UNews - education systems

Przybylski honoured by province

trevor.kenney — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:26:59 +0000

More healthy food products are on the shelves because of the efforts of three Alberta food producers and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher Dr. Roman Przybylski, (chemistry and biochemistry).

All four were recently recognized for their work with a special Premier's Award.

"Our province has an abundance of talent for producing healthy foods," says Premier Ed Stelmach. "Through the annual Alberta Food for Health Awards, we are able to bring attention to the healthy and delicious home-grown choices made available to Albertans by Albertans."

Przybylski was awarded for healthy food and nutrition research. Other award recipients include: the Spring Creek Ranch for healthy Alberta food sold through a retail outlet; the Seniors' Association of Greater Edmonton (SAGE) for healthy Alberta food sold through food service; Gordon's Homemade Sausage for healthy Alberta food for specialty diets.

Przybylski was selected as the Healthy Alberta food and nutrition researcher for contributing to leading edge research in the development of Omega-9 canola oil; a high-quality frying oil suitable for the same uses as traditional oils. The conversion of Omega-9 canola oil from hydrogenated oil helps to remove unhealthy trans and saturated fats from the North American diet. Providing this alternative can positively impact health problems such as heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Przybylski's research is helping to improve Alberta's food oil industry's processing and preparation practices while improving nutrition. Finalists in the award program had their products consumer taste-tested at Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development's consumer testing centre in Edmonton. The winners receive $10,000 each to promote their products or invest in future business growth and research.

Alberta Health and Wellness, Advanced Education and Technology, Agriculture and Rural Development, Alberta Innovates Bio Solution and Alberta
Innovates Health Solutions jointly manage the Alberta Food for Health Awards program.

The awards were developed to encourage food producers and researchers in the province to develop and research healthy food choices. For more information on the awards visit www.albertafoodforhealthawards.com.

The Alberta government is working to build a better Alberta by fostering economic growth, strengthening our health and education systems, investing in infrastructure, supporting safe and strong communities and ensuring a clean and healthy environment.

Investigating global population and economies

trevor.kenney — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 21:11:23 +0000

The extent and implications of population change and the dynamics of economies raise questions that demographers and social scientists alike are working to better understand. Taken together in a global context, the number of questions only increases. Yet both population and economies affect our lives, our choices and our policies.

At the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, global population challenges are explored from different angles and potential solutions are investigated in new ways.

By DANA YATES

Like many people, John Prentice of Calmar, Alta., dreamed of making a difference in the world. But the late agri-business entrepreneur and philanthropist didn't just stop there; he wanted to change the course of history altogether.

It was an ambitious goal – and one that prompted Prentice, along with his wife Connie, to donate more than $8 million to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 2006. The endowment marked the largest-single gift in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's history and established the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy. The institute, which was officially launched in 2009, studies changes in the world population and their lasting impact on demographics, economies and societies.

Just a short time later, the Prentice Institute has become a leading research centre, one of only a few worldwide that is focused on global population changes and the economy. What's more, the institute has attracted many external research grants and is building graduate programs, along with bringing together 20 research affiliates from across eight departments at the U of L.

From looking at how people move through life stages in different economies with different demographic structures, to questions of food security, ethnic diversity, immigration and international trade, the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is at the cutting edge of demographic research.

"It's magical when you get that cross-pollination of expertise," says Dr. Trevor Harrison, a U of L sociology professor who served as the Prentice Institute's interim director between 2007 and 2009.

At the Prentice Institute, sociologists, historians, anthropologists and economists work alongside experts in such diverse fields as nursing, public health, political science and women's studies. Those researchers, in turn, create partnerships with experts across Canada and around the world. The result: global population challenges are explored from different angles and potential solutions are investigated in new ways.

"John Prentice was a big thinker," says
Dr. Susan McDaniel, the institute's current director. She also holds the Prentice Research Chair in Global Population and Economy, the first endowed position of its kind at the U of L. "John was a Renaissance man who understood how things were connected."

Indeed, many forces and factors affect – and are connected to – the global population and economy. But the links between the former and latter are not well understood. Prentice Institute researchers are advancing our understanding of this relationship and using data to verify or refute popular beliefs about demographic changes. This "myth-busting" practice can be applied to numerous situations, says McDaniel.

