March 28, 2026

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION CELEBRATION OF RESEARCH, SCHOLARLY, AND ARTISTIC WORK

Saturday, March 28, 2026

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Room 1037, College of Education

The Celebration of Research, Scholarly, and Artistic Work provides a valuable opportunity to showcase the rich and diverse contributions of graduate and undergraduate students in the College of Education. Sessions will include student presentations followed by a panel discussion. There will be a refreshment break with light food options. You have a chance to win prizes for outstanding presentations.

Presentations

Name and Presentation Title	Abstract
Camay Coghlan-Cameron Parallel Patterns of Violence: Indigenous Women, Resource Extraction, and Colonial Power in Canada and Guatemala	This three minute presentation analyzes parallel forms of violence against Indigenous women in Canada and Guatemala in relation to resource extraction and colonialism. Extractive projects intensify gendered violence through land dispossession, environmental degradation, and the criminalization of Indigenous resistance. In both countries, Indigenous women face heightened risks of violence, intimidation, and the abject rejection of human rights upholds state and corporate interests. These patterns demonstrate that violence linked to resource extraction is systemic rather than isolated; rooted in colonialism, capitalism and this constitutes a profound human rights crisis.
Erin Kieley Justice Work with Comité Campesino del Altiplano (CCDA)	My presentation covers a visit we took to Comité Campesino del Altiplano (CCDA), where we met a land rights defender and learned about the realities of extreme land inequality that communities face in Guatemala and how the organization works to support them. CCDA advocates for rural and Indigenous farmers to obtain land and practice agroecology, a farming approach that combines sustainable agriculture with traditional knowledge and community cooperation. Our presenter described the risk she takes fighting for justice, as she was arrested when protesting for land disputes and could be arrested for giving us the very presentation she was giving us. She said that it is worth the fight, and that the CCDA works with other organizations that help provide legal support for land defenders like her.
Jordan Hartshorn Obfuscating Oligarchy: Greenwashing and Extraction in Guatemala’s Neoliberal Agribusiness.	Guatemala’s neoliberal present is haunted by the ghosts of its colonial past – no matter the efforts of obfuscation by extractive capital. Throughout our experiential learning in Guatemala as part of EFDT 885: Investigations in Culture and Environment, oligarchic and multinational planters – namely, the palm oil grower NaturAceites -- attempted to frame their extractive practices in an altruistic and sustainable lens (“green-washing”). With reference to Greg Grandin’s The Last Colonial Massacre, I will illustrate how these extractive practices are merely a continuation of colonialism’s agricultural and social history, while highlighting the present implications for land, environment and the indigenous Mayan communities.
Kara Lengyel Working with the Land	My presentation shares how my experience at the Instituto Mesoamericano de Permacultura (IMAP) in Guatemala helped me think differently about my relationships with land, learning, and community. As a teacher and someone who grain farms with my family, I’m constantly moving between different ways of knowing the land—some shaped by my family and Métis culture, and others shaped by the demands of modern, large‑scale agriculture. At IMAP, I saw a way of working with the land that was different. It helped me to reflect on the tension between large‑scale, extractive systems and the more sustainable approaches I value but haven’t always known how to honour in practice. It challenged me to think about how I can bring more of that relational approach into my classrooms, my fields, and my community.
LaVina Watts Lessons from Guatemala: Climate Pressures, Conservation Gaps, and the Call for Environmental Education	During a Faculty-led study abroad course (EFDT 885) in Guatemala, I saw how rapidly climate change is undermining the country’s water and food security. Dr. Juan Carlos Rosito, an Agricultural Engineer and climate resilience expert, shared striking insights into Guatemala’s fragile ecosystems and the critical gaps in conservation knowledge. Although new strategies are emerging to address the severe challenges expected in the next 30–50 years, Dr. Rosito emphasized that real progress depends on widespread environmental education. Without swift, targeted learning initiatives, these vulnerable ecosystems will remain at risk. This presentation highlights our field experiences and the need for education driven action to support lasting sustainability in Guatemala.
