Stephen and Nicholas chat with uOttawa’s Dr. Tasha Ausman about the status of the science education classroom and curriculum in the context of the global pandemic and climate crisis, particularly how virtual and blended learning are more central and Ontario’s science curriculum has changed. Tasha touches on how the pandemic has changed the face of what we talk about in class, from assessment to questions of access. Tasha shares her insights into how education technology might change in the near future, and the ‘hacks’ she currently uses in her own teaching. Shifting to the topic of curriculum, Tasha further discusses the new Ontario science curriculum and its limitations, and offers ideas for how it might be adapted to be more socially responsive and inclusive. Read more about Dr. Ausman here: https://uniweb.uottawa.ca/members/4509

What is settler colonialism, and what is its relationship to racisms? To answer these questions, Nicholas and Stephen talk with uOttawa’s Dr. Timothy Stanley about his scholarship on settler colonialism and racisms in relation to past and present events. Dr. Stanley explains that when people talk about racism, they usually think about bad people doing bad things at a distance, but that we should think about it as a structural phenomenon that’s always at play for excluded groups. Dr. Stanley further explains how these structures are part of and support a cultural landscape of colonialism that reinforces Canada as a place for only certain peoples. In addition to discussing treaties, concepts of property, through to today where Indigenous peoples are now often excluded from their own lands, Dr. Stanley offers key questions we can ask of ourselves and our students in learning to understand these issues. Read more about Dr. Stanley and his work here: https://uniweb.uottawa.ca/members/640

Stephen and Nicholas chat with uOttawa’s Dr. Joel Westheimer about the relationship between education, democracy, and citizenship in the current context of ‘freedom protests.’ Joel shares what kinds of conversations he is having with his family, and how current events could be taken up in the classroom. Joel demonstrates the importance of asking questions such as: what does freedom mean -- from or of what? What does it mean to protest? What does it mean to be a citizen, or even a ‘global’ citizen? This insightful conversation emphasizes the importance of humanizing each other amidst a current moment in which pedagogies of multiple perspectives might be troubled by divergent realities and cynicism based on alternative facts and divisive politics. More about Dr. Westheimer and his work can be found here: https://education.uottawa.ca/en/people/westheimer-joel and here: http://www.joelwestheimer.org/

Dr. Shah shares insights from her recent systematic review on the place of school districts in moving antiracist thinking and action forward, particularly how school reform is inherently a nexus of power and contention. Dr. Shah discusses four approaches to district reform in Ontario: The Politics of Race Evasion, the Politics of Illusory Equity, the Politics of Representation and Recognition, and the Politics of Anti-Racist Resistance. She explains why she argues for a fifth approach, The Politics of Regeneration, and how this can lead to stronger connections to and vital leadership lessons from community. Read more about Dr. Shah here: https://edu.yorku.ca/edu-profiles/index.php?mid=1251084 Read the publication Dr. Shah discusses here: https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/cjeap/article/view/73144

Nicholas Ng-A-Fook welcome two colleagues from the University of Ottawa to talk about their research in the area of digital technologies and their use during the pandemic. Dr. Michelle Schira Hagerman and Dr. Megan Cotnam-Kappel also talk about new work with the Lego Foundation related to play-based learning, Find out more about Dr. Michelle Schira Hagerman: https://uniweb.uottawa.ca/#!uottawa/members/695/profile Find out more about Dr. Megan Cotnam-Kappel: https://uniweb.uottawa.ca/members/1706 And of course, connect with Dr. Nicholas Ng-a-Fook: https://uniweb.uottawa.ca/#!uottawa/members/653/profile

Nicholas Ng-A-Fook and Stephen Hurley gather to look back at the education issues that captured their imaginations in 2021 and look ahead to some of the themes for education research and inquiry moving into the new year.

This morning, Nicholas and Stephen are joined by Sherwyn Solomon and Geordie Walker, two principals from the Ottawa Carleton District School Board. The conversation this morning centres on how they have led their respective school communities through this time of pandemic. We talk about the importance of technology, relationships and community.

Nicholas and Stephen are joined by Dr. Paul Tarc (Western University) to discuss what we can learn about our commitments to face-to-face learning through deep reflection on recent experiences of online learning. We use Paul' article, "Education post-‘Covid-19’: Re-visioning the face-to-face classroom" (Current Issues in Comparative Education (CICE) Volume 22, Issue 1, Special Issue 2020) as a backdrop for the discussion.

Nicholas Ng-A-Fook and Stephen Hurley are joined by University of Ottawa graduate student, Mark Currie to discuss a new article by Mark, Nicholas and Aaron Drake, "IS CRRP ENOUGH? ADDRESSING ANTIRACISM(S) IN TEACHER EDUCATION". We discuss the strengths of CRRP but, also, what else may be needed to truly address issues of Anti-Racism in our schools.

During this episode we discuss what school leaders, teachers, and families might reconsider as we return to this school year facing a COVID-19 Pandemic 4th wave. Dr. Tracy Vaillancourt discusses the release of Children and Schools During COVID-19 and Beyond: Engagement and Connection Through Opportunity, a Royal Society of Canada policy briefing. Dr. Vaillancourt addresses some of the challenges government officials, public schooling systems, school leaders, teachers, families, children, and youth might face as they return to school. She discusses some of the gendered differences in relation to social isolation, social media, peer relations, mental health and well-being, and reasons for the decrease in bullying in schools during the pandemic. Dr. Vaillancourt cautions us about the misrepresentation and politicization of scientific evidence and a lack of a national strategic plan that advocates for the well-being of children and youth.