Education Blog

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May is Asian Heritage Month: Use a game to experience historical perspective

AHMMay is Asian Heritage Month and the TC2 Pivotal Voices online collection contains resources that highlight the roles and experiences of Chinese and South Asian Canadians.

Check out Pages from the Past, an interactive game that focuses on historical perspective through the values and life choices of four fictional Chinese characters from the 1850s to the 1940s. Students earn rewards by offering sound advice that is respectful of the historical realities and personal aspirations of each character

Targeted grades: Intermediate/Middle
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Play the game
Find lessons to accompany the game and other lessons and videos that highlight the roles of Ukrainian, Chinese and South Asian Canadians in the Pivotal Voices collection.
The Critical Thinking Consortium (TC2) is a non-profit organization of Partner groups and Individual Members

New Display at Education Library: Celebrating Diversity

photo(23)We’ve put up a great collection of books over here at the Education Library that we feel capture the idea of celebrating diversity.  From books that have main characters of different backgrounds to picture books showcasing what it’s like to grow up in different cultures to kids’ books that embrace loving who you are and those around you –we have a great selection to browse!

Coincidentally, this display coincides with the launching of the #WeNeedDiverseDooks campaign on Twitter, Tumblr and the Internet-at-large.

Read more about this much needed campaign, which has gone viral almost overnight, in this Salon article.

Happy reading!

Education Research in Focus: The work of Judith Duncan

Judith Duncan is a professor of Education at the University of Canterbury. Her fields of research include: Childhood Studies, Children’s Rights & Children’s Participation, Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Educators Practices and Training, Educational Policy & Gender and Education.

Duncan recently published a book, which UBC Education Library has acquired, entitled, “Research partnerships in early childhood education : teachers and researchers in collaboration.” The book is about: How can teachers deepen their understanding of their work? How can researchers make sure their work is grounded in and responsive to community needs? In this assemblage of rich examples of partnership research in early years education, Duncan and Conner set out how early childhood teachers and researchers can work in partnerships that benefit them both. Drawing on examples of successful partnerships from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, they tell the stories of the successes, struggles, insights, and opportunities that come from working in such partnerships.

Watch latest research:

Early Childhood Education: Seeing and Being Seen

Early Childhood Education: Learning Outcomes

Early Childhood Education: Intentional Teaching

Early Childhood Education: Embedded in the Community

Information on the Early Years Enquiry Research Group can be found at:
http://www.education.canterbury.ac.nz/research_labs/eye/index.shtml

Upcoming workshops

using_computerTips and Tricks for Formatting Your Thesis: Little Things Mean A Lot!
 
Are you worried about getting your thesis/dissertation into the format required by the Faculty of Graduate Studies? Would you like to know more about how to use the formatting features in Microsoft Word? Research Commons staff will help you with your questions about the nuts and bolts of formatting: tables of contents, page layout, numbering, headings, front matter, and more! As well, find out more about the resources that are available to help you in writing your thesis/dissertation. Graduate students at any stage of the writing process are welcome; some prior knowledge of Microsoft Word will be helpful.
 
Thursday, April 10th, 10am-12:00pm: http://elred.library.ubc.ca/libs/dashboard/view/4622
Thursday,  April 17th, 10am-12:00pm: http://elred.library.ubc.ca/libs/dashboard/view/4737
 
Have specific questions you think would be best answered in a one-on-one session? See our Consultations page to book a session: http://koerner.library.ubc.ca/services/research-commons/.
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Citation Management Using RefWorks, Zotero, or Mendeley
 
Need to manage large numbers of references and citations as part of your research, teaching or administrative work? Citation management tools are for you. These tools provide a simple way to store, organize and retrieve your citations in an effective manner, and can also help you in formatting in-text citations and bibliographies in your work.
 
Sign up for a tool specific hands-on workshop about the core concepts of citation management and detailed instruction for use of either RefWorks, Zotero, or Mendeley.
 
Are you new to citation management tools entirely, or do you have advanced-user questions? See our Consultations page to book a one-on-one session: http://koerner.library.ubc.ca/services/research-commons/.
 
Citation Management Using RefWorks:
 

Citation Management Using Mendeley:

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SPSS

Workshop 1- Basic SPSS
 
Do you wonder what SPSS is and how it can be useful to manage and analyze your data? Would you like to learn how to work with SPSS just by clicking a few keys? Let us help you learn the basics.
 
No previous knowledge of SPSS is required for the first workshop:

Wednesday, April 9th, 1200pm-2:00pm: http://elred.library.ubc.ca/libs/dashboard/view/4627


Workshop 2- SPSS Data Management
Do you know how to edit your data using effective data management software? Do you want to work with user-friendly software without going through a hassle of writing code? SPSS can do this for you with a few clicks. Attend this workshop and learn how to manage your data fast.
 
Wednesday, April 16th, 12:00pm-2:00pm: http://elred.library.ubc.ca/libs/dashboard/view/4630
 
Have specific questions you think would be best answered in a one-on-one session? See our Consultations page to book a session: http://koerner.library.ubc.ca/services/research-commons/.
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Graduate Lit Review Workshops

UBC Library Research Commons offers workshops to graduate students doing a literature review. The sessions are appropriate for students conducting literature reviews in any discipline.
 
Topics include: what is a literature review? finding the right databases;  search strategies for databases; finding scholarly articles, theses and dissertations, books, and more; resources to help you keep track of your research.
 
Upcoming sessions are scheduled for:
Thursday May 8th, 10-noon in Koerner Library: http://elred.library.ubc.ca/libs/dashboard/view/4823
 

FIREtalk: Tools of the Trade

firetalkThe Research Commons invites graduate students from any discipline to participate in our next FIREtalk, Tools of the Trade. To be part of the discussion, submit your proposal for a 5-minute presentation by April 16th, 2014. Or, if you don’t want to present, attend as an audience member and join the discussion after the presentations!
This month’s theme is Tools of the Trade:
Our trade is producing knowledge and implementing it. What are some of the tools that are being used? Choosing the appropriate tool or method for your research is one of the most critical components for advancing academic inquiry. What approaches to research are in the academic’s toolbox? Share with an interdisciplinary audience how a tool or method is used in your field:
  • interdisciplinary perspectives
  • mixed methods designs
  • meta-analysis strategies
  • cutting edge technology
  • classic techniques proven by time
When: Wednesday, April 23, 4-6 pm
Where: Koerner Library, Room 216