Starr, Lisa
Dean
- Phone
- (403) 329-2255
- lisa.starr@uleth.ca
Professor
- Phone
- (403) 329-2255
About Me
Lisa (she/her) proudly joined the University of Lethbridge in 2023 as the Dean for the Faculty of Education. As a settler, originally born on Treaty 7 territory in what is known as Lethbridge AB, she was raised in Treaty 4 territory in the community of Moose Jaw SK. Her education career spanned 14 years in the field as a secondary school teacher. The first seven years working on the unceded territory of the Musqueum First Nation with the Richmond School Board then moving on to teach internationally in Pakistan, Kuwait and Mongolia. Following the completion of her doctoral degree at the University of Victoria in 2014, Lisa joined McGill University's Department of Integrated Studies in Education where she served as Chair of the department from 2021-23.
2014tDoctor of Philosophy in Curriculum & Instruction (Education), University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia. Program: Social, Cultural and Foundation Studies.tDissertation: We lead who we are: A collaborative inquiry to inform educational leadership praxis.
2006tMaster of Arts in Education, University of Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona. Program: Administration and Supervision. Research project: Improving the Application of StudentttValues in the Context of Academic Malpractice
1993tBachelor of Education, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan. Major: Physical Education; Minors: English & Healthtt
2014tDoctor of Philosophy in Curriculum & Instruction (Education), University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia. Program: Social, Cultural and Foundation Studies.tDissertation: We lead who we are: A collaborative inquiry to inform educational leadership praxis.
2006tMaster of Arts in Education, University of Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona. Program: Administration and Supervision. Research project: Improving the Application of StudentttValues in the Context of Academic Malpractice
1993tBachelor of Education, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan. Major: Physical Education; Minors: English & Healthtt
Biography
Of critical importance to Lisa's practice is the facilitation of opportunities for teacher candidates and educational leaders to challenge their own thinking about teaching, leading and learning. Her role is to provide experiences that will not simply show teacher candidates and educational leaders how to approach their roles in educational settings but to create a transformative environment so that those future teachers and leaders enter into schools and classrooms confident, prepared and ready to inspire. Central to this is an understanding of identity and experience, often through the use of autoethnography and self-study, as methodological tools to help teacher candidates and educational leaders understand their identity and its relationship to those they will teach, lead and learn with. Experiential learning in student-centered classrooms, critical, compassionate reflexivity as well as spaces to interrogate the emerging identity of the teacher and leader are featured in the theoretical and practical development and design of her courses.
Publications
Mitchell, C., Sadati, H., Starr, L.J., & Roy, S. (2023). Revisioning Cellphilm Methodology. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
Low, B., Farmer, F., Levitan, J., Butler Kisber, L., Rosenberg, A., MacCannell, E., Gold, V., & Starr, L.J. (2022). Exploring the limits of 21st century educational change discourses, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, DOI: 10.1080/01596306.2022.2043830
*Starr, L.J., Mitchell, C., & Thompson, J. (2022, October). Cellphilming for Social Change, Workshop 1. Transforming Girls Education Project (TGEP). Prepared for the Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE). Training Report.
Thompson, J., Mitchell, C., & Starr, L.J. (2022). Gender Equality Support: Guide and Resources. Developed as part of the Innovations in Health, Rights and Development (iHEARD) project funded by Global Affairs Canada and directed by the Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE) in partnership with Farm Radio International (FRI) and Marie Stopes International (MSI). Lilongwe, Malawi
Thompson, J., Mitchell, C., & Starr, L.J. (2022). Gender Equality Strategy. Developed as part of the Innovations in Health, Rights and Development (iHEARD) project funded by Global Affairs Canada and directed by the Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE) in partnership with Farm Radio International (FRI) and Marie Stopes International (MSI). Lilongwe, Malawi.
*Starr, L.J., Levitan, J. Butler-Kisber, L., Rosenberg, A., Gold, V., & MacCannell, E. (2020). Educational change and NEXTschool: A review of literature informing approaches to teaching and learning. Simon Fraser University Educational Review, 13(1), 7-28. https://journals.lib.sfu.ca/index.php/sfuer/article/view/1033/1763
*Starr, L.J., Rosenberg, A., Levitan, J., MacCannell, E., & Gold, V. (2020). NEXTschool Reform: Situating local perspectives within global trends for 21st century learning. Systemic Change Journal, 2(1), 1-21. https://systemichange.scholasticahq.com/article/11494-nextschool-reform-situating-local-perspectives-within-global-trends-for-21st-century-learning
*Incio Serra, N., Levitan. J., & Starr, L.J. (2020, under review). The influence of schooling on Peruvian Indigenous female students' identities: Understanding identity development from a non-Western perspective. Race Ethnicity and Education
*Rosenberg, A., & Starr, L.J. (2020). Educational change and rethinking disciplinarity: A concept analysis. McGill Journal of Education, 55(1), 151.175. Retrieved from https://mje.mcgill.ca/article/view/9666
Low, B., Farmer, F., Levitan, J., Butler Kisber, L., Rosenberg, A., MacCannell, E., Gold, V., & Starr, L.J. (2022). Exploring the limits of 21st century educational change discourses, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, DOI: 10.1080/01596306.2022.2043830
*Starr, L.J., Mitchell, C., & Thompson, J. (2022, October). Cellphilming for Social Change, Workshop 1. Transforming Girls Education Project (TGEP). Prepared for the Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE). Training Report.
