Lindsey Craig

Three former U of T graduate students win Governor General's Academic Gold Medal

geoff.vendeville — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 04:00:00 +0000

Three former U of T graduate students win Governor General's Academic Gold Medal

geoff.vendeville Wed, 07/04/2018 - 00:00

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David Sandomierski, Mark Wade and David McLagan won the Governor General's Academic Gold Medal, one of the most prestigious awards for graduate students in Canada (photo by Fong Di Caterina)

Topic

Faculty of Law

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Research & Innovation

University of Toronto Scarborough

One researcher developed an air sampler that runs without electricity and monitors mercury pollution. Another investigated the factors that increase the risk of psychopathology in young children. And the third looked at how to improve legal education to prepare students for making a broader contribution to society.

The three former graduate students at the University of Toronto – David McLagan, Mark Wade and David Sandomierski – received the Governor General's Academic Gold Medal for their work, one of the most prestigious awards for graduate students in Canada. The gold medal is awarded by each university to the graduate students who achieve the highest academic standing.

“I was very surprised when I first learned I received the award and, truthfully, I'm still blown away,” says McLagan, who designed, developed and tested the air sampler during his studies at U of T Scarborough.

The air sampler he designed runs without electricity or a supply of argon gas, using instead the natural movements of air and a carbon material to capture mercury floating in the atmosphere. This is especially important for monitoring mercury in remote locations where there is no power, particularly in the southern hemisphere.

David McLagan designed, tested and built an air sampler that monitors mercury pollution

Mercury can be released naturally through the weathering of mercury-containing rocks, forest fires or volcanic eruptions. But the most significant sources are human activities such as mining and coal-burning, according to the United Nations.

Mercury pollution in the air can last for about a year and travel long distances. It can find its way into sediments and be transformed into methylmercury, an acute neurotoxin. It's been linked with a host of brain and nervous system disorders, and has been found to be particularly harmful to the cognitive development of fetuses and children.

Read a Q&A with Wade

Sandomierski, who completed a doctor of juridical science at U of T, looked at ways to change the prevailing approach to teaching in law school so that students become more engaged citizens and versatile professionals.

His dissertation focused on how contract law is taught in first year at law schools across the country (he focused only on common law). He interviewed 67 law faculty and used hundreds of primary documents for his paper.

He says the nearly 150-year-old case method, which teaches students to think like lawyers by examining decisions and arguing both sides, gives “short shrift” to other important skills such as problem-solving and planning.

Sandomierski, who completed his SJD in 2017, says he was surprised to win the Governor General's award. “It was so validating,” he says. “It's extremely difficult to get a doctorate so I thought simply completing it would be the reward.”

#UofTGrad18: U of T's Adam Benn on becoming a role model for LGBT2SQ community

noreen.rasbach — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 19:37:02 +0000

#UofTGrad18: U of T's Adam Benn on becoming a role model for LGBT2SQ community

noreen.rasbach Mon, 06/11/2018 - 15:37

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“There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, and I can’t wait to put these skills into practice," says Adam Benn, who graduates with a Master of Education on Tuesday (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Topic

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Taking off his clothes and posing (mostly) nude for NOW magazine wasn’t something Adam Benn ever thought he’d do.

But as a Black, queer, not-so-chiselled man, he says it was an opportunity he had to take.

“It was the idea of representation, of being in that space, of saying, ‘This is me and who I am,’ and being comfortable enough with my body,” he says, noting most of the images of gay men in mainstream media feature six-pack abs, sculpted chests and bulging biceps.

“I wanted to show that you don’t need to have this perfect, athletic body to be confident in who you are.”

Representation will also be important to the Master of Education student at his convocation. The 32-year-old graduates from the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) on Tuesday.

“It’s important in terms of marking a new beginning and taking forward what I’ve learned. But it’s also ensuring I’m taking up space as a Black, queer person,” he says.

Thanks to his studies at OISE, Benn is standing out in many ways. In his work at a Toronto community health centre, where he manages LGBT2SQ support programs, he says he now feels even more empowered to make an impact.

Given that part of his role involves leading courses and training programs, Benn says his studies are helping him on the job.

Benn says he now has an increased understanding of evaluation processes, curriculum design and development, how to identify learners’ goals, and how to ensure training meets those goals.

