Dr. Colleen Loomis

Associate Professor, Psychology

Contact Information

Email: cloomis@wlu.ca
Phone: 519-884-0710 ext.2858   |  lab 519-884-0710 ext.2879

Office Location: N2075H

Languages Spoken

English
French

Academic Background

(Honours), Psychology, University of Tulsa
MA, Human Services Psychology, University of Maryland Baltimore County
PhD, Human Services Psychology, University of Maryland Baltimore County
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Psychology, Stanford University Medical Center
Invited Professor, Psychology and Sciences of Education, University of Geneva

Biography

As an overview to my research, I am a social scientist who applies interdisciplinary (psychological, educational, sociological, anthropological) research approaches and theories to examine how communities promote inclusion and participation, particularly with educational resources for multicultural groups and immigrants. With my colleagues and students, I am creating new models to better explain positive and negative consequences between individuals and their communities and my research aims to implement new teaching models that improve learning while addressing social issues such as the stresses (and advantages) of living in a multicultural city. This work will help foster student and teacher development and school-community partnerships.

To know more details about my research a brief summary follows. I focus my research on “learning-communities” and psychological sense of community within geographical and relational communities, including virtual (online) communities such as social networking via the web. I have developed a research program that addresses some of the following questions: How do individuals and communities interact? What makes someone feel a part of one or more communities? How do communities promote inclusion and participation? I am particularly interested in how learning-communities integrate (or exclude) individuals within multicultural cities. For example, some of my studies have examined how communities support the relation between an individual and places of learning such as schools, adult education programs, alternative learning communities, and early childhood development programs such as Better Beginnings Better Futures. Having conducted research in the U.S., Canada, and Switzerland, I have published on psychological sense of community, early childhood development, service-learning in education, and related subjects, including self-help groups, gender and power, socioeconomic class, mentoring, and bilingual education (as it relates to the U.S.). In my writing, conducting research, teaching and mentoring, and consulting I facilitate, negotiate, and synthesize understandings among multiple stakeholders often those with diverse backgrounds and views.

Additional Information

Professional Mentoring Tips

Over prepare, then go with the flow.

No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

(2 of 45 tips written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland,Ohio)

Recording Music (Enregistre musique)

Réalisations d'enregistrements sonores en vue de parutions discographiques, mixage, montage mastering et restauration d'archives sonores.

Periphonics Audio