UNews - Kerry Bernes

Doctoral Program in Education: enhancing research capacity and culture

darcy.tamayose — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 22:30:52 +0000

This degree is rich in research, but rich as well in professional practice, because we’re carrying on the integration between theory and practice we have always emphasized throughout both our undergraduate and master’s programs.

“I was born in Saskatchewan at the age of 24,” Dr. Richard Butt likes to say.

Dr. Richard Butt says that the U of L's Faculty of Education has the unique expertise to satisfy the demand for PhDs in Education.

That’s when he left England to teach in a small prairie town. He drove truck during harvest for several families so their high school students could return to school on time in the Fall.

“It gave me an understanding of rural life, Canada, and how important community is,” he says.

In reality, Butt’s childhood experiences in the British school system, with learning centres, field trips, and expressive arts, had already shaped his belief in hands-on, equal opportunity education and the learning community.

As a young man he worked as a junior researcher alongside others of diverse educational backgrounds.

“We all contributed, regardless of our qualification levels. Everyone was considered equal,” he says. “It was a democratic culture that I valued very much. It’s what shapes me in my teaching, graduate studies work, and the PhD program we are working on implementing. At its core the PhD program is a community of faculty members and doctoral candidates learning and researching collaboratively.”

Butt became an educator to give back to the profession that had given him so much.

“In 1983 I was hired by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Education to assist with implementing the master’s program,” he says.

The first year, 1984, there were only 12-15 students. Since then the program has grown to approximately 200 students. As Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies and Research in Education (2008–2011), followed by Dr. Kerry Bernes (2011–2014), Butt introduced a number of unique study foci to supplement the existing MEd offerings. With highly focused content, all of these initiatives grew from the expertise and research passions of faculty members working together to build graduate options around the needs of children, teachers and schools.

The proven success of graduate studies led naturally to plans for a doctoral program.

“There’s a demand for PhDs in education,” says Butt, “particularly the type we hope to offer. Our faculty has the knowledge. We have innovative, unique researchers ready to take on graduate students. Almost 50 per cent of the faculty have already been on PhD committees or been external PhD examiners for other universities.”

“Our PhD program has been approved by the Campus Alberta Quality Council and Alberta’s Minister of Advanced Education and Technology,” says Butt.

It offers three concentrations: Formal and Distributive Leadership; Learning, Teaching and Curriculum; and Counselling Psychology.

“There’s a big movement for research evidence-based change in education,” he says, noting that teachers, administrators, and school district personnel completing the doctorate will enhance research capacity and culture in education.

“Our Faculty has been doing a wonderful job of graduate education for 30 years,” says Butt. “There’s a ripe readiness for this PhD. It’s harvest time, so to speak.”

Long Service & Retirement Recognition Ceremony

trevor.kenney — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:44:43 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is holding its annual Long Service Awards and Retirement Recognition Ceremony on Wednesday, May 9 at 1 p.m. in the Students' Union Ballrooms.

A total of 103 employees, including 20 retiring employees and those who have completed 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service, will be honoured.

All employees are invited to the ceremony and reception to honour the award recipients listed below. The reception will include light refreshments.

Retirees

Nola Aitken, Pat Anderson, Bill Cade, Maria Draper, Carol Gaetz, Mary Anne Hellinga, John Johnston, Cindy Kabelka, Frank Klassen, Michael Kubara, Christina Lastuka, Rita Law, Kathy Lee, Marg McKeen, Bruce McMullin, Shari Platt, Charlene Sawatsky, Richard Tedesco, Barbara Wolstoncroft and Joan Zimmer

Long Service Recipients

40 Years

Lois Boras and
Jean Mankee

35 Years

Barbara Dickinson, Heather Mirau and Brian Parkinson

30 Years

Rene Barendregt, Annette Bright, Peter Heffernan, Barb Hodgson, Kurt Klein, William Krysak, Judy Lacey, Phill Lema, Valerie Richardson, Kim Selk and John Vokey

25 Years

Candace Dueck, John Eng, Frank Klassen, Sheila Lowe, Fiona Randle, Thomas Staples, Greg Tompkins, Kelly Vaselenak, Peter Visentin and Diana Young

20 Years

Lynn Ambedian, Robin Bright, Naomi Cramer, Mary Dyck, Rod Gelleny, Michael Kern, Judith Kulig, Rick Peter, Robert Runte, Sandy Slavin, Maxine Tedesco and Jeff Vucurevich

