Iris Berger

Dr. Iris Berger serves as Associate Professor of Teaching in the Department of Language and Literacy Education at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Education, with significant affiliation to the Centre for Early Childhood Education & Research (CECER). Her work bridges academic scholarship and practical application in early childhood education policy, leadership development, and outdoor learning environments across Canadian contexts.

Her research program centers on reimagining educational leadership through narrative and storytelling as political action, exploring how place-based pedagogies can address ethical and political dimensions of childhood. She investigates the complexities of outdoor education, policy implementation, and pedagogical documentation while challenging traditional binaries in early childhood practice. Her approach emphasizes knowledge as dynamic, situated, and incomplete, fostering intellectual 'restlessness' among students and practitioners.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trajectory toward place-conscious and outdoor-focused early childhood education, increasingly incorporating posthumanist perspectives, Indigenous knowledge systems, and critical examinations of identity. Her work consistently engages with material-discursive practices and more-than-human pedagogies, demonstrating growing international collaboration and theoretical sophistication while maintaining practical relevance for educators.

Dr. Berger's scholarly contributions have been recognized through significant awards:

• Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies’ Virtual Roundtables Award (2020-2021)
• UBC Sustainability Office Grant (2015)
• Dissertation Award from the Canadian Philosophy of Education Society (2014)

She actively secures research funding and leads collaborative projects, notably the 'Advancing Early Childhood Education Outdoors Now' initiative with researchers from Population and Public Health, Curriculum and Pedagogy, and Camosun College. Her grant work focuses on translating research into practice through community partnerships and policy engagement, particularly regarding outdoor learning environments during and beyond the pandemic.

As a core member of UBC's Centre for Early Childhood Education & Research, Dr. Berger contributes to interdisciplinary teams examining early childhood policy implementation, pedagogical innovation, and outdoor programming. Her collaborative networks extend to Indigenous communities, healthcare professionals, and international scholars, creating integrated approaches to complex challenges in early childhood education.