Profile: Fiona Duguid, MEd (2000), PhD (2007)
Adult Education and Community Development
My experience in the Adult Education and Community Development program at OISE was eye opening for me. Soon after I arrived, I realized that I had fell into a place where there were so many opportunities, new friends, and importantly, exposure to diverse fields of learning. Although my OISE years are not that far behind me, I already know this period in my life was formative.
I graduated from the PhD program in 2007. Through course work I got to meet what is really the best part of Adult Education – fellow students. I was awed by the diversity of experiences of my peers and have learned a great deal from them
These friends were especially important during the long dissertation writing sessions. My professors were extremely supportive thoughout; they found the perfect balance between providing guidance and enabling me follow my interests and stretch my thinking.
In many graduate programs, the importance of community involvement is not valued; in Adult Education at OISE it is almost mandatory. Academic rigour is fostered and encouraged, yet the grounding of research in the lived realities of today is weighted as equally important to good scholarship. Throughout my time in Adult Education I was able to twin my interest and community involvement in green energy co-operatives with academic research, which ultimately culminated into my dissertation work.
Upon graduation I began work with the Co-operatives Secretariat, Government of Canada. As a Policy and Program Analyst, I am a bridge between policy, programs and research. This position has allowed me to bring my theoretical knowledge of co-operatives and my research skills directly to the policy and program work of the federal government. I have also maintained ties to the academic world through publishing articles and teaching at Carleton University.
My experience at OISE has set me up well. If I had three feet you would find me comfortably straddling the worlds of community development, academia and public policy.