Presented in my professional dossier, August 2024.

Since joining UBC, my professional journey has been marked by substantial growth, impactful experiences and notable achievements. As both the Chair of the BSW program and a faculty member in Educational Leadership, I’ve found enrichment and transformation in my roles as a social worker, educator, community organizer and researcher. At the same time, I’ve contributed to the School’s growth by refining programs, processes and courses. This multifaceted experience has clarified my responsibilities and charted a purposeful trajectory for my academic career.

In this section, I outline my vision for my work in Educational Leadership in the coming years. I will continue to focus on social justice by integrating 2S/LGBTQ+ content into social work education and deepening the understanding of 2S/LGBTQ+ issues. I am committed to refining my teaching methods, contributing to scholarly literature and mentoring instructors. Additionally, I aim to foster a supportive community within the School of Social Work and to enhance the institution’s approach to social work education for francophone minorities. Furthermore, I am playing a leadership role in planning and implementing a strategic renewal of the Bachelor of Social Work program.

A. Queering Schools and Faculties of Social Work at UBC and Beyond

I am deeply committed to enhancing the inclusion and representation of 2S/LGBTQ+ communities within the Canadian social work educational system. As part of my leadership, I have spearheaded both local and national initiatives aimed at including queer perspectives throughout the curriculum. Currently, I am leading a groundbreaking research initiative titled Queering Schools and Faculties of Social Work in Canada: Photovoice and Exploring the Experiences of 2S/LGBTQI+ Students (detailed in section 2B), which is supported by the prestigious SSHRC Insight Development Grant. This project aims to amplify the voices and experiences of 2S/LGBTQI+ students, providing valuable insights into their unique challenges and triumphs. In addition to this, I recently completed the Queering the School of Social Work and Beyond study, funded by the SoTL Seed Grant. This study has furthered our understanding of how to create more inclusive and supportive educational environments for queer students.

My dynamic research approach, combined with my role as Chair of the CASWE-ACFTS Queer Caucus, allows me to address critical issues in social work education in Canada. Through these efforts, I am positioned to play a critical role in fostering a more inclusive, equitable and representative educational system for all Canadian SW students. In the future, I plan to expand these initiatives and work with scholars and practitioners to better understand best practices and innovative strategies. I also aim to develop a comprehensive social work curriculum to ensure that educators are equipped with the skills and knowledge to prepare students to work with 2S/LGBTQ+ populations.

Short-Term Goals

• Disseminating research findings: Continue sharing the results of the Queering the School of Social Work study, funded by the SoTL Seed Grant at UBC, to inspire transformative changes within schools of social work.
• Advancing research initiatives: Conduct the Queering the Schools and Faculties of Social Work in Canada research project, supported by the SSHRC Insight Development Grant, to further our understanding of queer experiences in SSW.
• Leadership in advocacy: As Chair of the CASWE-ACFTS Queer Caucus, promote inclusivity and advance 2S/LGBTQ+ perspectives within social work education.

Long-Term Goals

• National research initiative: Spearhead a quantitative research study to deepen the understanding of how Canadian schools of social work prepare students to work effectively with 2S/LGBTQ+ populations.
• Curriculum integration: Develop and implement guidelines and innovative teaching strategies to seamlessly incorporate 2S/LGBTQ+ content into the social work curriculum across Canadian institutions.
• Educational leadership: Introduce and implement queer education curriculum and guidelines at CASWE-ACFTS to enhance Canadian social work education.

As I look ahead, my commitment to advancing this essential work remains steadfast. My vision is to seamlessly integrate queer education into social work training at our school and across the landscape of Canadian post-secondary social work education, ensuring that students are well-prepared to support 2S/LGBTQ+ populations professionally. I aspire to create a learning environment where 2S/LGBTQ+ students and faculty are safe and celebrated for their unique contributions to social work. Through persistent collaboration, innovative research and tireless advocacy, I am dedicated to fostering a more inclusive and equitable society for all.

B. Teaching Is Learning

I began my journey as a social work educator 18 years ago, and it has been a profoundly fulfilling and engaging role. Over the past five years, I have pushed myself to explore new, diverse and often challenging topics. For each course, I strive to provide a cogent and coherent learning experience by aligning innovative teaching strategies with the learning objectives and theories under study.

Throughout the years, I have developed a clear and evolving vision of my teaching approach, which has steadily gained more depth, as reflected in my teaching philosophy. My teaching integrates a synergy of essential elements that are in constant motion, creating a dynamic and effective learning environment.

Looking ahead, I am excited to continue this work and pursue several projects:

Short-Term Goals

• Design a new teaching strategy:Develop an effective teaching approach for Social Work Practice with Groups (SOWK305G).
• Expand involvement:Continue to expand my engagement with adjunct orientation, SWELL, UBC CTLT, SoTL and CASWE-ACFTS to support instructors at UBC and beyond.

