Christine L Cho | Nipissing University (original) (raw)

Books by Christine L Cho

Global Perspectives on Microaggressions in Schools: Understanding and Combatting Covert Violence, 2021

Recognizing microaggression as an often unseen, yet pervasive issue in schools globally, this boo... more Recognizing microaggression as an often unseen, yet pervasive issue in schools globally, this book offers critical examination of instances of aggression, hostility, and incivility in school contexts around the world. Drawing on authors’ experiences and empirical analyses, the volume puts forward practical recommendations to remedy such violence and tackle its root causes.

Global Perspectives on Microaggressions in Schools brings together contributions from South Africa, Australia, Canada, and the US to explore the various forms that microaggression can take. Authors implement qualitative methodologies, personal reflection, and empirical literature to document microaggressions perpetrated by, and directed against all members of the school community, including students, teachers, school leaders, and administrators. In doing so, they highlight ongoing issues including xenophobia, sexual violence, and prejudice against gifted students, LGBTQ, refugee, and indigenous communities. Looking forward, the volume proposes practical ways to undermine such prejudices and prevent the occurrence of microaggressions through effective training, policy, leadership, and student agency.

Given its rigorous approach and attention to widespread issues of school violence, this book will be a timely resource for scholars, researchers, and academics with an interest in the sociology of education, educational leadership, school culture, student well-being, and inclusive education. In addition, school leaders, administrators, and pre- and in-service educators may find benefit from reading this volume.

Examining the subtle forms of aggression, violence, and harassment that occur in our society and ... more Examining the subtle forms of aggression, violence, and harassment that occur in our society and manifest in institutions and places of work, the expert contributors collected here describe the experience of social marginalization and expose how vulnerable individuals work to navigate exclusionary climates. This volume explores how bodies disrupt the status quo in multiple contexts and locations; provides insights into how institutions are structured and how practices that may cause harm are maintained; and, finally, considers progressive and proactive alternatives. This book will be a key resource for academics and professionals in education, sociology, nursing, law, business and political science, as well as organizations and policymakers grappling with aggression in the workplace.

Journal Articles by Christine L Cho

Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies (JCACS). La Revue de l'association canadienne pour l'étude du curriculum (RACÉC), 2021

We engage in a creative exploration of the ways in which a walk provided us with insights into ho... more We engage in a creative exploration of the ways in which a walk provided us with insights into how we might enhance the curriculum for a teacher education international practicum in Italy. Drawing from a currere framework, we shifted to mindful walking, and we tell our story in three parts that represent the various stages of our mindful engagement: intention; attention; and attitude. Walking in this way provided the impetus for us to re-examine the curriculum of the international practicum. We argue that mindful walking has the potential to increase observation skills and open up ways to develop deeper cultural connections in an international practicum. We consider what those connections could do to enhance the practicum and our teacher candidates’ experience.

Intersections: Critical Issues in Education, 2020

This article explores the theory-practice divide with respect to actualizing how diversity and in... more This article explores the theory-practice divide with respect to actualizing how diversity and inclusion can be explicitly addressed in schools. This paper contributes important insights for teacher educators in terms of recognizing and challenging problematic assumptions teacher candidates (TCs) may hold. This research presses TCs to examine the structure of schools through a critical lens, as teachers, particularly those from the dominant group, tend to act in surface ways, avoiding conflict by using seemingly inclusive language and ideas, and either ignoring or not seeing the real challenges many historically marginalized students face. The assignment upon which this study was based was designed to make explicit and transparent the relationship between equity education and social justice action by generating targeted possibilities for classroom practice. TCs were asked to design and deliver anti-oppression lessons in a K-6 school and subsequently reflect on the experience. To gain insight into TCs’ perceptions, their reflections were coded in terms of evidence of dysconsciousness and evasiveness, as well as critical consciousness.

Journal of Teacher Education , 2020

Journal for Learning through the Arts, 2019

This paper considers the complex and somewhat nebulous term “creativity”, exploring the ways in w... more This paper considers the complex and somewhat nebulous term “creativity”, exploring the ways in which the pedagogical phenomenon we call “CIRT” (an acronym) can enrich classroom approaches so as to enhance Creativity, boost Innovation, and encourage Risk-Taking. In addition, we review elements that impact the creative process and explore concepts of freedom, as well as the constraints and parameters of creativity. In our role as teacher educators, we explore the connection between teaching and creativity by outlining three key examples of approaches that utilize the CIRT framework including: synesthesia, imagination, and audiation activities.