"We often hear, for instance, that providing health care to an aging population will bankrupt the system," she explains. "In reality, there are much wider concerns. Medical treatments are expensive, and there is a deepening problem of poverty and the health issues associated with it."

To that end, Prentice Institute researchers are studying various issues that appear, at first blush, to be unconnected. They include international trade, migration, aging and family size. But while the subjects may seem disparate, McDaniel says cause-and-effect relationships are at work – and they are having a major impact on the world's citizens.

"Growing inequalities, for example, are happening in developed countries, such as Canada and the United States, and in developing countries, too. These inequalities cause health problems and lower everyone's life expectancy," says McDaniel. The process, she explains, is similar to an illness spreading through a classroom. If one unvaccinated child becomes sick, others will inevitably be affected.

That concept of social ramifications is one in which McDaniel is well versed. An internationally recognized sociology researcher and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, her expertise includes demographic aging, generational relationships, family change and the social impacts of technology. Before joining the Prentice Institute and the U of L Department of Sociology two years ago, McDaniel was a professor of family and consumer studies at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Utah and a senior scholar at its Institute of Public and International Affairs.

Having lived in Alberta before, McDaniel's return north of the border has helped attract other researchers to the Prentice Institute. Among them is Dr. Kathrin Komp, a post-doctoral fellow from VU ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Amsterdam. Other researchers, such as Drs. Harrison and Alexander Darku, who were U of L faculty members before the Prentice Institute was created, currently serve as the institute's associate directors. Their collective experience and expertise have made a significant impact on the institute.

For example, Darku, an assistant professor of economics at the U of L, previously taught at McGill and Concordia Universities. He has also served as a consultant to the World Bank at its Washington, D.C., headquarters and has worked as an economist in Ghana. Through his association with the Prentice Institute, Darku has noticed a shift in his research interests.

Whereas he was previously focused strictly on economic policies and international development, he now studies the interplay among international trade, migration and health. Specifically, Darku is currently looking at the growth of multinational companies in developing countries and the resulting impact on populations' eating habits. The situation, Darku has found, contributes to a "nutritional shift" within a population and can increase obesity rates.

"The interdisciplinary nature of the Prentice Institute has brought many new dimensions to my research," says Darku.

Harrison, meanwhile, has shared his research with new audiences; he has spoken at a number of presentations hosted by the institute. Once a visiting professor at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and Hokkai-Gakuen ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Japan, Harrison was the 2010 Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Canadian Studies at Georgia's Kennesaw State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. As a researcher and guest lecturer at the university, he brought a Canadian perspective to the relationship between Canada and the United States since Sept. 11.

Today at the Prentice Institute, Harrison – like Darku – balances his research with administrative responsibilities. And it seems both areas involve big-picture thinking.

"We're developing programs that will keep the institute moving forward. Ultimately, we're creating a research infrastructure that supports creative thinking and incubates good ideas."

One example is a policy concept known as a guaranteed annual income (GAI). While there are many different approaches to a GAI, the initiative would essentially provide each citizen with a base sum of money. Harrison has studied this complex issue since the 1970s, and while the logistics of implementing a GAI system would be considerable, it would also offer a number of advantages. They include administrative efficiencies, the reduction or elimination of poverty and an increasingly mobile workforce that can afford to move around the country.

GAI supplements, however, are just one of many ideas being analysed at the Prentice Institute. And it's all part of an effort to inform public and private policies that will better reflect, and keep up with, a changing Canada and world. To raise awareness of this vital work, Prentice Institute researchers participate in conferences and dialogue sessions, and contribute to articles, journals and books. Finally, there are future plans to build international partnerships with sister institutes.

"There are many challenges that governments, corporations, education systems and individuals have to address," says McDaniel. "But once they have the information they need, they have the potential to act upon it.

"People are hungry for knowledge. And we're training them how to look beyond myths and build a better society. It will lead to better voters, parents, consumers and caregivers."

What can we learn from other countries with regard to population aging and social policy?

Population aging and economic challenges have raised questions about how social policy regimes are, or will be, affected in various types of economies. Some research indicates a downward convergence across countries is inevitable as global economic and demographic pressures work to bring greater homogeneity to social policies. Other studies suggest that demographic and economic pressures can actually have stimulating effects on social policies.

