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Paula Waatainen

@sosopolitical.bsky.social
2.4K followers 1K following 320 posts

Socials Studies teacher ed & researcher at Vancouver Island University. EdD Learning Sciences. Designing authentic assessments of competency, civic education, historical thinking, deliberation, and place-based learning. Music fan! BC history nerd!

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Reposted by Paula Waatainen
Jack Santucci @jacksantucci.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Reminder: if you are teaching urban politics, NYC politics, or electoral systems… …you can view all the 2025 council results here (jacksantucci.github.io/nyc-pr-simul...), simulate other electoral systems, and compare several resulting indices used in comparative politics.
Observed results by partyObserved indicesCandidate-level results under current rulesParty-level results under MMP with options to adjust assembly size and the allocation formula
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Holly Brockwell @hollyqueenofspayeds.com · 26/09/2026
Every time I try to talk about deaf cats, my phone corrects it to "dead." It's getting quite awkward. "Have you got any dead cats that need a home?" "Would you consider adopting a dead cat?" "He can't live with kids, he's dead"
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Reposted by Paula Waatainen
The Guardian @theguardian.com · 10/09/2026
Climate solutions most likely to reach ‘positive tipping points’ revealed by scientists
theguardian.com
Climate solutions most likely to reach ‘positive tipping points’ revealed by scientists
Global shift towards clean electricity could trigger ‘cascade’ of progress, helping reduce air pollution, cut waste and revive oceans A rapid global shift to clean electricity could trigger a “cascade” of progress towards repairing the damage to the planet by the climate crisis, according to a report identifying the environmental solutions most likely to bring about change. The analysis focuses on “positive tipping points” – thresholds beyond which a sustainable technology or practice becomes increasingly cheap, widespread or politically popular, allowing progress to become self-propelling. Continue reading...
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Reposted by Paula Waatainen
Vancouver Sun @vancouversun.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Woolly dog pelt returns to Coast Salish territory for the first time vancouversun.com/news/woolly-...
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Thanks to the activism of youth in the eco clubs at Dover Bay and other schools, we have this great new program! My daughter and I picked up her pass this morning. Thanks for acting on this, RDN!
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Reposted by Paula Waatainen
Shamus Brown @shamusbrown1.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
If you’re interested in what’s happening in the German vote, here’s a great thread 🧵
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Wow Daniel - that’s crazy! You need to own this and interpret it in whatever way is most excellent for you.
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Haha! I never saw this in January, but doing it now let me reflect on the first half of the year and look ahead. I got “goat” (with besotted and inspiring as 2 and 3). My 14yo daughter landed on “brain rot” 😂 followed by opulent and helpful.
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Stephen Quinn @cbcstephenquinn.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Here's today's feature-length episode of This is Vancouver in which @jmcelroy.bsky.social and I question the three "Progressive" candidates hoping to run for Mayor of Vancouver. William Azaroff, Stephanie Allen and Pete Fry. It's good stuff! Tell a friend! podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com
Mayoral candidate mini-forum: the progressive candidate edition
Podcast Episode · This is Vancouver · July 21 · 46m
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Whenever I am fortunate enough to attend a bilingual meeting in Ottawa, I try to only use translation when I can’t keep up. Amazing how it helps bring back listening comprehension quickly (minus post-meal slumps)!
Graph showing Paula’s listening comprehension increasing but dropping after lunch each day.
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Exhibit currently on display at the Nanaimo Harbourfront VIRL library.
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Tabatha Southey🇨🇦 @tabathasouthey.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
BREAKING: US to withdraw from the International Court of Poetic Justice.
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Christopher Martell @chrismartell.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
From removing honest displays at historical sites to posting imaginary quotes from historical figures, the Trump administration knows a public that does not know its history is much easier to fool. Erasing/manipulating history is part of the authoritarian playbook. newrepublic.com/article/2120...
newrepublic.com
The Trump Administration Keeps Promoting Slop History
America’s semiquincentennial celebration is getting injected with apocrypha and malarkey.
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Are you considering running for elected office? The non-partisan Institute for Future Legislators returns this August for a three-weekend session, culminating in a parliamentary simulation at the Wosk Centre for Dialogue. Learn more, and register here: #bcpoli www.eventbrite.fr/e/2026-insti...
eventbrite.fr
2026 Institute for Future Legislators (Three-weekends in August)
Have you ever thought about running for public office? Do you wish to deepen your understanding of the political system?
