Presented by Social Justice Education
Colloquium: Beyhan Farhadi on Online Learning and the Politics of Access in Public Education
On the afternoon of February 27th, join us for a colloquium featuring Dr. Beyhan Farhadi, Assistant Professor of Educational Policy and Equity in the the Department of Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education, OISE, on her forthcoming book Online Learning and the Politics of Access in Public Education (University of Toronto Press, January 2026).
This work challenges the myth that online education can liberate learning from the constraints of traditional in-person schooling, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Farhadi examines the ethical, social, and political dimensions of online learning, including how the notion of “choice” can commodify public education and exacerbate inequalities. Drawing connections between the pandemic’s impact on schooling and the broader marketization of education, the book interrogates whether technology can genuinely address issues of quality, equity, and access in public education, while highlighting concerns around surveillance, privacy, and corporate influence.
Date and time: Friday, February 27 from 3 - 5 PM
Hybrid: OISE building, Nexus Lounge (12th floor) and Zoom.
Refreshments will be provided to in-person attendees. Zoom link will be sent to all attendees.
Register here to secure your spot!
Please contact tatjana.grabeljsek@utoronto.ca if you have any questions.
This event is part of the Social Justice Education 2026 Colloquium Series, featuring talks from respected scholars. Check out the next event in the series:
Mar 27, 2026: Dr. Nisrin Elamin on Land, Capital and Empire-making in Central Sudan
About the Speaker
Dr. Beyhan Farhadi
Dr. Beyhan Farhadi is an Assistant Professor of Educational Policy and Equity in the Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Specifically, she researches K-12 EdTech policy: online education, learning and disciplinary surveillance, in public schools. Her focus on policy is critically focused, prioritizing teacher enactment and leadership. She is interested in questions of power, justice, and resistance to neoliberal restructuring using interpretive research. She draws from extensive experience teaching in Ontario secondary schools and public education advocacy to bridge research and practice. This commitment is central to her forthcoming book, Online Learning and the Politics of Access in Public Education, with the University of Toronto Press (January, 2026). Dr. Beyhan Farhadi is currently the Vice President of the Canadian Association of Sociology of Education.