 Long-Term Goals

• Contribute to the literature:Document and share my teaching experiences, such as Critical Pedagogy, Community of Practice Pedagogy and Project-Based Learning, to enrich the literature in social work education.
• Strengthen my teaching expertise:Consider undertaking a graduate program in education to deepen my expertise.

These goals reflect my commitment to continuous improvement and my passion for advancing the field of social work education. I look forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

C. Community Needs to Be Continually Renewed

The SSW has faced numerous challenges in recent years which have impacted our sense of unity as educators and learners. As we move forward, it is crucial to focus on reinforcing the bonds within our community. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of creating and maintaining a supportive community of students, staff and faculty to provide an optimal environment for working, teaching and learning. Therefore, it is imperative that we continue to forge connections, revitalize our relationships and innovate our practices to create a thriving community.

I am committed to rejuvenating the community spirit at the SSW and UBC by:

• Building bridges: Reflecting on my role as a colleague and member of the SSW, I recognize the importance of building bridges within our community. I will enhance community engagement by initiating and supporting a wider range of events to foster a sense of belonging among all SSW members. Additionally, I will encourage academic and social interactions by creating spaces for informal gatherings and interdisciplinary discussions to bridge gaps between various groups.
• Empowering students: Student leadership is crucial for fostering a vibrant and engaged community. By supporting student-led groups and activities, we can nurture a culture of camaraderie, mutual support, inclusivity and advocacy for social justice. I will continue to provide support and resources for student initiatives, renew the mentorship program, offer workshops and training sessions on leadership skills, and celebrate our student leaders’ achievements through awards and public acknowledgment.
• Supporting diversity and inclusion: Working towards a more diverse and inclusive environment will strengthen our community. I will continue to support our community in developing and renewing policies to promote diversity and inclusion; in providing sessions on cultural competency, anti-racism and inclusive practices for all community members; and in organizing events and activities that celebrate our community’s diverse backgrounds and cultures.

D. Francophones and Social Work

My journey as a Québécois and francophone in a minority context has profoundly shaped my experiences, particularly during my time at UBC. Collaborating with anglophone and international colleagues has encouraged me to explore my cultural heritage more deeply and to appreciate the nuances and richness that define it. As a francophone faculty member at an anglophone university, I bring a unique perspective to social work education, leadership and research.

In my research, this dual identity serves as a bridge, fostering cultural and academic connections that enhance our collective understanding. In recent years, I’ve reconnected with francophone peers and invited them to collaborate on a Canadian educational initiative that embraces both anglophone and francophone narratives.

As a teacher, I eagerly delve into the history and practice of social work in Québec, sharing its strengths and challenges while drawing parallels and contrasts with other contexts. Enriching our curriculum with content that illuminates the realities of francophones in Canada equips our students to serve this community with sensitivity and competence. I’ve also engaged with francophone faculty from other social work schools and gained valuable insights into minority contexts. These interactions have fostered new academic partnerships and deepened my exploration of this subject. In the upcoming year, I plan to develop training opportunities for instructors at the School of Social Work, focusing on practice with francophones in minority contexts.

My commitment extends beyond academia. I’m actively involved in establishing the first government-funded community health clinic for francophones in British Columbia. My role includes shaping social work services to align with these communities’ needs.

Through these efforts, I aim to reinforce the essential role of social work schools in preparing practitioners to effectively support francophone minorities on their life journeys. My dedication remains unwavering as I leverage my professional background and the distinct francophone approach to social work to enhance both our educational landscape and community services.

E. Strategic Renewal of the Bachelor of Social Work

I am proud to serve as the Chair of the Bachelor of Social Work at the UBC School of Social Work. When I first joined the school, I was appointed to this position and spent the initial year learning and understanding its diverse responsibilities. In the following years, I led different initiatives as outlined earlier in this document. As Chair, I had to be adaptable and creative in navigating the challenging years of the COVID-19 pandemic. We received an encouraging accreditation report in 2023 that reaffirmed our pride in the BSW program’s progress. This very positive accreditation is due to the hard work of many people under my leadership as Chair.

Now, with three years of student data, a new accreditation policy from CASWE-ACFTS and many important initiatives at the School, it is a critical time for a strategic renewal of the BSW. In section D, I outline the first steps of this renewal. I am dedicated to proposing strategic enhancements for our BSW program with an emphasis on cohesion and collaboration. To achieve this, I draw upon a deep understanding of our students, a thorough knowledge of the BSW curriculum and a comprehensive grasp of the School of Social Work and UBC. By leveraging local expertise and considering the perspectives of various stakeholders, I aim to drive a renewal process that moves our collective vision forward, acknowledging the important changes we can establish as a learning community. I especially value changes that help our school and our profession to better address inequities and to promote social justice and communities where everyone can thrive.

