Our Books - Ideas That Shape Scholarship

This monograph provides a comprehensive exploration of the experiences of Spanish speakers and learners in Western Canada, where Spanish is a minority language. Drawing on eight years of mixed-methods research, including surveys, interviews, and virtual exchanges, it investigates student motivations, instructional strategies, and the diverse identities of Spanish speakers, including heritage speakers, first-language speakers, and second-language learners. Structured across eight chapters, the book begins with a contextual overview of Canada’s multilingual landscape and the growing relevance of Spanish (Chapter 1). It then explores student motivations for learning Spanish (Chapter 2), the pedagogical methods employed by instructors (Chapter 3), and how classroom diversity influences student awareness and learning dynamics (Chapter 4). Chapter 5 examines communication practices and students’ comfort with speaking Spanish, particularly in relation to virtual exchanges. Chapter 6 focuses on student perceptions of Spanish-speaking cultures, while Chapter 7 presents the views of Spanish-speaking immigrants regarding language use, identity, and linguistic discrimination. The final chapter (Chapter 8) synthesizes the key findings of the book and outlines practical implications for educators, researchers, and policymakers, offering forward-looking recommendations to support inclusive Spanish language education and linguistic diversity in Western Canada. By emphasizing the cultural, educational, and social dimensions of Spanish in an English-dominant context, this work contributes to broader conversations on language education, multiculturalism, and linguistic policy. It is intended for language instructors; scholars of applied linguistics, multilingualism, and education; heritage language advocates; institutional stakeholders; and policymakers committed to supporting diverse learners, promoting inclusive curriculum design, and fostering linguistic diversity in Canada and beyond.

‘Teaching and Learning Classics at the University Level, Vol. 3’ focuses on the teaching of mythology, arts, and archaeology in Greek and Roman antiquity, with a particular emphasis on cultural expression, visual and material culture, and interdisciplinary approaches. The 9 chapters examine the approaches to teaching key topics including Greco-Roman astrology, classical and comparative mythology, Greek art, numismatics, experimental archaeology, and the study of ancient topography and landscapes, as well as performance and reception through the ancient dramatic chorus and Greek tragedy. The volume also addresses the role of artistic, archaeological, and comparative perspectives within the Humanities, highlighting how visual, material, and performative sources contribute to a broader understanding of antiquity and its reception. Presenting teaching as a reflective and research-informed activity, this volume is intended for university lecturers, teacher trainers, and graduate students interested in mythology, art in its broader sense, archaeology, and the reception of Classical antiquity in higher education.

‘Teaching and Learning Classics at the University Level, Vol. 2’ focuses on the teaching of social, cultural, and religious aspects of Greek and Roman antiquity. The 11 chapters examine the approaches to teaching key themes in ancient society including ethnography, the human condition and the afterlife, Roman religion, violence, sacrifice, slavery, love, and medicine, as well as aspects of daily life such as play, sport, and bathing culture. The volume also addresses the place of social and cultural history within the Humanities, highlighting how these topics contribute to a broader understanding of antiquity and its relevance today. Presenting teaching as a reflective and research-informed activity, this volume is intended for university lecturers, teacher trainers, and graduate students interested in classical civilization, ancient history, and the cultural and religious dimensions of Greek and Roman studies in higher education.

'Emerging Technologies in Second Language Teaching and Learning' examines how artificial intelligence and other digital innovations are remaking language education across K–12 and higher education contexts. As technologies such as generative AI, adaptive learning systems, virtual reality, and digital storytelling become increasingly integrated into classrooms, educators face new opportunities—and challenges—in designing meaningful language-learning experiences. This edited volume brings together international scholars and practitioners to explore how emerging technologies can support multilingual learners through personalized learning, immersive environments, and innovative pedagogical approaches. Grounded in established theories of second language acquisition, applied linguistics, and instructional design, the chapters combine research-based analysis with real-world classroom applications. Contributors examine topics including AI chatbots for language practice, AI-generated instructional materials, adaptive learning platforms, culturally adaptive digital storytelling, virtual reality–based language tasks, and open educational resources that expand access to language learning. Aside from technological innovation, the volume critically addresses the pedagogical and ethical issues of AI-enhanced education. Chapters explore issues such as algorithmic bias, academic integrity, digital equity, and teacher agency, as well as the importance of maintaining human-centered learning environments in increasingly automated educational systems. Across a variety of contexts—from secondary classrooms to university language programs—the contributors highlight how instructors can thoughtfully integrate technology to enhance interaction, creativity, and communicative competence. Integrating theory, research, and practice, this book offers a timely resource for language educators, instructional designers, teacher educators, and researchers in TESOL, applied linguistics, multilingual education, and educational technology. It also serves as a valuable guide for graduate students and academic leaders seeking responsible, evidence-informed approaches to innovation in language teaching.

