Sandra Mathison

Sandra Mathison is a Professor of Measurement, Evaluation, and Research Methodology in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on educational evaluation; especially on the potential and limits of evaluation to support democratic ideals and promote justice in education. She has long been concerned with the intended and unintended consequences of government mandated accountability on teachers, students, and quality of education. Over her career, Mathison's research has lead to a commitment to public education, the right of all children to a high quality education that is broad in scope and inclusive of all learners.

Mathison is one of several co-founders and currently Executive Director of the newly formed (2016) Institute for Public Education/ British Columbia (IPE-BC), an Institute that supports public education that promotes the common good for all British Columbians. IPE is primarily an information portal for media, teachers, parents and communities to make available in accessible ways scholarly research and conversations about public education. The Institute has approximately 50 Fellows who are academics, educational activists, and community leaders who are committed to public education in a truly democratic society. She is co-founder and co-director of the Institute, with E. Wayne Ross and Stephen Petrina, and co-editor of one of the Institute’s flagship open access journals, Critical Education. The Institute for Critical Education Studies was formally established in October 2010 to support studies within a critical education tradition. ICES maintains a network that conducts and circulates cultural, educational, or social research and discourse that are critical in method, scope, tone, and content. Critical Education Week is a weekly online newspaper featuring stories about education from around the web and around the world.