The Whitworth Award

2016 Winners – Dr. George Sefa Dei and Dr. Maurice Tardif

Recognizing career education research excellence

2016 EdCan Network Whitworth Award Co-Winner: Dr. George Sefa Dei recognized for his profound impact on the development of equitable and inclusive schooling in Canada

EdCan Network is proud to honour Dr. George Sefa Dei – Professor in the Department of Social Justice Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto – as co-winner of the 2016 Whitworth Award for Career Research in Education. This prestigious award is in recognition of Dr. Dei’s pioneering works on anti-racism education and inclusive schooling.

Equity is central to Dr. Dei’s work, grounded in the vision of an education system where cultural differences and diversity are sources of strength. Dr. Dei’s idea of critical inclusion (which calls for beginning something anew) underpinned the establishment of Ontario’s first Africentric school in 2009: a new space that was created from the ground up – as opposed to being built upon current practices – for the purpose of achieving an equitable school and equitable educational outcomes.

Building upon his previous research on the theory and practice of anti-racism education, early school leaving among Black youth, and issues of diversity in Canada’s increasingly multicultural school systems, Dr. Dei’s current ambitious portfolio includes studying the implications of Indigenous philosophies of community and responsibility for schooling. He is also publishing a book entitled Blackness in Anti-Colonial and Decolonial Prisms, building on existing scholarship and theorization of Blackness in multiple geo-political spaces.

The Whitworth Award Selection Committee appreciated Dr. Dei’s lifelong dedication to supporting educators as they develop teaching practices that foster inclusive classrooms, including his support of community-driven initiatives that contribute to the academic success of students from diverse backgrounds.

Dr. Dei shares the 2016 Whitworth Award with co-winner Dr. Maurice Tardif, recognized for his research on the teaching profession, including his founding of one of the world’s largest inter-university research networks. Dr. Dei will be formally recognized with the 2016 Whitworth Award at the “Decolonizing Conference” at the University of Toronto on November 3rd, 2016 at 6 pm.

Click here for more information about the stellar research career of Dr. Dei

2016 EdCan Network Whitworth Award Co-Winner: Dr. Maurice Tardif recognized for redefining research on teaching in Canada

EdCan Network is proud to honour Dr. Maurice Tardif – Sociologist of Education in the Faculty of Educational Sciences at l’Université de Montréal – as co-winner of the 2016 Whitworth Award for Career Research in Education. This award recognizes Dr. Tardif’s influential career, which has redefined the role of research in the teaching profession and the ways we develop teacher education and training policies in Canada and around the world.

He founded the Centre de recherche interuniversitaire sur la formation et la profession enseignante (CRIFPE), which has grown to become one of the world’s largest inter-university research networks devoted exclusively to advancing teacher knowledge and training.

His keen interest in conducting research that articulates the social and professional issues affecting teachers such as ever-changing curriculum requirements, budget cuts and class size spearheaded one of the most comprehensive studies ever undertaken on teaching in Canadian public schools. Researchers from 19 universities assessed the performance, competencies and teaching methods of Canadian teachers from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12. This research work has since contributed to improving teaching policies, teacher practice and support for teachers.

The Whitworth Award Selection Committee lauded Dr. Tardif’s tireless dedication to producing education research that is accessible to teachers, school administrators, and policymakers so that they can hold evidence-based discussions on creating the conditions for teachers to perform at their best.

Dr. Tardif will be formally recognized with the 2016 Whitworth Award at the CRIFPE National Conference on May 18, 2017. He shares the 2016 Whitworth Award with co-winner Dr. George J.S. Dei, who is being recognized for his pioneering contributions to anti-racism education and inclusive schooling.

To access a bibliography of Dr. Tardif’s work, please visit:
http://www.mauricetardif.com

Honourable Mentions

Dr. Frédéric Guay

Dr. Frédéric Guay is a Full Professor and chairholder of the Canada Research Chair on Motivation and Academic Success in the Faculty of Education at Université Laval. He has been widely recognized for advancing knowledge on the social, psychological and personal factors that can impact student engagement.

Dr. Guay’s findings reveal that parents, teachers and peers all play an integral role in meeting a student’s psychological needs and in encouraging their motivation to learn. He found that students don’t perform at their best when they’re offered a reward, but rather when classroom activities are fun and interactive. Dr. Guay’s current ambitious portfolio includes leading CASIS-Écriture: a teacher professional development program that seeks to advance key pedagogical practices that foster students’ motivation to write. CASIS-Écriture has been delivered to over 200 teachers who have exposed over 4,000 Quebec students to innovative ways of learning

As his findings coincide with multiple fields of study – from counseling and guidance to psycho-education – Dr. Guay’s publications have appeared in top international journals and have increased the impact of educational research in Canada. His ambitious research agenda benefits a wide variety of stakeholders in Canadian education – including students, parents, teachers, the scientific community and public policy – at a time where every effort must be made to reduce the number of students who drop out of school.

Dr. Philip Winne

Dr. Philip Winne is a Professor of Educational Psychology and former chairholder of the Canada Research Chair in Self-Regulated Learning and Learning Technologies in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University. He is an avid supporter of Canadian educational research and is recognized for his development of digital teaching tools that cater to the unique needs of every learner.

By touting the proven benefits of developing self-regulating learners – learners who are independently capable of setting goals, tracking their progress, and overcoming difficulties – Dr. Winne’s research has focused on ways to foster this learning style by supporting students in managing their motivation and adapting to challenges in meeting their goals. Dr. Winne’s current ambitious research portfolio includes the continued development of an Internet application that allows students to manage research projects and track their performance towards their learning objectives. He also co-authored Educational Psychology, 6th Canadian Edition, which has become the most widely adopted educational psychology textbook in the country.

Recognized as a leading international figure on self-regulated learning, Dr. Winne’s research agenda benefits students’ ability to monitor and direct their learning, and advances understanding on how technology can adapt to different learning styles – all of which can lead to increased student motivation and success both within the classroom and beyond.

Since 1967, the Whitworth Award has recognized individuals who have made a sustained and substantial contribution to educational research. It is awarded every three years.