Nola Aitken
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Degrees
B.Ed. (Elementary Education); Dip.Ed. (Elementary Education); M.A. (Education Administration); Ph.DExpertise
Higher Education, Mathematics Education, Multi-graded Classroom, Mentoring, AssessmentResearch Areas
Native ways of knowing math in the Blackfoot Confederacy and Arizona, Issues in assessment, Assessment in Higher Education, Preservice Teachers’ Math Achievement, Teacher MentorshipPrevious Research Areas
Mathematics education, Mentorship, Assessment in higher education, Assessment in schoolsBiography
I was born Down Under a long time ago, and took my teacher education at Claremont Teachers' College, Western Australia. After teaching three years or so I followed my husband, Art, in 1968 to Alberta. The plan was to stay two years before returning to Oz; but MANY years later here I am still today. Along with Art I taught in Alberta rural locations and consequently I taught every grade from K-9 in various combinations and subject areas. In 1988, I took on a one-year appointment with the Alberta Ministry (the then Student Evaluation Branch, Alberta Education), which continued for about five years. In 1992, I was offered a one-year teaching stint at the U. of L. in Evaluation of Student Learning that resulted in a tenure track position in 1995. Currently, I teach undergraduate courses: Evaluation of Student Learning and Teaching Seminar, and a graduate course, Issues in Student Evaluation. I have a special interest in student and program assessment, mathematics understanding, and native ways of knowing mathematics at the student and adult level. I am also Director for the Centre for Assessment Research in Education (CARE).On the home front I have three children who have flown the coop and have launched into their own careers, but my husband and my Border Collie have remained faithfully at home.
Selected Publications
BooksAitken, E. N., & Aitken, A. J. (2003). Leading for change: A renewed focus on teaching and learning. Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Detselig.
Knight, P., Aitken, E. N., & Rogerson, R. J. (2000). Forever better: Continuous quality improvement in education. Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press.
Chapters in Books
McKeen, M., & Aitken, E. N. (in press). Educational renovation: Nailing down terminology in assessment. In S. Scott (Ed.), Classroom assessment. New York, NY: Springer.
Research Interests
Educational Leadership and Assessment; Native Ways of Knowing Mathematics; Mathematics EducationCurrent Research and Creative Activity
| Title | Location | Grant Information | Principal Investigator | Co Researchers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackfoot confederacy study in Montana. | Montana, Southern Alberta, US |
Alberta Advisory Committee for Educational Studies, $5,000, 2006.
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), $36,453, 2007-10. |
E.N. Aitken, University of Lethbridge | |
| Fair Assessment Practice in Higher Education: A Practical Guide. | Lethbridge, AB |
University of Lethbridge Teaching Development Fund Grant, $2,650, 2004-07.
|
E.N. Aitken, University of Lethbridge | A.J. Aitken, University of Lethbridge |
| Indigenous Ways of Knowing Mathematics | Arizona |
University of Lethbridge Research Fund, $4,317.50, 2006-07.
|
E.N. Aitken, University of Lethbridge | |
| Native ways of knowing mathematics. |
University of Lethbridge Internal Social Sciences and Humanities Research of Canada, $4,500.
|
E.N. Aitken, University of Lethbridge | ||
| Pre-service mathematics teachers. | Lethbridge, AB |
Faculty of Education, $2,000, 2006-07.
|
E.N. Aitken, University of Lethbridge |
Previous Research
| Title | Grant Agency | Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Mentorship program | Lethbridge School District #51 | 2002 |
| An Examination of Grade Inflation in the Faculty of Education | The University of Lethbridge Teaching Development Fund | 2006 |
| An Examination of Course Evaluation Forms and Process in the Faculty of Education | The University of Lethbridge Teaching Development Fund | 2006 |
| The Effect of Teachers' Math Education and Attitudes on their Students: A Comparative Study of Alberta and Western Australia. | Alberta Advisory Committee for Educational Studies | 2004 |
| The Impact of Educational Reforms on the Operations of Alberta's Public School System | The University of Lethbridge Research Excellence Envelope for the Centre for Assessment Research in Education (CARE) | 2002 |
| The University of Lethbridge Research Excellence | Envelope for the Centre for Assessment Research in Education (CARE) | 2003 |