Dustin Louie, who grew up in 亚洲天堂 Lake, has not only been succeeding in the academic world; he is also preparing teachers to empower students who have been historically marginalized.

Louie has recently accepted a tenure track assistant professor position at the University of Calgary.

Armed with an undergraduate degree in Canadian history and a masters degree in international development, Louie is now nearing completion of his PHD in educational research.

During his PHD, Louie has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in the faculty of education. All of his students were either one or two years away from becoming teachers themselves in primary, elementary or secondary schools.

One of the courses Louie has taught is called 鈥渄iversity in learning,鈥� which focuses on social justice through teaching. This course prepares future teachers to recognize how power dynamics influence classrooms and can marginalize disempowered students.

鈥淔uture teachers need to be prepared to meet the needs of all of their students, with a specific emphasis on those who have been historically marginalized within the schools systems such as LGBTQ, Aboriginal, immigrant, rural, and a wide range of other students who have been under served in the school system,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s educators, I believe we need to model social justice, as well as teaching it.鈥�

Louie added that education is rapidly changing in Canada, with a new focus on inquiry-based models. Inquiry-based learning is a process where students formulate questions, investigate to find answers, build new understandings, meanings and knowledge, and then communicate their learnings to others.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a major shift from the pedagogical models ubiquitous during my high school completion in 1999,鈥� he said.

Louie has also taught courses on First Nations Metis and Inuit history, education and leadership. Louie is from Nadleh Whut'en and Nee Tahi Buhn, and is a member of the beaver clan. His Aboriginal roots have given him valuable insights into Aboriginal issues, especially when it comes to education.

鈥淭he experiences I have gained made it clear that research and practice need to be taken on by Aboriginal people in order to address the impact of colonization,鈥� he said.

The Lakes District Secondary School graduate said he is grateful for his upbringing in 亚洲天堂 Lake.

鈥淗aving spent my adult life primarily in major cities, I am appreciative of my rural upbringing,鈥� he said. 鈥淕rowing up in a small town exposed me to social dynamics not present in larger cities, where people from a wide range of backgrounds find ways to live with one another.鈥�

鈥淚n terms of my education in 亚洲天堂 Lake, I was fortunate to have a number of inspirational teachers who greatly influenced my career as an academic.鈥