Our Vision for the 21st Century

For more than 160 years, McGill’s Faculty of Education has been at the forefront of teaching, learning, and groundbreaking research in all aspects of education and human development. Its comprehensive and ambitious research agenda has nurtured expertise that spans integrated education and pedagogy, educational and counselling psychology, kinesiology and health-related fields such as physiology and biomechanics. The influence and impact of the innovative work being done by faculty, researchers and students are seen and felt nationally and internationally.

Today, faced with a future where challenges will only be solved through imagination, collaboration, and leadership, the Faculty is redefining education for the 21st century, bridging the gap between research and practice in classrooms, clinics, and beyond.

 

Advancing Indigenous
Education
Inuit student teacher standing at a blackboard where she has written in Inuktitut

Since 1975, the Faculty has collaborated with local Indigenous school boards to develop high-quality education systems by designing and delivering community-based teacher education and professional development programs. Now, as Indigenous education experiences a period of promising growth, the Faculty’s Office of First Nations and Inuit Education is poised to have an even greater impact, by increasing the number of Indigenous educators certified to teach across Quebec and becoming a national leader in land-based education.

Addressing Mental Health Among Students and Educators

Troubled male university student sits at a desk while the rest of the class appears blurry

Today’s students live with unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression, as do their teachers. Drawing on its strengths in educational and counselling psychology, the Faculty has begun designing resource materials and skill-building curricula through its Education for Mental Health Resilience (EMHR) project, to help integrate resilience and wellness skills at all educational levels.

Additionally, decreased classroom focus and increased neurodiversity in the student body present opportunities for the Faculty to help build more inclusive learning environments.

Leveraging Technology to Advance STEM Education
Teacher in a greenhouse with elementary school students

In our changing world, knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is increasingly important. Yet there is a shortage of qualified STEM educators in schools across North America. Many students - especially girls and youth from disadvantaged communities — disengage from these disciplines, often before reaching high school. McGill Education is working to break this cycle by creating immersive technology training that will prepare and inspire future generations of STEM educators and learners.

Examining how Exercise Science Promotes Healthy Living
Kinesiology student oversees a senior woman's workout

Through its renowned Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE), McGill is using the most advanced science to understand how the human body functions. The study of movement and exercise science enables us to shed new light on health and human potential. By examining the body’s limits, our researchers are able to better understand how physical activity can enhance health for all - elite athletes, aging seniors, or children living with disabilities.

Supporting Future-Ready Leaders at All Levels

Four student award recipients stand around the McGill Athletics logo which is tiled on the floor of a hallway in Currie Gym

McGill Education professors, researchers, and students are the foundation of all the successful programs and activities developed in the Faculty. As such, the Faculty aspires to bolster its support of future leaders in Education, by committing to further enhancing student research and learning experiences and opportunities.

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