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University of Toronto, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, SMT Centre
University of Toronto, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, SMT Centre
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Our Centre is comprised of a unique group of faculty members, interested in issues surrounding science, mathematics, and technology education.

Larry Bencze
Clare Brett
Rina Cohen
Indigo Esmonde
Wanja Gitari
Gila Hanna
Jim Hewitt
Ron Lancaster
Cathy Marks Krpan
Douglas McDougall
Erminia Pedretti
John Percy
Jim Slotta
John Wallace
Lifelong & Transformative Learning


Indigo Esmonde

Research Overview

Dr. Indigo Esmonde is an Associate Professor with the Department of Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning at OISE. Dr. Esmonde's research is situated at the intersection of two fields of study: the learning sciences, and equity studies. Broadly speaking, researchers in the learning sciences consider the process of learning in a wide variety of contexts, while those in equity studies consider the ways in which schools and other institutional contexts perpetuate inequitable relations of power in society, and how to subvert and challenge these injustices. Dr. Esmonde's research at the intersection of these two fields has focused on learning mathematics across a variety of contexts, both inside and outside schools, and has considered issues of power and identity in mathematics teaching and learning.

Current projects:

Balancing the equation: Mathematics and social justice. This project focuses on how community-based organizations that do social justice work rely on mathematics in their work. The research investigates how mathematics is used and how the organizations support staff in learning and using mathematics for social justice.

Developing analytic methods for digital media. This project is focused on the development of methods for analysing video data. In particular, Dr. Esmonde is focused on the development of methods for uncovering issues of power and identity from video recordings of classroom interaction.


Research Grants and Contracts

Dr. Esmonde has been awarded several grants for education research:

Year: 2011-2013
Type: Standard Research Grant, New Scholar
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Government of Canada
Amount: $28, 336
Description: Changing the equation: Mathematics and social justice
The study broadens traditional views about learning, equity and mathematics by considering how out-of-school contexts might support equitable mathematical learning, and how they might use mathematics to support broader global equity. The two major research questions are: How is mathematics used outside of schools to analyze, educate about, and take action towards broad social justice goals? How is the learning and doing of mathematics supported in these contexts, and what issues of equity arise?

Year: 2009-2011
Type: Research Fellowship
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: Knowles Science Teaching Foundation (www.kstf.org)
Amount: $110,000 USD
Title: Learning to teach mathematics for social justice
Purpose: This research project investigates an inquiry-based PD program in which secondary teachers will develop a community of inquiry around teaching mathematics for equity and social justice.

Year: 2009-2010
Type: Inquiry into Practice grant
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: OISE/UT
Amount: $27,000
Title: Learning to teach mathematics for social justice
Purpose: The purpose of this research is to study an inquiry-based PD program in which elementary teachers learn how to teach mathematics for equity and social justice. The co-investigator for this grant is one of my graduate students, Bev Caswell. Bev‟s dissertation (for which I am faculty supervisor) will draw from this data.

Year: 2008-2009
Type: Government Grant
Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Cathy Bruce, Trent University)
Source: Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat Grant, Ontario Provincial Government
Amount: $168,300
Title: Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat Mathematics Professional Development Program Evaluation (CIL-M)
Purpose: This research project is an external evaluation of an inquiry-based professional development program for elementary mathematics teachers, developed by the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat.


Equity, Diversity & Social Justice
  • Indigo Esmonde
  • Michel Ferrari
  • Oleg Legusov
  • Bruce Small
  • Mary Kooy
  • Charles Pascal
  • Christine Connelly
  • Shahrzad Mojab
  • Math, Science & Technology Students (including Student Experience, Student Engagement & Students At Risk) Urban Schooling Anti-Racism Feminist Studies Gender & Queer Studies Teacher Education & Development (including ITE and Induction)
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