Purpose:

The purpose of the CAFE Outstanding Master’s Thesis Recognition Award is to acknowledge the exceptional research accomplishments of recent master graduates in the Foundations of Education. A maximum of three Recognition Awards will be awarded in any one year.

Eligibility:

To be eligible for this award theses shall be successfully defended between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. Theses employing any theoretical and methodological orientation may be nominated as long as they make an important contribution to the foundations of education (including History of Education, Philosophy of Education, and Sociology of Education).

Submission Logistics:

Nominations shall be submitted by the student’s supervising faculty member who must be a member in good standing of CSSE and CAFE at the time of nomination and award. Supervisors can nominate only one thesis per year. The thesis must not be submitted for awards to any special interest groups in CAFE. Self-nominations by students are not accepted. The nomination must include the following:

1. A nomination letter prepared by the supervising faculty member outlining (i) the role of the faculty member with respect to the student’s preparation of the thesis, (ii) the intellectual contributions that were made by the student, (iii) a persuasive case that the submission meets the criteria of the award (see below) and (iv) the date when the thesis was successfully defended.
2. A 4-page summary (max. 2000 words) that includes a description of the research problem within a context; research questions; theoretical framework; methodology; and key findings. Submission of a full thesis will not be accepted. A cover page with the full title of the thesis and full contact information of the supervisor and student is required.

Criteria for Award:

The evaluation criteria is based on: overall quality of the work; significance of the research problem; conceptualization, design, and execution of the study; potential for theory development, further research and improved practice; and relevance to the field of foundations of education in Canada.

Submission:

Nominations must be submitted in word or pdf format via email to Dr. Jeannie Kerr, Chair, CAFE Awards Committee at je.kerr@uwinnipeg.ca. Include “CAFE Master’s Thesis Award” in the subject line. The chair will provide an email submission receipt, please contact the Chair if you do not receive this receipt. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Recognition of Thesis Submission:

Award recipients will be: invited to present their research at the CAFE Recognition of Master Thesis session at CSSE; will receive a certificate of recognition from CAFE; and be invited to attend the CAFE Annual General Meeting and Dinner as guests of CAFE.