“I also learned about some of the pitfalls education can have, and about different modalities so that people can connect through different ways of learning,” he says, also noting how much he’s appreciated the community development component.

Benn says two professors in particular have helped in his journey: his faculty adviser Jamie Magnusson and Lance McCready, both associate professors at OISE.

“I didn’t take any classes with him, but he identified himself early on as someone I could go to for support, and that meant a lot,” he says of McCready.

Adam Benn with members of the Toronto Kiki Ballroom Alliance, a group of LGBT2SQ youth he works with (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

The importance of support is something Benn understands well – growing up in Scarborough, Ont., he didn’t really have anyone he felt he could turn to.

Like many in the LGBT2SQ community, he knew he was gay at a young age, but didn’t feel comfortable coming out until he was much older: At 16, he confided in a few select friends, but it wasn't until university that he came out to his family and social circle.

“Gym class was a nightmare for me,” he says. “Primarily because it was based on your ability to perform, and sports just weren’t something I was good at. While I got better, it wasn’t really about that progression, it was more, you’re not the standard you’re supposed to be.”

He says an all-boys gym class in Grade 10 didn’t help.

“It definitely has an effect in terms of that idea of masculinity and having that athletic body and being able to perform athletically. It didn’t make me feel very good about myself,” he said.

It was in his undergrad at McMaster University, he says, when he finally found a positive athletic outlet.

“I joined the cheerleading team,” he says with a smile.

With Benn seeking a more supportive space, and cheerleaders needing more guys on the team – it was a perfect fit.

“I had a team that was like, ‘Wow, look at how great you are, you did two laps last time, now you’re doing three laps.’ That supportive environment really encouraged me to keep going,” he said.

Finally open about his sexuality, and feeling healthier mentally and physically, his life began to change. And since then, Benn has devoted himself to helping others facing challenges like those he once faced.

Not only did he defy body image standards by stripping down for NOW magazine, he’s also giving today’s Black, queer youth the role model he never had.

Among many endeavours, Benn is a personal trainer, helping to ensure others – many of whom are also queer men – feel encouraged in fitness. He has also worked with a group that gives LGBT2SQ youth a safe, non-competitive space to be active through activities like rock climbing and canoeing.

Programs like that are especially important, Benn says, because many LGBT2SQ youth avoid recreational spaces due to the homophobia that often exists within them.

And, in his role at the community health centre, Benn devotes his days to helping LGBT2SQ youth find the various supports they need.

“Maybe there’s transphobia or homophobia at home, or maybe there’s someone in the house who makes it threatening, so people leave because of that… Part of what I do is create a safe space for them, connecting them to resources, mental health support, employment support and housing support,” he said.

As for the most rewarding aspect of it all, Benn says he’s reminded every year at the Toronto PRIDE parade, which he’ll be marching in yet again on June 24.

“Seeing newcomer youth who come from places with rampant homophobia or transphobia…for those people to march in the parade with a flag, and be able to express themselves, those are really gratifying moments,” he says.

It’s also the day-to-day moments that mean a lot.

“It might be as simple as, ‘This youth has gone two days without using’ or ‘This youth tried this program for two days’. It’s just seeing that people are really dedicated to making those positive changes in their lives. They’re not always able to, but the support that you provide helps them make more and more of those choices,” he said.

Now armed with even more knowledge and tools to succeed, Benn says he will be able to make even more of a difference.

“It’s been very rewarding and very fulfilling,” he said. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, and I can’t wait to put these skills into practice.”

Fighting racism: Teaching kids to identify individual Black people can reduce racial bias, U of T study finds

ullahnor — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 21:17:26 +0000

Fighting racism: Teaching kids to identify individual Black people can reduce racial bias, U of T study finds

ullahnor Thu, 10/12/2017 - 17:17

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(photo by Shutterstock)

Lindsey Craig

Topic

Global Lens

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Research & Innovation

An international team of researchers including University of Toronto professor Kang Lee says one way to reduce racial bias in kids is by teaching them to identify individual faces of people from different races.

The study, published Thursday in the journal Child Development, is the first to show a lasting effect in reducing racial bias – and in kids young enough to not be too set in their ways.