Conclusion: Growing, Thriving and Unique

Over the past several years, I’ve diligently sought a harmonious balance between my professional responsibilities and passions. As I navigate my faculty role, I recognize my immense privilege—the opportunity to shape the social work profession and make meaningful contributions to society. Throughout my career, I’ve remained steadfast in my dedication to others and to the principles of community-building, compassion, freedom, dialogue, shared power and social justice. These values are not mere abstractions; they are deeply woven into the fabric of my life. When I honour them, I find health, happiness, creativity and a sense of empowerment that borders on fabulousness (Reynolds, 2019). My years at UBC have underscored the importance of authenticity. As both an educator and a lifelong learner, I’ve discovered that staying true to my experiences and convictions is non-negotiable. With renewed self-awareness and unwavering confidence, I eagerly continue this transformative journey. The growth I’ve witnessed in my work fuels my optimism—I am poised to contribute meaningfully to the School, UBC and the broader landscape of social work education.

Presented in my professional dossier, August 2024.

Improvement in post-secondary education will require converting teaching from a solo sport to a community-based research activity. (Herbert Simon, Nobel Prize Winner in Economics, 1986).

As part of my Educational Leadership (EL), I am helping to build communities of teachers and learners at the SSW, on campus and beyond. Successful communities of teachers and learners acknowledge the diversity of their members’ needs, disrupt traditional educational roles and create opportunities to explore our experiences of being teachers and learners. My EL goals reflect the SSW’s vision to be “a community of learners actively engaged in the development of critical, transformative knowledge for social work practice” and contribute to collaborative actions to address discrimination, injustices and inequities in our roles as SW.

Instructors

As an instructor, my role involves developing advanced knowledge across various topics and utilizing cutting-edge strategies to teach and assess learning progress. Fortunately, we can work together as a community of instructors to support and enhance our roles as educators. In my work at UBC, I focus on fostering a sense of community and collaboration among instructors. Through mentorship, collaborative projects and innovative teaching techniques, I have significantly contributed to curriculum enhancement and pedagogical innovation in social work education. These efforts have improved the teaching capabilities of instructors, created a supportive learning environment, and encouraged ongoing improvement in educational practices. This happened both informally, through dialogue and sharing with colleagues, as well as through formal efforts such as:

• Offering one-on-one support and mentorship to new and experienced instructors (ongoing).
• Co-organizing and co-facilitating the Adjuncts’ Orientation (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024).
• Co-organizing and co-facilitating the Social Work Education and Learning Lounge (SWELL, ongoing).
• Co-organizing surveys (e.g. Lessons Learned from Online Teaching, 2020; Queering the School of Social Work, 2022).
• Facilitating workshops and sessions on teaching (e.g. Teaching SW and Pedagogy: An Introduction Workshop for Ph.D. Students, 2021).
• Collaborating with UBC faculty members at the Institute for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning to organize Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) events on campus (since 2022):
  • Baniassad, E., Coulombe, A., J., Jarus, Rawn, C. (2023). Celebrate SoTL: World Café, Celebrate SoTL Week, I covered the topic of justice, equity, decolonization, Indigenization and inclusion (JEDII) in SoTL.
  • Bartolic, S., Coulombe, A., Graves, J., Jarus, T. and Rideout C. (2022). Creating a SoTL Project Celebrate SoTL Week. Workshop. UBC.

Learners

The work of education is divided between the teacher and the environment.

—Maria Montessori

The environments in which students find themselves can significantly affect their ability to engage in learning. As teachers and as a school, we need to be more aware of these environments and reflect on the aspects that we can improve. I have introduced various projects and initiatives to enhance the conditions for student learning beyond the classroom. These efforts have led to substantial improvements and pedagogical innovations, fostering a more supportive and effective educational experience for SW students. They include:

• BSW Orientation (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024).
• RSW Licensure Exam Preparation Workshop (2019, 2020, 2021, 2023) —Together with my colleagues Kelly Allison and Christiana Bratiotis, I presented an educational session regarding the RSW Licensure exam, including tips and suggestions for writing the exam and facilitating practice tests.
• BSW Mentorship Program (2019–2021).
• Fall speaker series (2020).
• Building Community at the School of Social Work: An accessible BSW fourth-year placement (2021).
• Developed a pilot project with UBC Counselling Services and the SSW to provide social work students with appropriate counselling options (2021).

Presented in my professional dossier, August 2024.

