The Institute for Education Research at UHN
TIER officially launched in September 2019. Please visit our homepage at www.TIERatUHN.ca to read more about TIER.
For our healthcare system to adapt to the needs of the 21st century and to continually advance care, we must imagine, design and implement bold new ways of educating the healthcare workforce. This is the driving force behind The Institute for Education Research at UHN (TIER).
TIER is one of the six research institutes within the UHN. Through the adoption of a unique research model, TIER welcomes researchers and partners from across the healthcare continuum and the university and college sectors, to provide a fulsome view on healthcare education. As a hub for experts to come together, incubate ideas and leverage expertise, TIER is shining a light on an emerging field to develop the future of Canada’s healthcare professionals.
Our research is focused on:
Teaching, Learning and Practice: Exploring how to optimize learning in the professions using cognitive psychology, education science and social science perspectives.
Societies, Systems and Structures: Exploring how the organizational and social structures of health professional education and clinical settings impact education practice and theory.
Technology, Innovation and Simulation: Exploring how innovations in technology, including simulation and artificial intelligence, change the learning and practice experiences of health professionals.
Nikki Woods on Why Education Research Matters
COVID-19 Resources
The UHN Science of COVID-19 Portal is here to provide informational and clinical resources.
On the Portal, you will find:
- General epidemiology, virology and research resources.
- Emerging Evidence: a place where you can ask questions on the science of COVID-19.
- Resources aimed at clinicians needing to "upskill" to critical care or being redeployed to unfamiliar areas of practice.
- Self-care aids to help you maintain wellness and resiliency during this pandemic
The UHN Teaching and Learning in the Time of COVID-19 Portal is here to provide relevant, reliable sources of information to facilitate knowledge synthesis and mobilization to enable all our teachers and learners to realize the best education and best teaching and learning experience. The Big Pivot in learning and teaching required – very suddenly – a halt of face-to-face learning and the rapid transition to alternate delivery, both academically and clinically.
On the Portal, you will find:
- Teaching resources for remote teaching, clinical teaching, teaching using simulation, and online teaching tools
- A question service for your teaching queries
- Learning resources for students
- Rapid innovation for program delivery
- Coping and resiliency resources
- First person narratives of COVID-19
- TIER Scientists
David Rojas
Apply to be a member of The Institute for Education Research here
- TIER Affiliate Scientists
Maria Athina (Tina) Martimianakis
Sandra McKay
Apply to be a member of The Institute for Education Research here
- Associate Scientists
Apply to be a member of The Institute for Education Research here
- TIER Education Investigators
Homam Albaghdadi
Melanie Anderson
Rhona Anderson
Jessica Babineau
Danielle Bentley
Sally Binks
Amanda Binns*
Marina Englesakis
Rouhi Fazelzad
Farah Friesen
Catharine Gray
Kathryn Hodwitz
Kelly Holloway
Jordan Holmes
Brian Hyndman
Kerry Knickle
Alison Lai*
Jameela Lencucha
Dean Lising
Kristina Lisk
Mandy Lowe
Emma MacLean
Tobi Mark
Ani Orchanian-Cheff
Maureen Pakosh
Tina Papadakos
Juanita Richardson
Mohammad Salhia
Meredith Smith
Maria Tassone*
Tim Tripp
Eliot To
William Tran
Diane Tyczynski
Harvey Weingarten*
Jennifer Wong
Alaa Youssef
Apply to be a member of The Institute for Education Research here
*Denotes PI status
- TIER Academy Scholars
Renate Bradley
Andrea Etherington
Alexander Karabanow
Meera Narenthiran
Katherine Savelberg
Apply to be a member of The Institute for Education Research here
- TIER Academy Research Trainees
Omar Selim
Apply to be a member of The Institute for Education Research here
- Apply to TIER
Apply to be a member of The Institute for Education Research here
Teaching, Learning and Practice: Exploring how to optimize learning in the professions using cognitive psychology, education science and social science perspectives.
Theme Lead: Dr. Maria Mylopoulos
Scientist and Associate Director of Training Programs, The Wilson Centre, UHN
Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto
Curriculum Scientist, Undergraduate Medical Education & Medical Psychiatry Alliance (MPA)
Dr. Mylopoulos’ research program explores the development and maintenance of expertise, with a particular focus on how health professionals deal with uncertainty, novelty and complexity in their daily clinical problem solving. The aim of her research is to evolve understanding of the knowledge and capabilities that underpin this facet of expertise as it occurs in real-world contexts using theoretical frameworks of clinical reasoning and adaptive expertise. The ultimate goal of her research is to translate this understanding to educational design that promotes the development of exceptional clinicians who are able to handle the complexities and challenges of the healthcare workplace.
Societies, Systems and Structures: Exploring how the organizational and social structures of health professional education and clinical settings impact education practice and theory.
Theme Lead: Dr. Paula Rowland
Scientist, The Wilson Centre, MD Education, and TIER
Associate Professor (status), Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy and Institute for Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto
Dr. Rowland’s research explores dynamics of knowledge, power and identity in changing health care workplaces. With a focus on learning and change, she has a particular interest in exploring improvement work in health care organizations. The aim of her research is to understand how workplaces are changing and the potential implications for care work and for care workers. Ultimately, the goal of her research is to use insights from the social sciences to create the best places to give and receive care.
Technology, Innovation and Simulation: Exploring how innovations in technology, including simulation and artificial intelligence, change the learning and practice experiences of health professionals.
Theme Lead: currently open
TIER Leadership Council
Nikki Woods, Institute Director
Ann Russell, Applied Research Director
Maria Mylopoulos, Theme Lead, Teaching, Learning and Practice
Mathieu Albert, Theme Lead, Society, Systems and Structures
Patti Leake, TIER Coordinator
Garth Gayle, Director of Finance
TIER Advisory Council
Kathryn Nichol, Chair
Lisa Di Prospero
Marlene Scardamalia
Chris Stigas
Brian Hyndman
Renate Bradley
Ann Russell
TIER Governance Structure
