studies in Physiology: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing and inspiratory muscle training in a 59-year-old, 4 years after an extrapleural pneumonectomy
Publication: Journal of Applied Physiology
UBC Author(s): William Sheel (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 87507587
Volume: 131
Page Range: 1701-1707
Publication Date: December 2021

View Publication
Airway luminal area and the resistive work of breathing during exercise in healthy young females and males
Publication: Journal of Applied Physiology
UBC Author(s): William Sheel (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 87507587
Volume: 131
Page Range: 1750-1761
Publication Date: December 2021

View Publication
Engaging in Linguistically Responsive Instruction: Insights from a First-Year University Program for Emergent Multilingual Learners
Publication: TESOL Quarterly
UBC Author(s): Sandra Zappa (Language & Literacy Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 00398322
Volume: 55
Page Range: 1081-1091
Publication Date: December 2021

View Publication

Pages

Recent Thesis Submissions

Doctoral Citations

A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
Year Citation Program
2021 Dr. Melton studied how developing a sense of wonder in pre-service teachers influenced their ideas about science and science teaching. She found that exposure to wonder-inducing activities shifted the views and values of pre-service teachers towards science both in and out of the classroom and fostered a stronger connection with nature. Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD)
2021 Dr. Dormond studied the understanding and response of counsellors, police and educators to "honour"-related violence and oppression, and found that discourses of othering depict racialized communities as the cause of these acts. He provides insight for collaborative and educational frameworks to challenge the marginalization of racialized peoples. Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD)
2021 Dr. Becker examined how two Chilean-Canadian heritage language learners were socialized to remember their difficult cultural heritage at home and at their Spanish bilingual elementary school. This study sheds light on the sophisticated navigation of uneven cultural terrain by children in heritage language education contexts generations after exile. Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD)
2021 Dr. Wong explored inquiry-based learning experiences of Grade 6 English Language Learners in a technology-enhanced classroom. Her results indicated that students were engaged in innovative learning tasks which encouraged them to move their competencies, such as effective internet use, and knowledge, such as grandparent stories, into the classroom. Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching English as a Second Language (PhD)
2021 Dr. Riazi examined social-ecological factors that influence the independent mobility of children in Canada. Her research highlighted the role of multi-level and multi-sectoral factors such as child age, social cohesion, and the built environment on independent mobility and provided focus for future initiatives promoting childhood independent mobility. Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD)
2021 Dr. Paterson explored how educators in Alberta engage with queer, trans, and gender non-conforming diversity in elementary education. Her findings illustrate the limitations of current approaches to change in schools. Her work contributes to a better schooling future for queer and trans students, thereby improving conditions for all students. Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD)
2021 Dr. Gilman explored the impact of a family literacy program on women with immigrant and refugee backgrounds. This study concluded that a three-way model of family literacy has the potential for highly positive outcomes in both social and academic domains. Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching English as a Second Language (PhD)
2021 Dr. Delgado used narrative inquiry to explore the pedagogical potential of student activism, and how the experience of activism transforms both the role of students and activists. Dr. Delgado studied the context of resistance from economics students to traditional content and pedagogies of introductory economics courses in UK universities. Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD)
2021 In a community of practice, Dr. Smith artistically explored the pedagogical possibilities and ethics of photo-based memory work in the exhibition Against Disappearance: A Photographic Search for Memory. Her work on lexical thinking and visual lifewriting expands understandings of photographic inquiry, highlighting a/r/tography's creative potential. Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD)
2021 Dr. Yanko created and investigated a novel approach for assessing arts learning experiences. He discovered how the arts can enable educators to illuminate the values and judgments of student creativity, imagination, and meaning-making. Findings show this practice to be inclusive, democratic, and tangible for all learners in a classroom community. Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD)

Pages

 

Native Northwest Award in Education for Indigenous Students

January 17, 2022 The Faculty of Education is pleased to announce a new annual award for First Nations, Inuit and Métis students enrolled in the Indigenous Teacher Education Program (NITEP). The awards, totalling $2,000, have been made available through a gift from the Native Northwest...

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Congratulations to the Faculty of Education’s SSHRC grant recipients

January 13, 2022 The Faculty of Education is dedicated to advancing educational research in ways that celebrate diversity, equity and innovation. We are pleased to announce that four Faculty research projects have been awarded Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grants. SSHRC...

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Protected: Dr. Vanessa Andreotti is appointed as the David Lam Chair in Multicultural Education

This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: The post Protected: Dr. Vanessa Andreotti is appointed as the David Lam Chair in Multicultural Education appeared first on Faculty of Education.

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The Faculty of Education welcomes Dr. Dustin Louie, incoming Director of NITEP

January 7, 2022 The Faculty of Education, together with the Office of Indigenous Education and the Indigenous Teacher Education Program (NITEP), is pleased to announce that Dr. Dustin Louie has joined the Faculty as Director of NITEP. Dr. Louie, who will also hold an appointment as Associate...

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Dr. Donald McKenzie is appointed to the Order of Canada

January 7, 2022 Dr. Donald McKenzie, OC, MSM is appointed as an Officer to the Order of Canada One of Canada’s highest civilian honours Created in 1967, the Order of Canada recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. More than 7,000 people from...

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Planning for 2021-22 Winter Session, Term 2

December 22, 2021 Planning for 2021-22 Winter Session, Term 2 UBC has announced a shift in instruction for Winter Term 2 to online delivery from the beginning of term until January 24, 2022. This precautionary period of time in an online mode will allow the Faculty of Education to provide...

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