To address these issues, Prentice Institute researchers are investigating Japan, which has experienced population aging and economic challenges simultaneously. Scholars are analysing changing relations among demographics, economics and social policy. They ask what opportunities can be discerned from the experience of Japan for re-creation of social policy regimes elsewhere in the 21st century. Ultimately, researchers will widen the comparative lens to include other Asian and developed countries. The findings from this crucial research will guide policy-makers in various countries facing similar challenges.

Is there a "Canadian exceptionalism" in issues related to immigration and diversity?

The rapid rise in ethnic diversity in immigrant-receiving countries has resulted in a general anti-diversity, anti-multiculturalism sentiment. Some studies indicate that a generalized trust is more difficult to foster in a multicultural society, resulting in a loss of sense of community and togetherness. However, other research suggests that Canada might be immune from these largely European trends.

At the Prentice Institute, researchers are investigating the extent of, and the reasons for, this Canadian exceptionalism. A clearer understanding of the differences among ethno-racial groups in terms of labour-market integration and social capital could make a significant difference in the lives of Canadians and the global community.

To what extent is population, at root, a problem with respect to food security?

Food is a basic resource essential for human survival. It is estimated that at the end of 2009, more than one billion of the world's population did not have adequate food to meet basic nutritional needs. As the most populous country in the world, China is constantly challenged in providing food for its citizens. Given the sheer size and strategic prominence of China, food security there is a global concern.

As leaders of an international team, researchers at the Prentice Institute are examining the stress points related to food security in various regions in China. The set of indicators of food security and rural development they develop will be an important assessment tool in China and around the world.

How can we achieve economic equality in developing countries?

Throughout most of human history, the conditions of human life have varied from difficult to tolerable, from starvation to subsistence. In some parts of the developing world, these conditions have not changed much, while in others, progress has been made. Disparities in the distribution of economic assets and income exist in a wide range of societies and their nature and cause are issues our world must address.

Researchers at the Prentice Institute are studying how international trade can lead to growth and the distribution of income, especially in developing countries. Another crucial line of research focuses on the relationship between business cycles, poverty and income inequalities.

How will social policy address our aging population?

Wayne Gretzky is credited with saying, "You must skate to where the puck will be." In contemplating the future of aging populations, policy often skates instead to where the puck is now. The presumption is that by studying those who are older now, we can understand those who will be older in the future. But... the older of tomorrow will be very different, as will the socio-economic contexts in which they live.

As leaders of a Canada/U.S. multidisciplinary team, Prentice Institute researchers are studying how people in mid-life in Canada and the U.S. are aging in terms of health and overall well-being. How they help (or not) younger and older relatives now and as they age, and how they anticipate their later years relative to their older relatives now and their younger relatives as they reach their later years, are two of the important questions being addressed. These studies will yield a wealth of information that is critical to addressing policy and family needs in the future.

This story first appeared in SAM Magazine. For a look at SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Understanding teaching through open minds

trevor.kenney — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:53:17 +0000

Dr. Kas Mazurek believes that understanding the profession of teaching begins by understanding, and accepting, the education systems of other nations.

A researcher with a special interest in comparative studies in the Faculty of Education, Mazurek emphasizes that, as an educator, there is a responsibility to be open to broader concepts. He is adamant that we should never rely solely on the "knowledge and experience that local researchers, practitioners and education systems possess and generate."

Instead, Mazurek argues that we need to draw on the best practices from the widest pool of information.

"Professional knowledge is out there to be reinvented, in terms of successes and mistakes," says Mazurek.

Dr. Kas Mazurek trumpets the idea that by accepting ideas from the education systems of other nations, teachers will better understand their profession.

He adds that training teachers to compete in a global economy means, "ensuring that they have an understanding of how educational objectives and practices work with other cultural components within a given society."

Technology has, of course, made it convenient for us to draw from a much broader knowledge base and better understand all educational systems. But in order for future educators to fully understand what is required of them in professional practice, there is no substitute for global experience.

Students in the Faculty of Education have the opportunity to take part in practicum placements in Africa, Europe, Australia and throughout North America. The possibilities for teaching internships in international settings are essentially limitless and with technology improving our ability to communicate between schools and faculties of education throughout the world, it enables faculty supervisors to provide quality support to students without necessarily visiting that location.

For Mazurek, refining knowledge and continual experimentation are fundamental and ongoing aspects of teacher education and practice. He's pleased to see that so many U of L education alumni have such an acute understanding of the value they have to offer the world, and similarly the value a global experience can offer them, through international professional practica.