Nadia Maqbool Reflexive Experiential Learning: Guatemala Study Abroad and Reconciliation in Canada	This presentation is on my reflexive experiential learning in Guatemala and how it contributes to my doctoral research. My PhD research examines the factors that influence first-generation immigrants’ motivation to engage in reconciliation with Indigenous communities of Canada. In Guatemala, I observed how colonial histories continue to influence land, agriculture, and social lives of Indigenous Peoples. This experiential learning revealed that first-generation immigrants bring their own histories of colonization to Canada, which shape their perceptions of reconciliation and their responsibilities as guests on Indigenous lands.
Anthony Nickel Shining a Critical Light on the ‘Middle of Nowhere’: An Investigation into the Understandings of Racism and Anti-Racist Education of Rural Teacher Candidates and Influences on Teaching Practices	Where is critical race theory (CRT) in rural prairie education? In Canada, it is largely missing. This study, grounded in CRT, seeks to better understand of how racism and anti-racist education is experienced in rural Saskatchewan, and how it can contribute to rural teacher candidate’s practice. Six semi-structured interviews of teacher candidates from rural Central/Southern Saskatchewan were conducted. The study aims to add to anti-racist education literature in Saskatchewan with a specific focus on rural educational experiences. As a former rural educator, the researcher is aware of the research gap and intends to bring further attention to how rural racism is experienced differently than urban racism.
Brittany P. Hendry, Laurie-ann Hellsten, Laureen McIntyre The Development and Psychometric Evaluation of a new job satisfaction measure for Canadian police officers: The Frontline Officer Satisfaction Survey (FLOSS)	This research reports the development and psychometric evaluation of the Frontline Officer Satisfaction Survey (FLOSS), a multidimensional measure of Job Satisfaction (JS) for Canadian police officers. The purpose was to conceptualize JS in patrol work and evaluate the reliability and validity of the FLOSS. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was implemented to support construct conceptualization, instrument development, and psychometric evaluation. Field testing with Canadian police officers (n = 562) supported a 37-item instrument comprising eight factors. Results provide preliminary evidence of acceptable reliability and validity, supporting the FLOSS as a tool for assessing JS in Canadian municipal policing.
Calla Myram Human‑centred curriculum for emotion regulation in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder	A human-centred design for learning is a therapeutic practice developed by psychologist Carl Rogers as a method for his clients that focuses on the individual. Since Rogers originally pioneered the idea, educators striving for an emotionally balanced classroom have been implementing human-centred curriculum into classrooms to better support students by focusing on the individual to produce positive outcomes in learning. To better support healthy emotion regulation in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a need for a human-centred curriculum in the classroom: one that supports students’ socio-emotional state, their interests and needs, and validates their emotional experiences.
Daniel Krause The Production of Financial Literacy Mathematics Content: A Genealogical Inquiry	Financial literacy has become a global concern for governments, and in Canada, financial literacy content is often incorporated into secondary mathematics curriculum. However, this content appears suspiciously familiar to historical consumer mathematics content and how, if at all, dominant human capital-based conceptions of financial literacy may have shaped its construction is uncertain. A genealogical inquiry into its production may uncover both how this current form of content emerged and how it may act to govern the conduct of students, towards opening alternative possibilities for the content.
Darryl Roy Montebon An Integrative Literature Review towards a Future-Ready Leadership Framework	This study explores the literature on future-ready education and future-ready leadership. A total of 38 studies retrieved from ERIC, Scopus, and Google Scholar were systematically analyzed following the procedures of Whittemore and Knafl on integrative review. Identified through inductive coding, the recurring constructs found in the review informed the development of a future-ready leadership framework. The findings identified theoretical, contextual, and practical foundations of future-ready leadership. It also revealed capability domains required for future-ready leaders and interrelated leadership sets of competencies. The proposed framework synthesizes these dimensions into a coherent model for guiding leadership practice in higher education.
Dee Cameron Conducting a Narrative Inquiry through Education: Reclaiming our Métis Stories through Education within a Familial History	Working through a narrative inquiry lens I have been in the process of writing chapters (for my Grama, Maman, Sister and myself, as well as a collaborative chapter on a trip we took to Red River, Manitoba in the summer of 2025 as part of the dissertation work. Our narratives have focused on the transformative power of education for individual success, but also how it can dissuade or silence narratives (especially those which do not belong to the mainstream culture). I plan to touch on how temporality and sociality have impacted each generations narratives and the process of beginning to pull common threads from the narratives as I work towards an analysis chapter for the dissertation.
