Linda Farr Darling, University of British Columbia
Associate Professor
Curriculum and Pedagogy
Vancouver, British Columbia
linda.darling@ubc.ca
Office:
(604) 822-5422
(604) 822-9093
Bio/Research
Since studying moral philosophy in the seventies and teaching primary students through the eighties, Dr. Farr Darling’s professional interests have been in the ethical dimensions of teaching and learning. Her research and classes reflect these preoccupations whether she is designing a course in s...
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Bio/Research
Since studying moral philosophy in the seventies and teaching primary students through the eighties, Dr. Farr Darling’s professional interests have been in the ethical dimensions of teaching and learning. Her research and classes reflect these preoccupations whether she is designing a course in social studies curriculum, investigating dispositions of aspiring teachers, or exploring ways in which six-year-olds respond to moral conflicts. She was awarded a Killam Teaching Prize by the Faculty in 2000.
In the fall of 2009, Dr. Farr Darling was appointed as the first Eleanor Rix Professor of Rural Teacher Education, thanks to the Rix Family Foundation's donation of 2.5 million dollars to the Faculty of Education. The position builds on Linda's work with a well-established UBC teacher education cohort located in the West Kootenays in the southeastern corner of British Columbia (WKTEP). This is an exciting time to be preparing teachers for careers in rural setting, and supporting them in their practice once they get there. As new media and electronic technologies become more common in teacher education and schools, possibilities for program delivery to off-campus sites increase, as do opportunities to work creatively with local educators. Linda acts as academic advisor for WKTEP as well as teaching foundations courses to the elementary and secondary teacher candidates. With the support of a TLEF she has developed a course focused on rural teaching that will also be available in early 2012 as an online course for practicing teachers.
The Professorship supports a variety of teaching and research projects. (See Linda's website at http://www.ruralteachers.com) Some challenges of teaching in such contexts are well-documented (e.g. lack of access to certain resources) but we know less about the attitudes and expectations of teachers who work in small schools and communities far from urban centres. Fuller understanding of teachers’ beliefs and their experiences of rural life and work should contribute to the development of teacher education programs that build on the strengths of these small and scattered communities and respond to their educational needs. Knowledge about current school and district initiatives related to Ministry goals of "personalizing learning" will also help universities and policy makers to consider ways in which education and teacher education can contribute to the sustainability of rural communities.
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In the fall of 2009, Dr. Farr Darling was appointed as the first Eleanor Rix Professor of Rural Teacher Education, thanks to the Rix Family Foundation's donation of 2.5 million dollars to the Faculty of Education. The position builds on Linda's work with a well-established UBC teacher education cohort located in the West Kootenays in the southeastern corner of British Columbia (WKTEP). This is an exciting time to be preparing teachers for careers in rural setting, and supporting them in their practice once they get there. As new media and electronic technologies become more common in teacher education and schools, possibilities for program delivery to off-campus sites increase, as do opportunities to work creatively with local educators. Linda acts as academic advisor for WKTEP as well as teaching foundations courses to the elementary and secondary teacher candidates. With the support of a TLEF she has developed a course focused on rural teaching that will also be available in early 2012 as an online course for practicing teachers.
The Professorship supports a variety of teaching and research projects. (See Linda's website at http://www.ruralteachers.com) Some challenges of teaching in such contexts are well-documented (e.g. lack of access to certain resources) but we know less about the attitudes and expectations of teachers who work in small schools and communities far from urban centres. Fuller understanding of teachers’ beliefs and their experiences of rural life and work should contribute to the development of teacher education programs that build on the strengths of these small and scattered communities and respond to their educational needs. Knowledge about current school and district initiatives related to Ministry goals of "personalizing learning" will also help universities and policy makers to consider ways in which education and teacher education can contribute to the sustainability of rural communities.
Click to Shrink <<