Informed by humanistic psychological models, the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and my own Learning Errors and Formative Feedback (LEAFF) model, I examine children's (and adults') affective, cognitive and social variables in the learning environments in which they develop and grow. My secondary research focuses on the methodological and theoretical underpinning of think-aloud/cognitive interview techniques, and assessment methods designed to gather evidence of response processes to substantiate claims about the knowledge and skills educational tests measure in test-takers across the age span. Much of my research is funded by Tri-Council research grants.
I am an avid runner, love to travel and believe that health and wellness emerges from the inside out.
EDUCATION
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Children's Rights in the Classroom
I am investigating the beliefs pre-service teachers have about aspects of children's rights in the classroom.
1999 - 2001
Postdoctoral Fellow (PDF), funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
Adults' Cognitive and Emotional Learning
I am investigating the learning environments that promote adult skill and knowledge acquisition, without compromising affective components such as trust and compassion.
Assessment Design: Think aloud and Clinical Interviews
I am investigating methods to improve how we interview children and students about their learning experiences and assessments.
1995 - 1999
University of Alberta (Psychology)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
1993 - 1995
University of Alberta (Educational Psychology)
Master of Education (MEd), funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council on Canada (NSERC)
1989 - 1993
University of Alberta (Psychology)
Bachelor of Arts (Honours), funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council on Canada (NSERC)