Rita L. Irwin
EdD.
Bio
Dr. Rita L. Irwin is an artist, researcher, and teacher deeply committed to the arts and education. She is a Distinguished University Scholar and Professor of Art Education in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Rita served as Associate Dean of Teacher Education at UBC from 2005-2015 and Head of the Department of Curriculum Studies from 1999-2005. Rita has been an educational leader for a number of provincial, national and international organizations including being President of the Canadian Society for the Study of Education, Canadian Association of Curriculum Studies, Canadian Society for Education through Art, and the International Society for Education through Art.
Research
Irwin's research interests have spanned in-service art education, teacher education, socio-cultural issues, curriculum practices across K-12 and informal learning settings, and a/r/tography. Well known co-edited books include Revisions: Readings in Canadian Art Teacher Education (with K. Grauer & M. Emme). Storying the World: The Contributions of Carl Leggo (with E. Hasebe-Ludt & A. Sinner), Provoking the Field: International Perspectives on Visual Arts PhDs in Education (with A. Sinner & J. Adams), Visually Provoking: Dissertations in Art Education (with A. Sinner & T. Jokela) and The Flaneur and Education Research: A Metaphor for Knowing, Being Ethical and New Data Production (with A. Lasczik).
Awards
In recognition of her many accomplishments and commitments, she has received a number of awards for her scholarship, service and teaching including the distinction of Distinguished Fellow of the National Art Education Association in the USA, the Ted T. Aoki Award for Distinguished Service in Canadian Curriculum Studies (CACS), the Canadian Art Teacher of the Year Award (CSEA), the Elliot Eisner Lifetime Achievement Award (NAEA) and the Killam Award for Excellence in Mentoring (UBC).