Dr. Allison McCann is a Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at the University of British Columbia. As a former classroom teacher, Allison is passionate about translating research into practice to create 21st-century learning environments. Dr. McCann joined UBC in 2024 following her doctoral work at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. Her research has primarily focused on integrating documentation into play-based learning to inform formative assessment and support educators in making informed educational decisions. Additionally, Allison has explored the potential of educational technology in assessing early learning and has worked to develop software that reflects her research findings and responds to educator needs. As an educator, Dr. McCann is committed to unlearning and learning through continuous dialogue and a reflexive practice.
- Play-based learning
- Kindergarten curriculum
- Pedagogical documentation
- Collaborative assessment
- Educational technology
Past and Present Courses:
- ECED 420: History of Early Childhood Education
- ECED 421: Supporting Young Children through Home, School, and Community Relationships
- EDUC 500: Research Methodology in Education
- ECED 508: Review of Research in Early Childhood Education
- ECED 531: Supporting Young Children’s Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) in Early Childhood Programs
- ECED 532: Sociocultural Perspectives in Early Childhood Education
- ECED 590: Graduating Project
McCann, A. (2025). A Process-Oriented Approach to Leveraging Qualitative Findings for the Intentional Development of Classroom Software. American Educational Research Association Annual Conference, Denver, CO. https://doi.org/10.3102/2194163
Pyle, A., Fesseha, E., Filip, R., & McCann, A. (2025). Literacy and self-regulation development in play-based kindergarten classrooms: A comparison of pedagogical approaches. American Educational Research Association Annual Conference, Denver, CO. https://doi.org/10.3102/2191618
Pyle, A., Filip, R., McCann, A., Larsen, N., & Cowan, E. (2024). Playing through the pandemic and beyond: Exploring the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on play-based learning in kindergarten classrooms. International Journal of Early Years Education. doi: 10.1080/09669760.2024.2367505
McCann, A. and Pyle, A. (2024). The Benefits and Barriers of Visual Data for Assessment. American Education Research Association (AERA) Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA. doi: 10.3102/2098007
Timmons, K., Pyle, A., Danniels, E, Cowan, E., & McCann, A. (2023). A scoping review of teacher expectations in the early primary grades. American Education Research Association (AERA) Annual Conference, Chicago, IL. doi: 10.3102/2014324
Timmons, K., Pyle, A., Danniels, E, Cowan, E., & McCann, A. (2022). Teacher expectations in the early primary grades: A scoping review. Review of Education, 10 (3). doi: 10.1002/rev3.3375
- AERA Early Education and Child Development Conference Travel Award
- Friedrich Froebel ECE Scholarship
- James Fair Award and Scholarship
- Jackman Institute of Child Study Teaching Award