'Teaching and Learning Classics at the University Level, Vol. 1' focuses on the teaching of Greek and Latin, with a particular emphasis on language, linguistics, and teacher training. The 13 chapters examine the approaches to teaching Greek and Latin for beginners and advanced students, including metrics, historical and descriptive grammar, linguistic typology, translation, and prose composition, as well as the role of Latin in the Humanities and in specialized fields such as medical terminology. The volume also addresses the training of teachers and lecturers in Classics, exploring how linguistic expertise and pedagogical practice are developed within the university context. Presenting teaching as a reflective and research-informed activity, this volume is intended for university lecturers, teacher trainers, and graduate students interested in classical language pedagogy and the future of Greek and Latin instruction in higher education.

This volume explores the importance of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as a transformative framework for inclusive and equitable education. Through chapters contributed by international scholars, it examines the practical application of UDL in various educational contexts, including higher education, assessment, language education, and lifelong learning. The book positions UDL as an essential approach for creating accessible learning environments that embrace diversity and overcome barriers. Highlighting innovative case studies and research, it serves as a resource for educators, policymakers, and researchers committed to fostering inclusivity and improving educational outcomes globally.

'Developing Deans: Transforming Academic Leadership' brings a fresh perspective to the development of higher education deans. Recent books on the deanship focus on ‘becoming’ or ‘being’ a dean, focusing the responsibility of the deanship ‘on the individual’. That is, if you want to become a dean or be an effective dean, this is what ‘you’ must do. This new volume places the onus of developing deans squarely on higher education itself. We know that, in the future, we will need new deans. We also know that we want those deans to be tenured full professors. What are we doing to develop new, effective deans and how might we do that ‘intentionally’ and effectively? This edited volume includes empirical research, case studies and first-person narratives aimed at highlighting methods and practices designed to develop fundamental leadership skills for university deans who create inclusive, collaborative and cross-functional organizational cultures. Practitioners, researchers and scholars address questions such as: How do deans learn to lead effectively? Is this the optimal developmental path? How might we scale leadership development as a practice across higher education? The volume is divided into an introduction plus three sections, with several chapters per section. Section One features approaches that focus on the development of department chairs as a preparation for dean-level leadership. Section Two focuses on opportunities and experiences at the campus level used in strategic ways to intentionally develop future deans. Section Three supplements the first two sections with practical suggestions for individuals who are interested in preparing themselves for a deanship. 'Developing Deans' may serve as a reference for anyone hoping to design or improve a leadership development program on their campus, including current presidents, chancellors, associate vice chancellors, provosts, deans and prospective deans. Other readers may include leadership professionals, researchers, consultants and leaders both inside and outside higher education.

For years, the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has called for colleges and universities to implement high-impact practices (HIPs), or educational procedures that provide significant academic advantages to students. 'High Impact & Experiential Learning as Enhancing Quality on Campus' provides examples of such strategies from thirteen colleges and universities as they have been applied in the classroom and in service of each featured college and university’s mission statement and quality enhancement plan. Each institution included in this collection has committed to some such project or initiative (in some cases, the commitment goes back multiple decades), and each reflects the diversity of contemporary higher education in the United States. Public and private, small and large, selective and open access, religiously affiliated and non-sectarian, are all included here. The institutions provide a variety of creative examples of implementing experiential learning and the myriad HIPs as identified by the AAC&U, including: Capstone Courses and Projects, ePortfolios, First-Year Seminars and Experiences, Service Learning/Community-Based Learning and Undergraduate Research. Each chapter is framed around the project’s scope and significance, a clear expression of the purpose of the project, evidence of the institution’s commitment and capacity for the effort and how the project is aligned with stated goals and institutional priorities. Drawing from fields as broad as sociology, psychology, the humanities, and environmental sciences and studies, 'High Impact & Experiential Learning as Enhancing Quality on Campus' appeals to multiple classrooms and institutional goals. Given the expanded interest in experiential learning/HIPs in higher education over the past two decades, this first-of-its-kind collection offers a roadmap for faculty and administrators to implement the practices outlined in each chapter in service of students’ learning and their larger institutional goals.

'Uncovering Possible: Pedagogies for Apocalyptic Times' is an edited volume that holds our experiences as educators, activists, and community members navigating the global pandemic of the past several years. This pandemic is situated within the context of ongoing interconnected crises: oppressive systems, worsening climate, and economic urgency, all at an unsustainable pace. The work in this volume confronts the grief, loss, and injustice that apocalypse brings, while also engaging with the possibility and intentional, resilient joy necessary to build a better world. This volume is an invitation to explore both the impacts of this and many other apocalyptic events in learning spaces, as well as (re)imagine what’s essential to learning in community. Through research, storytelling, reflections from the field, poetry, and interactive activities, this volume shares lessons from those on the front lines of apocalyptic learning, inviting the reader to find their place in building the more equitable communities we need and deserve. This apocalypse is situated within a social context that extends beyond this single event. For many, apocalypse has, and continues to happen, through colonial white-supremacist capitalism. What we carry forward must include the collective knowledges capable of carrying us not just through this apocalypse but the apocalypses ahead.