Co-authored by researchers from U of T's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) and international colleagues, the study is based on two, 20-minute sessions with four- to six-year-old Chinese children. Researchers found that when children were asked to play with a touch-screen app to distinguish individual Black faces, it significantly reduced their implicit anti-Black bias. This bias reduction lasted for at least two months.

“There are two key findings here,” said Lee. “First, using our app, young children can quickly learn to recognize people from a particular race other than their own, which is an important social skill for children living in the globalized environment. Second and more importantly, an added benefit of learning to identify people from another race as individuals is the reduction of their implicit racial bias against that race.”

He noted that teaching kids about Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama is one example of how adults can reduce implicit anti-Black bias in children who aren't Black.

“For parents and teachers, this means if you introduce children to those of another race frequently, teaching them about who they are as individuals, the implicit bias children hold against the people of that race will decrease,” he said.

Gail Heyman, a professor of psychology in the University of California San Diego division of social sciences and a senior co-author on the study, echoed Lee, emphasizing that in the study, the key to reducing the bias was the repeat session.

“A single session had minimal immediate effects that dissipated quickly. The lesson didn’t stick. But a second session a week later seemed to act like a booster shot, producing measurable differences in implicit bias 60 days later,” she said.

Miao K. Qian, a PhD student at OISE and an affiliated researcher at Hangzhou Normal University, said that before conducting this study, she was “shocked” to learn that children, even at age three, already show implicit racial bias against other race people.

Read the study in the journal Child Development

Read the previous study

“What’s encouraging about this research is it shows it’s possible to reduce this implicit racial bias quickly in young children with a method as simple as teaching them how to distinguish between other-race individuals,” she said.

“Our study points to the effectiveness of intervention in early childhood – before bias has become entrenched,” she continued. “As Lee pointed out, we also suggest that parents and teachers can help reduce bias by teaching children to distinguish other-race individuals by their names and personal attributes, instead of focusing on categorical traits.”

Researchers say it’s important to note the study focused on reducing implicit bias, or the extent to which humans have subconscious negative and positive associations with different races. This type of bias may arise from greater exposure to those of one’s own race. Explicit bias, on the other hand, refers to preferences, stereotypes and prejudices we’re more aware of, which may be learned socially from adults and peers.

“We think that reducing implicit racial bias in children could be a starting point for addressing a pernicious social problem,” Heyman said. “But it is not the complete answer to racial discrimination or to systemic, structural racism.”

Researchers worked with 95 Chinese preschool kids in China who had not had any direct interaction with non-Asian people prior to the study. They measured the children’s implicit racial biases at the beginning of the study and found that the kids had strong implicit bias against Black people. That is, the children automatically associated Black individuals with negative emotions and Chinese people with positive emotions.

Then, the children were randomly assigned to one of the three training groups:

In the first group, children saw photos of five Black people and were taught to differentiate them individually
In the second group, children were taught to differentiate five white people individually
In the third group, children were taught to differentiate five Chinese people individually

After the training, all children were tested again in terms of their implicit racial bias against Black people.

One week later, the children who had learned to differentiate Black individuals received the same training for another 20 minutes. Researchers found that these two sessions of training were enough to significantly reduce racial bias against Black people in children for at least another 60 days – the longest time the researchers were able to track the children.

However, for the second group, which was trained to differentiate white people, their anti-Black bias was unchanged. The same was true for the third group, who were trained to differentiate Chinese people.

These results suggest that to reduce children’s implicit racial bias against a particular race group, they must be trained to differentiate individuals from this race.

Researchers are now working with a larger, more diverse group of children in Toronto over a longer term. If their intervention to reduce implicit racial bias is effective in that setting, they hope to develop a more consumer-friendly version of their training: a fun, gamified app that could be used in schools and at home.

This research is supported by grants from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the National Institutes of Health.

Kids praised for being smart are more likely to cheat: U of T research

rasbachn — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 17:13:37 +0000

Kids praised for being smart are more likely to cheat: U of T research

rasbachn Tue, 09/12/2017 - 13:13

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(photo via Flickr)

Lindsey Craig

Author legacy

Lindsey Craig

Topic

Breaking Research

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Subheadline

Two studies co-authored by OISE's Kang Lee find children should be praised for effort

Praising children for “being smart” or telling them they “have a reputation for being smart” makes them more likely to cheat, two new studies from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto have found.

