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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

https://ivet.educ.ubc.ca/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
Gouzouasis, Peter Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy early childhood music education; computer literacy through fine arts and new media; music in mass media; especially jazz, guitar, Music education, Action Research, Artistic and Aesthetic Development, Arts Education, Assessment, Early Childhood Education, Educational Technologies, Literacy, Media, Semiotics, Text Studies, Music, Music Education Research, Non-Formal Learning, Pedagogy, Philosophy, Research Design and Method, Sociological Issues, Teacher Education Research, Teacher Research, Technology
Gunderson, Lee Paul Department of Language & Literacy Education Languages and literature; reading-research; immigrant-achievement; home literacy environment
Hare, Jan Department of Language & Literacy Education Aboriginal youth mobility, Aboriginal family and community perspectives on early literacy, literature, identity construction and urban Aboriginal youth, Cultural studies, early childhood, first nations education
Haverkamp, Beth Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Counselling Process Research, Ethics and Professional Issues, Research Design
Hodges, Nicola School of Kinesiology Sport and exercise psychology; Behavioural neuroscience of learning and memory; action anticipation and observation; coaching and motor skill expertise; skill acquisition; Motor learning; observational learning and instruction; sports skill development
Hubley, Anita Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Psychological and health measurement; test development and validation; adult neuropsychological, personality, and mental health topics and assessment; research with general community and vulnerable populations (e.g. elderly, homeless, drug addicted)
Hurd, Laura School of Kinesiology Sociological methodology and research methods; Sociology and social studies of health, health systems and health care; Aging; Gender; health; ageism or age-based discrimination; sociology of aging; sociology of health; embodiment or embodied experience; body image; chronic conditions or chronic illness; disability; Assistive technology; qualitative methods; media representation; LGBTQ+ aging; intersectionality
Inglis, J Timothy School of Kinesiology Exercise science, neurophysiology, biomechanics, stance and balance control, human microneurography, physical therapy and rehabilitation, vestibular system
Irwin, Rita Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy arts in education with a particular emphasis on visual arts; implementation of arts education; working with inservice and preservice teachers; community oriented art projects; research creation; scholarship of teaching and learning; inquiry process; artography as a research methodology, Action Research, Art Education Research, Community Research, Curriculum Studies Research, Teacher Research
James, Susan Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Cultural Psychology & Psychotherapy, Immigrant Mental Health & Culture Specific Syndromes, Philosophical Psychology, Spirituality & Psychotherapy
Jenson, Jennifer Department of Language & Literacy Education Other languages and literature; Digital Cultures and Education; Digital Games; Game-based Learning; Gender; Online Learning; technology; Technology Implementation and integration
Jiang, Yuanyuan Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Clinical psychology; Educational psychology; Mental health and wellbeing; inattentiveness, hyperactivity, impulsivity; psychosocial assessment and intervention; supporting children, parents, teachers. and care providers in improving mental health
Kassan, Anusha Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Social sciences; Child and youth mental health; Social justice; Multiculturalism and diversity; Feminist-multicultural pedagogy; immigration; Cultural and social justice responsiveness; Anti-oppressive therapy
Katz, Jennifer Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Inclusive Education; The Three-Block Model of UDL; Universal design for learning (UDL)
Keenan, Harper Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy Curriculum, pedagogy and didactics; Gender, sexuality and education; Inter-disciplinary, trans-disciplinary learning and education; Colonialism; early childhood and elementary education; Educational Context; Gender; race; sexuality; teacher education; childhood; Transgender Studies; LGBT Studies; queer studies
Kelly, Deirdre Department of Educational Studies Children and youth, Gender studies, Media and democracy, Social justice, Sociology of Education
Kendrick, Maureen Department of Language & Literacy Education literacy, digital literacy, Children and youth, ESL, international perspectives
Khan, Samia Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy science education, teaching and learning, cognition, digital technology, learning space design, case study, higher education, Educational Technologies, Science Education, Teacher Education
Kim, Hyosub School of Kinesiology Sensorimotor control; Motor systems; Sensorimotor neuroscience; Sensory processes, perception and performance; Motor learning; motor control; Computational modeling; Bayesian Methods
Kindler, Anna Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy art education; artistic and aesthetic development; teacher education
Knight, Vicki Floyd Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education Applied Behaviour Analysis; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Developmental Disabilities; Single-Case Research; Academic Interventions; Instructional Strategies
Koehle, Michael School of Kinesiology, Department of Family Practice Systems physiology; Other clinical medicine; Musculoskeletal biology and physiology; Exercise Physiology; air pollution; Sport and Exercise Medicine; Environmental Physiology; Altitude
Kovach, Margaret Department of Educational Studies
Kroc, Edward Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education measurement; applied and theoretical research methodology and best practice; spatio-temporal modelling; Causal inference; urban ecology; life cycle of gulls
Kubota, Ryuko Department of Language & Literacy Education Specialized studies in education; critical applied linguistics; culture and language; Language Rights and Policies; language education; language ideologies; multicultural education; race and language teaching

