Kathryn Hibbert

Dr. Kathryn Hibbert, PhD (She/Her)

Distinguished University Professor - Curriculum Studies and Studies in Applied Linguistics

PhD (University of Western Ontario)

Dr. Kathryn Hibbert, PhD (She/Her)

Distinguished University Professor - Curriculum Studies and Studies in Applied Linguistics

PhD (University of Western Ontario)

I grew up in rural Ontario, attending a two-room schoolhouse and becoming the first in my family to pursue post-secondary education. My early learning, however, extended far beyond the classroom. In the mid-1970s, my parents joined two local families to sponsor Vietnamese refugees following the fall of Saigon. Their arrival reshaped our lives. Teaching my new younger “brother” to read also meant learning to “read the world” through his experiences of displacement, resilience, and cultural difference. Those lessons continue to influence my work.

As I began teaching in the 1980s, I was struck by the disconnect between increasingly diverse classrooms and systems designed to assimilate rather than include. I saw exceptionally capable multilingual students misplaced in special education settings and recognized the need to rethink educational practice, resources, and assumptions. My own dual diagnosis of giftedness and learning disability reinforced my commitment to equity and the recognition of diverse ways of learning.

Professional Path

I taught in varied roles in the Lambton Kent District School Board—French, special education, learning resource, inclusive education, and gifted education—before pursuing doctoral studies focused on virtual learning environments. This opened interdisciplinary work beyond K–12, including collaborations in medical education and professional learning.

I led the establishment of the Centre for Education in Medical Imaging and later joined the Centre for Education Research & Innovation (CERI) at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. My work with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has included co-designing curriculum with first responders involved in the Fukushima nuclear accident, grounded in science-technology-society perspectives.

Within education, I draw on multiliteracies and social practice theories to explore how evolving communication systems and digital pedagogies shape learning, equity, and participation.

Leadership

My administrative roles have included:

  • Founding Director, Centre for Education in Medical Imaging, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry

  • Founding Director, Interdisciplinary Centre for Research in Curriculum as a Social Practice

  • Associate Dean, Teacher Education, Western University (2018-2024)

  • Acting Dean, Faculty of Education (2019–2021)

I have led program redesigns informed by research, community engagement, and commitments to equity and professional responsibility. Across all roles, I am motivated by a simple belief: meaningful learning happens when institutions, educators, and communities collaborate to create spaces where all learners belong and thrive.