The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Innovative research and studies receive ATA financial support

Provincial Executive Council has announced the winners of the 2012 ATA fellowships and scholarships. Applicants were judged on academic achievement, contributions to education generally, ­contributions to the Alberta Teachers’ ­Association and excellence in teaching.

ATA Doctoral Fellowships in Education

Recipients of the ATA Doctoral Fellowships in Education receive $15,000 to pursue doctoral studies and are required to file a copy of their dissertation with the ATA library. Members are encouraged to use this valuable research conducted by their Alberta colleagues.

Kandise Salerno is a technology coach at Sister Annata Brockman Elementary/Junior High School, in Edmonton. Salerno is passionate about digital technologies and is a member of the ATA’s Educational Technology Council. She is entering her second year of doctoral studies at the University of Alberta, where she’ll explore video game design programs. Video games offer potential to the educational community because games allow students to construct a virtual world based on a curricular concept. Kandise is currently exploring video game construction with the U of A’s Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education.

Marcie Perdue is a doctoral student with the University of Calgary, specializing in K–12 senior leadership. Perdue, who has taught for 12 years, recently accepted a position with the Golden Hills School Division. She is an active member of the ATA, serving as her school’s CSR representative and ARA delegate. Her passion and focus is to create learning communities where fellow ­colleagues are supported and valued. Perdue hopes that her research will encourage school leaders to value and nurture trust with their teaching staff.

John Mazurek Memorial—Morgex Insurance Scholarship

The recipient of the John Mazurek Memorial—Morgex Insurance Scholarship receives $1,000 to pursue an approved professional development course in the field of business education or computers in education.

Louise Givens joined the MEd in Education Studies program at the University of Alberta in 2011. She has been an AISI lead teacher in three school communities. Givens has promoted distributed leadership among staff and removed some barriers to integrating technology for teachers. Givens, a full-time teacher and ATA member for more than 20 years, is excited about the opportunity to become fully immersed in her studies and research for the next year.

Nadene M. Thomas Graduate Research Bursary

The recipient of the Nadene M. Thomas Graduate Research Bursary receives $5,000 to pursue graduate studies in a speciality in education at a recognized Canadian university. The research must focus on teacher health issues or teachers’ working conditions.

Kristina Kastelan-Sikora is a teacher with Edmonton Catholic Schools and a doctoral candidate at the University of Alberta, where she is studying wellness and leadership practices in secondary education. Her research is exploring a beginning teacher mentorship program from the perspectives of administrators, mentor teachers and beginning teachers in second languages. Kastelan-Sikora has mentored beginning teachers and served as chair and coordinator of the Edmonton Catholic Teachers’ Local Mentorship Program for Beginning Teachers. She has been involved in the ATA’s Second Languages and Intercultural Council and was the recipient of the 2010 Pierre and Madeleine Monod FSL Award.