About Us

Our Mission

We investigate the efficacy of teaching and learning practices and make our findings public, particularly through non-traditional forms of dissemination.

With a multitude of teaching methods and techniques to choose from, identifying the one that would be most effective in a particular learning environment (e.g., face-to-face, blended, fully online) is difficult. Instructors (e.g., educators, facilitators, and trainers) don’t always have the time and resources to research which instructional practices would be most effective in their teaching/training context. On the flip side, learners don’t always know what study methods are most effective for their own learning. This is where our organization, Teaching and Learning Research (TLR) In Action, comes in to both conduct research on effective instructional and learning practices and to help unpack the results of this research to make it more accessible to the public.

We are an incorporated not-for-profit organization, and our mission is to support and promote effective, evidence-based pedagogical practices. To this aim, we investigate effective instructional and learning practices and we disseminate our findings through academic and popular public platforms. We believe that education should be universally accessible and inclusive, and that pedagogical practices should be founded on evidence.

Our Team

We believe in implementing pedagogies that effectively lead learners to better achieve their goals.

We come with diverse interests and areas of expertise, including philosophy, psychology, education, media and production. Collectively, our interests span cognitive learning strategies, e-learning, decolonizing the curriculum, student partnerships/co-creation of teaching and learning, student engagement, transformative learning, and experiential education. Adding to the wide range of perspectives that we bring to the table, the members of our team are also in different stages of their careers; whereas some members of our team are in the process of completing their studies, others have completed their PhDs and have over a decade of experience teaching or supporting faculty in higher education. What brings us all together is our mission – investigating the efficacy of teaching practices and making our findings public, particularly through non-traditional forms of dissemination.

Alice Kim is the Founder and Managing Director of Teaching and Learning Research In Action.

With a background in experimental psychology and cognitive neuroscience of memory and learning, she teaches a variety of psychology courses at the undergraduate level, including cognition, research methods, and introduction to psychology. Alice’s research is focused on factors that impact students’ learning trajectories, including student engagement, experiential education, and application of cognitive learning principles in course design. Much of Alice’s research also explores student-faculty partnerships that foster the co-creation of learning and teaching. In addition to her teaching and research, Alice also serves as a Co-Editor for the Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

Linda has been teaching philosophy and general education courses for over 15 years. Her areas of interest include the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), Argumentation Theory, and Conflict Resolution.

She has training in teaching in English as a second language and has developed and delivered a General Education course for students who identify as multilingual and express interest in honing English speaking, writing, listening, and reading skills. Her current SoTL research is primarily focused on cultural gaps in the university classroom as evidenced by reflective writing practices, e-learning, the relation between temperament and learning, and application of cognitive learning principles into course design.

Jennifer is an adjunct faculty member in the Psychology department at the University of Guelph. She has a background in educational, developmental, and clinical psychology.

Jennifer is passionate about community engagement and works to develop partnerships between community organizations and her research initiatives. She teaches courses in educational psychology at the University of Guelph, and mental health and trauma in early childhood at Guelph-Humber. Jennifer also supervises students enrolled in independent study/externship psychology courses that focus on research and experiential learning. Her research interests include critical thinking, student engagement, student mentorship/partnership, experiential learning, and accessibility in education. Jennifer also works with a private psychology practice where she conducts psychological assessments with children and adolescents, and provides consultation for parents of children with exceptionalities.

Chia-lin Chang (Lance) is a college professor and university instructor, with a Ph.D. in curriculum instruction. He specializes in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) and applied linguistics.

He teaches a variety of English language and applied linguistic courses, including college English, academic communication, writing, ESL, Occupational Specific Language Training (OSLT), English instructor training & co-op (TESL), language development, and language assessment and testing. Chia-lin’s research interests focus on exploring/examining the dynamics between ESL learners’ writing achievement and self-regulatory behaviors, for the purpose of offering in-depth insights in learning processes for pedagogical innovations and reform. Chia-lin is also experienced in TESL co-op program coordination and funding application, and partners with colleagues in professional training on ESL curriculum design and delivery.

Dr. Audrey Wong-Kee-You has a PhD in Experimental Psychology, with specialization in Cognitive Development. Her research portfolio includes investigations on the use of cognitive strategies to promote learning and retention in school age children, adolescents and young adults, as well as factors that impact trainees’ career development.

