My teaching is grounded in the traditions of adult education and critical pedagogy. I approach the classroom as a space where learners connect theory to lived experience while developing the analytical and reflective skills necessary to engage thoughtfully with complex social issues.
Over three decades I have taught in a wide range of settings, including community literacy programs, migrant worker education initiatives, theatre-based education projects, and graduate university programs. These experiences inform my commitment to reflective, socially relevant, and student-centred learning.
At St. Francis Xavier University I teach in the Master of Adult Education program and the Inter-University Doctoral Program in Educational Studies. My teaching focuses on adult learning theory, qualitative research methods, and critical research literacy.
J. Adam Perry
Associate Professor, Adult Education, St. Francis Xavier University
About Teaching
This image was created by Melanie Skene at Many Hands Art.
This image was created by Melanie Skene at Many Hands Art.
Teaching Philosophy
Five principles guide my approach to teaching: reflective practice, teaching across difference, social relevance, student-centred learning, and mentorship.
This image was created by Addy Strickland.
This image was created by Addy Strickland.
Reflective Practice
I encourage students to critically examine their own experiences, assumptions, and social locations as part of the learning process. Through reflective writing and applied assignments students connect theoretical frameworks in adult education to their professional and community contexts.
Teaching Across Difference
My teaching is informed by extensive experience working with diverse communities. In the classroom I strive to create an environment where students engage respectfully with different perspectives and develop a deeper understanding of how power and inequality shape educational experiences.
Social Relevance
Adult education is closely connected to the social world. My courses invite students to explore contemporary issues, such as migration, community development, health, and social justice, through the lens of adult learning theory. By linking academic material to real-world contexts, students are encouraged to consider how education can contribute to broader social change.
Student-Centred Learning
I design courses that build on the knowledge and experience students bring to the classroom. Through discussion-based seminars and collaborative inquiry students actively participate in constructing knowledge.
This image was created by Addy Strickland.
This image was created by Addy Strickland.
Mentoring
Mentorship is a central part of my work as an educator. I work closely with graduate students to support the development of their research projects, encourage publication and conference participation, and help them connect academic work with professional and community contexts.
This image shows StFX graduates who worked alongside / collaborated with Dr. Adam Perry.
This image shows StFX graduates who worked alongside / collaborated with Dr. Adam Perry.
Graduate Teaching and Supervision
Since joining the Department of Adult Education at St. Francis Xavier University, I have taught core graduate courses in adult education theory and research methods, including courses on reading and critiquing research, foundations of adult education, and methodological perspectives on educational research.
I have supervised numerous graduate research projects and theses and currently supervise doctoral and master’s students working on topics related to adult learning. My students have received institutional and national awards and have gone on to doctoral studies.
This graphic comes from the 2015 Speak Your Mind Youth Theatre Outreach.
This graphic comes from the 2015 Speak Your Mind Youth Theatre Outreach.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
My approach to teaching has also been shaped by extensive work in community-based adult education. Before and alongside my academic career, I worked in a range of educational settings including literacy programs, migrant worker education initiatives, community theatre projects, and adult learning programs in Canada and internationally.
These experiences include teaching English as an additional language, coordinating literacy programs in Indigenous communities, facilitating popular education workshops, and developing community-based arts programs. For over 10 years I was the co-artistic director of In-Forma Theatre, a Toronto-based community-arts organization. Through this work I have learned that meaningful learning often emerges through dialogue, creativity, and collective problem-solving outside formal classrooms.
These experiences continue to inform my university teaching, particularly in my emphasis on reflective practice and student-centred learning.