Pages

Graduate Student Stories

Aisha Ghani

Doctor of Philosophy in School and Applied Child Psychology (PhD)

Canadian South-Asian youth experiences of caregiver-child relationships

Zhen Lin

Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD)

A posthuman investigation of Chinese-Canadian children's heritage language resources at home

Alim Fakirani

Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD)

The representation of refugee, immigrant and minority histories in the secondary-level social studies and history curricula of British Columbia and Ontario

Kathryn Anderson

Master of Science in Kinesiology (MSc)

The role of storytelling in self-regulation, error detection, and movement

Thea Brain

Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education (PhD)

Do, help, talk: Training teachers to implement a peer-mediated social skills intervention for elementary-school students with autism spectrum disorder

Sarah Skinner

Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education (PhD)

How Universal Design for Learning influences collaborative practices of multi-disciplinary school teams to facilitate inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities in general education classrooms

Carrie Peters

Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD)

Motor system involvement in action observation

Tonje Molyneux

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

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

Alumni on Success

Jordan Guenette

Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD) [2010]

Job Title
Associate Professor (Department of Physical Therapy) and Associate Director (Centre for Heart Lung Innovation)

Employer
University of British Columbia

Sam Bradd

Master of Education in Educational Studies (MEd)

Job Title
Graphic Facilitator

Employer
Self employed

Catherine Sabiston

Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD) [2006]

Job Title
Associate Professor

Employer
University of Toronto

Lauryn Oates

Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) [2012]

Job Title
Consultant - Education

Employer
Self-employed

Glen Foster

Job Title
Associate Professor

Employer
University of British Columbia

Juliana Negreiros

Job Title
Registered Psychologist & Post-Doctoral Fellow

Employer
UBC Psychiatry
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.

 

Perceived Parental Rejection as a Predictor of Psychological Distress in LGBQ + Adults and the Moderating Effects of Self-Acceptance of Sexuality
Publication: LGBTQ+ Family: An Interdisciplinary Journal
UBC Author(s): George Schanding (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 27703371
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Reduction in Insulin Uncovers a Novel Effect of VEGFB on Cardiac Substrate Utilization
Publication: Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
UBC Author(s): Robert Boushel (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 10795642
Volume: 44
Page Range: 177-191
Publication Date: 1 January 2024

View Publication
Becoming a Better ME: Chinese science museum educators' expectations for professional growth
Publication: Curator
UBC Author(s): David Anderson (Curriculum & Pedagogy / Faculty of Education)
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Bridging the Multicultural Orientation Framework With Sexual and Gender Minority Psychotherapy: A Mixed Studies Systematic Review
Publication: Psychotherapy
UBC Author(s): Daniel Cox (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 00333204
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
At the Heart of Resilience: Empowering Women's Agency in Navigating Cardiovascular Disease
Publication: CJC Open
UBC Author(s): Jillianne Code (Curriculum & Pedagogy / Faculty of Education)
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Factors Affecting Healthcare Provider Referral to Heart Function Clinics: A Mixed-Methods Study
Publication: The Journal of cardiovascular nursing
UBC Author(s): Jillianne Code (Curriculum & Pedagogy / Faculty of Education)
Volume: 39
Page Range: 18-30
Publication Date: 1 January 2024

View Publication
The factors explaining reading success of academically gifted readers through the ecological model
Publication: Gifted Education International
UBC Author(s): Chih Shen Lo (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 02614294
Volume: 40
Page Range: 42-66
Publication Date: January 2024