Half a century ago, higher education institutions were primarily reserved for elites (Bracken and Novak, 2019). In Canada, full-time enrollment in post-secondary institutions has increased significantly since that time—from 91,000 in 1951–1952 and to 1.7 million in 2015–2016 (Andres, 2016; HESA 2019). This is mainly explained by better access to post-secondary education for equity-deserving groups and, more recently, international students. In this way, students in our classrooms are more diverse than ever before, and diversity and inclusion have become central questions in higher education. As an educational leader, I have reflected on ways to promote accessibility and social justice in the classroom, at the School, on campus and in higher education more broadly. I draw on my diverse experiences working with equity-deserving groups and take active roles in building knowledge, sharing and taking action. In my work, I have made significant contributions in four main areas: queering SW education, promoting climate justice in SW education, advocating for accessibility and universal design for learning, and supporting Francophones in minority contexts. These efforts have helped to renew the curriculum by including diverse voices and have contributed to the scholarship of teaching and learning on topics of equity and inclusion.

Queering Schools and Faculties of Social Work and Higher Education

In Canada, there has been a failure to address queer individuals and communities, queer-based theories, and queer issues in social work education and the social work profession.

• Hillock and Mulé (2016)

 Advancing social justice is a core value of the UBC SSW and the SW profession in Canada (CASW, Code of Ethics, 2005). However, there are essential gaps in education about sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (SOGIE) in schools of social work. Much remains to be explored in the literature on SOGIE instruction in SW (Mulé et al., 2017; Gezinsky, 2009). SOGIE education has been limited and often led by students or individual instructors, while some schools of SW only offer elective courses on 2S/LGBTQ+ content. Unfortunately, 2S/LGBTQ+ populations continue to face diverse forms of discrimination, which have negative health and well-being outcomes (Mulé, 2015). SW students will work with 2S/LGBTQ+ people during their careers but are not provided sufficient training to address these populations’ needs and intersecting identities (Mulé et al., 2017). Furthermore, SW students who identify as 2S/LGBTQ+ experience homophobia, transphobia and heterosexism within SW schools (Dentato et al., 2016).

A key pillar of my EL leadership is to improve SOGIE education in schools of SW to prepare students better to work with 2S/LGBTQ+ populations while also exploring how higher education can be made a safer learning environment for 2S/LGBTQ+ students.

Impact Statement

I am currently deeply involved in promoting queer inclusion within schools and faculties of social work in Canada through impactful initiatives, leadership roles, advocacy efforts, and research projects. These efforts help us to gain a better understanding of the current state of queer education in schools of social work and to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for 2S/LGBTQ+ students and faculty. This work facilitates important conversations and educational progress in the field of Canadian social work. Through the projects listed in this section, I am positioned to play a significant role in advancing social work education to be more inclusive of queer experiences and to better prepare SW students to provide high-quality and respectful care to these important populations.

Queering Schools and Faculties of Social Work in Canada Initiative

In 2022, in collaboration with Nick Mulé, Professor at York University, and the CASWE-ACFTS Queer Caucus, I launched the Queering Schools and Faculties of Social Work in Canada Initiative. This initiative aims to explore how schools and faculties of social work across Canada address the inclusion of queer individuals in SW education and prepare students to work with 2S/LGBTQ+ populations. Our projects examine students’ experiences, curricula, and institutional policies and practices in social work education.

Later, in 2022, we formed a dedicated committee consisting of Nick Mulé, Hannah Kia (UBC), Kevin Lavoie (Laval University), Fritz Pino (University of Regina) and myself for our first project. Our main objective was to document the experiences of queer students within schools and faculties of social work in Canada. In 2023, the team applied for an Insight Development Grant to support the initial phase of the project, titled Queering Schools/Faculties of Social Work in Canada: Photovoice and Exploring the Experiences of 2S/LGBTQI+ Students, on which I am the principal investigator. Our first grant application received an overall rating of “good” but did not secure funding. We refined and resubmitted a second application in 2024, successfully securing funding to advance the project.

The following two subsections detail the study and the other contributions I have made to the overall initiative.

1. Queering Schools and Faculties of Social Work in Canada: Photovoice and Exploring the Experiences of 2S/LGBTQI+ Students

This initiative represents a major advancement in creating more inclusive and supportive educational environments for queer students in social work programs across Canada. By documenting and analyzing their experiences, our goal is to inform and improve policies, curricula and practices in order to foster a more equitable and affirming space for all students.

2S/LGBTQ+ individuals experience multiple forms of marginalization and discrimination based on their diverse genders and sexual orientations. A limited body of evidence suggests these challenges also extend to queer students in social work (Chonody et al., 2014; Craig et al.; 2016, Dentato et al., 2016). While knowledge on this topic is more fulsome in the US, inquiry into the Canadian context remains limited in scope, lacks representation of Canadian racial and ethnocultural experiences (e.g., Indigenous, francophone) and does not account for the diversity within and across Canada’s provinces. Further research is critical to inform how schools and faculties of social work (SFSW) can improve postsecondary learning environments for 2S/LGBTQ+ students. To provide much-needed insight into the experiences of 2S/LGBTQ+ students in higher education, our team proposes a qualitative study to address the following questions: How do 2S/LGBTQ+ social work students characterize their experiences in SFSW in Canada? How can this knowledge inform improvements in postsecondary social work education?