Kang Lee, a professor with the OISE’s Jackman Institute of Child Studies, co-authored the two studies with researchers in the United States and China. He said that while praise is one of the most commonly used forms of reward by parents and educators around the world, when used incorrectly it can backfire.

“Giving children (the) wrong kind of praise makes them dishonest,” said Lee.

The first study, published today in Psychological Science, found preschoolers who were praised for being smart were more likely to cheat subsequently than those who were praised for doing “great” in a particular task.

Similarly, in the second study, which was recently published in Developmental Science, preschoolers who were told they had a reputation for being smart also became more likely to cheat.

In the first study, researchers asked three and five year olds to play a guessing game. When children did well once, they were praised in one of two ways: one half of the children were praised for being smart (“You are so smart”), while the other half were praised for their performance (“You did very well this time”). After receiving either type of praise, the children continued to play the guessing games. Researchers then left the room after asking children to promise not to cheat by peeking at the answers. Their behaviour was then monitored by a hidden camera.

Results show that despite the subtle difference between the two forms of praise, the children who were praised for being smart were more likely to act dishonestly than the children who had been praised for their behaviour in a specific game. Results were the same for both ages.

In the second study, researchers told each child that he or she had a reputation for being smart. Hearing this also had the effect of increasing children’s tendency to cheat.

“Praise is more complex than it seems,” Lee said. “Praising a child’s ability implies that the specific behaviour that is commented on stems from stable traits related to one’s ability, such as smartness. This is different than other forms of praise, such as praising specific behaviours or praising effort."

Hangzhou Normal University’s professor Li Zhao, co-author of the studies, said when children are praised for being smart or learn that they have a reputation for being smart, “they feel pressure to perform well in order to live up to others' expectations, even if they need to cheat to do so." She said praising a child’s specific behaviour does not imply that the child is expected to consistently perform well and therefore does not have similar negative effects as ability praise.

Lee said the studies show the importance for adults of learning to praise in a way that doesn’t prompt or promote dishonest behaviour.

“We want to encourage children, we want them to feel good about themselves. But these studies show we must learn to give children the right kinds of praise, such as praising specific behaviour. Only in this way, will praise have the intended positive outcomes.”

The research was supported by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Choosing Dora over Franklin: U of T study says children learn more from human characters, not animals

ullahnor — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 19:48:12 +0000

Choosing Dora over Franklin: U of T study says children learn more from human characters, not animals

ullahnor Thu, 08/17/2017 - 15:48

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OISE study says children learn more of life's moral lessons from human characters in storybooks (photo by Lydia Liu via Flickr)

Lindsey Craig

Author legacy

Lindsey Craig

Topic

Global Lens

OISE

Children

Children's storybooks featuring human characters – not cute animals – are best suited to teaching lessons like telling the truth and sharing, says a study from U of T's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE).

The study shows 4 to 6 year olds learn moral lessons most effectively with human characters, not human-like animals, or anthropomorphic characters. So, stories about a conniving fox, a puppet who lies and gets in all kinds of trouble, or a turtle who perseveres, can often miss the mark, the study finds.

“Many people believe children find stories with human-like animals captivating and relatable, but what we’re finding is that this is not the case,” says Patricia Ganea, associate professor of early cognitive development at OISE who was a lead researcher on the study. “Overall, children were more likely to act on the moral of the story when it featured a human character.

“That’s because many kids don’t see these characters as similar to themselves. They’re less likely to translate social lessons from these stories into their everyday lives,”

It’s important, she says, since so much of children’s media – books, movies, video games, etc. – use human-like animal characters.

Ganea says the results highlight that storybooks can have an immediate impact on children’s social behaviour.

“Books that children can easily relate to increase their ability to apply the story’s lesson to their daily lives,” she says. “It is important for educators and parents to choose carefully when the goal is to teach real-world knowledge and social behaviours through storybooks.”

