Josephine Godwyll, PhD
Pronouns: She/Her
Contact
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation - Academic Programs
- jgodwyll@ualberta.ca
Overview
Area of Study / Keywords
Recreational Spaces Access Justice Well-being Active Transport
About
Josephine is an assistant professor, in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sports, and Recreation (University of Alberta). Her research focuses on understanding the linkages between justice, well-being and access to recreational spaces. Her investigations highlight how just resource allocation, design processes and interactions in built and virtual environments, translate to well-being and access.
In the built environment, her research has focused on examining access through the linkages between varying constructs of well-being (i.e., individual and community) and just exchanges in gathering spaces (e.g., parks, community centers) and linkage spaces (e.g., bike lanes, side walks) . Outputs of such explorations comprise research publications and collaborations with the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) , the Design Studio for Community Solutions (DSCS) and Campus and Community Recreation services .
Pertaining to virtual environments she is pioneering research on linkages between well-being and access to recreational technology such as gamified e-learning platforms through the intersections between well-being and environmental justice constructs such as distributive, procedural and interactional justice.The focus of this work explores access and utilization of virtual learning spaces, as an outcome of resource distribution, inclusive processes and teaching and learning interactions.
She is also the founder of an ed-tech organization, Young At Heart Ghana, one of the avenues where she puts her research into practice by championing access to ed-tech resources, cognizant of the barriers and strengths that come to play in varying contexts. The organization has reached 10 000+ learners across Africa, through products like Lab and Library on Wheels systems – portable solar powered computer laboratories, Ananse e-learning suite – first African story-based STE(A)M app and Train the Trainer engagements – educational support services.
The research she has done through her organization has gained international interest and support evidenced by research grants and partnerships with University College London (UCL), Royal Academy of Engineers and Jacobs Foundation.
She was the first woman recipient of the “Engineering Excellence Award”, by the Ghana Institute of Engineers, a candidate for the 2020 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation Award , a Coor fellow and a Mandela Washington fellow.
Research
Godwyll, J. & Buzinde, C. (2021) Conceptualizing Linkages between Community Well-Being and Access to Public Space: An Environmental Justice Perspective (Accepted) Journal of Environmental Planning and Management- https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2021.2007862
Ross, A, Godwyll, J & Adams, M (2020) The moderating effect of distance on features of the built environment and active school transport International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17217856
Ross, A., Godwyll, J., & Searle, M. (2020). Walking mediates associations between the neighborhood environment and flourishing. Wellbeing, Space and Society, 100014 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wss.2020.100014
Jordan, E, Moran, C, Godwyll, J (2019) Does tourism really cause stress? A natural experiment utilizing ArcGIS Survey123 Current Issues in Tourism https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2019.1702001
Buzinde, C.N., Foroughi, B. & Godwyll, J.M (2018). Youth leadership programs for community development and social action: A pedagogical approach. Community Development Journal. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsy015
Google Scholar - https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=oZIiR6wAAAAJ&hl=en
Research Gate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Josephine-Godwyll
Courses
RLS 130 - Collaborative Skills and Processes for Community Recreation and Leisure
Study of the social and political processes through which groups and individuals work to mobilize resources and establish relationships to fulfill individual and community recreation/leisure needs. Basic personal communication and conflict skills for understanding, analyzing, and working through social and political processes will be examined. Note: Credit will be granted for only one of RLS 130 or 230. Prerequisite: RLS 100.
RLS 331 - Leisure Education
A total development process through which individuals develop an understanding of self, leisure, and the relationship of leisure to their own lifestyles and the fabric of society. Examination of determining the place and significance leisure has in one's life. Prerequisite: RLS 100.