Thomas Ryan portrait
Professor

Dr. Thomas Ryan

He/him/his

Biography

Dr. Ryan began teaching in 1985 and has taught at the University, College, Secondary and Elementary levels. He has worked as a special education resource teacher, classroom teacher, and administrator. Dr. Ryan has taught on reserves in Northern Ontario, and with several School Boards such as the Toronto District, Peel, Halton, Wellington and SDG (Public and Separate). Dr. Ryan worked with ETFO serving on provincial committees and with OSSTF as a Faculty of Education representative. He has worked with EQAO marking and developing provincial assessments and in recent years with the Toronto District School Board supporting various research projects. At the tertiary level he has taught online with Campus Alberta and Nipissing and currently works internationally with Jamaican Colleges affiliated with the University of West Indies (UWI).

Positions

Full-time Faculty
Faculty of Education and Professional Studies - Schulich School of Education
Full-time Faculty
Graduate Studies - Master of Education

Education

Ed.D. Education OISE/UT
2000
Areas of specialization
Action Research
Health & Physical Education
Curriculum
Qualitative and Mixed Methods

Current University Committees & Engagement

  • Chair - NU Education Conference-Panel Session 2025
  • Graduate Studies - Admissions committee 2025-26
  • Graduate Studies M.Ed., Faculty Advisor 2025-26
  • Internal Examiner - PhD Education 
  • External Examiner - Graduate Studies in Education 

Teaching Areas

Undergraduate Programs

  • Education Consecutive

Graduate Studies

  • Master of Education
  • Education, MEd/PHD Program

Graduate Supervision

Accepting Students for Supervision

School year

  • 2026/27
  • 2027/28
  • 2028/29

Supervised Theses / Projects

  • Thesis Supervisor (2017) Andrea Therrien – Perceptions of Autism
  • Thesis Supervisor (2015) Tiana Larocque ­- Examining student satisfaction in a private Canadian career college setting.
  • Thesis Supervisor (2014) Jennifer Holub – Utilization of creativity feedback within an action research study
  • Thesis Supervisor (2014) Cara Durigon – Mathematical knowledge for teaching: An exploration of professional development
  • Thesis Supervisor (2014) Stephanie Robinson – Qualitative exploration of transitioning from High School to University.
  • Thesis Supervisor (2012) – Lianne Van De Wal – Students’ perceptions of literacy after the Ontario secondary school literacy course.
  • Thesis Supervisor (2011) – Katie Lesperance – Body self-compassion in late adolescent female high school student exercisers
  • Thesis Supervisor (2009) – Michael Bellrose – An analysis of principals’ knowledge of research-based instructional practices, leadership styles, and perceptions of literacy coaches

Research

Research Interests

  • Action Research
  • Health & Physical Education
  • Curriculum
  • Qualitative and Mixed Methods

Current Research Projects / Labs

  • Ryan, T. G. (2026). The addiction curricula: An Ontario elementary health and physical education approach. Curriculum and Teaching 41(1), 103-117. James Nicholas Publishers
  • Ryan, T. G. (2026). Gamified and game-based learning in physical education: Teaching games for understanding. Educational Practice and Theory, 48(1), 109-123.
  • Ryan, T. G. (2025). Enabling professional development via action research praxis. International Journal of Action Research, 21(20), 138-152.

Collaborations / Affiliations

AERA, ETFO, OSSTF, School Boards

Open to Media Inquiries

Publications

Books

Ryan, T. G., & Gow-Morrison, L. (Eds.). (2019). The action researcher in teacher education: A Caribbean perspective. Common Ground Publishing. 

Kraglund-Gauthier, W.L., Young, D.C., & Ryan, T.G. (Eds.). (2018). Readiness for the field: Perspectives from within the triangle of teacher education. Common Ground Publishing. 

Ryan, T. G., & MacLeod, K. (Eds.). (2016). The physics educator: Tacit praxes and untold stories. Common Ground Publishing. 

Ryan, T. G., & D. C. Young. (Eds.). (2014). Teaching online: Stories from within. Common Ground Publishing. http://ubi-learn.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.215/prod.3 

Ryan, T. G. (Ed.). (2013). The doctoral journey: Perseverance. Common Ground Publishing. 

Ryan, T.G. (Associate Ed.). (2012). Cultures of educational policy: International issues of policy-outcome relationships. (Ed.). 

Beatrice Boufoy-Bastick. Analytrics: Strasbourg, France. Ryan, T. G. (Ed.). (2012). The master’s journey: Self-development. North Bay, ON: Thomas G.

Articles

Ryan, T. G. (2026). Gamified and game-based learning in physical education: Teaching games for understanding. Educational Practice and Theory, 48(1), 109-123, James Nicholas. 

Ryan, T. G. (2026). The addiction curricula: An Ontario elementary health and physical education approach. Curriculum and Teaching 41(1), 103-117, James Nicholas. 

Ryan, T. G. (2025). Prompting elementary Ontario health and physical education teachers. Curriculum and Teaching, 40(2), 7-20, James Nichols. 

T. G., & D. T. Ryan. (2025). A case of micro-teaching within the tertiary training of Ontario teachers. International Journal of Instruction, 18(2), 185-202. 

Ryan, T. G. (2025). Influenza: People, curriculum and Ontario healthy schools. International Journal of Physical Education. 75(1), 11-17. 

Ryan, T. G. (2025). Enabling professional development via action research praxis. International Journal of Action Research.

Ryan, T. G. (2024). Let’s dance: Creative movement within Ontario elementary health and physical education. International Journal of Physical Education. 63(1), 1-9.