Contributor Bios

Dr. Aukerman, a University of Calgary Werklund Research Professor, studies reading comprehension and classroom talk fostering deep thinking. Previously at Stanford and the University of Pennsylvania, she received the Harris and Feitelson Research Awards from the International Literacy Association.

Over the past decade, Deirdre has taught middle school math, science, physical and outdoor education, and provided teacher professional learning as a math education specialist. Deirdre is currently teaching part-time with both the Werklund School of Education and Mount Royal University. 

Dr. Bailin has written and presented extensively on critical thinking. She is the author, along with Mark Battersby, of the text, Reason in the Balance: An Inquiry Approach to Critical Thinking.

Dr. Battersby’s is the author of two critical thinking textbooks (Is that a Fact? A Field Guide to Statistical and Scientific Information) and with Sharon Bailin (Reason in the Balance: An Inquiry Approach to Critical Thinking) and numerous journal articles on reasoning.

Dr. Brailsford obtained her MEd and PhD at the University of Alberta. She has taught at elementary, secondary and university levels, and worked as both a classroom teacher and Reading Specialist in Edmonton Public Schools.

Dr. Branch-Mueller teaches and researches in the area of teacher-librarianship education in the Department of Elementary Education in the Faculty of Education. She was a classroom teacher and a teacher-librarian and currently teaches online and face-to-face courses at the undergraduate and graduate level.

Dr. Bright is a language and literacy professor at the University of Lethbridge with 30 years of teaching, research, and publication experience. She has authored seven books and one textbook on literacy that is used in teacher education programs across Canada.

Dr. Brown is Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. Her research interests include research-practice partnerships, professional learning, and instructional design in digital learning environments.

Sarah Clifford is a MSc student at the University of Copenhagen in Political Science and has a BA(Hons) from the University of Alberta. Her research focuses on the intersections of gender theory, educational policy, and identity politics.

Dr. Coles taught Junior and Senior High School students (Lac. Ste. Anne), Kindergarten through Grade Six students (County of Parkland) and, briefly, undergraduate students at the University of Alberta whilst completing her PhD. Pre- and post-PhD, she worked with students, teachers and parents as a reading specialist.

Dr. J-C Couture is adjunct faculty, University of Alberta and an instructor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. His teaching and research applies futures studies to educational leadership, organizational renewal and educational governance

Dr. Davis is a Werklund Research Professor at the University of Calgary. His work is focused on the educational relevance of recent developments in the cognitive and complexity sciences, with a particular interest in teachers’ disciplinary knowledge of mathematics. 

Lia Daniels is a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Alberta. She came to the University of Alberta in 2008 after completing a PhD in social psychology at the University of Manitoba. She is a quantitative researcher by training and work primarily from the theoretical perspectives of mindsets, achievement goal theory, control-value theory of emotions, and self-determination theory.

Dr. Eaton is an Associate Professor in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary.

Members of the Faculté Saint-Jean team who took part in this analysis include Natalie Boisvert, Laurent Cammarata, Diane Campeau, Martine Cavanagh, Katherine Deren, Doris Charest, Samira ElAtia, Laurier Fagnan, Chantal Grégoire, Marianne Jacquet, Denis Lacroix, Émilie Lavoie, Eva Lemaire, Carol Léonard, Randy Lyseng, Dominic Manuel, Johanne Patry, Martine Pellerin, Pierre Rousseau, and Chantal Viens.

Brian Gilbert has a BSc in Natural Sciences and a BEd in Elementary Science Education. He is currently completing his Masters in Curriculum and Learning at the University of Calgary with co-supervisors from both Education and Chemistry.

Dr. Gleddie is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta and Associate Dean, Graduate Studies. His research areas include: narratives of physical education, school sport, physical literacy praxis, meaningful physical education and teacher education.

Dr. Grace is a Registered Psychologist, national eating disorder prevention specialist, and former elementary teacher passionate about youth health and well-being and trauma-informed teacher training in educational settings.

Billie-Jo Grant (Métis Nation of Alberta citizen) is an award-winning educator with over 20 years of classroom experience. She encourages others to be curious, hold deep and reflective conversations, and learn more in order to do better for all students. Billie-Jo aspires to have Indigenous education omnipresent in our education system.

Dr. Jacoben, a Professor and Teaching Scholar, designs and evaluates innovations in learning technologies using participatory pedagogies in open learning spaces, online faculty learning for quality graduate supervision, peer mentoring and wellness, research-based learning, & complex adaptive learning systems in K-12 classrooms & schools.

Elva Jones obtained her BEd and MEd from the University of Alberta. She taught in both rural and urban schools (students in K to grade 10) and as a sessional instructor at the University of Alberta. Most of her career was as a Reading Specialist with Edmonton Public School Board.

Diane Lander was a member of Alberta Education’s Curriculum Working Group from 2017-2019 and participated in the development of the 2018 Draft Curriculum. Additionally, she was a Curriculum Facilitator in Parkland School Division, where she was the lead-learner with respect to how to implement a concept-based curriculum.

Wendy Legaarden retired after 30 +years with the Edmonton Public School Board as a K-3 teacher, School Administrator, Reading Specialist/Literacy Consultant. She is currently a private consultant across Canada.