Listen to Patricia Ganea's interview on CBC's Metro Morning

Twice as many white students, many wealthy at TDSB's arts schools, U of T study finds

ullahnor — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 15:49:54 +0000

Twice as many white students, many wealthy at TDSB's arts schools, U of T study finds

ullahnor Mon, 04/24/2017 - 11:49

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The study shows the majority of students entering the TDSB arts high schools come from a narrow set of feeder schools that also have an over-representation of white, wealthy students

Lindsey Craig

Author legacy

Lindsey Craig

Topic

Subheadline

“Our research is important because it suggests that these schools undermine the board’s commitment to equity by benefiting those who are already socially advantaged by race and class”

A recent U of T study shows students entering specialized arts high school programs in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) are twice as likely to be white and many come from wealthy families, compared to students across Toronto public schools.

Despite the arts high schools’ open enrolment status, the study shows the majority of students entering them come from a narrow set of feeder schools that also have an over-representation of white, wealthy students.

Researchers at U of T's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) say the findings are concerning because the arts high schools – also known as specialized arts programs, or SAPs – were established to provide greater access to arts training to all students across Canada’s most ethnically diverse city.

“Our findings show that these specialized arts schools are implicated in producing racial segregation and inequality, that they are places that cater primarily to white and privileged students in the board,” said the study’s lead author Rubén Gaztambide-Fernández, associate professor and acting director for OISE’s Centre for Urban Schooling.

Read the Toronto Star story

Rubén Gaztambide-Fernández, associate professor at OISE, is the lead author of the study

Researchers examined three of Toronto’s four specialized arts high schools, which are dispersed throughout the city. The study was published on April 23 in the journal Education Policy Analysis Archives.

“Our research is important because it suggests that these schools undermine the board’s commitment to equity by benefiting those who are already socially advantaged by race and class,” said Gaztambide-Fernández, who is also the lead investigator of the Urban Arts High Schools research project, which is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Using demographic and program data collected by the TDSB – one of the only school boards in Canada to collect such extensive data – Gaztambide-Fernández and fellow researcher Gillian Parekh compared the students entering specialized arts high school programs in Grade 9 to students across TDSB in elementary schools with Grade 8.

Three variables were explored – race, family income and parental education.

In all three categories, researchers say their findings show Toronto’s publicly funded arts schools are “remarkably homogenous” when compared with the student demographics across the TDSB.

Findings include:

Students entering into specialized arts schools are 67 per cent white. They are more than twice as likely to be white compared to students across all TDSB elementary schools with Grade 8, who are 29.3 per cent white.
More than half – 56.7 per cent – of arts high school students come from families representing the top three highest income deciles in the TDSB compared to only 30.4 per cent of students within elementary schools across the TDSB.
Students at specialized arts high schools are 1.4 times more likely to have parents with a university education compared to those at non-arts TDSB high schools. Data shows 73.2 per cent of students at arts schools have university-educated parents, compared to 53.2 per cent of students within elementary schools across the TDSB.

“The pattern across all three demographic variables shows that the student populations in specialized arts high schools do not reflect the population of our very diverse city,” Gaztambide-Fernández said.

Study results also show that the student demographics at SAPs mirror the student demographics of the feeder schools. Researchers say this means most students are coming from schools in predominately white, wealthy neighbourhoods – despite the fact that arts schools are intended to serve students from across the TDSB.

“Our study shows that over a quarter of the students come from only five elementary schools. And, over half come from just 18 schools out of almost 200 elementary schools within the board,” said Gaztambide-Fernández. “This suggests other mechanisms beyond admissions are at play in producing such homogeneity.”

Researchers drew on their own previous studies of specialized arts programs in TDSB schools to try and explain the latest findings. They suggest admissions practices, curriculum and student experience may play an important role in excluding students who are neither white nor wealthy.

“For example if a school focuses on Eurocentric forms of art such as ballet or piano, those who excel in other forms of art such as South Asian dance or slam poetry may not do well in that audition process,” Gaztambide-Fernández said.

The admissions process is only partially to blame, he said.

“If we could say that the reason is because of admissions, the policy solution would be simple – change the admission process or eliminate it,” he said.

“It’s not just that the admissions process works to exclude students without the right kind of background or talent. It’s also that a very Eurocentric idea of the arts shapes the curriculum, which attracts students who see themselves mirrored within it, and who share the same ideals of the school in terms of what it means to be an artist.”

Researchers say that’s going to play a role not just in who is admitted but in who even knows about the existence of the schools and then chooses to apply.

Leslie Stewart Rose, associate professor at OISE, teaches courses in music education and is director of OISE’s concurrent teacher education program.

