Red Deer Polytechnic celebrates scholarly activity

Red Deer Polytechnic’s (RDP) scholarly activity and independent applied research was celebrated at the Recognition of Scholarly Activity (RoSA) Awards and Excellence in Teaching and Learning (ETaL) Capstone Recognition Event.  

“At RDP, we are proud to acknowledge the diverse scholarly activity and applied research projects that have been conducted by faculty during the past year,” said Dr. Alison Jeppesen, Associate Dean, Division of Teaching, Learning and Scholarship. “The RoSA Awards and ETaL Capstone Recognition Event is one example of how we demonstrate our commitment to teaching development, life-long learning, and the advancement of research that creates positive impact across Alberta, Canada, and the world.”  

RDP faculty were recognized in categories including, discovery, integration, application and engagement, and teaching.  

Award recipients were honoured at the event for their influential scholarly activity in 2023:  

• Dr. Fola Oluwasina, University Sciences Diploma instructor - Co-authored an article titled, “Burnout among Residents: Prevalence and Predictors of Depersonalization, Emotional Exhaustion and Professional Unfulfillment among Resident Doctors in Canada”.  

• Dr. Kristy Erickson, University Sciences Diploma instructor - Authored article titled, “More than Marshmallows: Implementation and Assessment of an Interactive In-Class Activity for Learning Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) Theory.” 

• Dr. Wesley Maciejewski, Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Bachelor of Education instructor - Research-informed review titled, “The Siren Call of Calculus: A Review of Steven Strogatz’s Infinite Powers: How Calculus Reveals the Secrets of the Universe.” 

• Cameron Ehnes, Kinesiology & Sport Students Diploma instructor - Co-authored scholarly article titled, “Physiological responses to treadmill exercise in size and fitness-matched male and female firefighter applicants.” 

• Natalie Ford, Bachelor of Science in Nursing instructor - Co-authored a paper titled, “Brave Spaces in Nursing Ethics Education: Courage Through Pedagogy.”  

• Larissa Gomes, Bachelor of Science in Nursing instructor - Co-authored a paper titled, “Brave Spaces in Nursing Ethics Education: Courage Through Pedagogy.” 

• Elaine Spencer, Social Work Diploma instructor - Co-authored article titled, “Adaptability and Innovations in Social Work Field Education During the Pandemic of COVID-19: A Study of Student’s Experiences Across Campuses in India and Canada.” 

• Jolene Wright, Social Work Diploma instructor - Co-authored article titled, “Adaptability and Innovations in Social Work Field Education During the Pandemic of COVID-19: A Study of Student’s Experiences Across Campuses in India and Canada.” 

• Dr. Juliet Onabadejo, Bachelor of Science in Nursing instructor - Scholarly article titled, “Concept Mapping in a Flipped Clinical Environment: A Basic Qualitative Study.”  

• Dr. Anomi Bearden, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies instructor - Co-authored a scholarly article titled, “The Effects of HeartMath Heart Lock-In on Elementary Students’ HRV and self-reported emotion regulation skills.” And co-authored a literature review titled, “Post-secondary Student Transitions and Mental Health: Literature review and synthesis.” 

• Dr. Stephen Brown, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Science in Psychology instructor - Authored paper titled, “The Persistence of Matching Teaching and Learning Styles: A review of the Ubiquity of This Neuromyth, Predictors of its Endorsement, and Recommendations To End IT.” And co-authored a paper titled, “Brave Spaces in Nursing Ethics Education: Courage Through Pedagogy.” 

• Dr. Roger Davis, University Arts Diploma and Bachelor of Arts in English instructor - Authored article titled, “Towards a Speculative Friction: Didacticism and Environmentalism in Derrick Jensen’s Lives Less Valuable.” 

• Dr. Jones Adjei, University Arts Diploma and Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies instructor - Co-authored scholarly article titled, “Impeded Sociability: Racial Consciousness and Racialized Immigrants’ Sense of Sociable and Unsociable Places in SemiRural Alberta, Canada.” 

• Dr. Choon-Lee Chai, University Arts Diploma and Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies instructor - Co-authored a scholarly article titled, “Impeded Sociability: Racial Consciousness and Racialized Immigrants’ Sense of Sociable and Unsociable Places in SemiRural Alberta, Canada.” 

• Marnie Blair, Visual Art instructor - The culmination of, and subsequent publication of artwork titled, “Lungs (from Nervous Systems).” 

• Claudia Sasse, Early Learning & Child Care Certificate and Diploma instructor - Creation and publication of “Open Educational Resource titled Pedagogical Leadership for Early Learning Educators.” 

RDP Psychology instructor, Dr. Stephen Brown’s work was recognized at the recent event as one applied research activity that will directly impact students in the future.  

“In my review paper, I provided an overview of the substantial body of evidence that suggests that matching teaching and learning styles does not improve educational outcomes,” Brown said. “Instead, educators can explore systematic cognitive neuroscience, focusing on knowledge that students can practically use, such as information on executive functions like working memory and planning ability.”  

While Natalie Ford, Bachelor of Science in Nursing instructor’s research was recognized. In collaboration with Larissa Gomes and Brown, Ford wanted to cultivate evidence-based teaching practices as a nurse educator.  

“My interest to support difficult conversations in the classroom while promoting agency in learning prompted the investigation into pedagogical practices in the nursing ethics course I was developing,” said Ford. “The research project progressed through the support of the RDP research community and the Polytechnic’s Centre of Teaching, Learning and Scholarship.”