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Graduate Programmes
Research in Education: Specialization Areas in the Programme
Applied Linguistics |
Child Study |
Educational Studies |
Educational Technology
The field of Education is extremely broad and diverse, both drawing from and contributing to sister fields in the social sciences (e.g., Psychology, Sociology), and humanities (e.g., Philosophy).. At the heart of our various specializations is a concern for human learning and performance at the individual (child to adult), defined group (local, cultural, corporate, etc.), community, and national/global level. Our research interests range along the continuum from early childhood through aging adult. Our methods are well-grounded but eclectic and context-driven, from ethnographic to controlled experimental methodologies. Our epistemologies span the social science gambit.
Following are brief descriptions of each Specialization, reflecting the unifying themes noted above. Applications crossing two or more areas of specialization will be very favorably received.
- Applied Linguistics is concerned with the study of theoretical and practical (pedagogical) aspects of second and bilingual language acquisition. Situated at the juncture of several disciplines (i.e., Education, Linguistics, Psychology), the field of Applied Linguistics approaches the study of language acquisition from a multidimensional perspective. Some of the topics studied include investigating children's and adults' language learning in different contexts (e.g., regular classroom, language study abroad, immersion, intensive language teaching), the characteristics of the learner (e.g., age, attitudes, motivations, aptitudes, and other social and cognitive learner characteristics), the nature of the language system and its development over time (e.g., the acquisition of vocabulary, grammar, phonology), the types of pedagogical practices used in language teaching (e.g., second language teaching methods, teaching second languages for academic and other purposes), and the consequences of language learning (e.g., bilingualism, literacy, cognitive development). The overall goal of Applied Linguistics is to broaden the scope of theoretical knowledge about language learning and literacy and to find new and practical applications for that knowledge.
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- The Child Study specialization focuses on the development of the child in three critical contexts: (a) the family, (b) educational settings, and (c) community and culture. The child is embedded in all of these contexts, which are proximal (i.e., family, school) or more distal (i.e., culture) influences on the child’s development. The familial context includes the study of parent-child and sibling relationships; the educational context includes issues related to child care, language and literacy, cognitive processes (e.g., math, science), social processes (e.g., friendship), and educational service delivery (e.g., children with special needs); and the community and culture context involves issues related to the influence of community programs (e.g., special populations, health and well-being), media (e.g., technology), and culture (e.g., values and beliefs).
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- The Educational Studies is an educational foundations program, including adult education. Educational Studies comprises anthropological and sociological, comparative and international, and historical and philosophical perspectives on education. Its métier is to provide interpretive understanding and critiques of educational policies, practices and problems. Important current work ranges from investigations of literacy, democratic citizenship, multiculturalism, gender issues, critical thinking, and more. Such areas of study are matters of interest not only to scholars, but also of deep interest and concern in society. As such, contributions to such areas have important policy implications for Quebec and the rest of Canada. Research interests of the faculty include the history of progressive education; the philosophy of science and technology in education; peace education; neo-liberalism and globalization; multiculturalism and international development in education. Adult education addresses issues in government policy, the economics of human capital, learning in organizational settings, self-direction and facilitation of adult learning.
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- Educational Technology provides opportunities for advanced study both in the theoretical foundations of educational technology and its application in practice. Research in the program falls into five main categories: (1) human performance technology; (2) human resources development; (3) educational cybernetics; systems analysis and design; (4) media research and development; and (5) distance education. As an applied field, educational technology always presents opportunities for interdisciplinary interaction. Doctoral dissertations range from theoretical analyses to empirical studies (drawing upon quantitative and/or qualitative methodologies) to systems analysis/evaluation to meta-analyses (syntheses of empirical research). Research problems address concerns about learning for all age groups in formal and informal contexts, as well as performance issues that call for interventions involving management approaches, job design, tool use, and incentive systems.
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