Dr. Zhao is Assistant Professor and Director of Research-Chinese Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing at the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary. Her research in North America and China explores one broad question: facing rampant achievement anxiety and social stress, how can educators and parents promote children’s academic success and at the same time protect their mental health and socioemotional wellbeing?

Trained in the fields of human development, education, and prevention science, Dr. Zhao conducts research with youth and families from diverse communities to identify the risk- and protective factors that influence their wellbeing. She works with the Galileo Educational Network to develop a professional learning program for teachers, parents and youth leaders on youth mental health and positive development.  She also collaborates with and consults for schools and organizations in China on how to foster Chinese children’s social emotional learning and their development of intercultural competence.

(in french only)

Alberta Education reconnait que le développement langagier constitue la pierre angulaire de l’apprentissage. Soutenir les jeunes enfants et les élèves francophones dans le développement de leur maitrise de la langue française est un facteur essentiel de l’amélioration du taux d’achèvement des études secondaires.

La francisation est un processus qui permet à l’enfant ou à l’élève qui parle peu ou qui ne parle pas français de développer des habiletés langagières orales et écrites pour qu’il « utilise la langue française, non seulement pour communiquer de façon efficace dans la vie courante et scolaire, mais aussi pour penser, apprendre, être critique par rapport à ce qu’il vit et à ce qu’il est, se construire une identité, se créer un espace culturel, aménager un territoire, exercer un pouvoir d’initiative et prendre en main son propre développement » (CMÉC, 2003).

Here you’ll find websites and articles on technology and learning. Additional resources can be found in the Research section.

Grade 2 Postcards

Students in Samantha Vokeroth’s Grade 2 class were challenged to create postcards from their own communities. Students first looked at exemplars of postcards that captured the excitement of traveling, then collaboratively established criteria to describe strong images and compelling writing on postcards. Using Photoshop software, students placed themselves into a photo of a significant building or location in the community and then wrote their postcards from the perspective of this place. The teacher made the student postcards into a hardcover book that the students circulated for reading in the classroom.

Using an iPad App called “MadPad”, students in Tim Bowman’s Grade 3 and 4 music class captured a variety of sounds that they pieced together into their own composition. The “MadPad” iPad App allows users to play their captured sounds like a keyboard. While watching exemplars of compositions created by other musicians, students developed the criteria for what makes a strong composition. Then, using the criteria that they identified for powerful songs, students worked in groups to compose and perform their own pieces of music.

From online games and homework help, to instant messaging and Facebook, kids today have a wealth of information at their fingertips.

For parents, it’s a world presenting its share of questions and challenges – is it best to limit time spent with these technologies? Do kids actually learn anything when they’re used?

Both kids and parents must understand not only how to operate in today’s tech-savvy world, but disseminate what they find. We must move from being mere consumers to true digital citizens, capable of navigating this new world.

The mission of the Fred Rogers Center is to advance the fields of early learning and children’s media by acting as a catalyst for communication, collaboration, and creative change. The group is focused on the positive potential of television and new media for supporting the healthy social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of young children.

The Fred Rogers Center Early Learning Environment focuses on early literacy and digital media literacy, by sharing resources that support learning and development in children from birth to age 5.

In January 2012, the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media and the National Association for the Education of Young Children issued a joint position statement on technology and learning.

The NAEYC welcomes teachers, researchers, community leaders and others to work together and set standards of excellence for programs and educators in early childhood education. It’s the world’s largest organization working on behalf of young children with nearly 80,000 members, a national network of more than 300 state and local affiliates, and a growing global alliance of like-minded organizations.

This Canadian-based resource contains articles and information on all topics concerning early childhood development. It was developed in 2007 with a grant from the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Child Development experts, service providers and other organizations contribute regularly to the site.

Throughout the 1950s and 60s, Dr. Fraser Mustard worked as a medical researcher at Cambridge and McMaster universities. Thirty years later, his focus evolved towards linking experts in all fields, and he launched the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. This “institute without walls’ allowed for interdisciplinary teams from across Canada and around the world to explore a variety of scientific and social challenges.

Dr. Mustard also created the Founder’s Network, which also brings together talented individuals from different areas of study to tackle problems in the fields of science and technology, economic issues and early childhood development.