Journal of Teacher Education, 2019

This paper is an examination of the influence of music, specifically the music of a Toronto band,... more This paper is an examination of the influence of music, specifically the music of a Toronto band, The Lowest of the Low, on a visual artist's creative process. The ways in which music and lyrics have informed and been the foundation for two paintings will be explored.

The International Journal of Diverse Identities, 2014

This paper explores the experiences of 7 Canadian teacher candidates who self-identify as immigra... more This paper explores the experiences of 7 Canadian teacher candidates who self-identify as immigrant. At the time of the project the participants were completing their Bachelor of Education degrees in Canada. While Canada is often applauded for its progressive and forward thinking multicultural policy of 1971 and the subsequent Multicultural Act of 1988, Canada has simultaneously been criticized for encouraging the very act of assimilation the policies and Act profess to discourage. The Act suggests Canadians believe that the fabric of the nation is reflective and embracing of diversity. However, are there limitations embedded in the cultural mosaic concept? In Canada, immigrant teachers are severely under-represented in the workforce as compared to their prototypical Canadian counterparts. What are the experiences of teacher candidates who are “othered” and who attempt to utilize the concept of Multiculturalism to justify their place in elementary and secondary schools? Data from a critical ethnographic project comprised of focus groups, individual interviews and narrative reflections will be used to illuminate participants’ counter-stories. The participants’ experiences reveal the ways in which they perceive the discourse of multiculturalism serves their interests and might facilitate their entrance into the teaching profession while also revealing the ways in which their efforts are thwarted.

. LEARNING Landscapes: Inclusive Education: Socially Just Perspectives and Practices. 7, (2), pp. 83-100, Jul 2014

This paper explores pre-service elementary teacher candidates’ written reflections on an assignme... more This paper explores pre-service elementary teacher candidates’ written reflections on an assignment for a mandatory Bachelor of Education course in Ontario, Canada. The assignment required the teacher candidates (TCs) to create and teach one 40-minute
anti-oppression lesson (racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.) in a public elementary school with students in senior kindergarten to grade 6. Two key themes are discussed in the paper: first, the ways in which TCs found convenient excuses as to why they were
unable to fully engage with a topic; and, second, the fears identified by the TCs in terms of teaching sensitive issues.

Christine Cho is doctoral candidate (ABD) at York University's Faculty of Education and the Commu... more Christine Cho is doctoral candidate (ABD) at York University's Faculty of Education and the Community Involvement Co-ordinator for the York Urban Diversity B.Ed. programme. A classroom teacher for several years, Christine has taught pre-service and in-service teachers at four Ontario universities. Her research interests include the exploration of social justice in pre-service teacher education particularly related to "immigrant" teacher candidates, teacher education policy and practices, critical pedagogy, and critical multiculturalism.

This paper explores an under-utilized use of the flipped classroom model: teaching visual arts to... more This paper explores an under-utilized use of the flipped classroom model: teaching visual arts to future elementary teachers. Data gleaned from pre-and post Likert-type surveys over a 2 year span drawn from the advantages and limitations noted in the existing research as well as anonymous student comments on course evaluations will be explored. For the purposes of this paper, 2 key findings will be discussed, first: locating, creating and/or obtaining quality resources for the flipped classroom; and, second, challenges with a student-centered versus a teacher-centered approach to learning. This paper also includes changes to the format and structure of the course based on student feedback.

EDULEARN Conference Proceedings, 2016

As technologies develop and become more accessible, so too should the capabilities of educators t... more As technologies develop and become more accessible, so too should the capabilities of educators to use technology in innovative ways to mobilize knowledge. This session explores an under-investigated application of the flipped classroom: its use in the teaching of visual arts. Currently, there is little to no research exploring the flipped classroom model within a visual arts context. This project explores the use of the flipped classroom in a Canadian university mandatory visual arts course for initial teacher education students who are not artists. The participants are in their fifth and final year of a five year concurrent education program. The principal investigator has taught the visual arts course since 2013 using a flipped classroom approach.

International Conference on Self-Study of Teacher Education Practices, Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex, UK (pages 125-129)

This paper, a self-study , explores our experiences designing and teaching a pre-service course t... more This paper, a self-study , explores our experiences designing and teaching a pre-service course that critically engages teacher candidates in discussions of equity, diversity and social justice. A persisting challenge in this work involves navigating teacher candidate resistance and inviting exploration of their own positionality in a context where existing racial ideologies, and their corollary white privilege, dominate.

