On Tuesday, 26 April 2022 and on our behalves, Dave Douglas welcomed Michelle Schira Hagerman as our Guest Speaker. Via Zoom, she spoke to us about 'Green | Screen | Machine and Everything in Between: Developing a Canadian Network of Playful Schools and Playful Practices'. See the "Read more ..." tab for additional information.Michelle (who grew up in Waterford) offered a rather thought-provoking overview of her Canadian Playful Schools Network (CPSN) program, noting background, intent, ideas and challenges related to increasing the value of 'play' in schools.
Following quite a few questions about the program, Keith Jones thanked Michelle for her early morning infusion of energy and her commitment to this potential thrust in educational direction.
Dr. Michelle Schira Hagerman is Associate Professor of Educational Technologies in the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa where she works to prepare pre-service teachers and graduate students to use digital technologies in critical, meaningful, and socially just ways that are also informed by research. An Ontario Certified Teacher, Dr. Hagerman grew up in Waterford, and began her teaching career at Delhi District Secondary School where she taught French as a Second Language from 1996 to 2001. As a researcher, Dr. Hagerman explores questions about how young adolescents understand and use Internet information for research projects that they do at school and how their teachers are supporting them. She also studies how making with digital and physical materials can support literacies learning for children in grades 4-8. The newly appointed Director of CHENINE, a uOttawa collaboratory focused on CHange, ENgagement and INnovation in Education, she is currently working with a team of visionary colleagues to develop a national network of playful schools. Supported by funding from the LEGO Foundation, her talk will focus on the design of this project and its importance as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
A University of Ottawa Press Release concerning her work may be found by clicking on this link.
