“I found I could say things with colors and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Georgia O’ Keefe

The above quote by painter Georgia O’Keefe reminds us of the importance of embracing different approaches to conveying knowledge outside of traditional expressions of communication. It is an especially fitting quote as the content in this e-book leans heavily into using visual techniques to not only engage readers, but also inform them on issues impacting education.

In this e-book, you will find a collection of digital collages created as an assignment for the course Social Justice Issues in Education, a fourth-year course that I taught in the Winter of 2023 in the Bachelor of Arts in Educational Studies at Ontario Tech University. Through the creation of original digital collages and by writing essays to contextualize their work, students have shared their knowledge on a particular  issue through a personal lens of lived experience. The topics on these pages vary, but there is a common thread that can be found woven into each digital collage: social justice in education.

I am grateful for the willingness of students who took this course to share their assignments as an open educational resource. As well, I would like to say thank you to Hannah Atkinson as I acknowledge the work she did in the role of associate editor. Hannah also designed the front cover to this e-book. In addition, I would like to thank Pranjal Saloni and her team in the OER Lab at Ontario Tech University.

It is my sincere hope that you enjoy learning about social justice issues in education through the personal perspectives of the students who graciously contributed their work to this collection.

Dr. Anna Rodrigues
Editor