Delia Harper An Ethnographic Community‑Based Research into A Cree Immersion to English Language Transition Classroom Program	This study aimed to delineate the features of an effective cultural and academic transitional program for Cree immersion students who transfer to English-speaking schools within the community of Sakâskoc. The study was inquiring how the transitioning students can sustain the invaluable linguistic and cultural knowledge acquired in the Cree immersion program once they transition to the English-language classroom, while simultaneously achieving mastery in the provincial curricula. Use of ethnographic, community-based methodology, the research fostered strong relationships with nine purposefully selected participants, which helped in the gathering data through semi-structured interviews. Self-reflective journal entries and analytical memos served as additional data sources to augment the insights provided by participants’ interviews, conversations which fostered a sense of connection with the community. I embraced the Buffalo Hunt Framework, which provided metaphorical grounding in Indigeneity as I conducted the research. The overarching finding that came from my data analysis is that Indigenous peoples navigated two distinct worlds (Indigenous and Western), and the transition programs must acknowledge and facilitate this duality. The themes that emerged from the data are pedagogy, land-based education, technology use, implications of a transition teacher, ceremony, Elders, identity, and parental engagement. My findings augment the scholarship on Indigenous language revitalization by adding granularity to the evolving concept of ‘culturally sustaining education’, which seeks to foster and sustain linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism in First Nations schools.
Edward H. Mirasty A Case Study on the Lived Reality of Senior Indigenous Faculty Following the TRC’s Calls to Action	Adopting an exploratory case study design in this inquiry, I was guided by the research question “How are Indigenous faculty experiencing Indigenization activities within their university following the TRC’s Calls to Action?” Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight purposefully chosen participants and triangulated with institutional documents, reflective journals, and interviews. Data suggests that significant gaps still exist between many institutions’ articulated aspirations and commitments to change and the ongoing realities of neocolonial institutional structures, especially in systems of tenure and promotion.
Elizabeth J.P. Lawson From GG to GTFO: The Intersection of Race and Gender in Teens’ Online Gaming Communities	Online video game communities are a topic of discussion in the media yet have rarely been studied in academia. In a world where polarization and radicalization happen increasingly online, this qualitative critical race methodology project reviews how Canadian teenagers experience racism and sexism in online gaming spaces, including an analysis of extremist radicalization. Drawing on a comprehensive literature review, this study seeks to understand how teens encounter sexism and racism in online spaces and discover what educational supports teenagers need in order to navigate, not internalize, and reject how racism and sexism intersect in gaming communities.
Katryne Dubeau When Mathematics Education Kills or Saves Lives: Sexuality and Gender Under Debate	This presentation is on a chapter I have been working on with colleagues from the United States of America and Brazil. Our chapter challenges the idea that mathematics education is neutral, arguing that it is deeply entangled with systemic harm toward gender- and sexually-diverse communities. Drawing on examples from Brazil, Canada, and the United States, it shows how the exclusion of queer perspectives reinforces hetero- and cisnormativity, producing epistemic, spiritual, and material harm. We highlight how data erasure and dominant notions of objectivity further marginalize queer identities. Rather than advocating for superficial inclusion, we call for an abolitionist reimagining of mathematics education, emphasizing transformative practices that center affirmation, resistance, and the possibility of more just and inclusive mathematical spaces.
Kiegan Lloyd Learning to Will: Anarchist Pedagogy in Aleister Crowley’s Thelema	This paper argues that Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) should be recognized not only as an occultist and poet but also as a teacher and educator of esotericism whose methods bear striking affinities with anarchist pedagogy. Through his prolific writings, ritual manuals, and pedagogical experiments, Crowley developed systems of instruction designed to transmit esoteric knowledge while dismantling hierarchical models of authority. His works—such as Magick in Theory and Practice and the publication series, The Equinox—were structured as teaching texts that combined philosophical exposition with experiential exercises, encouraging learners to engage critically and autonomously. Crowley’s emphasis on disciplined study, experimentation, and self-transformation parallels the role of an educator who guides rather than governs, echoing anarchist pedagogues like Francisco Ferrer i Guàrdia (1859-1909) in their insistence on intellectual freedom and self-directed learning. While his methods were unconventional—blending provocation, secrecy, and performance—his pedagogical aim was clear: to cultivate independent thinkers capable of discovering their own “True Will.” By examining Crowley’s role as an instructor, this study situates him within the history of modern esotericeducation and aligns his practices with broader anarchist traditions of critical, liberatory pedagogy.
