Research

Research

Scholarly & Pedagogical Expertise:

Michele Jacobsen conducts research at the intersection of the learning sciences, graduate education, educational technology, and professional learning. Using design-based research, collaborative inquiry, and mixed methods, she studies how learning environments, supervisory relationships, and educational innovations can foster academic excellence, well-being, and equitable participation across higher education.

Her research advances evidence-informed approaches to graduate supervision and mentoring, including supervisory learning alliances, relational trust, communities of practice, peer mentoring, and institutional cultures of excellence in graduate education. Current projects examine graduate students’ experiences of supervision, professional learning for graduate supervisors and postdoctoral scholars, the role of relational supervision in doctoral education, and the design of research-informed resources that strengthen supervisory capacity.

Her research investigates technology-enhanced learning, generative artificial intelligence, and participatory pedagogies that support knowledge building, self-regulated learning, collaboration, and inclusive educational design. Across her research, Michele partners with students, educators, and institutional leaders to co-design and evaluate innovative learning environments that prepare learners and scholars to thrive in complex and rapidly changing educational contexts.

As of Jun 2026, Michele has published 83 journal articles, 23 journal editorials, 48 conference papers, 6 books, 34 book chapters, 89 keynotes & panels, 220+ blog posts (see Supervision Blog: https://michelejacobsen.ca/supervision-blog/) and 275+ conference presentations. Michele has been recognized with several awards for excellence in educational leadership, research, graduate supervision and teaching.

Current Grant Funded and Independent Research Projects

  • Stronger Together: Engaging a National Community of Practice on Graduate Supervision, SSHRC Connection Grant.
    Michele Jacobsen (PI), Suzanne Curtin (Brock), Cheryl van-Daalen-Smith (YorkU), Tracy Raivio (Alberta), Faye Diamontoudi (ConcordiaU)
  • Using a Holistic Open Learning Design (HOLD) model to support inclusive and flexible course development, SSHRC Insight Development Grant.
    Michelle Harrison (PI), Verena Roberts (Co-I), Barb Brown (Co-I), Michele Jacobsen (Co-I)
  • Education 2050: Futures Literacy for a Polycrisis, SSHRC Partnership Development Grant.
    J. Hughes (PI), L. Morrison, M. Jacobsen, P. Lewis, C. Barakat, M. Hagerman, K. Kumpulainen, O. Sanchez, K. Gyamerah, R. Kay, A. Moghaddam, I. Namukasa, D. Petrarca, A. Mann, A. Cooper, G. Gadanidis, A. King, L. Wilton.
  • Graduate Student Experience Survey Development, Transdisciplinary Scholarship Consolidating Connector Grant.
    Michele Jacobsen (PI), Chel Lee (Science/CSM), Tanille Butler (BioChem); Sonja Johnston (WSE); Alex Paquette (BioEngg) 
  • International investigation of TPACK: Assessing the technology integration of teacher education students.

    Sharon Friesen, Michele Jacobsen, Barb Brown, Jennifer Lock, with Petrea Redmond (PI), University of Southern Australia

  • Students as Partners: Leveraging Graduate Student Perspectives to Expand Supervisory Development. Werklund School Teaching and Learning Grant. Michele Jacobsen (PI), with Tanille Butler (BioChem); Alex Paquette (BioEngg); Sonja Johnston (WSE) / GRA (Collaborators)

  • Inter-institutional Faculty Development for Online Graduate Supervision, SSHRC Connection Grant, Michele Jacobsen (PI), Hawazen Alharbi, Shawn Fraser, Shauna Reckseidler-Zenteno (Co-Investigators)
  • Enhancing E-Learning Opportunities to Foster Virtual Caring Competencies: Developing an Evidence Informed Framework.

    SSHRC Insight Development Grant. Lorelli Nowell (PI), Michele Jacobsen, Diane Lorenzetti, Elizabeth Oddone-Paolucci (Co-Applicants)

  • Enhancing Faculty Development for Graduate Supervision in an Interdisciplinary Online Learning Community, Teaching Scholars Grant, Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, University of Calgary; Michele Jacobsen (PI), Hawazen Alharbi

  • Development of SciComm resources for graduate level teachers of STEM, NSERC PromoScience | Science Communication Skills Grant; Dr. Jeffrey Dunn (PI), Tara Christie & Michele Jacobsen (Co-Applicants)

  • Caring professions education and practice: Meeting today’s workforce demands, SSHRC Knowledge Synthesis Grant;  Lorelli Nowell (PI), Elizabeth Oddone-Paolucci, Michele Jacobsen, Diane Lorenzetti, Liza Lorenzetti

  • Examining the Use of Open Pressbooks for Student Engagement and Learning through Co-Design Participatory Pedagogical Processes, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Collaborative Grant, Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, University of Calgary; Barb Brown (PI), Verena Roberts, Michele Jacobsen & Christie Hurrell

  • Improving the Ability of Science and Technology Researchers to Communicate Using Skills from Arts to Social Sciences, SSHRC Insight Development Grant; Jeffrey Dunn (PI), Michele Jacobsen (Co-Applicant), Marie-Claire Shanahan, Dennis Cahill, Tara Beattie, Tara Christie, Kelly Johnson, M. Berreth, Carly Pontifex

  • Peer Mentorship Skills Training: Online Instruction to Support Academic Resiliency. Development and Innovation Grant, Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, University of Calgary. Diane Lorenzetti (PI), Liza Lorenzetti, Michele Jacobsen, Lorelli Nowell, & Elizabeth Oddone-Paolucci (Co-Applicants)

Jacobsen’s research is published in a range of peer-reviewed academic and professional journals
(Q1 – top-tier; OA – Open Access)

  • Alberta Science Education Journal [OA]
  • BMJ Open [Q1][OA]
  • BMJ Systematic Reviews [Q1][OA]
  • British Journal of Educational Technology [Q1]
  • Canadian Journal of Higher Education [OA]
  • Canadian Journal of Infection and Control [OA]
  • Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology [OA]
  • Canadian Medical Education Journal
  • Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education [OA]
  • Education Canada [OA]
  • Educational Design Research [OA][OA]
  • Educational Technology Research & Development [Q1]

  • Information and Learning Sciences [OA]

  • Innovations in Education and Teaching International [Q1]
  • International Journal Of Continuing Engineering Education And Life-Long Learning [OA]
  • International Journal of Designs for Learning [OA]
  • International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education [Q1]
  • International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning [Q1] [OA]
  • Journal of Educational Administration [Q1][OA]

  • Journal of Educational Thought

  • Journal of Information Literacy [Q1][OA]
  • Journal of International Students [Q1] (OA)

  • Journal of Online Learning and Teaching [OA]

  • Journal of Technology and Teacher Education

  • Medical Education Online [Q1] [OA]

  • Medical Teacher [Q1]

  • Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnership in Learning [Q2][OA]

  • Open/Technology in Education, Society, and Scholarship Association (OTESSA) Journal [OA]
  • Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education
  • Teaching Education [Q1]

Collaborations & Professional Engagement

Video and Web Development