Student Thesis/Dissertation Projects
Aboriginal Parents of Students with Special Needs in Education: The Lived Experience
Project Team: Melanie Nelson (MA, SCPS)
For her thesis research, Melanie is exploring the experience of Aboriginal parents who have a child with identified special needs with the assessment process and subsequent navigation of special education services. Her research will be conducted in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Currently, she is recruiting participant and collecting data. If you are interested to know more about this study, please refer to our Contact page.
Sense of Belonging and Immigrant Parents: Strengthening the Family-School Partnership
Project Team: Dorna Rahimi (MA, SCPS)
For her master’s research, Dorna is exploring how immigrant parents experience sense of belonging in their child’s school. Additionally, she is also interested in how educators perceive they can improve sense of belonging for immigrant families in the schools. Her research will be conducted in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Currently, Dorna is recruiting teachers and immigrant families. If you are interested to know more about this study, please refer to our Contact page.
An Experimental Approach to Understanding Self-Regulation: How Social Comparison and Students’ Implicit Theories Impact Self-Control Depletion
Project Team: Simon Lisaingo (MA, SCPS)
For his thesis research, Simon is exploring the the influence of students’ motivational beliefs on their self-regulation during a potentially frustrating task with opportunities for social comparison. His research was conducted in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. He has completed data collection and will be defending his thesis soon. If you are interested to know more about this study, please refer to our Contact page or visit https://youtu.be/21fJzPdN9go.
The Gift of Time: A Grounded Theory Approach to Understanding Parental Involvement in the Multi-Year Classroom
Project Team: Matthew Waugh (PhD Candidate, HDLC)
Matthew’s doctoral research applies a systematic, iterative Grounded Theory approach to construct a theory that explains and illustrates the process of how parental involvement and parent-teacher relationship develop over time within intermediate multi-year classrooms (Grades 4-6). To generate a single theory grounded in the perspective of parents, teachers, and students, this study looks to better understand: 1) How parent involvement and parent-teacher relationships develop over time in multi-year classrooms; 2) The roles parents, teachers, and students have in the developmental process; and, 3) How students, parents, and teachers perceive their own and each other’s roles over time. Along with parent, teacher, and student interviews, supplemental data is currently being collected including: (1) Teachers journaling their daily interactions with parents (e.g., duration and purpose of interaction, mode of interaction [face-to-face, email, etc.] and year of relationship with parent); (2) observations (e.g., parent-teacher conferences, student-led conferences); and (3) student drawing activities. Currently, Matthew is collecting and analyzing data.
Lab Research Projects
Nobody Asked Me Projects
Project Team: Simon Lisaingo (Project Coordinator), Angelina Lee, Anna Bowers, Dana Dmytro UBC; Stephanie Schmitz, University of Northern Iowa
Both the family and the student, and in some instances educators and psychologists can feel overwhelmed by the process of a psychological assessment from intake meetings, throughout the assessment, to the sharing of results, and implementation of recommendations. Accuracy of parent and teacher recall and understanding of details following feedback meetings is often very low. Understanding assessment the process and active engagement throughout the process has implications for adherence to recommendations and overall satisfaction with the assessment process for all involved. We are conducting a series of studies examining the process of the assessment, communication of the results of assessments, and factors that contribute to recommendation follow through. We are starting our project with a series of qualitative interview studies with parents, teachers, as well as students who have participated in an assessment to make sure somebody asks them important considerations in the process.
KIDS (Kids with Inflammatory Bowel Disease) Projects
Project Team: Angela Lee (Project Coordinator), Shalini Arya, Simon Lisaingo, Dorna Rahimi,
Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) involves chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. IBD is an incurable and chronic condition with treatment that primarily involves management of the symptoms, medication regimen, and frequent medical visits. IBD and its treatment can have a significant impact on a student’s academic and personal lives. While some previous studies have examined the quality of life of children with chronic illness, there is limited psycho-social research on paediatric IBD and in particular its educational implications. We conducting several qualitative (interview) and quantitative (survey) studies examining the paediatric IBD from the perspective of the child/youth with IBD, their family, as well as health and education professionals
Challenge or Opportunity: Exploring Family, School, and Community Perspectives on Young Children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds
Funding Source: UBC Hampton Fund Co-Investigator: Jane Wakefield, Ph.D. Candidate
We are conducting a research study that explores the strengths and resources of young children from culturally and linguistically diverse families in inner city neighborhoods. Historically the research on and practice of working with such families has emphasized their challenges. Few studies have examined the strengths and resources of these families and their children. We are particularly interested in learning more about the beliefs and practices of families, communities, and schools regarding the learning and developmental strengths and linguistic and cultural resources of young children entering school. Our intent is to examine those beliefs from the perspectives of family, school, and community. We also wish to examine the practices schools and communities employ to build on culturally and linguistically diverse children’s strengths and resources.
Early Childhood Assessment Projects
Project Collaborators: Michelle Kozey, Ph.D. Candidate; Juliana Negreiros, Ph.D. Candidate; Simon Lisaingo, Anna Bowers
Laurie has an on going interest in early childhood assessment practices including instrument psychometrics and practical considerations. The majority of our studies have focused on cognitive and readiness measures but we have also explored technical characteristics of strengths-based measures of social, emotional, and behavioural abilities. A strong consideration in a number of these studies is the application of Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) Model of cognitive abilities to early childhood measures. We have several on-going studies with early childhood assessments and new ones regularly emerge.
KICS: Kids in Community Study
Funding Source: Australia Research Council Principal Investigator: Sharon Goldfield, FRACP, M.D., Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
Recognition that there are differential outcomes for children living in the poorest households in Australia is widespread. The differential outcomes are not limited to health outcomes but include poorer educational attainment and an increased risk of poorer outcomes in later life. It is widely accepted that the nature of the local neighbourhood or environment in which families live is an important influence that can positively or negatively impact on parents’ capacity to raise their children. In the KICS project community level factors (including the physical, social, service, governance and socio-economic environments) influencing children’s developmental outcomes focussing on disadvantaged areas across Australia are examined using a mixed methods approach. Dr. Ford is a collaborator on the KICS project and we are currently developing our own projects linked to research conducted by the KICS team including ways we can transfer this knowledge to the BC and Canadian context.
SPACES- The Children’s Environments Projects 
Project Collaborators and Investigators: Juliana Negreiros, Maya Goldstein, Jane Wakefield, Jessica Parker, Rachel Phillips, Ellen Larcombe
Several years ago we began conducting studies in the lower mainland of British Columbia to examine environments that promote early school success. Our studies to date have used different methods to explore neighbourhood/community, family, and school factors that impact learning and development in young children. The majority of the these studies have been conducted in partnership with community agencies and schools. To date these studies have explored safety, immigrant families, family engagement, family social support, play spaces, and children’s perspectives of their environment. We have also piloted a neighbourhood observation measure. We look forward to continuing our work in this area as students have interests in these areas and as there are opportunities for community collaboration.
Last Update: February 2014