Maya Ravan Teaching Responsible and Creative AI Use in Secondary Education	This Educational Design Research (EDR) study investigates how project-based learning (PBL) and role-play pedagogy can support secondary students’ responsible and creative engagement with artificial intelligence (AI). A two-month AI education curriculum was implemented with 25–30 students in Grades 7–12 in Saskatchewan. Students participated in hands-on machine learning projects using tools such as Google Teachable Machine and explored ethical issues including bias, privacy, misinformation, and academic integrity through collaborative projects and role-play scenarios. Data sources included pre- and post-surveys, rubric-based project assessments, focus group interviews, and classroom observations. Findings aim to provide insights into how students develop ethical awareness, creativity, and critical judgment when interacting with AI, contributing practical design principles for K–12 AI education curriculum development.
Mihaela Sivc Teaching The Human Curriculum; Who Am I?	Who is the human behind the educator? Was the question that began this inquiry. Being an educator is not just teaching the curriculum. It means to teach the whole student, which requires you to know yourself. Teaching socio-emotional learning and self-regulation requires a certain level of self-awareness. This can only be done through reflection and slowing down to notice your habits and emotions; where you will learn who you are and who you want to be. Reflect on what causes you stress, what a healthy level of stress looks like for you, and how to handle stress efficiently and healthfully. What began as asking “who am I?” became a deeper dive into research on educator identity, emotional regulation, and the role of self-awareness in teaching.
Mika Lafond nisitohtâtowin Methodology	The spiritual and physical knowledge shared in nêhiyawinisitohtamowin is presented in three ways: the learner’s experience, the teacher’s experience, and the laws of mâmawi-ohtâwîmâw. The spiritual and physical worlds are intertwined by experience and spirit memory in the learning process. The nisitohtâtowin methodology uses storytelling, relationality and the addition of application of spirit in learning. nisitohtâtowin methodology permits my experience to become aware of how understanding between the learner and teacher is built, what the role of spiritual knowledge is in physical learning, and how the role of the teacher, the learner and the laws of mâmawi-ohtâwîmâw intersect in nêhiyawinisitohtamowin.
Parisa Rezaei Keshnizgani Negotiating L2 Identity in Transnational Contexts: The Case of Iranian International Graduate Students at the University of Saskatchewan	This study explores how Iranian international graduate students construct their professional L2 identities both online and in everyday interactions as they prepare for employment during and after graduation. Drawing on Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, capital, and field, alongside poststructuralist perspectives on identity, it examines how language practices reflect and reproduce neoliberal values such as competitiveness and self-branding. Using a qualitative approach, the study draws on interviews, digital ethnography, and reflective documentation to trace identity shifts over time, highlighting the interplay between agency, social structures, and language in shaping students’ professional selves.
Saba Kamran Impact of mentorship on Pre‑Service Teachers’ Occupational Wellbeing	The current study’s objective is to explore the impact of mentorship on pre-service teachers’ (PST) well-being. Mentoring positively impacts well-being by reducing anxiety and enhancing confidence among pre-service teachers, with supportive mentor teachers playing a key role (Dreer, 2021). Their constructive feedback assists PSTs in setting achievable developmental goals, enhances practical professional experience, fostering a sense of professional growth (Squires, 2019). Hypercritical mentor feedback threatens PSTs’ self-image, evokes negative emotions (Kopec et al., 2015). The framework of relationships between well-being and mentoring in PST proposed by Dreer-Goethe (2023) was adopted, highlighting the effect of quality of mentoring on the well-being and professional development of mentees. The Eight Key Components of Effective Mentoring Relationships and the Competency-Based approach from Mentor theory were considered (Asogwa et al., 2023). Six pre-service inclusive classroom teachers from the Saskatoon Public School Division, who recently completed their B.Ed teaching practicum, participated in a qualitative exploratory study. Data was collected through open-ended interviews focusing on physical, social and mental occupational wellbeing, which were then analyzed using thematic analysis. Results show that the mentees influenced PST’s self-image, confidence and decision to stay committed/leave the teaching profession. Insufficient mentor support and engagement caused significant stress in pre-service teachers, negatively impacting their social, mental and emotional well-being, showing exhaustion and headaches.
