Assistant Professor (Human Development, Learning, and Culture) The University of British Columbia

Location: British Columbia
Date posted: 2021-08-23
Advertised until: 2021-10-22

The Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS) in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia (UBC) invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor in Indigenous Teacher Education in Human Development, Learning and Culture (HDLC). This appointment is expected to commence July, 01, 2022 (or a date agreed upon by the University and the successful candidate).

Promoting Indigenous knowledges and Indigenous engagement are signature strengths of the UBC Faculty of Education and critical components of our strategic plan. Indigenous teacher education is advanced through NITEP – the Faculty of Education’s Indigenous Teacher Education Program (http://nitep.educ.ubc.ca), which is a five year concurrent Bachelor of Education, as well as the Teacher Education Program (http://teach.educ.ubc.ca). We recognize that research, knowledge creativity and mobilization, and mentoring capacity in Indigenous education extends beyond schools to consider Indigeneity at the intersections of social, ecological, cultural/linguistic, and political justice at local, national, and international levels.

The successful candidate for this position must hold a PhD or EdD in Developmental, Educational, or Cultural Psychology, or the Learning Sciences, with demonstrated experience weaving Indigenous knowledges, histories, and pedagogies into teaching and learning in teacher education. The successful applicant must contribute to on-going commitments to and relationships with Indigenous communities and school districts, along with liaising with Indigenous organizations, particularly as they concern teacher education delivery in rural, urban, and First Nations communities. Teaching and research capacities in human development and learning, especially social and emotional learning and/or mental health, is a requirement.

Candidates should also demonstrate a promising record of high-quality publications in peer-reviewed and community-accessible journals, the potential to secure competitive external research funding and the evidence of effective teaching. Experience in K-12 school systems is a significant asset, as well as advancing Indigenous education community-based aspirations through lived experience with Indigenous communities, cultures, and traditions.

The successful candidate will be expected to: (1) teach in Indigenous community-based settings drawing on Indigenous knowledges, perspectives, and pedagogies; (2) utilize innovative teaching methods for community-based and on-campus delivery of teacher education; (3) engage in scholarly activity that advances Indigenous teacher education and community-based priorities within NITEP and the Faculty’s Teacher Education Program; (4) attend to educational policies and practices of decolonization, reconciliation, and the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in programmatic and curricular design; (5) support academic, cultural, linguistic, and leadership needs of Indigenous students, educators, and communities; and (6) have knowledge of the BC and Canadian Indigenous education landscape.

Culturally-grounded scholars with a promising or an established record of scholarly accomplishments in Indigenous teacher education with a focus on community-based and/or innovative approaches to Indigenous teacher education are encouraged to apply.

UBC is located on the unceded, ancestral and traditional territories of the xwmәθkwәy̓ әm (Musqueam) in beautiful Vancouver, Canada. The University is recognized internationally as a leading research institution and, the UBC Faculty of Education was ranked 2nd in Canada and 10th globally among all faculties of education in the world (2021 QS World University Rankings).

As a global leader in Indigenous Education, the UBC Faculty of Education offers graduate Indigenous specializations, an Indigenous Teacher Education Program, and is proposing new graduate programs and concentrations in Indigenous Education. The Faculty has an Associate Dean, Indigenous Education, in its senior leadership team. We have two Canada Research Chairs whose research focuses in Indigeneity and eight Indigenous tenure stream faculty. For further details about the Faculty, its research, and specific units, please visit our website at www.educ.ubc.ca.

ECPS, the Faculty of Education and UBC are dedicated to the goal of building a diverse and inclusive academic community. Values of equity, diversity, inclusion, decolonization, anti-racism, and anti-oppression is an important part of our mission. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate through their teaching, research, experience and service that they can contribute to this goal. Familiarity with, and experience designing research projects, and using pedagogical methods that enable students across Indigenous, racial, ethnic, sexual and gender identity and socio-economic groups to reach their maximum potential, will be considered a valuable additional qualification. Candidates should have a strong commitment to fostering inclusivity and teaching effectively in a welcoming environment.

This is a tenure stream position in the Professoriate Stream. The successful candidate will be reviewed for reappointment, promotion and tenure in subsequent years in accordance with the Collective Agreement. For information on the review process and criteria for appointment, reappointment and promotion, visit: https://hr.ubc.ca/working-ubc/faculty-titles-ranks-and-descriptions. This position is subject to final budgetary approval. Starting salary is determined both by the candidate’s qualifications and experience and by their placement on the career progress scale within the UBC Faculty of Education.

Applications must include:

  • A letter of application with a description of research program and potential contributions to the area through community-based and/or innovative approaches, and a listing of the undergraduate and graduate courses they can or would like to teach and why. Please indicate in the letter whether you are legally entitled to work in Canada;
  • Curriculum vitae;
  • Evidence of teaching excellence (course outlines and student evaluations) and thesis supervision experience (if available). The quality of teaching will be assessed as part of the selection process;
  • Two to four samples of relevant publications;
  • A Diversity Statement that describes and documents how values of equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and anti-oppression figure into your past, present, and future experience of teaching, research, community engagement, and your lived experience (maximum 1 page) and;
  • Names and contact information for three referees, one of which should be from an Indigenous leader, community, or organization. Letters of reference will only be requested from short-listed candidates.

Applications should be addressed to Dr. Jennifer Shapka, Department Head and Professor, ECPS, and sent electronically to Ms. Silvia Almanza-Alonso (Assistant to Head) at silvia.almanzaalonso@ubc.caApplications must be provided in the format of one bookmarked PDF file. Following the submission of the application, the applicant will receive an Equity Survey link via email. Completion of the Equity Survey is required as part of the application process.

While the search remains open until the position is filled, in order to be considered in this round of adjudication, interested applicants are asked to submit their complete applications by October 31, 2021. Questions regarding the position and the submission deadline should be directed to Amery Wu, Search Committee Chair, at amery.wu@ubc.ca.

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. We encourage all qualified persons to apply; Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will, however, be given priority.

In accordance with UBC’s equity plan, and pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights Code, preference will be given to applicants who identify as Indigenous. Indigenous applicants are requested to self-identify in their application.

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