My scholarship is interdisciplinary
and action-oriented.
All research projects that I lead are collaborative and draw on
creative methods for data generation.
Current research projects
Tapestry of Tales
Working with community-based programs, through this project I explore the remarkable impact of narrative work as a versatile educational approach in older adult learning, particularly within the context of immigrant senior language learners. By prioritizing life experiences over traditional knowledge accumulation, storytelling creates a safe and inclusive learning community, fostering language proficiency and facilitating a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives. Now in its third iteration, the project critically explores the liberatory anti-ageist potential of biographical storytelling in older adult education.
Read about my research on the power of storytelling here.
PhoneMe Poetry
The PhoneMe Project started in 2016 through a partnership with UBC Learning Exchange and the poets of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Since then, it has been taken to secondary schools, teacher education programs and community-organizations across Canada.
The PhoneMe project makes it possible for people to create, record, and share their poems about their experiences, thoughts, and emotions inspired by public places and spaces. Our passion is to have a large collection of spoken word poems accessible online and to inspire anyone to be creative and to join PhoneMe dialogue.
The project is funded by New Frontiers in Research Grant in collaboration with Dr. Claire Ahn (Queen’s University) and Dr. Kedrick James (UBC).
Read about my research on PhoneMe here.
Immigrant Seniors’
Digital Literacies
This research project aims to understand how immigrant seniors engage with COVID-19-related information, focusing on their unique challenges and experiences of navigating digital media spaces. By developing practical tools and the train-the-trainer workshop models, we seek to create sustainable support networks within immigrant communities and address their specific needs during the pandemic. Our goal is to promote equity in accessing crucial information for older adults in marginalized populations.
The project is funded by SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant in collaboration with Dr. Claire Ahn (Queen’s University).
Artem Research Collective
I am a founding member of Artem Research Collective, where we develop an innovative research approach -- Collaborative Creative Inquiry. Our purpose is to stimulate empirical work that utilizes arts-based research, creativity, and collaboration to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable communities in society. As a group, we seek to develop holistic perspectives by integrating different theoretical and empirical disciplinary viewpoints, thereby creating new frameworks that promote strong and resilient communities of research practice.
Read about our work here.
Memberships
Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education
The Canadian Association on Gerontology
The Canadian Society for the Study of Education
The British Society of Gerontology
Association Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée
International Association for Languages and Intercultural Communication