Marc Spooner

Dr. Marc Spooner serves as a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Regina, specializing in Educational Psychology. His work bridges rigorous academic research with community activism through qualitative and participatory action methodologies.

His academic credentials include:

• PhD in Education (University of Ottawa)
• MA in Education (Psychopedagogy)
• BEd across multiple teaching levels (English)
• BA (Hon) in Psychology (Carleton University)

Research focuses on critical societal issues with three interconnected pillars: homelessness/poverty in Regina (funded by federal/municipal governments), neoliberal 'audit culture' in academia (examining corporatization's impact on intellectual freedom), and social justice through participatory democracy. His approach rejects academic detachment—instead centering marginalized voices via community-engaged documentaries and government reports.

Publication trends reveal consistent scholarly impact since 2009, with recent work (2018-2025) increasingly addressing academic freedom under institutional management. His output spans peer-reviewed journals (Qualitative Inquiry), influential handbooks, government reports, and public-facing media like Briarpatch Magazine, demonstrating commitment to both theoretical rigor and accessible knowledge mobilization.

Key recognition:

• Formally acknowledged by the Canadian Senate as a homelessness expert

As principal investigator, he has secured multiple government grants for homelessness research while mentoring graduate students through advanced methodology courses. His community work includes chairing Carmichael Outreach, co-creating the Regina Survival Guide, and speaking at policy advocacy events like the 2011 Rent Control Rally. This praxis-oriented approach ensures research directly informs community action.

Though no formal lab exists, his community-based projects—particularly the Regina homelessness documentaries—function as dynamic research collectives involving service providers, policymakers, and individuals with lived experience, embodying his participatory action research philosophy.