Dr. Michelle Kilborn
Positions
Assistant Professor (Teaching)
Werklund School of Education, Specialization, Curriculum and Learning
Contact information
Location
Office: EDT720
Background
Credentials
Teaching Certificate of Qualification, BC Ministry of Education, 1993
Educational Background
PhD Secondary Education, University of Alberta, 2014
MA Education, University of Victoria, 1999
BEd. Education, University of Victoria, 1993
Biography
Michelle Kilborn is an Assistant Professor (Teaching) and the Undergraduate Program Year 1&2 Course Coordinator at the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary. Michelle holds a B.Ed and M.A. in Physical Education from the University of Victoria and a PhD from the University of Alberta. Michelle began her career as a K-12 teacher in British Columbia where she also provided leadership to the physical education community as the provincial specialist association president of PEBC. Michelle moved to Alberta in 2006 and as Curriculum Manager for wellness-related programs of study at Alberta Education, she was instrumental in co-developing Alberta's Framework for Kindergarten to Grade 12 Wellness Education. Michelle’s work focuses on reconceptualizing curriculum and pedagogy and physical and health education, with a special interest in holistic, wellness-oriented approaches to physical education; wisdom perspectives on health and wellness; comprehensive school health and physical & health education teacher education. Her initial efforts to encourage a wellness approach were first captured in her dissertation work which won the Recognition Award from the Canadian Association for Teacher Education and the Phi Delta Kappa Doctoral Dissertation Award. She expanded this work into her first book: A Curriculum of Wellness: Reconceptualizing Physical Education.
Michelle continues to bring her valued expertise and leadership to Werklund School of Education. She has provided support to the faculty as the Academic Director of Professional Learning and Outreach for the Centre of Wellbeing (2021-2023) and was awarded Werklund's Excellence in Teaching Award (2023). Michelle also works closely with the Physical and Health Education (PHE) undergraduate students, helping to initiate and advise a local student chapter for the national PHE Canada organization that works to inspire pre-service teachers and the broader university community to engage with movement, outdoor education, physical education, land-based learning and wellness in innovative, creative, and experiential ways.
Research
Areas of Research
Courses
| Course number | Course title | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 535.08 | Specialization II Elementary Physical Education | Fall 2021-2025 |
| EDUC 535.16 | Specialization II Secondary Physical Education | Fall 2021-2025 |
| EDUC 430 | Pragmatics of Learning and Teaching | Fall 2021-2024 |
| EDUC 440 | Field Experience I | Fall 2021-2024 |
| EDUC 460.08 | Specialization I Elementary Physical Education | Winter 2022-2025 |
| EDUC 460.16 | Specialization II Secondary Physical Education | Winter 2022-2025 |
| EDUC 551 | Comprehensive School Health and Wellness K-12 | Winter 2022-2023 |
| EDUC 465 | Field Experience II | Winter 2022 |
| EDUC 535.08/16 | Specialization II - Elementary & Secondary Physical Education | Summer 2022-2025 |
| EDUC 535.04/13 | Specialization II - Elementary & Secondary Fine Arts | Summer 2022-2025 |
| EDUC 521 | Design for Learning | Fall 2023 |
Projects
Kwan M.Y.W., McCormack, G., Konopaki, J., Hosein, K., Kandasamy, S., Aghajafari, F., Aubertin, P., Barrick, S., Buckler, J., Emery C., Faulkner, G., Gabel, L., Georgiades, K., Hall, N., Harris, S., Hayhurst, L.M, Kilborn, M., Legg, D., Liu, S., Lou, N.M., Manyanga, T., Ramey, J., Rhodes, R., Richard, V., Robinson, D., Salami., O., Sim, M.L.S., Stone, M., Van Wyk, N., Vanderloo, L., Wahi, G., Woodend, J., Wu, Haorui, Yi, K.J. et al., (2024). Building a Pan-Canadian Community of Practice: The Creating Opportunities through Physical Literacy for All newcomer children and Youth (Co-PLAY) Hubs. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Partnership Grant, $2,500,000. 2025-2030.
Russell-Meyhew, S., Kilborn, M., & Kendrick, A, et al. Championing Wellbeing: Examining the implementation and impact of a Wellbeing Framework in a large urban school district in Alberta. Alberta Education Research Partnerships Program, 2021-2025, $50,000.
Calls for reform in physical education curriculum and pedagogy stem from research suggesting that the dominant sport technique model (Kirk, 2010) does not meet the needs of contemporary youth and lack of connection and relevance to their lives (Dyson, 2006; Humbert, 2006; MacDonald & Hunter, 2005). This project will help ensure a more holistic approach to teaching and learning is employed in the specialization courses by using a practice-based strategy to teach pre-service teachers how to design and teach games in a conceptual way, incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing.
Awards
- CARES Award - Engaging Others, Alberta Health Services. 2021
- Doctoral Dissertation Award, Phi Delta Kappa . 2015
- Recognition Award on Teacher Education (Doctoral), Canadian Association for Teacher Education. 2014
- Doctoral Fellowship Award , Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council. 2013
- President’s Doctoral Award of Distinction , University of Alberta. 2013
- J Gordin Kaplan Graduate Student Award , University of Alberta. 2013
- Excellence in Teaching, Werklund School of Education . 2023
Publications
- A wisdom response to physical and health education: Part I – course design. . Kilborn, M. & Taylor, L. . PHEnex Journal 14(1). 1-17. (2024)
- A wisdom response to physical and health education: Part II - class interpretations.. Kilborn, M., Taylor, L., Kelly, B., Bourne, S., Dawson, M., Stryde, J., Allison, T., Vogan, K., Mondin, M., & Marcil, Z. . PHEnex Journal 14(2). 1-19. (2024)
- A wellness approach to physical education.. Kilborn, M. & Hertlein, K. In J. Barrett & C. Scaini (Eds), Quality Health and Physical Education: Pedagogical Practices and Considerations for Canadian Elementary School Teachers. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.. (2018)
- Exploring university-based physical literacy programming: Perspectives of service providers. . Borduas, C., Cameron, E., Yi, K, Kilborn, M., McGowan, E. Buote, R. et al.. PHEnex, 9(2). 14 pages. (2018)
- Women reflect on being well in academia: Challenges and supports.. Young, G., Kilborn, M., Arnold, C., Azam, S., Badenhorst, C., Godfrey, J. R., Goodnough, K., Lewis, L., Li, X., McLeod, H., Moore, S., Penney, S., & Pickett, S. . Learning Landscapes, 10(2). 335-351. (2021)
- Healthy active living programming for children in Newfoundland. Kilborn, M., Cameron, E., McGowan, E., Borduas, C., Baird, J., Cummings, M. & Rohr, L. . Physical and Health Education Canada Journal, 83(3). 8 pages. (2017)
- A curriculum of wellness: Reconceptualizing physical education. . Kilborn, M.. New York: Peter Lang. (2016)
- An analysis of Canadian physical education curricula. . Kilborn, M., Lorusso, J. & Francis, N.. European Physical Education Review, 22(1). 23-46. (2016)
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