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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Wendy Barber
PhD

Associate Professor

Faculty of Education

Contact information

Education Building - Room CHA 363
Downtown Oshawa
11 Simcoe Street North
Oshawa, ON

wendy.barber@ontariotechu.ca



Bio

Dr. Barber’s research interests include resilience and grit, teacher development, health and physical education and online learning communities. Creative passions include the role of mindfulness, flow, awareness and play in teaching and learning. She won the Ontario Tech University Teaching Award of Excellence in 2014.

For more information:

Courses taught

Bachelor of Arts (ESDT)

  • Psychological Foundations and Digital Technologies - AEDT1170U 

Bachelor of Education

  • The Arts - Dance Primary/Junior - EDUC 1315U
  • Teacher as Coach - EDUC 3207U
  • Intermediate-Senior - Health & Physical Education (Part 1) - EDUC 4503 
  • Intermediate-Senior - Health & Physical Education (Part 2) - EDUC 4504
  • Primary-Junior - Health and Physical Education -EDUC 1304
  • Child and Adolescent Development - EDUC 

Master of Education

  • Authentic Assessment - EDUC 5305G 
  • Critical and Reflective Practice - EDUC 5004G
  • Adult Education - EDUC 5001G

Research and expertise

  • Authentic assessment
  • Curriculum teaching and learning in HPE
  • Developing resilience and grit in teachers
  • Health and physical education
  • Online communities and transformative digital practice
  • Physical literacy
  • Resilience and grit
  • Role of HPE in developing resilience and grit for academic hardiness in students
  • Teacher development
  • Barber, W., Walters, W. & Walters, J. (2022 in press) Teacher Candidates’ Critical Reflections on Inclusive Physical Education: Deconstructing our Past and Rebuilding New Paradigms. PHENEX (vol, no in press)
  • Barber, W. & Mann, A. (2022). Creating Dynamic Engaging Learning Environments. In Thriving Online: A Guide for Busy Educators. (Kay, R. 7 Hunter, w. Eds.)
  • Barber, W. (2022). Breaking Barriers: New Perspectives on Inclusion in Physical Education. Routledge Encyclopedia of Sport Studies, edited by Dr Vassil Girginov.
  • Barber, W.,Walters, W., Chartier, P. & Temertzoglou, C. (2020) Examining Self-Confidence and Self-Perceived Competence in Canadian Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs): The Role of Biographies in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) Sport Education and Society.
  • Barber, W. (2020). Building Creative Critical Online Learning Communities through Digital Moments. The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 18(5), 387396.
  • Barber, W. (2020). Inclusive physical education: building a new paradigm of ability and “dis” ability in teacher education. In Inclusive Education: Perspectives, Practices and Challenges, Chapter 2, (Ed. Melanie Grant) Nova Science Publishers, ISBN: 978-1-53617-405-2 New York: NY
  • Barber, W.  (2019). Creative online learning communities: Arts-based social interaction through digital moments. In Understanding Creativity: Past, Present and Future Perspectives. (Ed. Roger J. Cuadra), Nova Science Publishers, New York: NY. ISBN: 978-1-53616-052-9 
  • Barber, W. & Brown, I. (2019). Developing resilient teachers: New perspectives on the role of “grit” in effective teacher development. In Teacher Development: Perspectives, Opportunities and Challenges. (Ed. T. Moller) Series: Education in a Competitive and Globalizing World, NOVA Science Publishers, New York: NY. ISBN: 978-1-53615-258-6
  • Barber, W., Robertson, L. & Walters, B.  (2018).Inclusive and Accessible physical education for diverse populations. In S. Singer and M. Harkins, (Eds.), Educators on Diversity, Social Justice and Schooling: A Reader. Canadian Scholars Press: Toronto.  
  • Barber, W. (2017) Inclusive and accessible physical education:  rethinking ability and disability in pre-service teacher education. Sport Education and Society Pages 1-13 | Received 11 Sep 2016, Accepted 02 Dec 2016, Published online: 27 Dec 2016 
  • Barber, W. Robertson, L. & Leo, J. (June 2016). A new approach to fully accessible physical education, Physical and Health Education Journal 82(2) 
  • Barber, W. (2016). Critical play: New paradigms for promoting student achievement and excellence. Chapter 6 in Student Achievement: Perspectives, Assessment and Improvement Strategies in NOVA Series  - Education in a competitive and globalizing world.  (Ed. G. Hughe