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Christy Thomas, EdD, MEd, BEd

Associate Dean, Education
Phone number
(403) 407-9489
Email Address
christy.thomas@ambrose.edu

Biography

I am an educator and lifelong learner. I started teaching in K-12 education in 1998 after completing my bachelor’s degree. I completed my master’s degree in 2011 at the University of Alberta.  In Summer 2012, I enrolled in doctoral studies at the University of Calgary and completed my Doctorate in Education in March 2016.  Since 2016, I’ve been a sessional instructor in the undergraduate and graduate programs at the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary and am also currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Werklund School of Education. I joined Ambrose University in Fall 2019 and was a sessional instructor for both the fall and winter terms before taking on my new role as Assistant Professor in the School of Education. I teach graduate courses in leadership and a variety of undergraduate courses in curriculum and learning. My research centers on collaborative approaches for leadership, professional learning, and instructional design while utilizing mixed methods, design-based research, and action research. I am married to Justin and enjoy exercising, music, traveling, food and spending time with family and friends.

Current Research

My research interests and current projects focused on collaborative approaches to leadership, professional learning and instructional design while utilizing mixed methods, design-based research, and action research.  I have been involved in a variety of projects related to my research interests and this has given me experience in roles as principal investigator and co-investigator: Exploring Online Pedagogies for Social Connectedness and Advancing Professional Collaboration (2021-2023, co-PI; SSHRC IDG), Building Faculty Capacity for Online Teaching and Learning (2021-2022; PI, Ambrose Research Fund), Connecting School Leaders in an Ethic of Care Community (2022-2023; co-PI; not funded), Evaluating the Effectiveness of a High Quality Collaborative Professional Learning Model in Addressing Alberta’s Leadership Quality Standard, (2018-2022; PI; AB Ed Grant), Exploring the Impact of YouthLink Crime Prevention and Education Program (2019-2023; PI; Subgrant), Fostering Student Collaboration and Assessing Group Assignments (2017-2019; co-PI; SOTL grant).

Scholarly & Professional Activity

Speaking and Consulting

My research interests and teaching background have given me the opportunity to speak and consult on topics related to collaborative approaches to leadership, professional learning and instructional design. I have presented on these topics at conferences, led workshops, and consulted with community partners. In 2020, I had a role as instructional design consultant at Ambrose University where I had the opportunity to support and collaborate with faculty in building capacity for online teaching and learning.  Since that time, I’ve also facilitated teaching and learning workshops for faculty development at Ambrose University and Taylor Institute at the University of Calgary. Topics for these workshops were related to instructional design and online pedagogies.

Please contact me if you are interested in me partnering with you to support the work you are doing. I am passionate about bridging theory and practice and bringing together academics and practitioners.

Recent Conference Presentations and Proceedings

  • Hartwell, A., Nogueira, B., Thomas, C., & Brown, B. (2023). Designing group work in online courses to develop preservice teachers’ professional collaboration skills. [Paper presentation].  Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE), May 27-June 1, York University, Toronto, ON.
  • Nogueira, B. & Thomas, C. (2023). Developing pre-service teachers’ professional skills through online group work. Conference on Postsecondary Learning and Teaching:  University of Calgary, April 26-28, online.
  • Hartwell, A. & Thomas, C. (2023). Building collective capacity for online teaching and learning. Conference on Postsecondary Learning and Teaching:  University of Calgary, April 26-28, online.
  • Hartwell, A., Nogueira, B., Thomas, C., & Brown, B. (2022). Exploring Online Pedagogies for Social Connectedness and Advancing Professional Collaboration. [Paper presentation]. International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL), November 2-4, 2022, Delta Grand, Kelowna.
  • Martens S. & Thomas, C. (2022, May 26).  From Surviving to Flourishing: Personal Development as a School Leader in a Caring Community. [Paper presentation]. International Christian Community for Teacher Education (ICCTE), George Fox University, Oregon & Online.
  • Martens S. & Thomas, C. (2022). Connecting School leaders in an Ethic of Care Community. [Paper presentation].  Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE), May 14 -20, Online.
  • Thomas, C. & Turner, J. (2022). Professional Learning for Leadership Development. [Paper presentation].  Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE), May 14 -20, Online.
  • Hartwell, A., Thomas, C., Brown, B., Nogueira, B., & Groat, J. (2022, May 18). Exploring online pedagogies for social connectedness and advancing professional collaboration.  [Paper presentation]. Canadian Society of Studies in Education (CSSE), May 14 – 20, Online.
  • Crawford, K., Hill, J., Martens, S., Pelletier, C., Thomas, C., & Wong, A. (2022). Faculty Métissage: Creating ethical space for Indigenous knowledge development. Conference on Post-Secondary Teaching and Learning. May 1-3, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.
  • Thomas, C. & Turner, J. (2022). Leadership Professional Learning. Leadership Preparation
  • Development–Division I – Section 5, American Educational Research Association (AERA), April 22-25, 2022, San Diego, CA, and Online.
  • Martens, S. & Thomas, C. (2021). Connecting School Leadership in an Ethic of Care Community. Educational Leadership, Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE), Nov 28-Dec. 2 2021, Hybrid Online & RMIT City Campus, Melbourne, Australia.
  • Thomas, C., Turner, J., Marler, R., & Jorgenson-Adam, S. (2021). Collaborative Professional Learning for Leadership. Educational Leadership, Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE), Nov 28-Dec. 2, 2021, Hybrid Online & RMIT City Campus, Melbourne, Australia.
  • Brown, B. & Thomas, C. (2021). Improving Student Learning in Group Assignments. Teacher Education and Research Innovation, Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE), Nov 28-Dec. 2 2021, Hybrid Online & RMIT City Campus, Melbourne, Australia.
  • Hill, J., Crawford, K., Martens, S., Pelletier, C., Thomas, C., & Wong, A. (2021). Journey to create an ethical space to include and promote Indigenous ways of being, teaching, and learning in teacher education. Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE), May 29 – June 3, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
  • Turner, J. & Thomas, C. (2021). Developing Leadership through Collaborative Professional Learning. Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE), May 29 – June 3, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
  • Thomas, C. & Brown, B. (2021). Online Assessment of Group Work in Undergraduate Teacher Education. Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE), May 29 – June 3, 2021, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
  • Hill, J., Thomas, C., & Robb-Hagg, A. (2021). Decolonizing Teacher Education: Seeking to include Indigenous Knowledge in an Online Learning Environment. Teaching & Learning Virtual Conference, May 18-19, Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB.

Select Publications

Education

EdD (University of Calgary)
MEd (University of Alberta)
BEd (University of Calgary)

Signature Courses

  • CDPD 500
  • CDPD 700
  • ELQS 001
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