Chapters by Christine L Cho

Identity Landscapes: Contemplating Place and the Construction of Self, 2020

Globalization and Diversity in Education: What Does It Mean for Canadian Teacher Education? , 2019

Our chapter, based on a self-study, responds to the question, “What impact does international exp... more Our chapter, based on a self-study, responds to the question, “What impact does international experience have for faculty and teacher candidates?” We have utilized a 5-step process: collection/recognition; recording; revisiting; deconstructing and reconstructing to gather and analyze our data drawn from two different international Community Leadership Experiences (CLE). In this chapter, we examine two distinct contexts: a CLE in a developing country such as Kenya or Nicaragua, organized through a Not-for-Profit-Social-Enterprise (NPSE) contrasted with a CLE in Italy. We outline three key findings: concepts of authenticity; assessment of risk; and, understanding professionalism. Our examination of the themes has allowed us to interrogate the impact our facilitation of international placements may be having on our broader practice as teacher educators.

Global Perspectives on Microaggressions in Schools: Understanding and Combatting Covert Violence, 2021

Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies (JCACS). La Revue de l'association canadienne pour l'étude du curriculum (RACÉC), 2021

Intersections: Critical Issues in Education, 2020

Journal of Teacher Education , 2020

Journal for Learning through the Arts, 2019

Journal of Teacher Education, 2019

The International Journal of Diverse Identities, 2014

. LEARNING Landscapes: Inclusive Education: Socially Just Perspectives and Practices. 7, (2), pp. 83-100, Jul 2014

EDULEARN Conference Proceedings, 2016

International Conference on Self-Study of Teacher Education Practices, Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex, UK (pages 125-129)

Identity Landscapes: Contemplating Place and the Construction of Self, 2020

Globalization and Diversity in Education: What Does It Mean for Canadian Teacher Education? , 2019

Interrogating Models of Diversity within a Multicultural Environment., 2019

The concept of learning is often commensurate with the premise of change: a change in attitude, p... more The concept of learning is often commensurate with the premise of change: a change in attitude, perception, behavior, or knowledge. Many future educators enter initial teacher education programs with the intent of “making a change” or “making a difference” in the lives of young people. Yet as Solomon and Levine-Rasky (2003) argued, “there is a gap between the hopes for equity in education and the realization of equity in actual outcomes” (p. 41). Some types of change require more of us and our institutions than others, particularly when the “change” has direct implications in terms of the power of the dominant group. The change required, or that occurs, for those from the dominant group does not come with the degree and type of emotional burden that is the case for racialized immigrants who must bear the burden of microaggressions and who take on the work of “educating” their White peers. The former is more likely to be rewarded for transformations in their consciousness than racialized immigrants who must do the emotional work of educating their peers, teachers, principals, and yes, even professors. This chapter explores the question: In what ways can the insights of those positioned as “Other” impact the instructor’s creation of assignments and coursework for future teachers to teach for and about diversity and inclusion?

The Negotiated Self: Employing Reflexive Inquiry to Explore Teacher Identity, 2018

At the Intersection of Selves and Subject: Exploring the Curricular Landscape of Identity, 2017

Sulmona is a small town in the Abruzzo region of Italy, with ties to the ancient Romans still fel... more Sulmona is a small town in the Abruzzo region of Italy, with ties to the ancient Romans still felt and seen in the cobblestone roads and long-standing aqueducts. Equally proud of their medieval history, the people of the town re-enact a joust, the Giostra Cavaleeresca di Sulmona, every August. It is in this quaint village that we had a remarkable experience buying, or perhaps more aptly, attempting to buy, a filigree necklace traditional to the area and its medieval connections.

