Jim Parsons, PhD

Jim Parsons has worked as a junior high school teacher and was a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta for 41 years. Although he is from Ontario, he did two degrees at the University of Kentucky and a PhD from the University of Texas (Austin). He taught in the city schools of Louisville during the bussing of a desegregation era (1969-1973) of the South.

He has been fortunate to work globally – including in China, Scotland, New Zealand, and Switzerland. During his time at the University of Alberta, he taught undergraduate courses in social studies education and graduate courses in research design. He was the founding Director of Alternative Delivery Graduate Programs (University of Alberta) and the Director of the Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (for the Province of Alberta).

He has written over 100 educational books and 200 educational articles. He was the lead Canadian author for an English Language Program that was adopted for the country of China (Hebei Educational Press). His book Japan: Its People and Culture won an award from the Japanese government and his social studies textbooks were recipients of six Alberta Book of the Year awards.

He has been a recipient of a number of educational awards – including a Faculty of Education undergraduate teaching award, the Alberta Teachers Association Research Award, the University of Alberta inaugural People of Talent Award, and his greatest honor – the 2017 Alberta Teachers Association’s Award for Lifetime Contribution to Alberta Teachers. He has been the editor of several educational journals and just completed a revision of the ATA’s Action Research Workbook.

Today, he teaches mostly online with four different universities in Canada and is a hockey commentator covering the Toronto Maple Leafs. This fall he was also a co-creator (with his son Jim) of a new NHL hockey website NHLTradeTalk.com where they will cover all seven Canadian-based NHL teams.

He has completely failed at retirement and is living with his wife Nicole, two daughters (Olivia 14 and Gisella 11), and dog Denny on Vancouver Island.

LDRS 627: Theory & Practice of Adult Education