We’re giving away two tickets to our alumNIGHTS event with the Vancouver Canucks.
Enter for a chance to win an unforgettable experience with Dean Jan Hare, PhD’01! The prize includes two tickets to the game on March 5 against the Anaheim Ducks, exclusive access to our pre-game reception in the Sportsbar, a complimentary drink, a charcuterie buffet, and unlimited popcorn. Plus, everyone attending the reception gets a shot at winning a Canucks jersey worth $300. Don’t miss out—join the fun and cheer on the Canucks alongside your fellow UBC alumni!
Congratulations to the winner of our previous Canucks Tickets Contest, Ryan Harrington, BKin’24!
Date
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Time
Game time: 7:00 PM
alumni UBC pre-game reception at the Sportsbar: 5:30 PM – 6:45 PM
Location
Rogers Arena
800 Griffiths Way
Vancouver, BC
V6B 6G1 – map
Reception
The Sportbar LIVE! at Rogers Arena
99 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC
V6B 1Z3 – map
Join Dr. Jan Hare, Dean and Professor, Canada Research Chair (Tier 1), Indigenous Pedagogy, for the fourth annual speaker series putting a spotlight on important questions and significant priorities that are engaging educators today.
This virtual session will feature Dr. Marika Kunnas, Dr. Glory Ovie from the Faculty of Education, UBC Education Alumna, Nikitha Fester, and UBC Arts Student, Nola Charles.
Together, they will explore innovative approaches and practices that best support Cultivating Black Flourishing in K-12 Education. The session will examine strategies to building thriving learning communities that are more inclusive, equitable, and anti-racist. It will be an opportunity to critically explore the ways in which districts and schools can remain adaptable to dismantling anti-Black racism and all forms of oppression across the K-12 educational landscape, as well as acknowledge Black history and excellence.
Marika Kunnas (she/her/elle) is an Assistant Professor in the department of Language and Literacy Education. She is a former secondary school French teacher in Ontario. Her research specializes in French immersion programs and antiracism.
Through her research and as a teacher, Marika seeks to disrupt the status quo and make education more inclusive, equitable, antiracist, and anticolonial. Her research aims to explore the realities of being a racialized minority in French immersion, to give voice to POC students, and to engage in antiracist pedagogy with FSL teachers.
Broadly, Marika’s research interests lie within French, second/additional language acquisition, race, culture, decolonization, and equity.
About Dr. Glory Ovie
Dr. Glory Ovie is an assistant professor at the Department of Educational Studies, Faculty of Education. She holds a PhD from the University of Calgary. She is a former K-12 teacher and administrator. Dr. Ovie was also a visiting scholar at the Universidad Nacional, Sede Regional Brunca in Costa Rica.
Her research interests include crisis management in schools, educational leadership and administration, equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization, the intersections of teaching and learning, mental health and well-being, and research methodologies. Dr. Ovie’s research seeks to disrupt the status quo in teacher education, making practices more inclusive, equitable, and anti-racist.
In her research, she employs mixed methods and qualitative studies, including ethnographies, duoethnographies, and narrative inquiry.
About Nikitha Fester
A UBC Education Alumna, Nikitha teaches and works towards truth and reconciliation on the unceded and traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh People. Recently, she has begun her PhD journey at the University of Toronto, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. This learning venture reinforced her interest in the role of Black women as educational leaders.
During her career, Nikitha has successfully piloted district learning programs focused on Black Canadian History, supported the first UBC Black Futures program, and contributed to a Black Peoples’ History of Canada, among other local and national projects. She is also engaged in supporting pre- and in-service teachers in the areas of anti-racism, anti-oppression, and inclusive classroom practice both in English and in French.
Currently, she sits as an executive member of BC Black Educational Leaders Association (BC BELA). In and out of the classroom, Nikitha is focussed on empowering students and teachers to be joyful, critical, and engaged
About Nola Charles
Nola Charles (she/her) is a first-year Arts student at UBC. Before transitioning to postsecondary, Nola focused her efforts on community engagement, anti-racism, and youth empowerment outside of school.
At her high school, Nola played a key role in establishing the first mentorship program for Black students, fostering a sense of belonging and confidence. She has also contributed to the City of Vancouver’s first anti-youth violence action plan and helped facilitate important dialogues, including the Educators Anti-Racism Summit. Additionally, Nola serves as a youth mentor with the Students Commission of Canada, offering guidance and encouragement to young people across the country.