This study will invite 40 social work 2S/LGBTQ+ students (research participants) at four Canadian SFSWs across four provinces (10 per SFSW) to participate in a photovoice study. Photovoice is a form of participatory action research rooted in feminist theory, critical pedagogy, and a community-based approach (Wang & Burris, 1997). The photovoice method will facilitate photo documentation of participants’ daily lives at SFSW, which are then explored and discussed in focus groups to produce findings that can help schools/faculties understand and improve 2S/LGBTQ+ student experiences.

After receiving training on the photovoice research method, research participants will take photographs that capture elements of their experiences of being 2S/LGBTQ+ in a SFSW, of becoming a queer social worker, and of an ideal SFSW for 2S/LGBTQ+ students. Over a series of focus group meetings at each study site, participants will engage in dialogue to elaborate on the meanings behind their photographs. After analyzing focus group transcripts, the study’s findings will be shared alongside participants’ photographs at photovoice exhibits held at each site, and an exhibit at the CASWE National Conference. Critically, these findings will support an existing working group within CASWE, the Queer Caucus, to implement recommendations to address issues identified by this study.

This research involves a unique collaboration with a diverse and experienced team of academics in social work education in four provinces across Canada (Québec, Saskatchewan, Ontario and British Columbia). The study will provide training opportunities to students in data collection, analysis, mobilization, and participatory action research involving 2S/LGBTQ+ communities. To our knowledge, this project is the first to explore the experiences of 2S/LGBTQ+ students from francophone and anglophone Canadian SFSW contexts. This research will address important gaps in the theoretical and empirical literature, inform SFSW on improving learning environments for 2S/LGBTQ+ students, strengthen curricula content, and enhance equity and inclusion of 2S/LGBTQ+ students in SFSW across Canada.

This study will:

• Expand the literature on the experiences of Canadian queer social work students, informing broader research on equity-deserving groups.
• Enhance understanding of photovoice methodology with 2S/LGBTQ+ students.
• Train graduate students in research with 2S/LGBTQ+ populations, developing their skills and knowledge.
• Improve social work education on queer issues; reduce barriers for 2S/LGBTQ+ clients and enhance their well-being.
• Create more inclusive curricula and equitable academic policies.
• Equip students to professionally address queer clients’ needs and to understand their challenges and resilience.

2. Other contributions to Queering Schools and Faculties of Social Work

My further contributions to the initiative include:

• Initiated and launched in 2024 the one-time Queer Inclusive Grant for Social Work Education: Students Leading the Way for social work students through the CASWE-ACFTS Queer Caucus. Its aim is to promote open education resources that include 2S/LGBTQ+ content and to advance anti-homophobia and anti-transphobia education.
• Chair of the CASWE-ACFTS Queer Caucus (since 2023).
• Member of the Faculty Association Queer Caucus (2023–2024).
• Principal investigator on the research project Queering the School of SW and Beyond, funded by the UBC CTLT Seed Grant (2021–2024).
• Recipient of the Dean of Arts Award for EL and Innovation Project, Queering the School of Social Work and Higher Education (2021).
• Advocated for queer inclusion within the SSW and on campus, for example, by co-creating the SSW’s statement on transphobia in 2019.
• Presentations on SW with 2S/LGBTQ+ populations:
  • Coulombe, A. and Kia, H. (2024). Queering Our Teaching Practices, Social Work Education and Learning Lounge (SWELL), UBC.
  • Coulombe, A. and Kia, H. (2024). Preparing Social Work Students to Work with 2S/LGBTQI+ Populations: A Comprehensive Evaluation of the UBC BSW Program. Canadian Association for Social Work Education Conference, Université de Montréal, Montréal. Peer-reviewed.
  • Coulombe, A. (2024). Les écoles de travail social et les populations Queer : Réflexions critique et engagement collectif. Colloque Engagement TS, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal. Peer-reviewed.
  • Coulombe, A., Groat, J., Kia, H., and Wrene, A. (2021). Sexual and Gender Diversity in Social Work: A Critical Conversation, School of Social Work, UBC.
  • Coulombe, A., Groat, J. and Kia, H. (2021). Queering Schools of Social Work: A Conversation. Canadian Association for Social Work Education Conference, online. Peer-reviewed.
  • Coulombe, A. and Kia, H. (2019). Sexual and Gender Diversity in Social Work: A Workshop for Social Workers, Continuous Professional Development offered by the School of Social Work, UBC.

