{"id":{"repo_id":"brock","oai_identifier":"oai:brocku.scholaris.ca:10464/19616"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/brock/oai:brocku.scholaris.ca:10464/19616","repository":{"repo_id":"brock","name":"Brock University","base_url":"https://brocku.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"The Possibilities and Limitations of the Savvy Ally Literature Circle as a form of Experiential Social Justice-Oriented Transformative Professional Development for K-12 Ontario Educators","abstract":"This thesis explores the potential of the Savvy Ally literature circle (LC) as a transformative professional development (PD) tool for social justice education, which Vaccaro (2013) argues “is not just about participant learning; facilitators must also be willing to learn, grow, and change” (p. 24). Specifically, the Savvy Ally LC addresses systemic inequities faced by marginalized students and educators within 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Informed by the work of Roberts (2024) and theories of transformative learning (Mezirow, 2000) and leadership (Shields, 2020), the study employs a qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews to examine how LCs can foster critical reflection, challenge assumptions, and equip educators to advocate for social justice. Through experiential learning, participants engage in collaborative discussions around topics from Gainsburg’s (2023) The Savvy Ally: A Guide for Becoming a Skilled LGBTQ+ Advocate, gaining insights into supporting 2SLGBTQI+ students and colleagues and acting to create more inclusive learning environments. The study also reflects on the researcher’s role as a transformative leader in facilitating these LCs. Findings reveal that while the LC facilitated meaningful transformation, fostering deeper understanding and social justice growth, challenges remain—such as the need for sustained dialogue, broader representation, and institutional support—to ensure lasting impact. This research contributes to the field of social justice education by proposing a new approach to PD that empowers educators to engage in meaningful social change. Through this thesis, I hope to inspire others to engage in this vital work, creating a future where all students and educators, including 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, feel seen, heard, and supported.","abstract_html":"This thesis explores the potential of the Savvy Ally literature circle (LC) as a transformative professional development (PD) tool for social justice education, which Vaccaro (2013) argues “is not just about participant learning; facilitators must also be willing to learn, grow, and change” (p. 24). Specifically, the Savvy Ally LC addresses systemic inequities faced by marginalized students and educators within 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Informed by the work of Roberts (2024) and theories of transformative learning (Mezirow, 2000) and leadership (Shields, 2020), the study employs a qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews to examine how LCs can foster critical reflection, challenge assumptions, and equip educators to advocate for social justice. Through experiential learning, participants engage in collaborative discussions around topics from Gainsburg’s (2023) The Savvy Ally: A Guide for Becoming a Skilled LGBTQ+ Advocate, gaining insights into supporting 2SLGBTQI+ students and colleagues and acting to create more inclusive learning environments. The study also reflects on the researcher’s role as a transformative leader in facilitating these LCs. Findings reveal that while the LC facilitated meaningful transformation, fostering deeper understanding and social justice growth, challenges remain—such as the need for sustained dialogue, broader representation, and institutional support—to ensure lasting impact. This research contributes to the field of social justice education by proposing a new approach to PD that empowers educators to engage in meaningful social change. Through this thesis, I hope to inspire others to engage in this vital work, creating a future where all students and educators, including 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, feel seen, heard, and supported.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Desroches, Janice"],"institution":"Brock University","degree_name":"M.A. Social Justice and Equity Studies","degree_level":"Master","degree_discipline":"Faculty of Social Sciences","degree_department":"Social Justice and Equity Studies Program","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Taylor, Leanne"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025","date_published":"2025","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:23:00Z","subjects":["social justice education","experiential learning","transformative learning and leadership","professional development","literature circle"],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["Attribution 4.0 International"],"rights_urls":["http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10464/19616","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Taylor, Leanne"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Social Justice and Equity Studies Program"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Desroches, Janice"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-09-15T13:47:14Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-09-15T13:47:14Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Brock University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Faculty of Social Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M.A. Social Justice and Equity Studies"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["social justice education","experiential learning","transformative learning and leadership","professional development","literature circle"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Attribution 4.0 International"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10464/19616"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis explores the potential of the Savvy Ally literature circle (LC) as a transformative professional development (PD) tool for social justice education, which Vaccaro (2013) argues “is not just about participant learning; facilitators must also be willing to learn, grow, and change” (p. 24). Specifically, the Savvy Ally LC addresses systemic inequities faced by marginalized students and educators within 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Informed by the work of Roberts (2024) and theories of transformative learning (Mezirow, 2000) and leadership (Shields, 2020), the study employs a qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews to examine how LCs can foster critical reflection, challenge assumptions, and equip educators to advocate for social justice. Through experiential learning, participants engage in collaborative discussions around topics from Gainsburg’s (2023) The Savvy Ally: A Guide for Becoming a Skilled LGBTQ+ Advocate, gaining insights into supporting 2SLGBTQI+ students and colleagues and acting to create more inclusive learning environments. The study also reflects on the researcher’s role as a transformative leader in facilitating these LCs. Findings reveal that while the LC facilitated meaningful transformation, fostering deeper understanding and social justice growth, challenges remain—such as the need for sustained dialogue, broader representation, and institutional support—to ensure lasting impact. This research contributes to the field of social justice education by proposing a new approach to PD that empowers educators to engage in meaningful social change. Through this thesis, I hope to inspire others to engage in this vital work, creating a future where all students and educators, including 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, feel seen, heard, and supported."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Possibilities and Limitations of the Savvy Ally Literature Circle as a form of Experiential Social Justice-Oriented Transformative Professional Development for K-12 Ontario Educators"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Taylor, Leanne"],"dc:contributor.department":["Social Justice and Equity Studies Program"],"dc:creator":["Desroches, Janice"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-09-15T13:47:14Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-09-15T13:47:14Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2025"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis explores the potential of the Savvy Ally literature circle (LC) as a transformative professional development (PD) tool for social justice education, which Vaccaro (2013) argues “is not just about participant learning; facilitators must also be willing to learn, grow, and change” (p. 24). Specifically, the Savvy Ally LC addresses systemic inequities faced by marginalized students and educators within 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Informed by the work of Roberts (2024) and theories of transformative learning (Mezirow, 2000) and leadership (Shields, 2020), the study employs a qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews to examine how LCs can foster critical reflection, challenge assumptions, and equip educators to advocate for social justice. Through experiential learning, participants engage in collaborative discussions around topics from Gainsburg’s (2023) The Savvy Ally: A Guide for Becoming a Skilled LGBTQ+ Advocate, gaining insights into supporting 2SLGBTQI+ students and colleagues and acting to create more inclusive learning environments. The study also reflects on the researcher’s role as a transformative leader in facilitating these LCs. Findings reveal that while the LC facilitated meaningful transformation, fostering deeper understanding and social justice growth, challenges remain—such as the need for sustained dialogue, broader representation, and institutional support—to ensure lasting impact. This research contributes to the field of social justice education by proposing a new approach to PD that empowers educators to engage in meaningful social change. Through this thesis, I hope to inspire others to engage in this vital work, creating a future where all students and educators, including 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, feel seen, heard, and supported."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10464/19616"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher":["Brock University"],"dc:rights":["Attribution 4.0 International"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"],"dc:subject":["social justice education","experiential learning","transformative learning and leadership","professional development","literature circle"],"dc:title":["The Possibilities and Limitations of the Savvy Ally Literature Circle as a form of Experiential Social Justice-Oriented Transformative Professional Development for K-12 Ontario Educators"],"dc:type":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Faculty of Social Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.A. Social Justice and Equity Studies"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:23:00Z"}