This story originally appeared in the Legend. For a look at the February issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

From the outside looking in

trevor.kenney — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:24:51 +0000

As a veteran educator, Dr. Noëlla Piquette-Tomei, is an expert at integrating people with learning or physical disabilities into regular classroom settings. Her teaching and research interests have led her down many roads, including a recent trip to the United Nations as one of a handful of Canadians involved in a worldwide effort to make education systems more inclusive.

"If there's one overarching link through everything I do, it is that I am very interested in assisting marginalized populations," says Piquette-Tomei.
"I have been since I was a child."

Piquette-Tomei began volunteering when she was only 11 years old, and to this day she describes it as a saving grace.

While there are those who compartmentalize their lives into tidy, distinct categories, Dr. Noëlla Piquette-Tomei is not one of them. She doesn’t separate her research, teaching and service, just as she doesn’t make generalizations about the people with whom she works.

"For five years, one night a week, I would take two buses across Edmonton to volunteer with seniors who were disabled, and on weekends I worked with a man named Henri. He had had polio when he was 15 and was a quadriplegic, but he was also an artist and one of the most intelligent people I'd ever met."

Being with Henri and his friends while at the same time attending a junior high school where there were a lot of misconceptions surrounding disabled and disadvantaged people, caused Piquette-Tomei to really examine traditional world views and learning systems.

"I remember questioning it all the time. I am sure I drove everyone crazy, but that really set out a path for me to follow," says Piquette-Tomei. "I've never stopped asking why, and I have tried to alter misconceptions, but not in an antagonistic way. If there are narrow thoughts and beliefs in a community, then I try to show evidence that supports a different perspective."

After earning a degree in education, Piquette-Tomei's first job brought her back to junior high school, but this time as a teacher of a class of special needs students ranging from grade one to six.

"It was thought that the students in my classroom couldn't be contained in regular classes. They had meltdowns. They carried knives. They had a host of behavioural challenges," recalls Piquette-Tomei.

With nothing to lose, Piquette-Tomei began to implement some of the new ideas she had about integration, and it wasn't long until she began to see positive results. Often bending the rules, Piquette-Tomei worked with her students to develop their interests in ways that worked for them.

"One of my students had severe behavioural problems and was living in foster care. He was told that he could return to his mother if he was able to move forward and 'graduate' from the behavioural adaptation class.

"He learned that he loved to read only after being introduced to the book version of a movie he had recently viewed. I encouraged him to read it. As a grade 5 student, this was the first book he ever read. After, he asked if he could be excused from other courses in order to read more.

"I remember thinking, I could be fired for this, for basically ignoring the rest of the curriculum, but I also thought what he really needed was to be engaged. So I allowed him to read for more than a month in my class, every day, all day. I couldn't even get him out of the classroom for recess. By the end of the year, he did go back to his other courses, and by the end of grade six he was reading at a much higher level and had no evidence of behavioural issues."

As mindsets changed and classes generally became more integrated, Piquette-Tomei ignored critics who said that special education teachers, such as herself, would not be well-suited to the new environment.

"I started my master's in special education around the time school boards were looking at mainstreaming and inclusion. I was told by most people that my skills would not be needed. However, I was already using the basic principles – I had been for about five years – and now it was even more interesting to study the theory by night and put it into practice in the classroom the next day."

Despite being under a microscope as the teacher of the first inclusive class in the Calgary Catholic school division, Piquette-Tomei succeeded in winning the support of her colleagues and administration.

Now, with a PhD in human development and learning and as a U of L professor in the Faculty of Education, Piquette-Tomei is using her vast experience to develop a new generation of teachers.

"It is easier to infuse knowledge about social justice and equity at the pre-service level and have teachers walk out into the world with those concepts already in place, than it is to alter someone's philosophy later.

"I have always known that the responsibility of being a teacher is that you do change lives. From the time I started as a student teacher, I understood the power of acceptance and inclusion."

It is a message she is taking again and again to her current students, colleagues and, as a result of her recent international experiences, to other educators worldwide.

"At the end of the day, it is not about the teacher. First and foremost, it is about the students and how they can benefit and learn best."

To view the entire issue of SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - education systems

Przybylski honoured by province

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Investigating global population and economies

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Understanding teaching through open minds

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From the outside looking in

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