Teaching Climate Justice in Social Work and Community Organizing

Social workers and community organizers (CO) play a crucial role in helping people confront various forms of inequity, injustice and discrimination by assisting them to heal, reflect, and improve their lives, their communities and society. This work is foundational to addressing oppression and supporting social justice and inclusionary solutions, particularly in response to transformational issues such as climate change. Climate change disproportionately affects marginalized populations facing other forms of inequity and injustice (Dominelli, 2013). In this area of my EL, I reflect on our responsibility as instructors to prepare SW and CO students to work on climate justice. Consequently, I have included more and more material on these topics in my teaching.

Impact Statement

By collaborating with dedicated graduate students and securing a Climate Education Grant, I have significantly advanced the integration of climate justice into the social work curriculum. These efforts have equipped students with the knowledge and skills to address environmental justice issues, fostering a new generation of socially conscious social workers. My contributions include the following:

• Collaborated with four passionate graduate students to reflect, design teaching strategies, and teach modules to train SW students on climate justice:
  • Mik Turje (2020), SOWK550.
  • Jamin Short (2012), SOWK335.
  • Shannon Murphy (2022), SOWK440C/529A.
  • Kayla Kenney (2023, 2024), SOWK440C/529A and SOWK335.
• Received a Climate Education Grant from UBC Sustainability to improve the inclusion of climate justice in SOWK440C/529A: Community Organizing for Climate Justice (2022).
• Presented a session with three of the graduate students mentioned above.
  • Coulombe, A., Shannon, M., Short, J. and Turje, M. (2022) Environmental Justice and Climate Change in SW Education: Students Leading the Way. Canadian Association for Social Work Education Conference, online. Peer-reviewed.

Universal Design for Learning

From 2013 to 2015, I was part of a working group in Montréal focused on a research project on the pedagogical applications of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (Projet interordres sur les applications pédagogiques de la conception universelle de l’apprentissage) through CRISPESH, a research centre dedicated to the inclusion of people with disabilities (Centre de recherche pour l’inclusion des personnes en situation de handicap). The project aimed to adapt the UDL model to francophone higher education teaching practices and implement practical and transferable applications. I led one of the UDL teaching pilot projects at a Montreal CEGEP, one of five CEGEPs and universities that participated in the pilots.

In 2023, I was a fellow in the UBC UDL Fellow Program through the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund (TLEF). This experience allowed me to assess the opportunities and merits of applying the UDL framework within the School of Social Work context. As part of this program, I created a new syllabus format, assignment descriptions and group work tools to improve accessibility at the School of Social Work. I have begun sharing the results of this work at the School through SWELL in an effort to enhance our approach to supporting diverse learners.

The applied experience in these two projects provided me with direct experience putting UDL principles into practice and helped me gain valuable insights. I now consistently apply UDL principles in my pedagogy and course design. As a result, my courses are more accessible to a diversity of student learning abilities and styles, which can reduce student anxiety and increase engagement in learning.

Through my involvement and learning in the program, I can now train other instructors on UDL, and I plan to continue offering learning opportunities and support on this topic.

Impact Statement

Through workshops, conferences and presentations, I have actively promoted UDL within UBC and social work education. These efforts have introduced instructors to UDL principles, fostered connections with UDL experts and showcased the practical applications of UDL in social work courses. My work has included the following UDL-related endeavours:

• Offered workshops on UDL at the UBC CTLT (2019, 2022) to introduce instructors to this model:
  • Coulombe, A. (2022). Introduction to Universal Design for Learning: What? Why? And How? 13th Annual Celebrate Learning Week, UBC.
  • Coulombe, A. (2019). Universal Design for Learning: A Teacher’s Perspective. UBC CTLT Summer Institute.
• Maintained relationships with experts in UDL by attending the Pan-Canadian UDL conference at Royal Roads University in 2019 and connecting with UBC colleagues who work on UDL (ISoTL).
• Presented in connection with the UDL Fellow Program:
  • Coulombe, A., and Bosung, Kim (2024). Implementing UDL in Social Work Education: A Case Study with SOWK335. Presentation to the new UDL 2024–2025 Fellows cohort, UBC.
  • Coulombe, A. (2023). Implementing Universal Design for Learning in Social Work Education: SOWK335, A Case Study. UDL Projects Showcase, UBC.
  • Coulombe, A. (2022). Universal Design for Learning: A Pilot Project at the School of Social Work. Social Work Education and Learning Lounge, UBC.