Danielle E. Lorenz is a PhD candidate in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Alberta. Her dissertation research focuses on settler colonialism in mainstream systems of education.

Dr. Mackey has been researching and teaching in the area of young people’s literacies and literatures – print, media, and digital – for thirty years. She has published widely and presented in many national and international forums on these topics.

Dr. MacDonald has a PhD in Curriculum & Instruction and has been an Instructor of Science education for 35 years. He specializes in the development of students’ scientific literacy. He taught elementary school for seven years. 

Math Minds is a partnership involving researchers in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary, multiple school districts in the Calgary area, and a not-for-profit resource developer. Currently entering its ninth year, the initiative is focused on the development of a theoretically defensible and evidence-based model of mathematics pedagogy. Werklund School of Education members of Math Minds include: Dr. Paulino Preciado, Dr. Soroush Sabbagan, Dr. Martina Metz, and Dr. Brent Davis.

Jennifer Markides is an Eyes High Postdoctoral Fellow in the Werklund School of Education. Her work focuses on the holistic wellbeing of youth and Indigenous education.

Dr. Marynowski is Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Programs at the University of Lethbridge. Her primary research areas are mathematics teaching and learning, classroom assessment practices, and teacher professional development.

Dr. Metz completed her BEd (1992) and MEd (1999) at the University of Lethbridge, then spent 15 years teaching (mostly) Math and Science. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Alberta (2012) and since then has worked as part of the Math Minds Initiative and as a sessional instructor with the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary.

Dr. Morrison’s research, teaching and expertise is on inclusive physical and health education. She works with pre- and in-service teachers and educational assistants to support inclusive health and physical education experiences for all students.

Dr. Murgatroyd teaches strategic foresight and issues associated with innovation and organizational change in education at the University of Alberta, University of Toronto and Athabasca University.

Kathy Nawrot is a retired teacher, literacy consultant and reading specialist. She holds a B.Ed. from the University of Calgary and an M.Ed. from the University of Alberta.

Dr. Patrick taught high school for 12 years before obtaining a PhD in Religious Studies. Her current research examines how secondary social studies teachers teach about religion when and if it appears in the curriculum, current events, controversial issues, or student questions.

Nicole Patrie is a PhD student in Education Policy Studies at the University of Alberta, studying prison education. Over the past 15 years she has taught and developed curriculum at junior high to university levels.

Dr. Peck researches the teaching and learning of history and citizenship, the role of identity in students’ historical understandings and uses of the past, and teachers’ and students’ understandings of democratic concepts.

Dr. Preciado is an Associate Professor with the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. He has a Master’s in Mathematics and a PhD in Mathematics Education, and he has taught at high school and university levels. His research has focused on teacher professional learning and on K–12 mathematics teaching and learning.

Dr. Poitras Pratt (Métis) is an award-winning educator whose publications span Indigenous education, reconciliatory pedagogy, Métis studies, digital storytelling, and critical service-learning. She earned the 2018 Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations Distinguished Academic Early Career Award.

Dr. Richardson is a retired Professor and Associate Dean (International) in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. He joined the U of Alberta in 1999 after more than 20 years of classroom experience as a social studies teacher. 

Dr. Roach’s research focuses on research cognition and brain health in Indigenous populations and other vulnerable groups, mental health, and dementia and cognitive disorders.

Dr. Russell-Mayhew is a professor and registered psychologist with a research program in the prevention and treatment of eating and weight-related issues. Areas of expertise include: weight bias, eating disorders, obesity, body image, comprehensive school health, mental wellbeing.

Dr. Sabbagan is a Senior Instructor at the University of Calgary. He holds two PhDs, in English language teaching and curriculum and instruction with a focus on math education. His scholarly inquiry into teaching focuses on online and remote learning environments.

Dr. Saleh is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Concordia University of Edmonton (CUE), former Elementary and Secondary school teacher, and the author of “Stories We Live and Grow By: (Re)Telling Our Experiences as Muslim Mothers and Daughters.”

Dr. Scott is an Associate Professor in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. His work focuses on how educators, and the public more generally, interpret and respond to new curricular mandates particularly within the context of social studies education

Dr. Sears received his PhD from Cornell University and is Associate Professor of Classics at the University of New Brunswick. In addition to academic books and articles on ancient Greek history, society, and culture, he has written for the Globe & Mail, Maclean’s, and the Washington Post.

Chris Smeaton is a retired Superintendent of Schools and former Adjunct Professor for Gonzaga University. 

Dr. Sulz is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at the U of A. Her research focuses on comprehensive school health, whole-child education, and physical and health literacy. Dr. Sulz teaches physical education and health education curriculum and pedagogy courses to preservice teachers. 

Members of the team who took part in this analysis include University of Calgary Werklund School of Education professors Sylvie Roy, Katherine Mueller, Rahat Zaidi, Roswita Dressler, Umit Boz, and David Scott.

Mary Winton is a Retired Reading Specialist and teacher with the Edmonton Public School Board.

Dr. Wright-Maley is Associate Professor of Education at St. Mary’s University in Treaty 7 Territory on the lands of the Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot), where he is helping to train the next generation of elementary and secondary teachers. He specializes in social studies curriculum and instruction.