Research Milestones
Timeline of Events
March 2023
School is Such a Chore!
Officially launched after an Alberta Education Research Partnerships Program grant was awarded.
April 2023
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Bonnie met with the New Humble Community School leadership and board members to discuss the research and how it would unfold.
May 2023
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Bonnie met with the New Humble Community School teachers and staff to share the research plan. It was at this meeting that the teachers suggested the idea of including upper elementary students as co-researchers.
June - September 2023
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“Classroom observations” were held (e.g. Ag Fun Day).
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Website planning and development commenced (schoolbasedag.com)
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Development of interview protocol and activities (e.g. game-based questions, question card).
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Aidan Ritcey, undergraduate researcher, completed curriculum mapping of the K-6 Physical Education and Wellness curriculum with New Humble School’s charter goals and the National Agricultural Literacy Outcomes.
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September 2023
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Individual interviews with teachers, parents, community members, and students began, and were carried out until June 2024.
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“Classroom observations” (e.g. in-school field trips, pond dipping, tree planting, soil experiments; compost maintenance) were conducted until June 2024.
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March 2024
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Bonnie presented a poster at the Faculty of Education Research Day about the student researcher involvement in the study.
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Bonnie facilitated a professional development day with the NHCS teachers focusing on curriculum mapping of charter goals and Alberta curriculum, and project planning.
June 2024
January 2024
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The Humble Researchers student research team was created.
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Training took place in January. Some students participated as co-researchers conducting interviews with students. Students who were 'technology leads' learned to use the GoPro, and they directly contributed to the video on the landing page.
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Thanks to Leah Peters, undergraduate research assistant who joined in May, students learned how to create videos using iMovie.
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The Humble Researchers celebrated their hard work with certificates and ice cream.
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Interviews and classroom observations wrapped up for the 2023/2024 school year.
October 2024
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Bonnie presented a poster at the New Humble Community School Association Open House to share information about agriculture-based education.
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Data collection resumed for fall 2024 (e.g. Seed Day).
November 2024
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Data collection officially ended.
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Bonnie presented a poster at the Association of Experiential Education International conference in Colorado to share early findings about agriculture immersion.
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Bonnie and Leah presented at the Alberta Research Network Symposium to share findings on how agriculture immersion supports character, community, and human-nature connections.
November 2024
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NHCS's teachers joined Bonnie at the University of Alberta farm for an agriculture-based PD Day.
To date
Interviews have been conducted with:​​
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52 K-Grade 6 students
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2 Student alumni (e.g. Grade 7 attending a new school)
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4 teachers
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3 staff members
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11 parents
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5 community members
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2 teacher focus group