Karen S. Acton

Dr. Karen Acton is an educator with diverse experience as a science teacher, department head, principal, and an education officer at the Ontario Ministry of Education. Dr. Acton subsequently earned her PhD at the University of Toronto, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), studying the supports and barriers of environmental teacher leadership. She mobilized this knowledge as an Environmental Sustainability Lead Principal to enact positive changes in policy and procedures in her school board. Dr. Acton subsequently worked as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Education at Western University teaching courses on curriculum and pedagogy in biology, environmental science and STEM, with a focus on active and inquiry-based learning.

Dr. Acton was formerly an assistant professor at OISE in Educational Leadership and Policy, and continues to conduct research and teach graduate courses at OISE on leadership, research methods, program development, and implementing school change. Dr. Acton additionally works as a consultant for the charitable organization Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF). Her most recent publications focused on principals as change agents, critical issues in environmental education, transformative pedagogies, and perspectives of Canadians on climate change education.