Dr. Randy Wimmer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Administration. Randy was a secondary school teacher in northern Alberta and came to work in teacher education at the University of Alberta first as Director of Field Experiences and then as an instructor in the Aboriginal Teacher Education program in Slave Lake. Randy’s doctoral work used life history research to help make sense of the career transitions of teachers who became university professors. Randy’s research remains in teacher education with an interest in field based inquiry in pre-service teacher education and teacher leadership at the in-service level.

As a recipient of the Kirkpatrick Travel Award, Randy will have the opportunity to visit the Professional Development Program at Simon Fraser University where he plans to study the nature of teacher secondment in relation to teacher education, teacher as educational leader, and the effect of secondment on teacher professional development.

Barbara Frazer is the Administrative Coordinator for the Indigenous Peoples Justice Program at the University of Saskatchewan. She is obtaining her Masters Degree in Education through the Department of Educational Foundations – Indian and Northern Education Program. Her special interest area has been focused on the transfer of Indigenous Knowledge and the observance of Cree protocols in accessing Traditional medicine knowledge and Women’s knowledge. Barbara is a member of the Big River First Nations and is involved in maintaining all aspects of her Traditional Knowledge and training.

As a recipient of the Kirkpatrick Travel Award, Barbara will have the opportunity to visit the Matootoo Lake Traditional Healing Program, situated on the Peguis First Nations. Barbara will participate in the necessary protocols involved in acquiring Traditional Sakaw Cree Knowledge and then will begin her study and training as an assistant to the grandmothers and traditional plan specialist. As part of this unique process in observing and participating in the direct transfer of Traditional Sakaw Cree Knowledge, this study will involve ceremonies based on the foundation of the Oral Tradition of the Sakaw Cree. Most of Ms. Frazer’s study will involve traveling to harvesting areas and learning the medicinal usage of the certain plants including the traditional processing methods.

The Kirkpatrick Travel Award is administered jointly by the University of Saskatchewan College of Education, the University of Saskatchewan Alumni Association, and the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation. The annual award celebrates the contribution the late Dean Emeritus Balfour Kirkpatrick made to education in Saskatchewan.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Cecilia Reynolds
Dean, College of Education
University of Saskatchewan
966-7647