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Are you considering running for elected office? The non-partisan Institute for Future Legislators returns this August for a three-weekend session, culminating in a parliamentary simulation at the Wosk Centre for Dialogue. Learn more, and register here: #bcpoli www.eventbrite.fr/e/2026-insti...
eventbrite.fr
2026 Institute for Future Legislators (Three-weekends in August)
Have you ever thought about running for public office? Do you wish to deepen your understanding of the political system?
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Oh how exciting, Chris! Congratulations.
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Reposted by Paula Waatainen
Andrew Heiss @andrew.heiss.phd · 28/04/2026
The release of the Wii is now closer to the fall of the Berlin Wall than to today
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Charles Logan @charleswlogan.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
It’s almost as if the existing evidence suggests teachers should refuse GenAI. See this paper from Melissa Warr and Marie K. Heath: "Findings reveal that LLMs exhibit implicit biases, such as assigning lower scores when students are said to attend an 'inner-city school' or prefer rap music."
journals.sagepub.com
Uncovering the Hidden Curriculum in Generative AI: A Reflective Technology Audit for Teacher Educators - Melissa Warr, Marie K. Heath, 2025
In this article, we explore the concept of a “hidden curriculum” within generative AI, specifically Large Language Models (LLMs), and its intersection with the ...
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Thinking Historically for Canada's Future @thinkhist.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Congratulations to Drs. Alan Sears and Carla Peck on the publication of their new book, Rescuing Reason: How History Education Can Help Save Democracy (UTP, 2026)! utppublishing.com/doi/10.3138/... @carlapeck.bsky.social @ualbertaed.bsky.social
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
@thielmann.bsky.social nice profile!
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Reposted by Paula Waatainen
Thinking Historically for Canada's Future @thinkhist.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Thinking Historically in the news: Dr. David Scott recently spoke with CBC News about Bill 25: An Act to Remove Politics and Ideology from Classrooms. Listen here: www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
What a treat today, having Dan Parker’s grade 9 students come up to VIU to help Michael MacKenzie and me test democracy games. Students playing “mobilize” convinced people on campus to show support for their transportation policy wish, by being photographed holding a sign. Fun! And good learning.
Poster calling for free transit for everyone Poster calling for rail service to VictoriaPoster calling for double decker buses as they are too crowded Our “mobilize” game instructions
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Reposted by Paula Waatainen
Alfie Kohn @alfiekohn.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
1/3 A small but provocative new study finds that students with the ability to formulate sophisticated questions - which is an important marker of, and contributor to, deep thinking - did better on an open-ended project but *worse* on a standard multiple-choice course exam: is.gd/KFHZfQ
is.gd
Knowledge reshapes inquiry by changing question asking ability and impacting academic assessment - npj Science of Learning
npj Science of Learning - Knowledge reshapes inquiry by changing question asking ability and impacting academic assessment
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
My Mom had me watch If You Love This Planet the year before The Day After came out. I was 12. www.nfb.ca/film/if_you_...
nfb.ca
If You Love This Planet
The NFB’s 7th Academy-Award winning film. This short film is comprised of a lecture given to students by outspoken nuclear critic Dr. Helen Caldicott, president of Physicians for …
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Reposted by Paula Waatainen
Simon Little 🍁 @simonplittle.ca · 23/03/2026
This is giving Vancouver Canucks 2011 riot kissing couple vibes
A couple lies in the middle of a road, kissing with a riot behind them. Out of focus in the foreground is a riot cop with a helmet shield and baton.
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
I love Nanaimo beaches during the herring run. Lots of visitors
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Mark Lemley @marklemley.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
The US is no longer a liberal democracy, according to the top global watchdog on freedom and democracy. We're falling fast, and are now classed the same as Guatemala, Colombia, and Peru www.v-dem.net/documents/75...
v-dem.net
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
The Asia Pacific Foundation has some backgrounders and lessons www.asiapacific.ca/education
asiapacific.ca
Education
APF Canada’s Education programming builds Canadians’ Asia awareness and Asia competencies, with a particular focus on younger Canadians.
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
It’s from sitting too long at your desk writing SSHRC grant applications.