In Schmidt, C. and Schneider, J. (Eds.)., Diversifying the Teaching Force in Transnational Contex... more In Schmidt, C. and Schneider, J. (Eds.)., Diversifying the Teaching Force in Transnational Contexts: Critical Perspectives. (pp.45-57). Sense Publishers: Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Rarely are the cultural resources -- such as important forms of knowledge and diverse ways of knowing brought to Canada by teachers from migrant backgrounds -- accepted and legitimized by schools. Rather, these resources are often overlooked and/or undervalued. This chapter draws from a research project that invited university students in the process of obtaining their Bachelor of Education degrees and certification to become elementary or secondary school teachers in the province of Ontario, Canada to share their experiences. This project grew out of a desire to re-imagine the landscape of the teaching force to compliment provincial and national demographics.
This chapter draws from a critical ethnographic project, for which tri-council ethics was obtained. Grounded in critical pedagogy (Freire, 1970; Giroux, 1983); critical multiculturalism (Hurtado & Silva, 2008; May, 1999) and theories of Whiteness (Picower, 2009; Thompson, 2003), the project invited teacher candidates (TCs) who self-identify as immigrants (ITCs) to impart their experiences through focus group sessions, individual interviews and the sharing of narrative writing.
The proposed chapter will explore two key findings from the research. First, the ways in which the participants envision themselves as role models and the complexities inherent in striving to locate themselves in a profession dominated by majority-background teachers and second, the ways in which White power serves to maintain dominance in the teaching profession.

Out Proud: Stories of Pride, Courage and Social Justice in Canada:, 2014

Schools are predominantly conservative spaces where the status quo is upheld and unquestioned. I ... more Schools are predominantly conservative spaces where the status quo is upheld and unquestioned. I challenge my students to be agents of change and to examine the world and their experiences through a variety of lenses.

Brush Education Inc. , 2014

This chapter explores the under-employment of teachers who are immigrants in Ontario. Drawing fro... more This chapter explores the under-employment of teachers who are immigrants in Ontario. Drawing from a critical ethnographic project with immigrant teacher candidates juxtaposed with an information session at an immigrant counseling service, the research exposes two challenges with getting hired as a teacher in Ontario: perceptions around language proficiency and exposing the limitations of Canada’s Multicultural Act.

Citizenship Education Research Network (CERN) Collection 2012. 76-89

Table of Contents for the book, release July 21, 2017

What Works? Research Into Practice, NLS and OADE

2014

What is Canadian about Teacher Education in Canada? Multiple Perspectives on Canadian Teacher Education in the Twenty-First Century (pp 38-61). Canadian Association for Teacher Education/Association canadienne pour la formation à l’enseignement.

9th Annual - 2020 Arts, Humanities, Social Science & Education Conference: Honolulu, Hawaii, January 6-8th, 2020

This paper shares the findings from 39 teacher candidates’ (TCs) self-reflections written after t... more This paper shares the findings from 39 teacher candidates’ (TCs) self-reflections written after the delivery of anti-oppressive lesson plans to students in grades K-6. For the most part, the TCs enrolled in the initial teacher education program at the institution in which this study was conducted complete their fieldwork in predominantly White settings. TCs often do not recognize anti-oppression work as a necessity, particularly when working in predominantly White classrooms. This paper will elaborate on two key themes: first, the ways in which participation in the project deepened TCs understandings of children’s capacity to discuss and relate to oppression. Second, the ways in which the TCs were unable to decentre their privileged social locations.

This project, which is at its initial stages, explores the use of the flipped classroom in a univ... more This project, which is at its initial stages, explores the use of the flipped classroom in a university visual arts course for pre-service primary-junior teacher candidates. The participants are in their fifth and final year of a five year concurrent education program. The course has been taught once in 2013 using a flipped classroom approach. Preliminary data, for which tri-council ethics approval has been sought, will be collected during January and February of 2014 then analyzed. The findings will be shared during the session.

This paper session explores an under-investigated application of the flipped classroom: its use i... more This paper session explores an under-investigated application of the flipped classroom: its use in the visual arts classroom. Currently, there is little to no research exploring the flipped classroom model within a visual arts or elementary context. Data gleaned from course-access stats, results from pre-and post Likert-type surveys drawn from the advantages and limitations noted in the existing research, and student comments on the course discussion board (in an anonymous blog site) regarding how the teacher candidates might implement a flipped classroom model at the elementary level and in non-STEM courses will be explored.

Our paper will engage the session participants in a discussion on the concept of “teacher creativ... more Our paper will engage the session participants in a discussion on the concept of “teacher creativity” and articulates our concept of a “CIRT pedagogy”. We contend that K-12 teachers should strive for a pedagogy imbued in creativity, innovation, and risk-taking (CIRT) across all subject areas. As teacher educators, we are interested in preparing educators who will teach the future generation to be divergent thinkers, capable of functioning, and thriving in our rapidly-changing world. A CIRT pedagogy encourages pre-service teachers to have greater perception skills as well as an awareness of diverse ways of knowing and being with a focus on uniqueness of thought style. A CIRT pedagogy also provides dynamic and meaningful educational experiences that can transform classroom, school communities, and even society at large. We will share specific audiation techniques and strategies that we have used in our own teaching to expand upon and demonstrate our CIRT pedagogy.

