Fay Fletcher, PhD, MSc,BSc - Directory@UAlberta.ca

Contact

School of Public Health

Email: fay@ualberta.ca

Overview

About

Dr. Fletcher was a professor in the Faculty of Extension and School of Public Health and Associate Director with CUP during her tenure at the University of Alberta. Her research interests include the integration of research and teaching in partnership with Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, for improved social, economic, health and education outcomes. Teaching and research relationships with colleagues from First Nations communities and Metis Settlements as well as Elder mentors continue to inform her research and teaching, the co-development of local and international adult continuing education programs, as well as the Metis Settlement youth life skills research and programs.

Research

Dr. Fletcher's doctoral research explored the social construction of gender and culture as well as individuals’ understandings and perceptions of diversity, multiculturalism and immigration.

Dr. Fletcher’s career research focus was working with Metis Settlements throughout Alberta on the development, delivery, and evaluation of youth life skills programming aimed at fostering individual and community resiliency. Visit www.metislifeskills.com

Teaching

Teaching Philosophy: My philosophy of teaching has been shaped by my first teaching experiences at Maskwacis Cultural College, located on a First Nations Reserve located one hour outside the city of Edmonton, Alberta. As a recent Master's graduate, I entered into a room of students whose history and life stories I was unaware of. Learning to enter the classroom as a teacher and learner proved to be an effective way to make educational experiences relevant, meaningful and transformational for everyone. I continue to practice this philosophy of teaching with undergraduate, graduate and continuing education students across disciplines, student populations, and pedagogies

Scholarly Activities

Research - Equity for Indigenous Knowledge in the Academy

2017 to 2019

The McCalla Professorships, named after the first Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, provide faculty members with an opportunity to explore and implement strategies integrating their research and teaching. Recipients, nominated by their Faculty, are outstanding academics who have made significant contributions to their field of research, teaching and learning.

Explored experiential learning as as a way to build relationships and understanding across the participating faculties as a step towards intentions and actions that result in more inclusion of Indigenous knowledge systems and experiences in the participating faculties.

Research - Experiential Learning for Indigenous Knowledge Collaboration

2020 to 2021

Building upon the KIAS Research Team Grant, the Cluster grant research explores and documents an experiential approach to learning that respects the ontologies, epistemologies, and pedagogies of Indigenous people. The project aims to contribute to our understandings and actions for Indigenous values and ways of knowing to coexist equally with Western epistemologies in educational institutions.

Research - Imagining Collaborative Research, Teaching and Service Through Transformative Scenario Planning

2019 to 2019

The research is based on the premise that we cannot succeed in addressing the calls to action without first deepening individual and collective understandings of our historical and present relationships and realities. Drawing on transformative scenario planning, the research explored how individuals teaching and learning across the academy, may deepen their understanding and build their capacity to participate in collaborative teaching, research, and service.

Research - Metis Settlement Life Skills

2009 to 2021

The University of Alberta and participating Métis Settlements have been working together since 2009 to develop and deliver youth life skills programming through the Métis Settlements Life Skills Journey (MSLSJ) program. The MSLSJ program aims to increase life skills awareness in a culturally appropriate manner, building internal strengths and community support with the purpose of addressing substance abuse, violence, and bullying.

Metis Settlement LSJ