In 2002 a study for the PEITF (Belliveau, Liu & Murphy) reported on the workload of PEI teachers.  Researchers at UPEI (Dr. Ron MacDonald, Dr. Ray Doiron, Dr. Khym Goslin, Dr. Sean Wiebe, and Mr Craig MacDonald) are again conducting research in the area, with an added focus on worklife.  Findings from this study will be reported in April 2010. To gain a full picture of the workload and worklife of PEI teachers, researchers will, over the next few months: collect Island teachers’ stories in a narrative inquiry; conduct focus-group interviews with members of the PEITF Board of Governors; ask 45 teachers (selected at random) to log daily professional activities; and administer a survey of all members of the PEITF.

The Joint Education Research Group (JERG) represents three school boards (the Eastern School District, the French School Board, and the Western School Board), the PEI Teachers' Federation, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), and the UPEI Faculty of Education. Its mandate is to facilitate and promote collaborative research initiatives that are designed to increase understanding of teaching and learning effectiveness in the PEI school system and early childhood sector. Currently, there are four research projects funded through JERG: (1) English as an Additional Language (EAL) students' lived experience: Student perspectives on barriers o learning and living on PEI; (2) Factors affecting student achievement in science; (3) Nothing like the real thing: Cognitive effect of material culture artifacts; and (4) Exporing the use of group singing to improve...

The Research in Early Child Development (RECD) Initiative is a multidisciplinary collaboration between researchers at the UPEI Centre for Education Research (CER) and the PEI Children's Secretariat. The PEI Children's Secretariat, a group of twelve local networks involved in healthy childhood development, includes both government and community contacts. The RECD research team is working on developing and implementing a conceptual research framework of early child development (ages 0 to 8 years) in Prince Edward Island. The research model nests the child in several spheres of influence—the family, the community, the society, and the global world. Such a framework presents new challenges for the early child sector to rethink current policies and practices related to healthy child development, with the goal of developing more integrated approaches to supporting children and...

  The BEd graduate reflections study emerged from a desire to enhance and enrich the quality of the Faculty's Teacher Preparation Program. The importance of eliciting views of Education graduates was identified as an important step in the program revisioning process. The Faculty felt that this investigation would make an important contribution in response to recent calls by the Canadian Association for Teacher Education for more rigorous assessment of teacher education practices across the country and more research into best practices across a diverse teacher pre-service education landscape. The aims of this study were to (1) track as many UPEI BEd graduates from 1999--2007 as possible in order to identify work places and responsibilities, (2) develop a profile of BEd graduates' professional development and continuing education pursuits since graduation, and (3) engage graduates in...

    Eating Between the Lines (EBTL) is an early literacy, healthy eating program for young children developed and tested in child-care facilities in Prince Edward Island. In 2009, an e-learning resource was created for kindergarten educators, parents, and children. The EBTL website connects children’s early literacy development with their growth and understanding of healthy eating and includes units such as Eating the Rainbow, Breakfast Matters, and The Salad. The website, created by a team of early childhood researchers and an advisory team, includes separate sections for parents, enabling them to link nutrition and literacy activities in the home, and for educators, allowing the information to be used in the classroom. Research Team: Dr. Ray Doiron (Faculty of Education, UPEI), Dr. Jennifer Taylor (Family & Nutritional Sciences, UPEI), Lynn Hogan (Director...

  This study was prompted by the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island to establish a profile of Mi’kmaq learners on Prince Edward Island. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods to generate baseline statistical information relating to the educational levels of Mi’kmaq learners as well as to provide recommendations for the types of supports that would promote success. The researchers interviewed Mi’kmaq parents and key professionals in the schools, and they conducted focus groups with students to establish a thorough profile. Statistical data was enriched by comments from the parents and focus-group participants who shared their opinions about the types of programs and services that could make a difference in promoting education success. Research Team: Dr. Fiona Walton (Faculty of Education, UPEI), Dr. Basil Favaro (Faculty of...

  Researchers involved with the New Learners Study are investigating new learners entering university (specifically UPEI), and their attitudes, understanding, and competencies regarding digital technologies, global issues, and writing. This mixed-methods pilot study includes data collected from both an e-survey of first-year students and student focus groups to investigate such questions as: How best to use technology to advantage students Do students use technology differently socially and academically? Do students want their personal technology to enter their academic world? What types of technology are students using? Is there a gender divide when it comes to technology use? Are students taking full advantage of all Web 2.0 tools? What are students’ expectations surrounding technology use in the classroom? Research Team: Dr. Martha Gabriel (...

  What is the role of the University of Prince Edward Island in supporting adult literacy? A team of investigators from the UPEI Webster Centre for Teaching and Learning and the UPEI Centre for Education Research explored that specific question looking at: Developing a clearer understanding of adult learning needs; Identifying existing successful adult learning opportunities at UPEI; Identifying any barriers and opportunities that exist in improving adult learning at UPEI; Identifying successful and innovative programs offered in other universities; and, Suggesting ways to create a “climate of opportunities and possibilities” to support adult learners and learning at UPEI Research Team: Dr. Martha Gabriel (Faculty of Education, UPEI), Dr. Ray Doiron (Faculty of Education, UPEI), Dr. Ron MacDonald (Faculty of Education, UPEI) Funded through the UPEI...

  WorldReaders is an online social network site for exploring students’ independent reading interests, while providing them with an opportunity for communicating with readers in other countries. Aimed toward children between the ages of 12 and 16, the site attempts to engage children who share a love of books and literary themes. This project provides librarians with a successful example of using social networking to achieve teaching/learning goals, and presents new knowledge on how learners use social networks for learning; how social networks can be a rich resource for studying reading interests; and how best to develop the use of social networking for library applications. Specifically, this project aims to explore: How can an online social network effectively support the development of positive reading habits among upper elementary and secondary students? What...