Faculty of Education News Bulletin

Top Stories

Faculty of Education Retirement Celebration – On Tuesday, February 6, the Faculty of Education hosted a retirement celebration at the Schulich School of Business (Private Dining Room), to celebrate the amazing careers of seven esteemed faculty members: Celia Haig-Brown, Deborah Britzman, Heather Lotherington, Sharon Murphy, Naomi Norquay, Sandra Schecter, and Dan Yon. Watch video

Becoming Carl James – Now a prominent academic, York’s Faculty of Education Jean Augustine Chair reflects on the experiences of the Black community in 1970s Toronto. Read more

Carl James featured on 2024 Legacy Poster – Congratulations to professor and Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora Carl James who was one of the influential Black Canadians selected to be featured on the 2024 Legacy Poster created by Faculty of Education alumnus Robert Small. Small, who is an Order of Canada recipient, has been creating the Black History Month Legacy posters for the past 30 years and has partnered with York Regional Police since 2009 to unveil each year’s version of the poster during the York Regional Police Services annual Black History Month event. For this year’s edition of the poster, Small selected Black Canadians who fit the theme “Legacies Left in the Water”

Moving forward while learning from past vital, York U Black History Month panellists – Education, particularly math education, is not a neutral space for Black students. It continues to be a space where there are fewer expectations of success. That was one of the messages that emerged during the Black History Month panel on education, Black Educators and Black Education, at the Harriet Tubman Institute at York University. As Assistant Professor Molade Osibodu of York’s Faculty of Education told the audience – inequities persist for Black learners. Read more

Black Joy: Resistance, Resilience, and What it Means to Black Canadian Youth Experiencing Homelessness – The space that Black Joy creates is critical to resisting systems that devalue the presence of Black communities. This video highlights the importance of Black Joy in our society, how it acts as a form of resistance and its significance for Black youth who are experiencing homelessness. Watch video

Public matters: York partners on project advocating for public education systems – York University has joined together with five other organizations to create the Public Education Exchange (PEX), an initiative to investigate the future of public education by making research more available, providing policymakers with valuable insights and engaging the public. Read more

GNL project inspires future French-language teachers – A frequent participant in a global scholars program with his students from elementary and middle schools, course director Jafar Hussain has long understood the value of students building cross-cultural connections. So, when he was seconded to York’s Glendon Campus as a course director, he decided the global approach was equally important in the university classroom.
Read more

Check out the winter issue of The York University Magazine which includes a feature story on alumnus Robert Small (BEd ’14) titled “Building a Legacy”. Small is the artist-educator behind nearly 30 years of Black History Month posters. Read more

York community celebrates Black artistic talent at annual Word, Sound, Power event – Members of the York community celebrated Black artistic talent during a showcase of performances on February 7 at the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora’s annual Black History Month event, Word, Sound, Power: An Annual Celebration of Black Artistic Expression. Watch video

The Conversation: How high school ‘university’ courses matter for all post-secondary access — more than the name implies – The choices students make in grades 10 and 11 will have a significant impact on their lives after graduation. But students, families — and even educators — have little information about the outcomes associated with different course types. Read the full article co-authored by Carl E. James (Professor, Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora, York University), Gillian Parekh (Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Inclusion, Disability and Education, York University), and their colleagues, on The Conversation Canada website.

York alumna to champion respect at Ontario Soccer Summit – York University women’s soccer coach and former Lions star player Farkhunda Muhtaj takes the stage at the 2024 edition of the Ontario Soccer Summit, where – as a celebrated advocate for social justice – she will emphasize the critical need for promoting respect in sport within Canada’s soccer community. Read more

Alumnus Matthew R. Morris (BEd ’12) shares his experiences in new memoir, Black Boys Like Me – As an educator, Matthew R. Morris believes in bringing his whole self to the classroom. In doing so, he says, he sets an example for his students and challenges stereotypes of Black male identity. Read more

Passings: Pat Rogers – Known to many as “Dr. Pat Rogers,” a title she would often roll her eyes at, she had a remarkable academic career that spanned several institutions and many roles. Read more

ED Faculty and graduate student presentations at AERA 2024 – Will you be presenting at the upcoming 2024 AERA Annual Meeting taking place April 11 – 14, 2024 in Pennsylvania? Please let us know as we will be posting a blog on the ED website with a listing of all faculty and graduate student presentations.  Please fill out the Mach Form with all of your presentation details by Friday, March 1 for inclusion

