Biography

Ruth Kane has been Director of Teacher Education at the Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa since January 2006.

Ruth began her career as a secondary teacher of geography and economics in New Zealand. She moved to Australia and taught on indigenous communities in North Queensland before moving into teacher education and postgraduate study. Both her masters and doctoral theses investigated issues surrounding the integration of theory and practice in the preparation of teachers.

Ruth has been Director of Teacher Education at Otago University and Professor of Secondary Education at Massey University in New Zealand, before making the move to Canada. In these former capacities she was in a position to contribute to research and practice in teacher education in New Zealand. Her major recent research contributions have been in two large-scale projects in New Zealand: the first a review of all initial teacher education programs; the second, a national study of perceptions of teachers and teachers work. Both studies when published generated stirring debate in the media and in teacher education.

Her current projects include co-directing a three-year national study in New Zealand on the preparation and induction of secondary teachers; a SHRCC-funded replication of this study in Quebec led by a colleague at UQO; and project director of the Evaluation of the New Teacher Induction program in Ontario.

Her teaching and research interests intersect in the preparation and induction of beginning teachers and self-study of teaching and teacher education.

Curriculum Vitae (2008)