View Publication
Assessing psychotherapy as a western healing practice through prediction of help-seeking attitudes
Publication: Counselling Psychology Quarterly
UBC Author(s): Robinder Bedi (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 09515070
Volume: 37
Page Range: 47-68
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Trunk muscle activity and kinematics during boxing and battle rope exercise in people with motor-complete spinal cord injury
Publication: Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine
UBC Author(s): Tania Lam (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 10790268
Volume: 47
Page Range: 135-142
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Identifying Children’s Funds of Knowledge as a Bridge to STEM
Publication: Springer International Handbooks of Education
UBC Author(s): Robert Vanwynsberghe (Educational Studies / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 21971951
Volume: Part F2322
Page Range: 943-966
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
“New Heights” in Storytelling?: Considerations for Cross-National Analyses of Broadcasters’ Social Media Coverage of the Paralympics
Publication: Communication and Sport
UBC Author(s): Andrea Bundon (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 21674795
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Inequitable Changes in School Connectedness During the Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic in a Cohort of Canadian Adolescents
Publication: Journal of School Health
UBC Author(s): Guy Faulkner (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 00224391
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Learning without subjects?: Considering trans pedagogies in practice
Publication: International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education
UBC Author(s): Harper Keenan (Curriculum & Pedagogy / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 09518398
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
A School Psychology for All: Realizing Evidence-Based Practice Through Social Justice
Publication: Canadian Journal of School Psychology
UBC Author(s): George Schanding (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 08295735
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Street soccer and homelessness: Exploring social identities, health, and well-being
Publication: Psychology of Sport and Exercise
UBC Author(s): Mark Beauchamp (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education), Andrea Bundon (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 14690292
Volume: 70
Publication Date: January 2024

View Publication
Increasing Health Behaviors and Psychological Measures with an Adapted Version of the ACCELERATION Program
Publication: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine
UBC Author(s): Shannon Bredin (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 10705503
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Assessing the validity and reliability of a baseball pitch discrimination online task
Publication: International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology
UBC Author(s): Nicola Hodges (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 1612197X
Volume: 22
Page Range: 481-505
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Financial capital and ghosts of empire: editorial
Publication: Journal of Cultural Economy
UBC Author(s): Johnna Montgomerie (Curriculum & Pedagogy / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 17530350
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Systems beings: Educating for a complex world
Publication: Educational Philosophy and Theory
UBC Author(s): Derek Gladwin (Language & Literacy Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 00131857
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Building bridges: a Qualitative exploration of the athlete–guide partnership in high-performance parasport
Publication: Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health
UBC Author(s): Andrea Bundon (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 2159676X
Volume: 16
Page Range: 134-150
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Exploring AI-mediated informal digital learning of English (AI-IDLE): a mixed-method investigation of Chinese EFL learners’ AI adoption and experiences
Publication: Computer Assisted Language Learning
UBC Author(s): Ron Darvin (Language & Literacy Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 09588221
Publication Date: 2024

View Publication
Resting cardiovascular function and athletic performance in female soccer players
Publication: Science and Sports
UBC Author(s): Darren Warburton (School of Kinesiology / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 07651597
Volume: 39
Page Range: 112-116
Publication Date: January 2024

View Publication
A Distress-Processing Model for Clients in Suicidal Crisis Development and Initial Validation
Publication: Crisis
UBC Author(s): Daniel Cox (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 02275910
Volume: 45
Page Range: 18-25
Publication Date: January 2024

View Publication
Universities confronting climate change: beyond sustainable development and solutionism
Publication: Higher Education
UBC Author(s): Sharon Rebekah Stein (Educational Studies / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 00181560
Volume: 87
Page Range: 165-183
Publication Date: January 2024

View Publication
Psychometric Evaluation of the Hope-Action Inventory in Individuals with Substance Use Issues
Publication: Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development
UBC Author(s): Robinder Bedi (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education), Anita Hubley (Educational & Counselling Psychology & Special Education / Faculty of Education)
ISSN: 07481756
Volume: 57
Page Range: 30-46
Publication Date: 2024

