The Faculty of Education is pleased to present two public lectures in 2026-27 celebrating research and innovation in the Faculty of Education.
All research talks are free to attend, please register in advance on ExperienceBU. If you are unable to attend in person, a virtual link will be sent out to registrants prior to the event. If you do not have a Brock email address and wish to attend, please email [email protected] to confirm your spot.
Physical Literacy through Educators’ Eyes: A Community Partnership Model for Early Childhood Research
Presented by Dr. Jaime Barratt (RECE, PhD) and Ashley Freeman (RECE, M.S.Ed)
Tuesday, November 24, 2026
12 -1:30 p.m., PL 600F and online
Preschool children in Canada are not getting enough physical activity, and early childhood educators (ECEs) in Ontario have few physical literacy resources to support active, meaningful play. Little Champions, an interACTIVE storytelling resource developed by the Champions for Life Foundation, blends stories and movement to build young children’s physical literacy; their confidence, enjoyment, knowledge, and understanding about movement, but was originally designed for Québec’s preschool program.
In this session, the presenters will describe the Little Champions Photovoice Study, a SSHRC Partnership Engage project that brought together the Champions for Life Foundation, researchers, graduate students, and ECEs from across the Niagara Region to explore how educators interpret, adapt, and implement Little Champions in alignment with Ontario’s How Does Learning Happen? Drawing on focus groups, interactive workshops, and photovoice, they will share how educators documented and reflected on their practice, and what the project revealed about community-engaged research with practitioners. They will discuss how the partnership offers a model for multi-sector collaboration, including the role of graduate students in leading data collection and analysis. The session will conclude by outlining the next phase of this partnership.
Dr. Jaime Barratt (RECE, PhD) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Studies at Brock University whose research focuses on physical literacy in the early years, participatory methodologies, and online asynchronous pedagogy. With over 12 years of practitioner experience in childcare settings, she brings a practice-informed and community-centred lens to her research. Supported by a recent SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant, Dr. Barratt’s research with the Champions for Life Foundation explores how early childhood educators adapt and implement interACTIVE storytelling to support preschoolers’ physical literacy.
Ashley Freeman (RECE, M.S.Ed) is a Master of Education student at Brock University, where her research focuses on wild and alternative outdoor pedagogies in early childhood education. Drawing on her experience as a Registered Early Childhood Educator and Ontario Certified Teacher, Ashley is passionate about creating outdoor learning experiences that foster children’s curiosity, connection to nature, and holistic well-being. As a research assistant on the Little Champions Photovoice Study, she led the photovoice focus groups and data analyses, working closely with early childhood educators across the Niagara Region.