Social Work with Francophones in Minority Contexts

In the BSW’s 2024 accreditation review, the recommendation was made to the School to enhance its curricula by including more content related to social work practices with francophones in minority settings. This recommendation is in line with the latest CASWE accreditation standards, which stress the importance of students engaging with the experiences of francophone communities. Specifically, students should be encouraged to reflect on the marginalization of these communities, recognize their rights and contributions, understand their unique challenges and recognize the significance of language and culture. Additionally, students should explore the role of anti-racist and anti-colonial perspectives in social work within francophone contexts. To assist the UBC School of Social Work in integrating this content into the BSW and MSW programs, I am currently working on the following:

• Study support resource: A study currently being conducted by Groupe de recherche sur la formation et les pratiques en santé et service social en contexte francophone minoritaire (GREFOPS) aims to evaluate and improve training materials for health workers engaging with francophones in minority contexts. Since July 2024, I have been supporting the study locally as BSW Chair. I am helping the SSW’s BSW and MSW instructors include the training materials in relevant SSW courses, and to then evaluate the effectiveness of the training materials. The inclusion of these training materials also augments the SSW’s curriculum on francophones in minority contexts.
• Service design consultant: In June 2024, the BC Government, in partnership with Réso Santé, announced the establishment of BC’s first Francophone Community Health Clinic, where I have the honour of serving as a consultant on the design and establishment of their social work services for francophones. I will advise on the hiring, training and supervision of their social workers. This collaboration presents a unique opportunity to foster a robust partnership between the School of Social Work and this pioneering health initiative.
• Instructor workshop designer: I am designing a workshop for instructors at the UBC School of Social Work on the topic of social work education and francophones in minority contexts, to be delivered in winter 2025.

Presented in my professional dossier, August 2024.

There is no teaching without learning —Paolo Freire (1998)

Students are at the heart of my EL approach. Interacting with students continually helps me understand my role as an educator and researcher and helps me identify and refine my priorities. In EL, I position myself as a learner and reflect on my teaching practice as I engage with students, instructors, SW and the world. The practice of SW is continually changing; as an educator, I have a responsibility to reflect on these changes and provide students with learning opportunities that prepare them for practice. By positioning myself as a learner, I work to develop innovative pedagogies and teaching strategies that are relevant to SW, students and society. As I learn from these experiences, I then have the opportunity to share my findings, engage in dialogue with other educators and contribute to SW education and beyond.

Critical Pedagogy

Paolo Freire is well-known for his pedagogical approaches linked to social work practice. In his work, Freire lays out the theoretical foundations of a pedagogical model that aims to develop critical thinking and learners’ autonomy, a model that he has studied and developed throughout his career. This model requires learners to gradually acquire a power of reflection and expression to deepen their understanding of common real-life problems and to identify appropriate solutions.

Since summer 2020, I have been designing a pedagogical framework inspired by Freire, and other critical educators such as hooks, Palmer, Kumashiro and Giroux, to provide SW learners with an engaging and critical learning experience while reducing possible obstacles and barriers. I have integrated key elements of this framework into different aspects of my pedagogy and, more significantly, into the course designs for SOWK335, SOWK440C/529A and SOWK550. I have presented this pedagogical framework when discussing teaching SW and pedagogy at the SSW, and gave a talk:

• Coulombe, A. (2022). Lessons learned from critical pedagogy for continuous learning in social work. International Summer University of Social Work, Conference and Workshop, University of California, Los Angeles.

Community of Practice Pedagogy

Community of Practice (CoP) Pedagogy[1] can enable students to engage, as a community of learners, in a more active learning experience and build knowledge collectively. With the support of the SoTL Seed Program (ISoTL, UBC) in the winter of 2020, I investigated the applicability of CoP Pedagogy in learning social work by using a CoP pedagogical framework in SOWK335. In this course, teams of six to eight students met throughout the semester to discuss class topics, reflect on their applicability to SW practice, and analyze case studies. Using qualitative research techniques (student focus groups and observations), I investigated how CoP Pedagogy created a discussion space for challenging subjects, evaluated its principal applications and determined its limits. In evaluative feedback on the project, a student summarized the benefits of this pedagogy:

We’re not only able to engage but we’re also growing and forming our group culture, and developing our skills as social workers in a group context together, we’re learning and making mistakes together, but that creates an environment where you don’t feel being judged or criticized on the points or stand you’re making, and letting us learn skills necessary in that environment, a safe space environment.

Impact Statement

This study provided a comprehensive evaluation of the CoP pedagogy within social work education. By assessing its effectiveness, we documented the significant benefits of CoP pedagogy, such as enhanced student engagement, collective knowledge-building and the creation of a safer learning environment. We also identified the essential conditions for fostering student safety and engagement and explored the limitations of this pedagogical approach. The findings from this project were disseminated across various platforms:

• Locally: Coulombe, A. and Tembrevilla, G. (2020). Teaching Social Work Analysis through Community of Practice Pedagogy. E-poster, Celebrate SoTL, UBC.
• Nationally: Coulombe, A. and Tembrevilla, G. (2021). Community of Practice Pedagogy and Teaching Analysis in a Practice-based Profession. Teaching and Learning in Practice-Based Professions conference, Mount-Royal University, Calgary. Peer-reviewed.
• Internationally: Coulombe, A. (2021). Les Communautés de pratique: l’analyse sociale et l’apprentissage du travail social, International Association for Social Work with Groups Symposium, online. Peer-reviewed.