This paper explores two projects conducted in two different Canadian universities. Both projects ... more This paper explores two projects conducted in two different Canadian universities. Both projects required teacher education candidates (TCs) to utilize reflection as a means of understanding their own positionality and their experiences with anti-oppression education. One research project was undertaken with consecutive TCs who were asked to create and deliver an anti-oppression lesson in an elementary school. This project asked in what ways TCs felt prepared to implement an anti-oppression framework and what are the barriers to implementing anti-oppression work in the classroom? The second project collected data from concurrent TCs who utilized web-based digital technology as a means of dialoguing about equity and diversity issues in education (racism, sexism, homophobia, etc). The project explored TCs’ individual reflections on using the software to understand their struggles and successes engaging with sensitive issues. Our paper builds on the experiences of student participants in both projects to unravel the limitations and possibilities of reflective practice in diversity education. We argue that while individual reflection is essential for helping TCs examine their deep-rooted beliefs about teaching and learning, we must also create opportunities for collective dialogue about privilege, power and bias if we are to move forward and effect long lasting pedagogical change.

In an educational environment that is primarily focused on organization, structure, and linear th... more In an educational environment that is primarily focused on organization, structure, and linear thinking how do we as instructors of future teachers cultivate an environment that
presses for creativity, innovation, and intuitive thinking? In what ways do we model and support innovation and creativity in our teaching? This session will provide practical strategies that foster creativity, innovation, and intuitive thinking for educators at all
levels.

In this paper an elementary principal and a university researcher share the implementation of an ... more In this paper an elementary principal and a university researcher share the implementation of an assignment for a Bachelor of Education foundation course that was completed at a K-8 public school. The assignment, conducting anti-oppression workshops in a public elementary school with students in SK to grade 6, allowed teacher candidates to create lessons that explored racism, sexism, homophobia, classism and ablism. The principal will discuss the challenges and successes working with staff and parents and the researcher will share the design of the assignment, TCs’ choice of topics, the preparation done at the university and the TCs’ reflections on the experience.

Drawing from a critical ethnographic project with immigrant teacher candidates (ITCs) this paper ... more Drawing from a critical ethnographic project with immigrant teacher candidates (ITCs) this paper focuses on the barriers, challenges and unique ways in which project participants navigate the process of graduation with the university and accreditation with the Ontario College of Teachers. This paper explores the under-employment of teachers in Canada who are immigrants. What “diversity capital” is utilized by ITCs? In what ways are they successful utilizing this capital? What can be learned from ITCs’ experiences to make the system otherwise?

This self-study (Bullough & Pinnegar, 2001) began with two intersecting ideas. First, the seeming... more This self-study (Bullough & Pinnegar, 2001) began with two intersecting ideas. First, the seemingly innocuous question many visible minorities in Canada are asked, “where are you from?” and second, the relationship of that question to our course in sociocultural and cognitive theories of human development. How could we tease apart the challenges with this question: what is assumed in the asking of this question; in what ways does the question Other the askee? How might an interrogation of this question, in relation to a narrative of self assignment, promote student engagement and assignment relevance in a course that explores hierarchies of race, class, gender, ability, and sexuality? In what ways could we encourage our students to engage with the material, see its relevance (for them and their students) and see the implications for and of their work in schools? Of key concern was how do we navigate teacher candidate resistance and invite them to explore their own positionality?
We draw from Milner’s (2010) five conceptual repertoires of diversity to explore critical aspects of teacher education that permeate teachers’ ideologies and construction of diverse students. In this paper we will explore the design of the course and its’ assignments, in particular the inclusion of XtraNormal software as a medium for the culminating assignment through which students could virtually share the consolidation of their knowledge and their own personal growth in the creation of an on-line movie.

In this paper I utilize the findings from a critical ethnography to expand upon Dion’s (2007) con... more In this paper I utilize the findings from a critical ethnography to expand upon Dion’s (2007) construct of the “perfect stranger” in relation to immigrant teacher candidates (ITCs) and their prototypical Canadian counterparts. I draw from participants’ counter stories (Solórzano &Yosso, 2002) to reveal the ways in which embedded assumptions about who is “Canadian” impedes ITCs’ acceptance into the teaching force. I also explore how prototypical teachers and teacher candidates perform the “innocent stranger”, protected from their own ignorance and acknowledgement of their power and privilege in our society. This paper examines the ways in which prototypical Canadians are ‘excused’ of their ignorance, reinforcing a conception that identity is static: ITCs will always be considered immigrants and outsiders, no matter how long they have been in Canada.

