Western Education celebrates academic excellence
The Faculty of Education has announced the award recipients for the 2019-20 academic year.
W.A. Townshend Gold Medal in Education
The Gold Medal is in honour of the Late Bishop Townshend of London, Ontario, and is awarded to the student who has achieved the highest academic standing in his/her program of study.
Fall 2019 Convocation
The Fall 2019 recipient of the W.A. Townshend Gold Medal is Angela Celebre. Angela’s research is titled, ‘An Examination of Predictors of Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents receiving Mental Health Services.’
Children with mental health problems have a significantly worse quality of life (QoL) in comparison to typically developing children, or those with physical health conditions. However, research identifying factors associated with QoL in this vulnerable population is quite scarce. To address this gap in the literature, 347 clinically referred children and youth (ages 7-18 years old) were assessed using the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health Assessment (ChYMH) and Self-report Quality of Life- Child and Youth Mental Health (SQoL-ChYMH). The findings indicated that after controlling for age, gender, and patient status, children and adolescents with higher depressive symptoms reported lower overall QoL. At the sub-domain level, higher depressive symptoms was associated with lower QoL pertaining to basic needs (i.e. living conditions, food, safety and privacy) and the individual (i.e. autonomy, health). Furthermore, higher anhedonia and depressive symptoms were associated with lower social QoL (i.e. friends and family). In contrast, no mental state indicators were associated with QoL pertaining to services (i.e. school and treatment). Due to the paucity of research examining predictors of quality of life in children and youth with mental health challenges, this study will contribute to the field in assisting service providers and further providing implications for practice.
Spring 2020 Convocation
The Spring 2020 recipient of the W.A. Townshend Gold Medal is Michelle Philippe. Micelle’s research is titled, ‘Trauma and Violence-Informed Care: Evaluating the Impact on Teacher Candidate Attitudes and Intended Responses Towards Problem Behaviour of Students Affected by Trauma.’
Teachers play an important role in their student’s lives; however, inadequate preparation is provided to ensure that teachers can meet the needs of all students. It is important that pre-service teachers are provided with knowledge and skills to best support students that may be affected by trauma or systemic inequity, and to consider problem behaviour through an informed lens. Trauma and violence-informed care (TVIC) teaching practices are universally beneficial and necessary for students healing with the after effects of trauma and structural violence.
In this program evaluation, 318 teacher candidates completed an online mental health literacy course including TVIC knowledge and skills. Participants’ attitudes related to trauma and their intended behavioural responses towards problem behaviour were examined before and after completion of the course. Study results included a positive shift in attitudes towards a more trauma and violence-informed lens, which demonstrates an improvement in teacher candidates' understanding of trauma-related symptoms, the impact of social inequity, and the underlying causes of problem behaviour. The study also found an improvement in intended behavioural responses toward problem behaviour of students. This positive shift is characterized by the emphasis of strong student-teacher relationships that prioritize caring, flexibility, and safety. These findings suggest that the mental health literacy course is an effective way to provide TVIC knowledge and skills to teacher candidates. Future studies focusing on the outcomes of TVIC education and the role of the student-teacher relationship may be conducted to build upon this research.
Other Spring 2020 awards recipients
Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children
- Elisabeth Steel Reurink Memorial Award
- Vanessa Swales
- Scotiabank Graduate Award for Studies in Violence Against Women and Children
- Bradley Daly
- Nicole Youngson
- Scotiabank Undergraduate Award for Studies in Violence Against Women and Children
- Nidhi Marulappa
Centre for School Mental Health, the Fourth R Awards
- David Wolfe Scholarship on Research on Violence Prevention
- Bridget Houston
- Ray Hughes Scholarship on Innovative Practices in Violence Prevention
- Alisha Wegman
Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education Awards
- Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education Award
- Mohammed Estaiteyeh
- Kate Paterson
- Petra Owusu
- Jessica Jean Campbell Coulson Award
- Mohammed Estaiteyeh
Graduate awards
- Art Geddis “Learning About Teaching” Memorial Award
- Lisa Floyd
- Allen Pearson Graduate Award in Educational Leadership
- Ruth Nielsen
- Grad Pact ’91 Education Bursary
- Sydney Coleman
- Joan Pedersen Memorial Graduate Award
- Adrianne Bacelar de Castro
- John Dearness Memorial Graduate Award
- Wanjing Li
- Terry Demers Memorial Graduate Bursary
- Ruth Nielsen
- The Robert Macmillan Graduate Award in Educational Leadership
- Hayley Finn
- Walter M. Lobb Ontario Graduate Scholarship
- Angela Celebre
- Amanda Kerry
Teacher education
- Alberta O’Neil Award in Physical Education
- Adrian Bardati
- Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
- Jenny Kassen
- Derek Tangredi
- Beatrice Helmkay Scholarship
- Aksa Mahmood
- D. Carlton Williams Gold Medal in Education
- Lauren Dehens
- Dawson Woodburn Memorial Award
- Gergely Sykes
- Rachael Litt
- Dean’s Award in Education
- Patrick Morris
- Colin Pierce
- Don Galbraith Preservice Teacher Award of Excellence
- Alexandra Arcese
- Don Wright Faculty of Education Music Scholarship
- Kaitlyn Clifford
- Meghan Hopkins
- Dorothy Emery Memorial Award in Visual Arts Education
- Adrianna Boersen
- Jade Baird
- F.C. Biehl Memorial Award for Excellence
- Lauren Dehens
- Faculty of Education Students’ Council Award
- Annaika Manamperi
- Faculty of Education Students’ Council Award for Practice Teaching Excellence
- Melissa Mattan
- Faculty of Education Students’ Council Award for Student Leadership
- Dilpreet Moti
- Harold Dene Webber Scholarship in Education
- Lauren Dehens
- Helen G. Mitchell Award
- Joelle Renton
- J. Bowden Memorial Award
- Grainne Kieran
- John Dearness Memorial Preservice Award
- Carly Dunbar
- Laura & Ed McLeish Scholarship
- Annaika Manamperi
- Neadra De Costa
- Margaret Fallona Award for Excellence in French Second Language Education
- Anne Stock-Bateman
- Matthew & Cornelia Koens Scholarship
- Samantha St. Amour-Gomes
- Milton & Helen Walker Scholarship in Mathematics Education
- Hoi Kiu Jermaine Law
- Milton & Helen Walker Scholarship in Science Education
- Alexandra Arcese
- Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation Faculty of Education Award
- Patricia Park
- Retired Teachers of Ontario District 8 Student Award for Excellence in Practice Teaching
- Jenna St. James
- Leah DeVos
- Robert and Joline Brant Religious Education Award
- Alisha Wegman
- Sylvia Cann Memorial Award
- Meagan Barkans
- Michelle Zarytshansky
- The Elizabeth T. Dorner Award
- Danielle Rivest
- W. S. Turner Award
- Rebecca Pavan