Samaneh Niktinat Investigating Student‑Centred Learning Approaches in Adolescent Education: A Qualitative Study in Secondary Education	Student-centered learning (SCL) is a transformative approach to education that prioritizes active participation, collaboration, and critical thinking, equipping students with essential skills for academic and lifelong success. While its benefits are well-documented and widely embraced in early education, its integration into secondary education remains limited. This limited adoption is largely due to the continued dominance of traditional, teacher-centered methods at the secondary level—methods shaped by rigid schedules, extensive curricula, and the pressures of standardized testing. This research explores the integration of SCL approaches in secondary education to assess their impact on student engagement, motivation, and academic performance. It also seeks to identify and study the challenges when adopting SCL practices at the secondary educational setting. Using a qualitative methodology, the study gathers insights from secondary teachers and students through interviews, class observation and document analysis, offering a comprehensive understanding of their experiences with SCL. By studying the implementation of SCL strategies in adolescence education and its critical challenges, the study contributes to advancing the implementation of SCL in secondary education. Its findings aim to offer actionable recommendations for educators and policymakers, fostering more inclusive and dynamic learning environments that support adolescent development and improve educational outcomes.
Vicky Parohl Experiences of Gender Diverse Faculty in Post‑Secondary Education	This Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study explores how gender diverse faculty in Canadian post-secondary education experience, navigate, and express their gender identity within academic environments. Initial findings reveal themes of positive and challenging experiences and offer insights into policies and practices that foster (or detract from) an environment of inclusion and support. This study contributes to a limited body of research on gender diversity in higher education. By amplifying the voices of gender diverse faculty, this research seeks to challenge deficit-based narratives and advance conversations on systemic change within Canadian PSE.
Karisha Kiskotagan Storytelling in the Classroom	This presentation will be about the importance of Indigenous storytelling in the classroom and its benefits.
Kyla Catarat Healing and learning through Indigenization	This inquiry paper examines how incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing into the classroom through land-based learning and the inclusion of Elders will be beneficial to all those involved. This will include the students, teaching staff and the Elders themselves, as it is proven to enhance a student’s academia as well as personal achievements.
Tanya Whitefish Indigenizing a Science in Elementary Education	This talk focuses on Indigenizing science in elementary education by using a two-eyed seeing approach. Students learn Western experiments and observations, and Indigenous ways of knowing, such as storytelling, learning from Elders, and learning from the land. Science is taught as more than facts by showing how people, animals, water, and nature are connected. Examples include studying weather through local knowledge (land based learning), studying plants through traditional uses (sweetgrass, chaga, etc), and discussing environmental issues in the community (pollution, littering, loss of wildlife, etc). This approach helps students feel respected, included, and engaged, and prepares future teachers to teach science in meaningful and culturally respectful ways.
Sinead Joseph Ways to Practice Decolonization in Elementary Classrooms	My presentation is about how educators can go beyond teaching only Indigenous content in their lessons and instead embrace decolonization in a deeper, more meaningful way, such as sharing power in the classroom (less teacher control, more of student voices), valuing storytelling in and outside of the classroom, and acknowledging community knowledge.
Precious Harvey Indigenizing Preparation Before the Classroom	Implementations of Indigenization within a K-12 curriculum and educational institutions cannot be successful without proper training that supports meaningful and respectful integration of Indigenous perspectives. Therefore, utilizing TRC: Calls to Action and having strong support systems is needed in order to have proper Indigenization within a K-12 institution meaning creating respectful relationships with Indigenous Peoples.