Nola is committed to continuing her community work while making the most of her time at UBC, striving to create meaningful and lasting change.
The UBC Faculty of Education is tied for first place in Canada in Maclean’s 2025 University Rankings
Once again, the UBC Faculty of Education is tied for first place in Canada for education programs in both research and program reputation in Maclean’s Education 2025 University Rankings.
In its 10th annual program rankings, Maclean’s assessed Canadian universities across five popular fields—business, computer science, education, engineering, and nursing—based on reputation for program quality and research strength.
Faculty and senior administrators at 70 universities were surveyed, with over 1,000 professors, deans and chairs providing input. The respondents ranked up to 10 universities they believed excelled in program quality and research. The final rankings for the top 20 universities in each field are based on these survey results, with program and research reputation each weighted equally at 50%.
To learn more about Maclean’s rankings for education programs in Canada, visit their rankings page.
This certificate program is designed to support military-connected individuals transitioning from military service as they explore new academic and career opportunities.
Write a message to a Faculty of Education graduate
Faculty of Education’s Class of 2024 will be walking the stage on November 27, 2024. Write a message to welcome them to the alumni community! Please note that submissions may be revised for spelling and clarity.
Registration open for new Massive Open Online Course: Nurturing Childhoods Through Indigenous Ways of Knowing
Launching on November 1, the Nurturing Childhoods Through Indigenous Ways of Knowing Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is a six-to-eight-week course designed for educators, service providers, and families. It offers a transformative learning experience focused on integrating Indigenous perspectives into early learning environments. Led by Dr. Jan Hare, Dean, Faculty of Education, and developed in collaboration with community leaders, educators, and scholars, this free, fully online course has no prerequisites, making it accessible to all.
Building on the success of the Reconciliation Through Indigenous Education MOOC, which has engaged over 70,000 learners worldwide and is also led by Dean Hare, the Nurturing Childhoods Through Indigenous Ways of Knowing MOOC guides participants through learning circles on topics such as Indigenous knowledges, family, community, and land as the first teacher.
To learn more and register, visit the MOOC web page.
Following the initial professional development session on AI in the workplace offered to Faculty of Education staff in April 2024, we invite you to continue exploring the rapidly evolving AI landscape. This session will help you navigate the complexities of AI in your professional context with critical insight. With updated guidelines from UBC and enhanced activities across various tools and purposes, you’ll engage with generative AI through new lenses and perspectives, gaining the confidence to make informed decisions about AI.
Note: Attendance at or knowledge from Part 1 (held in April 2024) is not required for Part 2. All staff are welcome to register for this event.
Facilitators
The Learning Design and Digital Innovation (LDDI) unit supports the design, development and deployment of innovative teaching practices in the Faculty of Education. Since the public release of ChatGPT in November 2022, LDDI has been actively involved in understanding the evolving landscape of Generative Artificial Intelligence. The LDDI team has been collaborating and engaging in conversations with faculty and community members, organizing and facilitating workshops, and creating resources that are shared on the Faculty’s AI Corner.
Registration
Registration is now closed.
Date
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Time
12:00 to 2:00 pm
Lunch will be served at 12:00 pm and the session will begin at 12:30 pm.
Location
Ponderosa Ballroom
6445 University Boulevard
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6T 1Z2
Created to honour and celebrate the achievements of inspirational leaders within Kelowna and the surrounding area, the RISE Awards acknowledge individuals who demonstrate inclusivity and represent Kelowna Women In Business’ (KWIB) mission and values.
The Woman of the Year is a leader, champion for women in the workforce and role model within her industry. She displays excellence in her field and is actively involved in the local business community. This year’s award recipient is Dr.Kyleen Myrah.
Dr. Myrah, EdD’04, is a Professor of Business at Okanagan College teaching in the areas of management and social entrepreneurship for over 24 years. She is also President of KyCo Management, a corporate training company specializing in leadership development, strategic planning, and social enterprise. An active member of her community, Kyleen has held volunteer positions with numerous organizations, and in 2017 she co-led the City of Kelowna’s Journey Home Task Force and was the founding Board Chair of the Society tasked with implementing the community’s plan to end homelessness. Currently, she is the Interior BC Chair of the Loran Scholars Foundation and Faculty Advisor for the award-winning student.
