Education

B.Sc. (Memorial)
B.Ed. (Dalhousie)
Ph.D. (McMaster)

 

Research Interests

My doctoral training was in developmental psychology and, specifically, in understanding the effect of experience on visual development. Over time, my experiences as a faculty member have also led me to explore topics related to the education of students, including experiential learning (service learning), learning strategies and faculty training for teaching. My teaching interests include developmental psychology, sensation and perception, and introductory psychology. In 2001, I was the recipient of the MSVU Instructional Leadership Award.

 

Current projects

Over time, I have implemented service learning within my course curricula. Here, students work on real world problems with a community partner (the service component) and then reflect on that experience (the learning component). For example, my students have carried out academic tutoring and mentoring with adolescents in Spryfield. Of interest to me is evaluating whether service learning promotes academic learning and personal development in university students.

In two recent research studies, I have examined career development in university students. I am interested in further exploration of this topic, including its relationship to experiential learning.

 

Selected Publications and Conference Presentations

Bowering, E., & Frigault, C. (2025). An experientially-mediated Career Development Group increases core competencies and career readiness in university students. Canadian Journal of Career Development, 24(2), 61–71. https://doi.org/10.53379/cjcd.2025.450

Bowering, E., & Reed, M. (2021). Achieving academic promotion: The role of work environment, role conflict, and life balance. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 51(4), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.47678/cjhe.v51i4.188917

Bowering, E. R., Mills, J., & Merritt, A. (2017). Learning how to learn: A Student Success Course for at risk students. Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 8 (3). https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2017.3.12

Bowering, E. R., Frigault, C., & Yue, A. R. (2020). Preparing undergraduate students for tomorrow’s workplace: Core competency development though experiential learning opportunities. Canadian Journal of Career Development, 19(1), 56-68. https://doi.org/10.53379/cjcd.2020.25

Skinner, N. F. & Bowering, M.  E. (2009). Teaching psychology and teaching academic psychologists: A Canadian perspective. In S. McCarthy, V. Karandashev, M. Stevens, A. Thatcher, J. Jaafar, K. Moore, A. Trapp, A., & C. Brewer (Eds.), Teaching psychology around the world: Vol. 2. (pp. 412-423). Newcastle on Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Bowering, E. R., & Wetmore, A. A. (1997). Success on multiple choice examinations: A model and workshop intervention. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 31(4), 294-304.

Bowering, E. R., Maurer, D., Lewis, T. L., & Brent, H. P. (1997). Constriction of the visual field of children after early visual deprivation. Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus, 34(6), 347-356. https://doi.org/10.3928/0191-3913-19971101-06

Bowering, E., Maurer, D., Lewis, T.L., Brent, H.P., & Riedel, P. (1996). The visual field in childhood: Normal development and the influence of deprivation. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Technical Report No. 96.1.