She shares the concerns of Gaztambide-Fernández and Parekh, and says the decisions and choices made by educators reflect their personal beliefs, values and experiences.

“Even well-intentioned educators teach only what and how they have been taught. So, they continue to replicate Eurocentric curriculum and pedagogies. When a teacher rejects rap or DJ’ing as legitimate musical practices for example, then so too are they rejecting the motivations and histories behind those practices along with the students who identify with those movements,” Stewart Rose said.

On the other hand, an inclusive curriculum reflects the identities of the students, is relevant to their lives and invites the student to “proudly bring their full selves into the classroom,” she said. This is known as culturally relevant and responsive curriculum, which she says is part of the solution.

Researchers hope their findings will lead to change.

“If the idea behind such programs is to be inclusive, and if we are committed to ensuring access to all students across the city not just a privileged few, then we need to reconsider not just how students access such programs, but what kind of arts training they provide and what image of the artist we want to promote through our education system,” Gaztambide-Fernández said.

Seniors who fall prey to scams have poorer cognitive skills, are less honest than those who don't: U of T research

lanthierj — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 17:28:14 +0000

Seniors who fall prey to scams have poorer cognitive skills, are less honest than those who don't: U of T research

lanthierj Mon, 04/17/2017 - 13:28

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Professor Kang Lee is one of the lead authors of the paper

Lindsey Craig

Author legacy

Lindsey Craig

Topic

Poorer cognitive skills are the main reason some seniors fall prey to scams, new research from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto shows.

But it’s not just limitations in their ability to think, learn and reason that leave some seniors vulnerable. Older victims of fraud also tend to be less conscientious and less honest than non-victims of the same age group, the researchers found.

“The results of this study were very surprising – they dispel a common belief about why some older people fall victim to fraud,” said one of the study’s lead authors, Dr. Kang Lee, professor at OISE’s Jackman Institute of Child Study and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair.

“People often think things like loneliness or trusting behaviours are the culprit,” said co-lead author and OISE doctoral researcher Rebecca Judges. “But this study shows that cognitive factors – not social factors – are the biggest difference between older adult victims and non-victims.”

‘The Role of Cognition, Personality, and Trust in Fraud Victimization in Older Adults’ was conducted with researchers from Ryerson University and published in the journal, Frontiers in Psychology last week. It involved participants in Ontario aged 60 and older who had not been diagnosed with any cognitive impairment and lived independently in their communities.

Participants were asked about 15 common types of consumer and mass marketing fraud including weight loss scams, advance free loans, lottery fraud, and emergency (or grandparent) scams.

The skills required to think, learn and reason

Everyday cognitive skills include such things as being able to perform simple calculations in one’s head, follow a conversation from start to finish, and remember events that took place over the past month.

“The same abilities that enable someone to do these tasks well may also be important for identifying and avoiding scams,” Dr. Lee said.

Conscientiousness, honesty, also a factor

Results also showed that older victims are less honest, less conscientious and have less humility than non-victims of the same age group.

Highly conscientious people carefully consider consequences of their actions, are very thorough in thorough in their work, and tend to work hard to achieve their goals, the researchers said. People with very low levels of conscientiousness, however, tend to act on impulse and neglect small details in their work and daily activities.

“These tendencies could cause them to impulsively agree to a scammer's requests, and ignore the minor details that could indicate a scammer's malicious intent,” said Judges.

People who are extremely honest are more likely to be genuine and avoid corruption, Lee said, while people with very low levels of honesty tend to be motivated to break rules and manipulate others for personal gain.

“It’s possible that less honest individuals view a scam as a way to experience personal financial gain in an unconventional way, and may not be as adverse to the underhanded nature of some scams,” he said.

Support needed to prevent decline of cognitive skills

Ryerson University researcher and U of T alumna Dr. Lixia Yang, who collaborated on the study along with PhD student Sara Gallant, said the results can play an important role in the prevention of fraud victimization in older people.

Judges agreed.

“For example, identifying the most important skills needed in financial decision-making and then working to prevent cognitive decline in those key areas could make an impact,” she said, also suggesting additional support be provided to those experiencing cognitive decline.

Canadians aged 60-69 most frequently targeted

Despite efforts to prevent fraud victimization, people in Western nations are collectively losing billions of dollars according to consumer groups like the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, and others.