Thompson, J., Mitchell, C., & Starr, L.J. (2022). Gender Equality Support: Guide and Resources. Developed as part of the Innovations in Health, Rights and Development (iHEARD) project funded by Global Affairs Canada and directed by the Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE) in partnership with Farm Radio International (FRI) and Marie Stopes International (MSI). Lilongwe, Malawi
Thompson, J., Mitchell, C., & Starr, L.J. (2022). Gender Equality Strategy. Developed as part of the Innovations in Health, Rights and Development (iHEARD) project funded by Global Affairs Canada and directed by the Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE) in partnership with Farm Radio International (FRI) and Marie Stopes International (MSI). Lilongwe, Malawi.
*Starr, L.J., Levitan, J. Butler-Kisber, L., Rosenberg, A., Gold, V., & MacCannell, E. (2020). Educational change and NEXTschool: A review of literature informing approaches to teaching and learning. Simon Fraser University Educational Review, 13(1), 7-28. https://journals.lib.sfu.ca/index.php/sfuer/article/view/1033/1763
*Starr, L.J., Rosenberg, A., Levitan, J., MacCannell, E., & Gold, V. (2020). NEXTschool Reform: Situating local perspectives within global trends for 21st century learning. Systemic Change Journal, 2(1), 1-21. https://systemichange.scholasticahq.com/article/11494-nextschool-reform-situating-local-perspectives-within-global-trends-for-21st-century-learning
*Incio Serra, N., Levitan. J., & Starr, L.J. (2020, under review). The influence of schooling on Peruvian Indigenous female students' identities: Understanding identity development from a non-Western perspective. Race Ethnicity and Education
*Rosenberg, A., & Starr, L.J. (2020). Educational change and rethinking disciplinarity: A concept analysis. McGill Journal of Education, 55(1), 151.175. Retrieved from https://mje.mcgill.ca/article/view/9666
Research Interests
Lisa's approach to research mirrors her approach to teaching and service in that she has four commitments: (1) work collaboratively in teams because doing so creates the greatest potential for research impact; (2) embody relationality and reflexivity both conceptually and methodologically because doing so fosters connection and community; (3) model creative and critical approaches to complex problems because both are needed and valued; and (4) create narratives of experience because doing to maximizes engagement with the process and product of research. Absolutely fundamental to all four of these commitments is a simple adage, walk your talk; Lisa leads, mentors, researches, supervises, and teaches with these commitments guiding her actions and values.
CURRENT FUNDED RESEARCH:
(1) Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Development Grant NEXTSchools: The Implementation of Innovative learning for Quebec Secondary Schools 2019-24
(2) Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Grant: Designing and implementing pedagogical strategies for addressing Sexual and Gender-based Violence in Teacher Training Colleges in Mozambique 2019-24
CURRENT FUNDED RESEARCH:
(1) Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Development Grant NEXTSchools: The Implementation of Innovative learning for Quebec Secondary Schools 2019-24
(2) Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Grant: Designing and implementing pedagogical strategies for addressing Sexual and Gender-based Violence in Teacher Training Colleges in Mozambique 2019-24
In The Media
2023 CBC News Calgary. Calgary school board assessed thousands of newcomer students ahead of school year. 11 September 2023. Jade Turner, Nathan Godfrey & Carla Turner.
2023 CBC News Calgary. Data won't tell us how crowded Alberta's schools are anymore — so we went asking. 06 September 2023. Joel Dryden, Nathan Godfrey & Carla Turner.
2023 McGill News Alumni Magazine. Educational insights that aren't just for the classroom. March 2023. Daniel McCabe.
2023 Global News Montreal interview. Quebec looks to fast-track teacher certification. Boost support staff in classrooms. January 26, 2023. Gloria Henriquez.
2023 Trafalgar School for Girls Community Blog. What is the CoLab? January 20, 2023.
2023 The Conversation. Student and teacher involvement in reforming schooling matters - how Montreal schools are tackling this. January 2, 2023.
2020 CJAD radio interview, The Elias Makos Show. Impact of religious symbols on student teachers in Québec. February 19, 2020. Elias Makos.
2019 CBC news interview. Student teachers feeling effects of Quebec's religious symbols ban, even if it doesn't apply to them. September 11,
2019. Steve Rukavina. 2019tMontreal Gazette. Bill 21 is divisive and unnecessary, Montreal school officials say. June 18, 2019. Katherine Wilton.
2019tCBC news interview. Confusion, questions as Quebec schools forced to apply ban on religious symbols. June 21, 2019. Benjamin Shingler.
2023 CBC News Calgary. Data won't tell us how crowded Alberta's schools are anymore — so we went asking. 06 September 2023. Joel Dryden, Nathan Godfrey & Carla Turner.
2023 McGill News Alumni Magazine. Educational insights that aren't just for the classroom. March 2023. Daniel McCabe.
2023 Global News Montreal interview. Quebec looks to fast-track teacher certification. Boost support staff in classrooms. January 26, 2023. Gloria Henriquez.
2023 Trafalgar School for Girls Community Blog. What is the CoLab? January 20, 2023.
2023 The Conversation. Student and teacher involvement in reforming schooling matters - how Montreal schools are tackling this. January 2, 2023.
2020 CJAD radio interview, The Elias Makos Show. Impact of religious symbols on student teachers in Québec. February 19, 2020. Elias Makos.
2019 CBC news interview. Student teachers feeling effects of Quebec's religious symbols ban, even if it doesn't apply to them. September 11,
2019. Steve Rukavina. 2019tMontreal Gazette. Bill 21 is divisive and unnecessary, Montreal school officials say. June 18, 2019. Katherine Wilton.
2019tCBC news interview. Confusion, questions as Quebec schools forced to apply ban on religious symbols. June 21, 2019. Benjamin Shingler.