The paper will share findings from a critical ethnographic project (Simon & Dippo, 1986; Carspeck... more The paper will share findings from a critical ethnographic project (Simon & Dippo, 1986; Carspecken, 1996) that uses counter-storytelling (Solórzano & Yosso, 2002) and Critical Race Theory (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995) to investigate how immigrant teacher candidates (ITCs) are constructed as either “too much” or “too little” within public schools and universities. I explore ITCs’ experiences and responses to implicit and explicit expectations to prove themselves worthy enough to qualify as a teacher in Canada. This project explores the structure of schooling (Popkewitz, 1998) and asks what does the structure demand of ITCs? This paper focuses on two key findings: first, exposing the taken for granted: the signs and signifiers of identity politics; and second, lack of effective and constructive feedback. This project forces the question what does it mean to never be able to replicate the prototypical teacher (Loomba, 2005)?

In this paper I share the creation and implementation of an assignment for a Bachelor of Educatio... more In this paper I share the creation and implementation of an assignment for a Bachelor of Education foundation course. The assignment, conducting anti-oppression workshops in a public elementary school with students in SK to grade 6, is designed to take up Milner’s (2003) challenge to provide opportunities for pre-service teachers to develop instructional methods and tools that allow them to pose tough questions about issues of race. Teacher candidates implemented workshops that not only explored racism, but also sexism, homophobia, classism and ablism. The logistics of the assignment will be shared as well as the candidates’ reflections on the experience.

This critical ethnographic study explores the structure of schooling and questions the implicit a... more This critical ethnographic study explores the structure of schooling and questions the implicit and explicit demands upon immigrant teacher candidates (ITCs). I begin with the premise that acceptance of ITCs into the public school system is conditional upon their ability to fit themselves into the dominant ways of knowing as informed by multicultural discourses. Drawing on the work of Solórzano and Yosso (2002) this critical ethnography uses the“counter-stories” told by immigrant teacher candidates to explore the complex experience of ITCs as they prepare to become teachers in Ontario. My work uncovers the ways in which the school system functions to keep ITCs out and/or ensure that those ITCs permitted access do so within particular conforming parameters.

In redesigning a Sociocultural Perspectives course, we consider how to enhance teacher candidates... more In redesigning a Sociocultural Perspectives course, we consider how to enhance teacher candidates’ relationship with coursework and their current and future ability to implement social justice work in schools. We discuss how, by making assessment transparent, we considered assessment AS learning (self-narrative assignment, peer and instructor feedback on group workshops); FOR learning (students’ critique of a lesson plan, their social justice presentation in an elementary school); and OF learning (creative reflection on growth in the course and culminating task).

In the last 5-7 years faculties of education have been accepting increasing numbers of immigrant ... more In the last 5-7 years faculties of education have been accepting increasing numbers of immigrant teacher candidates with little attention to the issues and challenges those candidates confront in the face of community expectations of who 'qualifies' as teacher. Drawing on the work of Solórzano and Yosso (2002) I use “counter-storytelling” to bring complexity and richness to the prevailing concept of who can be a teacher. I will share the narratives of immigrant teacher candidates to trouble the myth of meritocracy and challenge privileged ways of knowing.

The purpose of this paper is to explore through self-study the transformation of our pre-service ... more The purpose of this paper is to explore through self-study the transformation of our pre-service education praxis after one year in a doctoral programme. We explore diverse ways of knowing from readings, pre-service students’ insights and feedback as well as collegial interactions to inform and ultimately transform our own understandings. We became curious as to how our collective knowledges have (re)shaped our perspectives and practice. Thus, we ask the question: how have our understandings of what it means to be instructors of teachers changed and transformed given the work in our graduate courses?

Journal for Learning through the Arts: A Research Journal on Arts Integration in Schools and Communities, 2019

This paper considers the complex and somewhat nebulous term "creativity", exploring the ways in w... more This paper considers the complex and somewhat nebulous term "creativity", exploring the ways in which the pedagogical phenomenon we call "CIRT" (an acronym) can enrich classroom approaches so as to enhance Creativity, boost Innovation, and encourage Risk-Taking. In addition, we review elements that impact the creative process and explore concepts of freedom, as well as the constraints and parameters of creativity. In our role as teacher educators, we explore the connection between teaching and creativity by outlining three key examples of approaches that utilize the CIRT framework including: synesthesia, imagination, and audiation activities.

