Dr. Conor Barker, Ph.D., R.Psych. (NS #R00971)

Associate Professor, Psychology (July 1, 2025)

Cross-appointed with School Psychology

Office: EVR 435

Phone: (902) 457-6319

Email: [email protected]

Dr. Conor Barker is a teacher, psychologist, and scholar with expertise in school psychology and inclusive education. With over 15 years of experience in inclusive educational roles, including educational assistant, classroom teacher, special programs teacher, and school psychologist, he brings a practice-informed lens to teaching, research, and clinical work.

His research focuses on inclusive practices in rural and minority-language school settings, knowledge translation of psychological science to improve equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA), and the development of clinical competency and creative practice in school psychology.

Dr. Barker is currently accepting thesis students in the BA/BSc (Honours) Psychology, M.A. in Education, School Psychology, and Child & Youth Studies, and Ph.D. in Educational Studies programs.

Education and Credentials

2020, Ph.D. (Education, specializing in Educational Psychology), University of Regina

2011, M.Ed. (School and Counselling Psychology), University of Saskatchewan

2009, B.Ed., University of Saskatchewan

2009, B.Mus., University of Saskatchewan

2009, Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language, University of Saskatchewan

Registered Psychologist, Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology

Research Interests

Rural and Northern School Psychology

Inclusive Education in Minority Language Settings (e.g., French Immersion, Hutterian Education, English as an Additional Language)

Behavioural Interventions and Functional Behavioural Assessment

Knowledge Translation in Educational Psychology

Learning Disabilities and Neurodiversity

Remote Psychological Assessment

Queer Studies in Education

Communities of Practice

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

2024

Draper, E. C., Burgess, H. J., Chisholm, C., Mazerolle, E. L., & Barker, C. (2024). Front-line insights into the social determinants of health in housing instability: A multi-province study. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 15, 21501319241292131. https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319241292131

Barker, C., Chisholm, N., & Foran, A. (2024). Discussing mental health benefits for teachers participating in outdoor education in Canada: A conceptual analysis and future research directions. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2024.2366927

Barker, C., Yorke, K. I., Mak, E., Draper, E. C., & Mazerolle, E. L. (2024). Experimental evaluation of the impact of lived experience and personal story on neuroscience knowledge translation effectiveness: Sharing the neuroscience of ADHD with pre-service teachers. Mind, Brain, and Education, 18(1), 125–134. https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12408

Draper, E. C., Burgess, H. J., Chisholm, C., Barker, C., & Mazerolle, E. L. (2024). Sharing the neuroscience of living with housing instability: Collaborating with front-line workers to co-create a knowledge translation activity. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 34(2), e2781. https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.2781 

 

2023

Barker, C., Madden, G., & Petersen, B. (2023). Welcome back: Exploring persistence factors for adult learners’ return to basic education in rural contexts. Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education, 35(2), 93–109. https://doi.org/10.56105/cjsae.v35i02.5726

 

2022

Barker, C., & Carlson Berg, L. (2022). Small towns talk: Clinical competency described among rural school psychologists in Saskatchewan. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 37(4), 344–361. https://doi.org/10.1177/08295735221121059

Barker, C., & de Lugt, J. (2022). A review of evidence-based practices to support students with oppositional defiant disorder in classroom settings. International Journal of Special Education, 37(1), 85–98. https://doi.org/10.52291/ijse.2022.37.29

 

2021

Isenor, K., Mazerolle, E., & Barker, C. (2021). Pay attention to this: A knowledge translation study of ADHD and its brain basis to pre-service and in-service teachers. In Education, 27(1), 81–98. https://doi.org/10.37119/ojs2021.v27i1.510

Barker, C. (2021). Infusing choice theory into functional behavioural assessment. International Journal of Reality Therapy and Choice Theory, 41(1), 35–47.

 

2011

Barker, C., Kulyk, J., Knorr, L., & Brenna, B. (2011). Open inclusion or shameful secret: A comparison of characters with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and characters with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in a North American sample of books for children and young adults. International Journal of Special Education, 26(3), 171–180.

Public Scholarship

Barker, C., & Richards, P. (2023, August 25). Saskatchewan naming and pronoun policy: The best interests of children must guide provincial parental consent rules. The Conversation Canada.

Barker, C., & Seguin, D.  (2023, May 12). 5 things to know about Drag Queen Story Time. The Conversation Canada.

Barker, C., Ritchie, K. C., King, S.  & Hutchings, V. (2023, February 27). In Canada’s two-tiered mental health system, access to care is especially challenging in rural areas. The Conversation Canada.

The Rural and Northern Psychologist Podcast, https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rural-and-northern-psychologist/id1707676123

Barker, C. (2023). Foundations in School Psychology. Halifax, NS: Canada Pressbooks Network. https://caul-cbua.pressbooks.pub/foundationsinschoolpsych/