Dean's Community Update | May 7, 2026

With the conclusion of the winter term, I hope that, in the coming months, everyone is able to enjoy some warmer weather and perhaps a somewhat different pace. Last week, as part of my Dean’s report to OISE Council, I shared several updates on key initiatives. I am including those updates below, along with a few additional items. 

 

Faculty Searches 

As you know, this year OISE is conducting three searches for new tenure-stream faculty members: (1) Associate Professor in Clinical and Counselling Psychology; (2) Associate Professor in Critical Adult Education and Community Development; and (3) Assistant Professor in Indigenous Studies and Social Justice Education. 

 

Campus visits have now concluded, and our shortlisted candidates had excellent opportunities to engage with our community through job talks, department-hosted events, and meetings. I hope to have more information to share in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, I thank the department Chairs and all advisory committee members for their contributions to the search process. 

 

Academic Plan Implementation 

Work on the initial priorities for this year’s Academic Plan implementation is on track. This includes two Strategy Groups: one focused on “AI for Education” and the second on “Professional Programs: Master of Education.” Both groups are well underway, conducting surveys and consulting with experts within and beyond the OISE community to inform their work. We expect to receive their reports and recommendations in the fall term of 2026. 

 

The Plan also includes a priority to “enhance and support OISE innovations and continuous improvement in key areas connected to academic and administrative operations.” On this front, we have been working to modernize core academic systems that support admissions, course planning, and academic operations. This includes work on the admissions dashboard, Slate modernization, and the Academic Operations System. The latter is a collaborative project spanning departments and units across OISE, reflecting both broad enthusiasm for improving how academic operations are supported and shared ownership of the work. 

 

In addition to these OISE-wide initiatives, I want to remind you that the Plan includes space for departments, units, groups, and individuals to develop their own unique contributions. If you would like to report on initiatives or projects you are involved in that align with the Plan, please share them using the news & notes form available on the Academic Planning website. We look forward to reading about your contributions.  

 

Honours & Awards 

I also want to share a few recent awards and honours news, some which you may be aware of from our website and social media.  

 

Faculty Awards 

Professor Jeffrey Ansloos of the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development was recently named the recipient of two awards: (1) the Canadian Council of Professional Psychology Programs Award for Excellence in Professional Training (Academic); and (2) the Canadian Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Contributions to Education and Training in Psychology. Congratulations to Professor Ansloos! 

 

At the recent annual meeting and conference of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), Apri 8-12, 2026, in Los Angeles, two OISE Professors where honored with prestigious awards: (1) Professor Cassie Brownell of the Department of Curriculum Teaching and Learning who received the Outstanding International Research Collaboration Award; and (2) Professor Fikile Nxumalo of the same Department who was honoured with the Mid-Career Contribution Award from the AERA Critical Issues in Curriculum and Cultural Studies SIG. Congratulations to both! 

 

Student Awards 

Three OISE students from the Department of Leadership, Higher & Adult Education have been named the winners of the University of Toronto Student Leadership Award for outstanding leadership and volunteer service. They are Eun Gi (Cathy) Kim, Mandy Nelson and Ahmet Su. Additionally, Adam Cox, MEd student in the same Department was named the recipient of the Ludwik & Estelle Jus Memorial Human Rights Prize – Emerging Leader. Congratulations to all! 

 

Ontario Initiatives 

As you may have seen in recent news, the Ontario government has introduced legislation to streamline teacher education in the province. The proposed changes include shortening B.Ed. programs to 12 months over three consecutive semesters, instead of the current model of four semesters spread over two years. Program content, including the minimum practicum length, has yet to be determined in consultation with the sector. While we are still awaiting implementation details, our academic leadership team is engaging in internal and external discussions about the implications for our two graduate teacher education programs: the Master of Teaching (MT) and the Master of Arts in Child Study and Education (MA-CSE). 

 

Since their establishment, the MA-CSE in 1997 and the MT in 2000, our programs have combined the requirements of initial teacher education with advanced study of education theory and research, leading to a master’s degree. We will consult with our graduate teacher education program leaders and faculty as we navigate the upcoming changes and work to ensure OISE’s continued leadership in graduate teacher education, in alignment with the University’s differentiated role in Ontario as a leading research-intensive institution. 

 

2027 AERA Conference in Toronto  

Following the 2026 AERA Annual Meeting in Los Angeles this past April, OISE is turning its attention to planning for an engaging presence at and alongside AERA Toronto 2027. This will be an excellent opportunity for OISE to showcase our research, programs, and innovations. Planning is just getting started, and we encourage everyone to consider participating in the conference and related activities, which will take place from April 14 to 18, 2027. 

 

I hope you find these updates helpful. I will continue to keep the community informed regarding these and other initiatives in the coming months.