LEARNing Landscapes, 2014

This paper explores pre-service elementary teacher candidates’ written reflections on an assignme... more This paper explores pre-service elementary teacher candidates’ written reflections on an assignment for a mandatory Bachelor of Education course in Ontario, Canada. The assignment required the teacher candidates (TCs) to create and teach one 40-minute anti-oppression lesson (racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.) in a public elementary school with students in senior kindergarten to grade 6. Two key themes are discussed in the paper: first, the ways in which TCs found convenient excuses as to why they were unable to fully engage with a topic; and, second, the fears identified by the TCs in terms of teaching sensitive issues.

Journal of Teacher Education, 2020

We present findings from an autoethnographic self-study regarding our personal experiences facili... more We present findings from an autoethnographic self-study regarding our personal experiences facilitating an international teaching experience in Italy. We draw from the concept that reflection has the potential to engage researchers in a critique or exploration of their own beliefs and practices. Our research considers the impact international facilitation has had on us as instructors: What are our perceptions and understandings of our beliefs, practices and behaviours as a result of facilitating student immersion in a new learning environment? Also, as a result of facilitating international teaching experiences, we explore the impact this supervision may be having on our broader practice as teacher educators. We expand upon 3 key findings gleaned from our position as facilitators in international teaching placements: first, the construction/deconstruction of

Drawing from Experiential Learning Theory and u tilizing the six main criteria for enhancing the ... more Drawing from Experiential Learning Theory and u tilizing the six main criteria for enhancing the education quality of a structured work experience , our session details how we established a “Community Learning Experience” (CLE) in France. From the formulation of our initial ideas to establishing contacts we outline our process. In addition, our session will explore the numerous constraints and parameters we had to work within such as budget considerations, working with fixed dates both in Ontario and in France, as well as the biggest hurdle we encountered: trying to find schools in France willing to participate as we had no pre-existing connections. Six key techniques that we utilized to ensure teacher candidates are engaged in a productive placement to develop their adaptive expertise will be shared.

There exists an institutional, workplace and community phenomena that goes by many terms in the l... more There exists an institutional, workplace and community phenomena that goes by many terms in the literature:

Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies, 2021

Journal of Teacher Education, 2020

Journal of Teacher Education, 2021

Journal of Teacher Education, 2019

Acta crystallographica. Section D, Biological crystallography, 2014

Sialic acids are a family of related nine-carbon sugar acids that play important roles in both eu... more Sialic acids are a family of related nine-carbon sugar acids that play important roles in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. These sialic acids are incorporated/decorated onto lipooligosaccharides as terminal sugars in multiple bacteria to evade the host immune system. Many pathogenic bacteria scavenge sialic acids from their host and use them for molecular mimicry. The first step of this process is the transport of sialic acid to the cytoplasm, which often takes place using a tripartite ATP-independent transport system consisting of a periplasmic binding protein and a membrane transporter. In this paper, the structural characterization of periplasmic binding proteins from the pathogenic bacteria Fusobacterium nucleatum, Pasteurella multocida and Vibrio cholerae and their thermodynamic characterization are reported. The binding affinities of several mutations in the Neu5Ac binding site of the Haemophilus influenzae protein are also reported. The structure and the thermodynamics of the...

Infection and Immunity, 2014

NontypeableHaemophilus influenzae(NTHI) forms biofilms in the middle ear during human infection. ... more NontypeableHaemophilus influenzae(NTHI) forms biofilms in the middle ear during human infection. The biofilm matrix of NTHI contains extracellular DNA. We show that NTHI possesses a potent nuclease, which is a homolog of the thermonuclease ofStaphylococcus aureus. Using a biofilm dispersal assay, studies showed a biofilm dispersal pattern in the parent strain, no evidence of dispersal in the nuclease mutant, and a partial return of dispersion in the complemented mutant. Quantitative PCR of mRNA from biofilms from a 24-h continuous flow system demonstrated a significantly increased expression of the nuclease from planktonic organisms compared to those in the biofilm phase of growth (P< 0.042). Microscopic analysis of biofilms grownin vitroshowed that in the nuclease mutant the nucleic acid matrix was increased compared to the wild-type and complemented strains. Organisms were typically found in large aggregates, unlike the wild-type and complement biofilms in which the organisms w...