Process-Based Learning and Community Engaged Learning

Inspired by the discipline of urban planning, I redesigned SOWK440C/529A to employ Process-Based Learning (PBL) Pedagogy,[2] also known as Studio Pedagogy and Community Engaged Learning (CEL). To support this work, I initiated an ongoing collaboration with the UBC Centre for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) to build and strengthen the community relationships and engagement that are integral to PBL and CEL. I also adapted course projects to help students support organizations working in the context of the pandemic.

The integration of PBL and CEL pedagogy had positive educational outcomes, as students showed significant engagement in the course and built meaningful projects that helped community organizations. In total, I have led 16 impactful PBL/CEL projects both in and beyond the classroom, in areas including decolonization, trans rights, climate change mitigation, anti-racism, gender-based violence prevention and food security. Please see section 9(c) in my CV for the detailed list.

 Impact Statement

Through strategic partnerships and innovative projects, I have significantly enhanced the learning experiences of SW students by integrating real-life community engagement into the curriculum. These initiatives have not only enriched students’ educational journeys but also contributed valuable tools and projects to the community, the field of social work and beyond:

• Partnership with Lama Mugabo. Several of the projects listed in the previous section were the result of a close partnership and collaboration I established from 2021 to 2023 with Lama Mugabo, a community planner and organizer who was working at Building Bridges Rwanda, the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition and Hogan’s Alley Society. This partnership enriched students’ learning experiences through real-life engagement and mentorship from a prominent community leader in Vancouver. The partnership’s value was recognized through funding from the Partnership Recognition Fund in 2022 and 2023. The partnership permitted students in SOWK440C/529A to develop tools and projects centred on antiracism and decolonization, and their findings and recommendations were presented to NGOs in the DTES as well as at UBC and the SSW. For example, an outcome of this partnership is summarized in the following article: Hogan’s Alley Society Partners with UBC Students to Combat Anti-Black Racism in Social Work, 2022, Community Engagement, UBC.
• Toolbox for Community Organizing: Students Engaging with Communities Advancing Community Engaged Learning Grant, CCEL, 2022. In December 2022, I was awarded the Advancing Community Engaged Learning Grant from CCEL for my project Toolbox for Community Organizing: Students Engaging with Communities. The project aimed to create a toolbox to assist students in carrying out community organizing projects as part of the course SOWK440C/529A. We tested the toolbox in fall 2023, and after reviewing the feedback from students, I made it an essential part of the course. It helps students to plan, execute and assess their community organizing projects.
• Community Engaged Teaching Fellow, CCEL, 2024. In the spring of 2024, I was invited to join the Community Engaged Teaching Fellow program, which began in August 2024. This fellowship provides an opportunity to collaborate with UBC instructors who are dedicated to community-engaged learning. It offers a unique opportunity for self-reflection and scholarly examination of my teaching methods in the context of community-engaged learning. To achieve this, I will comprehensively analyze my teaching practices within the framework of a community organizing course offered in T1 2024 (SOWK440C/529A).

[1] CoPs are groups of people who have a strong appreciation for interacting with one another on a specific area of knowledge. Over time, the group can “develop a unique perspective on their topic as well as a body of common knowledge, practices and approaches” (Wenger et al., 2002). Proponents of the CoP framework argue that learning is inherently social and locally situated, and they push back on traditional education methods that focus on individuals learning abstract concepts. Barab, Barnett and Squire (2002) wrote that the CoP approach de-centres what is in the individual’s mind, and instead centres learning within social interaction. There has been a growing interest in CoP pedagogy in higher education. Situated learning and CoP can be especially meaningful in the context of social work education, where tacit knowledge is especially important and not everything is written down in manuals, but instead is often gleaned from social experiences and accumulated understandings (Moore, 2008). To date, most applications of CoP in social work education has employed virtual communities of practice rather than using in-class CoP pedagogy.

[2] The PBL model includes three key elements of learning: “the process of discovery; interdisciplinary collaboration; and metacognition (reflection)” (Hostetler, 2014). In this model, learning occurs through the problem-solving process, where students choose and apply solutions in situations similar to real life. Students engage in planning-related tasks, creative thinking and critical analysis to build practical actions and solutions to problems (Higgins, Aitken-Rose and Dixon, 2009).