Finding joy in movement

When Dr. Douglas Gleddie, PhD, talks about physical activity, he doesn't start with fitness goals, performance metrics or health outcomes. He starts with joy.

It’s a philosophy that has shaped his career as an educator, researcher and leader, and one he carries into his role at Mount Royal University as its new dean of the Faculty of Health, Community and Education.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Gleddie to the Mount Royal community. He brings a unique combination of academic leadership, teaching experience and a deep commitment to student success,” says Dr. Chad London, PhD, provost and vice-president, Academic. “His people-first approach and belief in the power of meaningful learning experiences make him an excellent fit, and we look forward to the impact he will have across the university.”

From farm fields to the classroom

Long before beginning his academic career, Gleddie was a kid growing up on a farm north of Edmonton, where days spent outdoors sparked a lifelong appreciation for movement.

When it came time to choose a career after completing his first degree, he considered becoming a fish and wildlife officer before realizing education offered a way to combine his love of the outdoors with a passion for working with children and youth.

“For me, ending up in physical education was the chance to be outside with children and youth, making a meaningful difference in their lives by inspiring physical activity,” he says.

That decision led to more than a decade of teaching and consulting in Alberta's public school system before Gleddie became director of Ever Active Schools, collaborating with provincial ministries and education partners to build healthier school communities.

Most recently, Gleddie was a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta, where he also served as associate dean of graduate studies, acting vice-dean and acting dean. His work in research and mentorship earned national recognition, including the Killam Award for Excellence in Mentoring and the Physical and Health Education Canada Research Impact Award.

Ask Gleddie what has sustained his decades-long career in education, and the answer is easy.

“Overwhelmingly, it’s the people,” he says. “I’ve worked with a number of fabulous teachers. Helping to shape the next generation of people going into the job that I loved was really important.” 

More than just fun

At the heart of Gleddie's research is a simple question: What makes people want to keep moving? Early in his career, he realized making physical activity "fun" was only part of the answer.

“Joy is different,” he says. “Joy requires commitment, it requires work. It’s not always easy, but it’s the reward down the road.”

Because joy is deeply personal, Gleddie believes it can never be prescribed. “The way you experience joy in movement can be different than I do, and that’s okay.” Whether it’s learning a new skill, spending time outdoors or finding a form of activity that feels personally meaningful, the goal is creating opportunities for people to discover what movement can offer them.

That same belief in self-discovery shapes how Gleddie thinks about education. He says some of the most valuable learning happens in the space between theory and practice — a concept known as praxis.

“Neither of them takes primacy, but they work together,” Gleddie says. “You can take a theory and put it into practice, but you can also learn through practice and help shape theory.”

At Mount Royal, this philosophy comes alive through experiential learning, where students have the opportunity to explore their future careers before they fully step into them. Gleddie has seen the benefits firsthand, explaining that a student teacher might discover a new confidence in the classroom while another might realize teaching isn't the right path after all. Both outcomes are valuable because they help students better understand themselves and their goals.

Lifting up the human experience

That approach to teaching and learning is one of the reasons Gleddie was drawn back to Mount Royal, where he previously served as an adjunct professor between 2006 and 2010.

“I really enjoyed the focus on student success and the student experience," he says. "Mount Royal has an advantage in being an undergraduate-focused university because your resources, your focus, are all there.”

As dean, Gleddie will lead a diverse faculty that includes programs in nursing, midwifery, health and physical education, social work, child studies and education. He sees a powerful, unifying thread connecting them all.

“I really enjoy the complexity of this faculty,” he says. “There’s a connection all the way through of lifting up the human experience. I think that’s powerful.”

As he settles into his new role, Gleddie says his first priority is getting to know the people and programs that make the faculty what it is.

“It’s not my job as a dean to know everything,” he says. “It’s my job to really lift up people and programs, and help them be the best they can be.”