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Reposted by Paula Waatainen
Tabatha Southey🇨🇦 @tabathasouthey.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Irony is in 10 years there’ll likely be more jobs teaching traditional crafts to seniors—occupational therapy—than coding jobs or most careers parents urge their kids into. The best advice you can give a kid today is “The job you’re going to have probably doesn’t exist yet so study what you love.”
cbc.ca
Ford tells students to not pick 'basket-weaving courses' in wake of OSAP cuts | CBC News
Premier Doug Ford had choice words for students expressing concerns over cuts to OSAP grants Tuesday, telling them to "not pick basket-weaving courses" and to invest in education that gives students i...
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Reposted by Paula Waatainen
Crawford Kilian @crof.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
theguardian.com
Canada is no stranger to separatism but push for Alberta to join US is a new peril
While Quebec parties have long sought independence, the secret meetings by unelected Albertans with US officials have been branded treasonous by some
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
First time burmashaver, in support of her teachers and #redforbced
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
First time burmashaver, in support of her teachers and #redforbced
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
My colleague Michael MacKenzie and I like designing, field testing, redesigning, and testing (etc) games for teaching democracy. This was us cutting and folding and pasting for 45 min today. Then he came back from trying it out and had 4 changes to make. Into recycling you go…. #iterativedesign
Coloured paper game cards
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
My colleague Michael MacKenzie and I like designing, field testing, redesigning, and testing (etc) games for teaching democracy. This was us cutting and folding and pasting for 45 min today. Then he came back from trying it out and had 4 changes to make. Into recycling you go…. #iterativedesign
Coloured paper game cards
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
My dissertation from 2022 must have 100 of them. I am so glad I missed this being sus by a few years!
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Reposted by Paula Waatainen
Andrew Kurjata @akurjata.ca · 01/02/2026
Not looking to dunk on the poster but… don’t do this. The report is based on a Leger poll using methodology that is transparent in the article, not something made up by the newspaper. You can look at the methodology and critique it, or disagree with voter sentiments but this is just wishcasting
Post: Vancouver Sun article stating that a new poll shows the NDP have a shrinking lead over the Conservstives in BC as more think the province is on the wrong track. Quote post says “Reminder that the Vancouver Sun is owned by Postmedia which is a US hedgefund. The "wrong track" is because BC is standing up to the US. Premier Eby is doing exactly what his mandate requires him to do.”
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Patton Oswalt @pattonoswalt.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
When anyone from SCTV dies it’s like 30 people have died. Every character they created was as alive as anyone else you’ve ever met.
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Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 30/01/2026
❤️
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David M. Perry @lollardfish.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
you should not share a post that's a screenshot without a link to a news item. you should not share a post that's a video or picture without some kind of sourcing. we're in a new bad era and these are now basic practices. ... also photogs and journos gotta eat so share their work.
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Reposted by Paula Waatainen
Stewart Prest @stewartprest.ca · 23/01/2026
It would happen no matter what. The US President is basically a Roomba. When he runs into opposition he turns and starts devouring in another direction. Sooner or later he always circles back, though.
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
A map mystery! Elementary Social Studies Education students making inferences about why this map was made and for what purpose. I learned about this map a few years ago when @benbradleyca.bsky.social shared it online. See link to map via @vanarchives.bsky.social next post.
Students gathered looking at a map on a screen
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Meant to say “when” it was made.
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
searcharchives.vancouver.ca/civil-defenc...
searcharchives.vancouver.ca
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
A map mystery! Elementary Social Studies Education students making inferences about why this map was made and for what purpose. I learned about this map a few years ago when @benbradleyca.bsky.social shared it online. See link to map via @vanarchives.bsky.social next post.
Students gathered looking at a map on a screen
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WeRateDogs @weratedogs.com · 15/01/2026
This is Dumpling. She got her very first sweater and promptly deactivated. 12/10 (TT: jmw495)
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
Reflecting on the first week of the new semester teaching Social Studies Methods to future teachers. Somehow I have been doing this for 10 years! I always start the first class - before even looking at the syllabus - with an activity about teaching democracy. This work feels more urgent this year.
Pieces of paper with words highlighted in two colours.
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
Reflecting on the first week of the new semester teaching Social Studies Methods to future teachers. Somehow I have been doing this for 10 years! I always start the first class - before even looking at the syllabus - with an activity about teaching democracy. This work feels more urgent this year.
Pieces of paper with words highlighted in two colours.
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Paula Waatainen @sosopolitical.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
Cool! Now I am curious what else makes it to a Lindsay Gibson treasures drawer.
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Charlotte Clymer @charlotteclymer.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
Political cartoonists are not fuckin’ around this week. (thread) 1. Pat Bagley
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