The St. Mary’s University Faculty of Education and the Woitas Center for Inclusive Education showcased their expertise on the global stage during The 14th Annual European Conference on Education (ECE2026) in London, England, earlier this summer.
The Woitas Centre for Inclusive Education Executive Director Trisa Soroski and Assistant Professor of Literacy Education, Dr. Harrison Campbell co-presented a workshop titled Playing, Growing, and Including Everyone Together. The workshop demonstrated that when intentionally designed, play can support diversity and inclusion by providing multiple ways for learners of varying abilities, backgrounds, and strengths to engage.
“By participating in international conferences such as these, we have the opportunity to collaborate and share best practices in inclusive education with practitioners across the globe. We come away from London, excited to see how inclusive education practices are evolving and how we can continue to prepare our pre-service educators.” Says, Trisa Soroski.
Designed for educators and educational professionals, this interactive workshop invited participants to engage in a series of play-based activities and learning centres that showcased practical strategies for promoting problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration across K–12 classrooms.
The workshop showcased:
- How to apply play-based strategies to foster social-emotional learning and collaboration.
- Design approaches for differentiated play activities that align with a wide range of curricular outcomes.
- Universal Design for Learning principles to support diverse learners through play.
- Connections between play, inclusion, and student engagement.
As a national leader in inclusive education, St. Mary’s drew on one of their first-year Education courses that equips future teachers with frameworks for creating inclusive, engaging learning experiences to help inform the design of the workshop. With workshop participants representing nine countries, the session highlighted the growing global momentum behind inclusive education practices.
Dr. Harrison Campbell says international conferences like ECE2026 provide valuable opportunities to share ideas and learn from educators around the world.
“Research has shown that play can promote social-emotional development, executive functioning, creativity, and problem-solving skills in all learners. In fact, in the field, we’re seeing many examples of play as an effective way to support inclusive learning environments across K-12.”
The opportunity to share St. Mary’s expertise on an international stage reflects the University’s commitment to preparing future educators with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience to create classrooms where every learner can thrive.
About the Woitas Centre for Inclusive Education:
This pioneering Centre will empower pre-service and in-service teachers to advance inclusive practices across Calgary and Alberta’s school boards, creating an immediate and lasting impact for thousands of K-12 students.
For more information on the Woitas Centre, please visit https://stmu.ca/woitascentre/.
