This study explores learners' sense of community in the linguistics department at a Christian university in Western Canada. Since sense of community is an important factor in students' satisfaction, retention, and learning, it is important for educators to know how to support their students' feelings of community. Theological research on Christian…

Teacher identity is complex, dynamic, ongoing, and worthy of examination. This study examined the perceptions of preservice teachers' personal identity (e.g., gender, race, religious background, etc.) and how they influence preservice teachers' professional identity as a subject, pedagogical, and professional expert. Participants (N = 81) were…

The conflict between freedom of religion and freedom of identity and expression in schools remains a controversial topic internationally. As primarily socializing agents, schools reproduce the cultural norms of the communities within which they are embedded. When schools are situated in environments with high levels of religiosity that are…

With the goal of working towards decolonizing educational practices, this article considers the Indigenous medicine wheel as inspiration for a cyclical model for learning and assessment. Many current assessment practices highlight individual achievement rather than ongoing and relational learning. This article suggests using a "Learning…

This research aims to examine the experiences of international students taking courses during the COVID-19 pandemic amidst lockdowns, self-isolation, and the closure of international borders. We interviewed 15 students, mainly from South Asia, attending university in Atlantic Canada who could not return to their countries of origin before the…

This article examines how cultural and historical narratives influence the stories Alberta teachers tell about religion in their secondary social studies classrooms. The stories reveal the degree to which teachers are both thoughtful practitioners and shaped by their society. Study participants reflected this tension as the majority took religion…

A recent global reconnaissance of Christian higher education found a number of key themes that shaped current developments, such as the pressing challenges of secularization and nationalization but also the advantages of privatization and massification. This article provides an update to this older analysis by taking a birds-eye view of trends…

An emerging area of research on religion and trauma has documented religious change in the wake of trauma, with some individuals casting doubt on their faith and others renewing their investment. However, the cognitive processes involved in faith change remain unclear. This study addresses this gap in the literature through in-depth interviews…

This paper explores the impact of parental religious practice on sustaining positive religious affect among churchgoing young Canadian Baptists. A total of 299 participants between the ages of 12 and 18 years attending a summer youth programme sponsored by the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada, completed the Francis Scale of Attitude toward…

The purpose of this study is to explore whether happiness is the ultimate goal of higher education. In order to discuss this article systematically, four research questions are addressed. First, what are the concepts and principles of happiness in terms of religion and philosophy? Second, what are significant factors of happiness? Third, what are…

This qualitative study explored the notion of authenticity within the field of independent Christian education in Ontario. Three experienced Christian school principals accepted an invitation to participate in semi-structured interviews in order to draw out insights into the purpose and nature of Christian education. Data analysis yielded five…

This paper identifies some of the methodological considerations involved in narrative research with conservative faith groups, while addressing the things left unsaid through an exploration of silence in the author's own life narrative of faith and sexuality. The challenges posed by silence -- temporal silence and concealment -- require greater…

There is little literature which provides any analysis regarding the relationship between cultural order and home education. Research reported here found that home education has grown steadily in recent decades and that parents' motivation for home education was closely associated with cultural order. It was noticeable that Christian and Confucian…

Adolescents are likely to experiment with risky behaviors, such as substance use, which can have implications lasting throughout their lives. Private schools, while not immune to substance use, tend to report lower levels of substance use among their students when compared to the adolescent population in general. This quantitative study focuses on…

Thinking sexuality education and religion together often results in antagonisms that pit religious and secular values against each other. Political theology provides new insights into this tendency by showing how modern concepts of political legitimacy are based on secularised Christian theology. Neoliberal schooling, public sexual health and…