Dean’s Office

Faculty of Education Alumni Network (YUEAN) – Led by alumni volunteers, York University’s alumni networks deliver innovative and meaningful initiatives that enable alumni to connect with one another, to fuel student success and to support the York community. The Faculty of Education is currently looking for leaders & members for the @YorkUeducation Alumni Network!  If you’re interested in joining our network, reach out to Yasmine Mensah mensahy@yorku.ca. Please spread the word to any Faculty of Education alumni who you are in contact with

Academic Programs Office

2024 Las Nubes Study Abroad Program & Funding – The Faculty of Education will be offering the following course: EDST/EDUC 3700, EDUC 5445 “Educating for a Sustainable Future”, taught by professor Steve Alsop at Las Nubes campus in summer 2024 (July 15 – 24)

• Deadline to enroll: March 1, 2024
• Deadline to apply for funding: February 10, 2024
• For more information: https://lasnubes.euc.yorku.ca/education/programs

Research Office

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

• Deadline to nominate yourself or a colleague for the 2024 Dean’s Research Impact Awards (Emerging and Established scholar streams): March 1, 2024

Roundtable on Apprenticeship and Mentorship through Research Assistantships: Challenges, Opportunities and Best Practices

• Date: February 29, 2024
• Time: 12:00  – 1:30 p.m. 
• Location: Online – Link to register: https://yorku.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0qce-sqD4iE9REr3mNFpDcXHdV2Ge669l_

Your Questions Answered: Support for Research in the Faculty of Education

• Date: March 28, 2024
• Time: 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
• Location: Online 

Spotlight on New Faculty Research

• Date: April 5, 2024
• Time: 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
• Location: Kaneff 519   

Upcoming Funding Opportunities

• Minor Research and Development Grants: March 15, 2024
• SSHRC Partnership Engage Grants: Mar 15, 2024
• SSHRC Explore Grant: March 31, 2024
• SSHRC Exchange – KMb Grant: March 31, 2024
• Funding for Black Scholars and Black Scholarship: Event and Outreach Activities: April 1, 2024
• Funding for Indigenous Scholarly Events and Outreach Activities: April 1, 2024
• Funding for Scholarly Events and Outreach Activities: April 1, 2024
• The Association of Commonwealth Universities – Supporting Research Community Training Grants: April 23, 2024
• The Association of Commonwealth Universities – Early Career Conference Grants: April 23, 2024
• The Spencer Foundation: Research Grants on Education – Small: April 30, 2024
• SSHRC Connection Grant: May 1, 2024

Graduate Program Office

Applications for the Master of Education (MEd) degree program are being accepted until March 15, 2024. Learn more

The application to graduate in June is now open!!

• The June (Summer) 2024 Convocation and application to Graduate is now open.
• If you have applied to graduate and have not received an email from us/GPE Office during the audit process, you are all set to attend convocation (convocation may be cancelled due to COVID) and must go to the Convocation Website for further information on next steps and how to R.S.V.P. for convocation.

If the W24 term will be the last term of your program, will complete all program/degree/diploma requirements by April, and expect to graduate in June … you must apply online to graduate.

• Applications received after the deadline listed on the site will not be accepted.
• It is the student’s responsibility to be sure they have met all the requirements to graduate prior to applying to graduate but if you are unsure of something please contact us gradprogram@edu.yorku.ca.  In addition, you must be registered as active to apply to graduate online and you must not be registered as active in the term you’re graduating.

We are also going to be sending out a call to apply to the following in-house awards:

• Eva Wien Prize – in Early Childhood Education
• Ron Owston Award – in MLCE

Students can apply for them here: https://eduforms.apps01.yorku.ca/machform/view.php?id=284696

Professional Learning Office

Spring AQ Session – Registration is now open for the Office of Professional Learning’s Spring AQ session which runs April 9 – June 14. The deadline to register for courses is April 2 (select courses will remain open until course start date). Learn more

NEW Tech Ed ABQs now open for spring registration – Learn more

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Office

2024 – 2025 Application Package – The application package for the 2024-25 academic year is available on the DHH website . Applications are due by March 21, 2024 with file reading and interviews beginning at the end of March