In 2014, Canadians lost a reported $74 million to mass-marketing scams alone, and 60-69 year olds were the most frequently targeted group, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. In the same year, Americans lost $1.7 billion to various scams, according to the Federal Trade Commission, while the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission reported losses of $82 million due to fraud.

Read about Kang Lee's research into babies and racial bias

Read about Kang Lee's NuraLogix

Racial bias may begin in babies at six months, U of T research reveals

ullahnor — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 17:01:37 +0000

Racial bias may begin in babies at six months, U of T research reveals

ullahnor Tue, 04/11/2017 - 13:01

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Professor Kang Lee says lack of exposure to other races may be the cause of racial bias in babies (photo from Shutterstock)

Lindsey Craig

Author legacy

Lindsey Craig

Topic

U of T Professor Kang Lee says two of his recent studies indicate that racial bias may arise in babies as young as six to nine months of age.

Lee, a professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, says that lack of exposure to other races may be the cause.

He and researchers from the University of Toronto, the U.S., U.K., France and China, show that six to nine month olds demonstrate racial bias in favour of members of their own race and racial bias against those of other races.

In the first study, published in Developmental Science, Lee showed that six- to nine-month-old babies begin to associate faces from their own race with happy music and those from other races with sad music.

In the second study, published in Child Development, the researchers found that babies as young as six months were more inclined to learn information from an adult of his or her own race, rather than from an adult of a different race.

“The results show that race-based bias already exists around the second half of a child’s first year,” said Lee, a Canada Research Chair in moral development and developmental neuroscience and lead author of the studies. “This challenges the popular view that race-based bias first emerges only during the preschool years.”

He believes the results of these studies are important given the issues of widespread racial bias and racism around the world.

“These findings thus point to the possibility that racial bias may arise out of our lack of exposure to other-race individuals in infancy,” Lee said. “If we can pinpoint the starting point of racial bias, which we may have done here, we can start to find ways to prevent racial biases from happening.”

Researchers say these findings are important because they offer a new perspective on the cause of race-based bias.

“When we consider why someone has a racial bias, we often think of negative experiences he or she may have had with other-race individuals. But these findings suggest that a race-based bias emerges without experience with other-race individuals,” said Naiqi (Gabriel) Xiao, who also led research for the two studies and now is a postdoctoral researcher at Princeton University.

This can be inferred because prior studies from other labs have indicated that over 90 per cent of people many infants typically interact with are of their own race. Following this pattern, the current studies involved babies who had little to no prior experience with other-race individuals.

“An important finding is that infants will learn from people they are most exposed to,” said Xiao, indicating that parents can help prevent racial bias by introducing their children to people from a variety of races.

Lee said it’s important to be mindful of the impact racial bias has on our everyday lives, stressing that not only is explicit bias a concern but so too are implicit forms.

“Implicit racial biases tend to be subconscious, pernicious, and insidious,” he said. “It permeates almost all of our social interactions, from health care to commerce, employment, politics, and dating. Because of that, it’s very important to study where these kinds of biases come from and use that information to try and prevent racial biases from developing,” he said.

Black Girls Magazine: U of T PhD student inspired to make a difference

ullahnor — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 19:13:49 +0000

Black Girls Magazine: U of T PhD student inspired to make a difference

ullahnor Tue, 02/21/2017 - 14:13

Cutline

U of T PhD student Annette Bazira-Okafor (left) with some of the young contributors of "Black Girls Magazine"

Lindsey Craig

Author legacy

Lindsey Craig

Topic

When Annette Bazira-Okafor, a PhD student at U of T's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, saw the magazines and apps her daughter and her friends were using, she knew something was missing – representation of the girls themselves.

“They just are not there. The way they do their hair, their skin tone – it’s not represented,” she said.

“It sends a message that they’re not part of the norm. It’s not right,” she continued. “It’s important for them to have a voice.”

So, Bazira-Okafor decided to give them one.

One Friday evening, she got the girls together and asked them to share their experiences in written stories, images, cartoons – whichever way they wanted to express themselves.

The result was far beyond what Bazira-Okafor had ever dreamed.

“I just thought, ‘Why would we keep this [for ourselves] and not have other people look at it?’” she said.