Audrey’s current research at TLR is focused on teaching in teams and enhancing inclusive instruction. In addition to supporting the delivery of a wide range of psychology courses, Dr. Wong-Kee-You has also developed training manuals for research assistants and interns, as well as workshops and seminars for trainee career development. Her goal is to improve the design of tools, processes and procedures that impact knowledge acquisition, retention, and application. Audrey also strives to engage students outside of the traditional classroom setting to promote diversity and inclusivity in science and higher-education. She has taken a leadership role in her community to organize events and activities to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education in historically underprivileged populations.

Jonathan is an artist, researcher, and educator focussed on embodied student-centred learning and the creation of opportunities for student agency.

His research interests include inclusivity and efficacy of the teaching and learning of dance. Jonathan is a graduate of the Toronto Dance Theatre’s professional training program, and he also studied at the Merce Cunningham Studio and Jacob’s Pillow and performed for Canadian artists including Dancetheatre David Earle and Bill James. He holds a Ph.D. in Dance Studies from York University where he also serves as adjunct faculty.

With formal training in film and video productions, Bruno has decades of experience in media and production.

His portfolio includes several projects that have been shown in international film festivals, televisions, and news. Bruno also has extensive experience working with course instructors to create educational videos and visual material to engage and captivate students in course content. His primary interests are focused on creating productions that help students excel in their programs of study.

Justeena honed her long-standing interest in post-secondary teaching and learning at the Teaching Commons at York University.

There she completed advanced teaching training programs and mentored graduate students and instructors with respect to improving their teaching techniques. Additionally, Justeena pioneered the flipped classroom setup in the Psychology Department at York University, where she teaches undergraduate statistics and is a Ph.D. candidate.

Emily is interested in investigating issues relevant to school psychology, including equal access to educational and psychological services that promote health development.

With a background in psychology, her current research is focused on issues related to the student experience, and first-generation students.

Shayla's goal is to apply her knowledge and skills from her current Research Analyst program and her Psychology background to investigate effective pedagogical practices.

Azem is a Computer Science Graduate with experience in Website and Native App development.

He has a passion for learning and software engineering and hopes to apply his strengths to help others learn and improve the way people interact with each other and the world through technology.

Meagan Veneracion is a graduate from the Film Production program at York University.

Upon graduation, she completed the Illustration for Motion course from School of Motion, advancing her skills in design and illustration. Meagan is working towards using her background in film and design in projects with emphasis on social injustice.

Alesha is a Media Communications Graduate who has been committed to growing the TLR community by utilizing her skills with social media, marketing advertising, and brand development.

She is passionate about investigating the roadblocks that POC face when studying abroad and the effects that have on individuals’ identities.

With a background in Psychology and Big Data Analytics, Sid is passionate about investigating how learning can be enhanced across the lifespan.

Using big data analytics, his goal is to apply his strengths to implement uses of technology to expand human perception and cognitive ability.

Cassandra is eager to research and share effective teaching and learning practices to reduce student stress, improve course learning outcomes, and promote equity in education.

Her research to date includes work on student-faculty partnerships and the co-creation of teaching and learning. With a background in psychology, she is continuing her studies through her graduate work in school and clinical child psychology.

Alecia is passionate about investigating educational and social issues from a psychological perspective.

Her research to date has been focused on students’ experiences in higher education, and she is continuing her studies through her graduate work in social and personality psychology.

Christopher is passionate about social justice and promoting accessibility in teaching, learning and research to enhance opportunities for those with disabilities to excel in their area of interest both in school and the workforce.

With a background in Psychology and Social Service work and his lived experiences as an individual with visual impairment, Christopher has contributed to research projects on inclusive design and has spoken on this topic at a number of conventions.

Laura is interested in research that will provide insight into more effective teaching and learning practices, and is passionate about mental health advocacy.

Her research to date is focused on supporting the scholarship of teaching and learning, and student-faculty partnerships and the co-creation of teaching and learning. With a background in psychology, Laura is working towards helping to improve clinical and educational practices and plans to pursue an advance degree in clinical psychology.

Laura is passionate about promoting sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion within educational and community settings to enhance student well-being.

Her goal is to help spread awareness and resources to students, educators, and employers about these issues. Her current research is focused on mindfulness, personal well-being, and academic achievement.