Partnership with Toronto District School Board (TDSB) – Students in the DHH program had the pleasure of spending a day with a large group of grade 12 deaf and hard-of-hearing students from the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Several itinerant teachers of the deaf partnered with York University’s Student Accessibility Services to develop an experiential learning opportunity focusing on the high school to post-secondary school transition. The day included a presentation about services available at York University, a panel of current York students with hearing loss, and a visit to the Assistive Technology Lab in the Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Building. The day provided DHH students with a valuable opportunity to learn about transitioning to post-secondary education and the role of the teacher of the deaf in this process, as well as working with community partners

Junior/Intermediate TDSB students on campus – On February 13, seven deaf students from the TDSB joined our Language and Literacy class so that our students could practice assessing language, reading and writing

Professor Connie Mayer will be giving a presentation “Literacy Achievement of Deaf Students with Cochlear Implants” at the 17^th Annual Conference on Cochlear Implants and Other Implantable Technologies in Gran Canaria, Spain, February 21-24

Professor Connie Mayer presented a paper “Literacy Achievement of Deaf Students: Updating the Evidence Base” at the Annual Conference of American College of Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 3

Information Technology (IT) Services Office

Education technology enhanced spaces web page – Education’s technology enhanced spaces (screens, audio, computing) are listed on a single page for easy review: https://www.yorku.ca/edu/students/it-services/techspaces. These pages include a description of the technology available, instructions on their use, and status updates should there be any known malfunctions. Please email edhelp@yorku.ca if you discover any new problems in these rooms

New Publications

Associate Professor Roopa Desai Trilokekar, & Lisa Brunner have a new article titled “International students as problems and solutions: Shifting narratives in Canada’s international education and immigration landscape” in University Affairs

Associate Professor Roopa Desai Trilokekar and her colleagues A. El Masri & Lisa Brunner have an article titled “The good, the bad and the ugly: who is to blame when policy lacks clarity, coordination and is contradictory?”  in The Pie News 

In The Media

What’s at stake as the Ford government reforms kindergarten — and why some experts are concerned
Dean Robert Savage was quoted in The Toronto Star Feb. 11.

Why phonics-based learning is ascendant again
Dean Robert Savage was quoted in Canadian Affairs Feb. 2.

Black History Month mural campaign unveiled on the TTC
Professor Carl James was quoted on City News Feb. 24

Ford government to introduce mandatory Black history lessons in Grades 7, 8 and 10
Professor Carl James was quoted in the Hamilton Spectator Feb. 8.

‘Have to be hard questions’: An education expert on Canada’s approach to international students
Associate Professor Roopa Desai Trilokekar was interviewed by TVO Today Feb. 16.

How to build confidence in new ways as we age
Assistant Professor Natalia Balyasnikova was quoted in Age Co UK Dec. 8.

News From The Community

Community Updates on labour disruption – For the most current information on the labour disruption, visit  https://www.yorku.ca/disruption-operations/

New online CV tool, Discover York Academics, spotlights faculty scholarly work – The new tool provides a searchable database that will allow York University faculty to promote their expertise and help showcase the school’s academic leadership to the world. Learn more

Call for nominations: 2024 Honorific Professorships – The Senate Committee on Awards is now accepting nominations for University Professorships and Distinguished Research Professorships. Learn more

Count yourself in and complete the Employment Equity Identification Survey – York University has launched a revised version of its Employee Self-Identification Survey, which aims to provide a greater understanding of the University community and an up-to-date picture of its workforce demographics. The survey is now available in HR Self Serve.

Events

L(iberalArts) ED(ucation)
The New Global Universities: Reinventing Education in the 21^st Century
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Online

NOTE: Due to the labour disruption, this event (originally scheduled for February 29), has been postponed and will move entirely online. Now the event, New Global Universities: Reinventing Education in the 21^st Century with Noah Pickus, will now take place on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, from 3:30pm-5:00pm (EST). You may access the event at this link: https://yorku.zoom.us/j/97860044944.

This talk chronicles the origins, launch, and impact of 8 innovative colleges/universities in Africa, Asia, Middle East, and North America, describing the combination of intellectual courage, entrepreneurial audacity, and adaptive leadership needed to invent educational institutions today. Their experiences offer lessons for future founders of new universities–and for those who want to renew and rejuvenate existing ones.

MORE INFORMATION

Anderson Coward
Communications & Marketing Specialist

Adam Riley
Web Designer & Developer

Mariana Michaelis
Communications & Marketing Assistant

Barb Rodezno
Director – Strategic Communications, Marketing & Outreach