And so, with that, Black Girls Magazine was born.

Using her own resources, Bazira-Okafor had the first issue printed.

It wasn’t long before word began to spread among friends and families. Soon after, schools and libraries too, wanted the magazine on their shelves.

“People loved it. They really embraced it. And I think that was really important for the girls to see – that their work was important, that they were important. It validated them,” Bazira-Okafor said.

Content in the magazine ranges from running for school council president to “weird questions people ask me about my hair,” to family trips abroad and a comic strip.

The girls say the chance to talk about their real-life experiences helps fight stereotypes of how black girls are often portrayed.

“At my school, there’s a lot of black people. But then the white people [at the school] always assume that black people live in the hood, and they’re all very poor,” said Morgan, 13. “So I feel like if we show that we’re something greater...then I feel that that will help us a lot in breaking the stereotype.”

In one issue, Taylor, 12, was inspired to write about her impressions of the Disney movie Queen of Katwe, a film about a Ugandan girl who becomes a top chess competitor.

“I love Black Girls Magazine because it represents us, and the things that we like to do,” Taylor said.

“We need to show other black girls in the world that they don’t have to keep quiet, and they don’t have to conform to what the world thinks you should be,” said Mbabazi, 13, who creates caricatures of girls in the magazine.

As for what inspired her to create the magazine, Bazira-Okafor said her studies at OISE have been empowering.

“It’s made me think about the world differently, and it gave me confidence to be able to boldly say what I want to say,” she said.

Black Girls Magazine is published twice a year with all publishing and printing costs covered by Bazira-Okafor. Those looking to help sponsor Black Girls Magazine can contact Bazira-Okafor at blackgirlsmagazine.ca. Girls who wish to contribute features to Black Girls Magazine can email: blackgirlsmagazine@gmail.com.

Black History Month spotlight: U of T Professor Lance McCready

ullahnor — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 18:19:48 +0000

Black History Month spotlight: U of T Professor Lance McCready

ullahnor Wed, 02/01/2017 - 13:19

Lindsey Craig

Author legacy

Lindsey Craig

Topic

Undergraduate Education

Subheadline

McCready says high school guidance counselling needs to be overhauled and more supports put in place to help black male students finish high school and enroll in post-secondary education

During Black History Month, U of T's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education is spotlighting several professors whose research has focused on race, equity and education.

We start with OISE Professor Lance McCready.

McCready’s research focuses on the health, education and well-being of young black men. His most recent work looks at the educational trajectories of young black men in Canadian urban centres, and programs and services for ethnic and racial minority males who are underrepresented in North American colleges and universities.

McCready is also co-chair of the Black Gay Research Group, collaborator and consultant to the Black Daddies Club and Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, and co-chair of the Black Student Recruitment and Success Group within the University of Toronto’s new Black Faculty Working Group.

U of T's Lindsey Craig talked with McCready about his research into the challenges facing young black men.

What are some of the unique challenges that black students face in Canada?

My research focuses on the health and education of young black men in urban environments. Some of the challenges facing black male youth in high school, particularly those who are second and third generation Canadians, are low expectations, stigmatization, physical and mental violence rooted in socio-historical constructions of black masculinity and systemic oppression.

How can some of these challenges be addressed?

Mandatory anti-racism training is crucial but also greater attention to personalization and one-on-one support. Along these lines, high school guidance counselling needs to be overhauled.

Additionally, community organizations, college and university administrations can play a more integral role through partnerships and collaborations in helping black male students finish high school and enroll in post-secondary education.

Several reports indicate that black students and their families, generally, are not satisfied with the types and level of support they are given for post-secondary access. Post-secondary education is necessary in today's society because it provides a foundation for well-being, good jobs and careers rather than precarious ones.

What’s one way educators can help foster the success of black male students?

Encourage black male students to pursue post-secondary education if possible rather than follow a direct path from secondary school to full-time, precarious, low-wage work. Educate yourself about systemic barriers, sociohistorical constructions of black masculinity and gender relations, and personal obstacles facing black male students.

This kind of learning builds educators' capacity to work more closely with black male students who need personalized assistance on how to navigate systemic barriers and personal obstacles that get in the way of pursuing post-secondary education.

Lindsey Craig

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Black History Month spotlight: U of T Professor Lance McCready