Kateri Whitefish Using Storytelling to Revitalize Indigenous Languages in the Classroom	Storytelling is a powerful method to help revitalize and preserve Indigenous languages, focusing on how stories connect to students' cultural heritage and support language learning and community engagement. In Language Arts, they develop language skills by creating, listening to, and retelling stories, making learning more engaging and meaningful. In social studies, students use storytelling to learn about Indigenous history and culture, gaining a deeper understanding of Indigenous perspectives.
Renee Iron Indigenize Your Teaching in Post-Secondary Education	This presentation is on how we can weave Indigenous worldviews in post-secondary education and how we can build inclusion of others within a Westernized educational setting.
LaRae Pratt Indigenizing Pharmacy Education	This research seeks to promote greater awareness and appreciation of Indigenous ways of knowing and being, particularly through traditional medicine and healing practices that are not yet meaningfully integrated into Western healthcare systems. It will examine the negative experiences many Indigenous individuals encounter within Western medical services, while also highlighting the positive impacts that traditional medicine and other Indigenous healing approaches have on the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples.
Pierce Jim Indigenizing Astronomy	This presentation looks at how to represent Indigenous knowledge in astronomy, challenging Western notions that Indigenous perspectives are pseudo-scientific.
Gracelyn Whitefish Reclaiming Indigenous Narrative in Social Studies	Centering Indigenous peoples in the creation and representation of Indigenous content in Social Studies curriculum ensures authenticity and cultural integrity, challenges colonial narratives that have historically misrepresented Indigenous knowledge and experiences, and empowers Indigenous voices to strengthen self-determination, cultural revitalization, and more equitable systems of knowledge production.
Ilene Shaoulle Indigenization in Science Curriculum	My inquiry will be talking about how Indigenization in the science curriculum can move beyond simply adding Indigenous content and instead create meaningful change in how science is taught. It explores how Indigenous and Western knowledge systems can be taught side by side through approaches like two-eyed seeing, and highlights the importance of teaching science in ways that respect multiple knowledge systems and value both perspectives equally.
Aurora Bedard Land-Based Learning and Practices of Woodland Cree	This presentation talks about the importance of environmental sustainability education from the teachings and practices of Woodland Cree peoples by finding a balance between Western knowledge and Indigenous perspectives in the education system.
Brayden Wichihin Indigenizing Land-Based Education: Making Space for Two-Spirit Peoples	This presentation explores Indigenizing land-based education by centering two-spirit perspectives. It looks at how colonial schooling pushed aside two-spirit identities and how even some Indigenous spaces now follow colonial gender roles.
Steven Ross Indigenizing Land-Based Education	This presentation shows how land-based education can be a stepping stone towards Indigenizing learning, focusing on Indigenous perspectives by seeing the land as a living being and not a resource. Indigenizing education has to go beyond the surface-level inclusion by centering Indigenous voices and including Indigenous perspectives.
Justina Burns Indigenization Inside the ESL Classroom	I will be talking about how Indigenization can be taught in English as a Second Language classrooms. Indigenous ways of knowing, history, authenticity and language needs the same amount of recognition as French and English ways of knowing.
Brennan Dupre The Role of Technology in Indigenizing Curriculum Delivery	My inquiry explores how technology can aid in the Indigeization of curriculum delivery. This research examines how digital learning environments are shaped by cultural, technical, and pedagogical considerations. Central to this inquiry is the extent to which Indigenous learners and communities participate in the design and implementation of digital curricular delivery.
Celine MacDonald Indigenizing Post Secondary Psychology Courses	Increasingly, academia is being challenged to think about how to Indigenize pedagogy. Researchers who do a better job of deconstructing colonial viewpoints and co-research with Indigenous professionals are better at explaining how and why Indigenization can be implemented in psychology. Although Indigenizing curricula is relatively new, findings from psychology were identified as key to foundational skills to help oppressed scholars by embracing Indigenous protocols, language, and land-based teachings.
Daemon Hunter Medicine Wheel In counselling settings	Bridging the gap between First Nations and Western perspectives in counselling
Joseph Cooke Indigenizing Physical Education	This presentation is about Indigenizing Physical Education, it will look into the misconceptions of Indigenizing physical education as well as looking at helpful ways to incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing into the physical education setting.
Jocelyn Morin Indigenization in Regards to Language	This presentation will be about Indigenization in regards to language, and culture and how they all come together in a school setting.