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
2023 Dr. Sauvé examined the perspectives of national team coaches, National Sport Federation performance directors, and Olympians regarding factors they felt undermined and supported Olympic-level athlete well-being. The findings and recommendations were discussed with influential leaders within the Canadian elite sport environment, with the intention of optimizing athlete well-being in the future. Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Michalovich explored possibilities for language and literacy learning through in-school video production with newcomers from refugee and immigrant backgrounds in Metro Vancouver. He found that students invested in their learning and troubled common deficit narratives beyond what was possible with print-based or language-dominant schoolwork. Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD)
2023 Dr. Karangu investigated non-refugee teachers' teaching experiences in a long-term refugee camp, Dadaab, Kenya. His analysis demonstrates that there is little known about these non-refugee teachers. This research brings forward the voices of underrepresented teachers as it mattered to them through an Afrocentric lens. Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD)
2023 Dr. Parent examined adolescent development and wellbeing in the current socio-technological context. Her findings illustrate the complex ways in which digital devices contribute to adolescents' wellbeing - suggesting that these may have both positive and negative effects. Her work has important implications for research and practice in adolescence. Doctor of Philosophy in Human Development, Learning, and Culture (PhD)
2023 Dr. Fagan examined if physical activity prevents substance use among Canadian youth. Overall, there was no evidence that physical activity confers broad, universal benefits in prevention. However, sport participation may provide a contextual experience that enhances school connectedness which in turn is associated with substance use prevention. Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Vergara explored the uptake of Latin American literature in Metro Vancouver classrooms. She found that sometimes teachers and students used stereotypes and misrepresentations when interpreting such texts. This research illuminates the complexity of teaching diverse literature and discusses ways of supporting teachers and students in the process. Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD)
2023 Dr. Jones explores the ways apocalyptic poetry can be used to deepen understandings of living within dying systems. Drawing from the hypothetical example of drug coverage in a stage of systems collapse and the effects on persons living with disease, her work provides insight into mourning and relationality as key competencies in death pedagogy. Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD)
2023 Dr. Yogev examined the reliability and validity of wearable near-infrared spectroscopy during exercise, to better inform practitioners about the utility of measuring muscle oxygenation in field conditions. His work provides valuable guidelines for muscle oxygenation monitoring in real-time during exercise. Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD)
2023 Dr. Siedlaczek studied the influences leading to a new quality assurance policy in BC higher education. Her analysis demonstrates the impact of global discourses on local policymaking and the increasing focus on quality assurance as a policy issue. The research provides insight on institutionalizing quality assurance practices in higher education. Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy (EdD)
2023 Dr. Beyer investigated the role of embodiment in young women's experience of sexual satisfaction. Research findings illustrated how young women's experiences of embodiment are intertwined not only with sexual satisfaction, but related aspects of sexuality including sexual desire and pleasure. Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology (PhD)

Pages

 

Thalia Lang and Marcus Lau receive 2023-24 UBC Faculty of Education Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards

April 8, 2024 Congratulations to Thalia Lang and Marcus Lau, recipients of the 2023-24 Faculty of Education Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards The Faculty of Education Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards (GTA) awards are conferred annually to individuals who demonstrate exceptional teaching...

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Dr. Bill Cohen receives 2023/24 Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation

April 16, 2024 Dr. Bill Cohen receives 2023/24 Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation The Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation celebrates outstanding faculty members from UBC’s Okanagan campus who demonstrate preeminence in educational leadership, innovation, and...

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Giovanna Correa Lucci and Matthew Fliss receive 2023-24 UBC Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards

April 8, 2024 Congratulations to Giovanna Correa Lucci and Matthew Fliss, recipients of the 2023-24 UBC Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards In recognition of the valuable role that Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA) play in our programs, UBC annually honours GTAs with the Killam Graduate...

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2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject – Faculty of Education

April 10, 2024 The UBC Faculty of Education is ranked 2nd in Canada, 10th in North America and 17th globally according to the 2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) University Rankings have released its 20th annual installment, featuring 1,500 institutions...

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2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject – School of Kinesiology

April 10, 2024 UBC School of Kinesiology, together with the UBC Okanagan School of Health and Exercise Sciences, are ranked 1st in North America and 3rd globally for sports-related subjects according to the 2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) University...

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Dr. Jo-ann Archibald appointed as Chancellor of the University of the Fraser Valley

April 9, 2024 Congratulations to Dr. Jo-ann Archibald on her appointment as Chancellor of the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) Appointment commenced on April 1, 2024 Dr. Jo-ann Archibald, OC, also known as Q’um Q’um Xiiem, is a distinguished Indigenous scholar hailing from the Sto:lo First...

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