15 Years

Dwayne Armstrong, Mara Baldwin, Kerry Bernes, Lesley Brown, James Clark, Tom Doyle, Larry Flanagan, Carolyn Gaebel, Cam Goater, Bradley Hagen, Rob Johnson, Ed Jurkowski, Angela Luck, Goldie Morgentaler, Dan O'Donnell, Kent Peacock, Brent Selinger, Marlo Steed and
Nicole Wilson

10 Years

Peter Alward, Christine Anderson, Ebenezer Asem, Roberto Bello, Shawn Bubel, Kris Caldwell, Michael Campbell, Connie Chaplin, John Claassen, Melanie Collado, Dagmar Dahle, Alesha Farfus-Shukaliak, Bev Garnett, Daya Gaur, Joanne Gedrasik, Betsy Greenlees, Trevor Harrison, Linda Janz, Sharon Kanashiro, John Kometz, Igor Kovalchuk, Olga Kovalchuk, Bette Jo Kulak, James Linville, Douglas MacArthur, Claudia Malacrida, Kyla McFadden, Jacqueline Montain, Mandy Moser, Bob Muskovich, Janice Newberry, Tammy Paskuski, Jill Payant, Wilf Roesler, Edward Sandzewicz, Daryl Schacher, Darren Schell, Arlan Schultz, Daniela Sirbu, Debbie Tarnava, John Usher, Derek Vincent, Bernie Wirzba and Cindy Yee

Sound advice allowed Robinson to seek path

trevor.kenney — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:49:47 +0000

Derek Robinson (BA '00, MEd '03) always knew what he wanted to do – he just needed someone to tell him it was OK.

The former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's hockey forward had an interest in psychology that he wanted to pursue but it wasn't until a career counselor at the U of L affirmed it was a realistic path, that Robinson really believed he had the right stuff.

"Most of the guys I played with were in education or management and pretty much told me I'd never get a job in psychology," Robinson, now a mental training consultant at the Canadian Sport Centre in Calgary who works primarily with Canada's National Long Track Speed Skating team, says.

So he continued on, studying psychology but never fully committing to a major until his third year.

"I always wanted to be a psychologist and obviously loved sports but I was a hockey player, I swore in the dressing room, drank beer in the pub and never really thought I had the material to be a psychologist," he says.

"I think back now to the sessions I had with the counselor and everything we talked about I actually ended up doing."

The events he refers to include research projects, working with elite athletes and coaching at the highest level of sport. In February, Robinson will be in Vancouver as the long track speed skating team looks for a golden harvest at the 2010 Olympics.

A Victoria, B.C. native, Robinson found the U of L to be a perfect fit when he came to campus in the fall of 1995. The size of the city suited him well and he was joining a hockey program fresh off its first national title. However, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ would prove to be much more than just a hockey stop.

"The U of L was a great fit," Robinson says. "Lethbridge is a great place to go to university and it was a really good experience getting my BA there and playing for the Horns. Obviously I liked it enough to go back and complete my master's degree."

The research focus for his master's thesis was on the prevalence of mental training in hockey, specifically the Alberta Junior Hockey League, and whether the league's coaches felt it would be beneficial. The majority did but were lacking the resources to add a mental trainer to their staff.

"Over the course of my thesis, I formed a great relationship with Dr. Kerry Bernes," Robinson says. "I really respect both he and Dr. Kris Magnusson, who was running the program at the time. Those two guys were pivotal through my master's and were really helpful for my career."

He's looking for a career high note in February, after which he'll try and curtail his travel schedule and devote more time to his family.

"I'll be with the support staff at the Games," Robinson says. "Working with the athletes on such a personal level, it's very exciting to see them excel and I'll be thrilled if they do well in Vancouver."

GET THE FACTS

• Robinson and his wife Lisa (now an art teacher) both came to the U of L from Victoria and they have two children, a four-year old son and 18-month old daughter.

• Robinson has also worked in private practice with the Calgary Health Region.

• While at the U of L, Robinson had a 20-goal season in 1998-99.

UNews - Kerry Bernes

Doctoral Program in Education: enhancing research capacity and culture

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Long Service & Retirement Recognition Ceremony

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Sound advice allowed Robinson to seek path

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