Frontiers in Microbiology, 2011

asymptomatic infected individuals and antimicrobial resistance are two of the major contributors ... more asymptomatic infected individuals and antimicrobial resistance are two of the major contributors to the spread of gonorrhea (Holmes et al., 1999). Our laboratory has shown that cervical gonorrhea involves a biofilm component (Greiner et al., 2005; Steichen et al., 2008). This contributes to persistence, and it has been established in the literature that biofilms are inherently resistant to antimicrobials (Ceri et al., 1999; Schierholz et al., 1999; Dunne, 2002), although this has not been directly tested for Neisseria. We now have evidence that the gonococcal biofilm matrix is composed of shed N. gonorrhoeae outer membrane and DNA, which can be remodeled by a chromosomally encoded nuclease. In addition, nitric oxide (NO) appears to be a factor that stimulates biofilm dispersal (Falsetta et al., 2010). The consequences of gonorrhea are significant, negatively affecting the reproductive health of infected individuals and helping to increase the spread of other sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV1 (Holmes et al., 1999). Since this organism is an obligate human pathogen, the potential to eliminate gonorrhea with an effective vaccine is theoretically possible. However, through its close association with the human, the organism has evolved a repertoire of mechanisms to evade the human immune system including IntroductIon Gonococcal infection has been recognized by different human societies as a distinct disease for over 4,000 years (Handsfield and Sparling, 2005). Gonorrhea, the infection caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is the second most commonly reported notifiable disease in the United States today with 355,991 cases of gonorrhea reported in 2007 (Anonymous, 2008). The infection rate in the United States has not changed since 1994 (Anonymous, 2008). Gonococcal disease in young women (age 15-25) has many consequences including increasing the risk for infertility, ectopic pregnancy, tubo-ovarian abscesses, and HIV infection (Holmes et al., 1999). In some cities in the US, infection rates in this age group approaches and exceeds 1.5% of the population (Jennings et al., 2010). Annually worldwide, approximately 69 million new cases of gonorrhea occur with the greatest number in Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa (Gerbase et al., 1998). Infection in 99% of men is symptomatic and treatment is sought quickly (Holmes et al., 1999). In contrast, up to 40% of infected women frequently exhibit no noticeable symptoms and are susceptible to chronic complications from undiagnosed gonorrhea (Holmes et al.

Infection and Immunity, 2011

Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been shown to produce biofilms both in experimental flow chambers and i... more Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been shown to produce biofilms both in experimental flow chambers and in the human host. Our laboratory has shown that extracellular DNA is an essential component of the gonococcal matrix. We have also identified a gene in N. gonorrhoeae , which we designated nuc . This gene has homology with the staphylococcus-secreted thermonuclease. Our laboratory has characterized nuc through phenotypic analysis of a nuc deletion mutant. Biofilms grown with this strain are significantly thicker and of greater biomass than the N. gonorrhoeae 1291 parent strain. Confocal microscopy indicates that the increased size of the mutant biofilms appears to be due to elevated amounts of extracellular DNA in the biofilm matrix. Chromosomal complementation of the nuc mutation restored the wild-type biofilm phenotype. In addition, we have cloned and expressed the Nuc protein in Escherichia coli , and our data indicate that it has the ability to digest multiple forms of DNA and is a t...

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.

In At the Intersection of Selves and Subject Exploring the Curricular Landscape of Identity

Wrote Chapter 3: Tensions and Intersections of Self and Subject: A New Settler's Perspective on T... more Wrote Chapter 3:
Tensions and Intersections of Self and Subject: A New Settler's Perspective on Teaching a Course in Aboriginal Education

Brock Education Journal

This paper is from a three-year research project that examined the Ontario (Canada) government ph... more This paper is from a three-year research project that examined the Ontario (Canada) government philosophy, policy and practice in moving from standardized teacher testing to a new teacher induction program (NTIP) to achieve teacher quality and competence. This paper utilizes a critical democratic perspective to analyze the perspectives of 47 teacher educators from 10 faculties of education in Ontario. Two major themes arose from their perspectives on NTIP: a) clear collaboration/partnership among stakeholders (including faculty, school boards, schools, communities); and, b) increasing effective communication and knowledge while maintaining the importance of equity, diversity and understanding community. The findings revealed the need for a more critical examination of the process and outcome of mentorship and induction programs for new teachers.

Diversifying the teaching force in transnational contexts: Critical perspectives, 2016