Werklund Student Undergraduate Research
Exploring your research opportunities
Werklund School of Education Bachelor of Education students have the opportunity to engage in undergraduate research, through undergraduate research awards.
The benefits of engaging in research
Undergraduate research awards provide students with the opportunity to pursue research between May and August, under the supervision of a faculty member. Students are able to delve into a research topic that is in alignment with their interests, deepening their understanding in the area and gaining research skills and experience. Research awards provide financial support for students while they engage in their research endeavours. Past research award recipients have identified the following academic, professional, and personal benefits from their research experience.
- Improve academic abilities which will help as you progress through your program
- Gain research experience that can help you prepare for graduate studies (and may help to support your application)
- Opportunity to learn from and collaborate with your supervisor
- Broaden your exposure to educational research
- Incorporate your research findings into practice, both in your field experiences and as a professional
- Increase awareness of the research and literature available, and the importance of utilizing research-supported methods as a professional
- Speak to your research experience in future employment opportunities – both the knowledge you have gained on the topic itself, and the research process
- An opportunity to network and build connections in the community
- Expand your professional skills in areas such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, project-management, and time-management
- A research award provides you with the time and resources to explore a topic that you are passionate about
- Opportunity to gain clarity around your personal goals and interests
- Gain increased confidence in yourself and sense of connection to the teaching profession
I've already started incorporating my knowledge gained in this research into my course work. I am better student, a better researcher and I am confident this experience will make me a better professional in my field.
Justin Acton
PURE award recipient 2021
Recommendations for your award applications
Straight from past undergraduate research award winners, some tips and tricks on preparing for and submitting your application!
Start early
It is best if you are able to start early, as developing a research proposal can take time (however, don’t let this prevent you from applying even if you didn’t get an early start)! The Doucette Library is a great place to start!
Brainstorm
Consider the topics that are of the most interest to you, and start brainstorming some questions you have that you would be interested in investigating. Consider the research interests of Werklund School of Education Faculty
Reach out
Talk to your instructors, Undergraduate Programs in Education, fellow students, and then reach out to potential supervisors.
Apply
Werklund Students can apply to both the PURE Program as well as the Werklund Undergraduate Research Award, and are highly encouraged to apply to both (yes, this is two separate applications)! While only one award can be accepted, applying to both will increase your chances.
Past research award winners
Thank you to all Werklund School of Education faculty who supported undergraduate students through their applications and research!
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Werklund Undergraduate Research Award Recipients
Raneem Elhowari | “An Exploration of Counter-Deficit Pedagogy with Refugee Families in the Context of Early STEM Education”
Claire Paton | “Students’ Understandings and Experiences of Creativity and Risk in Science Learning”
Education Student | “An Annotated bibliography of geometric transformation games”
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PURE Program Recipients
Justin Acton | “Infinite Habitat – Customized Gaming to Engage Diverse Youth”
Kristen Beechey | “Best Practices for Alberta Teachers Engaging with Citizen Science”
Lindsay Swartz | “Building Indigenous Identity Through Culturally Responsive Programming”
Samantha Ruud | “Exploring Student Assessments in an Online Learning Environment: Challenges and Opportunities in the New Normal”
Grace Bogowicz | “Experiences of LGBTQ+ youth with isolation and family violence during the COVID-19 pandemic”
Madelyn Shuffler | “Affordances of Children’s Nonfiction Picturebooks on Climate Change”
Jeanne Liendo | “The History of the Spanish Bilingual Program in Calgary”
Jason Valleau | “A lesson plan celebrating a collaboration with Stoney Nakoda and Tsuut’ina Nation drumming that also recognizes the limitations and imposition of Eurocentric music theory systems”
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Alberta Innovates Recipient
Veronica Rawnsley | “Optimizing the virtual reality experience through mindfulness”
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Werklund Undergraduate Research Award Recipients
Nancy Liu | “Exploration of Bilingualism in the Linguistic Landscape of Bilingual Schools and Surrounding Communities”
Jordann Fernandes | “Developing a design framework for student-generated questions to drive research, innovation, and creative inquiry in science courses”
Jinping Pang | “Exploring ethnic identity in Canada: A Chinese woman’s experience”
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PURE Program Recipients
Savannah Poirier Hollander | “Sacred Beginnings”
Leonard Cohen | “Best Practices for the Implementation of Board Games in the Elementary Mathematics Classroom”
Robyn Buttigieg | “Effectiveness of Methods for Educating Elementary Students with ASD in Literacy”
Jonah Secreti | “Pre-service teacher preparation to educate citizenship: An analysis of the discourses of civics and citizenship education”
Sydney Suffron | “Studying the Impact of a Teaching Intervention with Students With Math Learning Difficulties”
Nicole Langevin | “Enriching Geometric Understanding through the Early STEM Pedagogy”
Catherine Huynh | “Student Performance on Large-Scale International Assessments in Canada, Singapore, and China: A Systematic Review”
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Werklund Undergraduate Research Award Recipients
Kiefer Waite-Newhouse | “Towards Ethical Engagement: Teaching Indigenous Literatures”
Jenny Yuen | “Enriching STEM Learning in the Early Years for Multilingual Learners”
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PURE Program Recipients
Jessica Gobran | “Contested Commemoration: Alberta Educators’ Experiences Teaching Controversial Monuments in Social Studies Classrooms”
Spencer Miller | “Ruffle Feathers: LGBTQ Canadian Young Adult Novels for the Secondary ELA Classroom”
Joyce Montemayor | “Investigating classroom strategies teachers of English Language Learners implement within the Attachment, Regulation and Competency Framework”
Lisa Anderson | “Applications of Music within the Neurolinguistic Approach in a German-Bilingual School”
Kristina Lyngberg | “Wired to Read: Can Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Improve Reading in Children?”
Caitlin Tighe | “Diversity in the ELA Classroom: Intersections between Practice, Medium and Experience”
Angela Ko | “Examining the importance of incorporating Indigenous cultures into curricular studies and its effect on student awareness.”
Sean McConnell | “A collection of cognitively demanding mathematical tasks for grade eleven Albertan teachers.”
I entered the PURE program having very little knowledge regarding research, so do not feel like you need to be an expert.
Samantha Ruud
PURE award recipient, 2021
Sharing your Research
Past undergraduate students have shared their research through a number of venues, below!
Students' Union Undergraduate Research Symposium
A showcase of undergraduate research held in November each year. Students may apply to present their research, or attend the symposium to learn more about the research that others have done!
Professional Conferences
Students have also shared their research through a number of conferences.
Calgary City Teachers' Convention
Present your research findings to K-12 professionals! Supported by the Alberta Teachers' Association, this convention hosts teachers and students in their final practicum.
WestCAST
This conference brings together over 600 education faculty and teacher education students to learn, share, and connect.
Palliser Disctrict Teachers' Convention
Present your research findings to K-12 professionals! Organized by the Palliser District Teachers' Convention Association Board, this convention hosts teachers and students in their final practicum.
Inspired? Apply for awards, now!
Questions about Werklund awards? Get in touch