Hi, I’m Nesrine El Banna!

I am a PhD candidate, researcher, assessment specialist, teacher, mom, and lifelong learner.

I’m deeply passionate about my research and work, and I strive to make it meaningful and useful for my community.

As a public scholar, I put my expertise into sharing insights and strategies that help students, teachers, and families grow, thrive, and take charge of learning.


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Explore My work

at Science BC

I design engaging science learning experiences that help students fully understand concepts, build confidence, and enjoy learning.

In Research

I research learner agency; how students build autonomy, set goals, and learn to self-regulate their learning, with special interest in measuring learning agency.

in Knowledge Translation

I turn research and educational expertise into clear, practical guidance that parents, teachers, and communities can actually use.

In PostSecondary Education

I design and teach postsecondary courses that model effective curriculum, assessment, and inclusive, research-informed teaching practices.
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Graduate Studies

  • PhD candidate in Curriculum and Pedagogy at University of British Columbia
  • Masters Degree in Measurement, Evaluation and Research Methodology - University of British Columbia 

Certificates and Diplomas 

  • BC Certified Teacher - Ministry of Education, BC, Canada
  • Post-Graduate Certificate in Education 
  • Teaching Diploma - Teaching Science In Secondary Schools
  • CIRTL Associate at the Centre of Integrated Research, Teaching, and Learning at UBC
  • Bachelor of Science in Biology

RESEARCH INTERESTS

  • Learner Agency
  • Assessment, mainly self-assessment
  • Self-regulated Learning
  • Game-based Assessment
  • Validity Theory and Validation Practices
  • Science education
  • Curriculum Studies 

Awards

  • President's Academic Excellence Initiative PhD Award #6817 - September 2022
  • President's Academic Excellence Initiative PhD Award #6817 - May 2022
  • President's Academic Excellence Initiative PhD Award #6817 - September 2023
  • Graduate Scholarship in Curriculum Studies - September 2023
  • President's Academic Excellence Initiative PhD Award #6817 - May 2024
  • David Bateson Prize In Science Education - April 2025

PUBLICATIONS AND CONFERENCES

  • El Banna, N. (2025, December 9). The first five minutes: Starter activities that sustain care, trust, and connection in learning spaces [Workshop]. The University of British Columbia. https://events.ubc.ca/event/the-first-five-minutes-starter-activities-that-sustain-care-trust-and-connection-in-learning-spaces/
  • El Banna, N. (2024, June 14). Agency of learning in middle school science inquiry: A validation study of the AFLQ.  Canadian Society for the Study of Education, McGill University, Quebec, Canada.
  • El Banna, N, (2024, March 15). Empowering minds: Cultivating agency in middle school science inquiry. 11th Education Graduate Students Conference, the University of British Columbia, BC, Canada. 
  • El Banna, N. (2023, March 24). Exploring the theory and praxis of validity in educational assessment [Conference Session]. 10th Education Graduate Students Conference, the University of British Columbia, BC, Canada. 
  • Zumbo, B.D., Michalos, A.C., El Banna, N. (2022). Michalos-Zumbo Well-Being Index. In Filomena Maggino (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research (pp. 1-7). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69909-7_1801-2  
  • El Banna, N. (2020). Issues in estimating reliability in complex assessments: Computerized adaptive tests and testlets (Research Report 2020-02). Vancouver, BC: UBC Paragon Research Initiative, Statistical Science of Measurement.  
  • El Banna, N. (2020). Rater-moderated assessments (Research Report 2020-01). Vancouver, BC: UBC Paragon Research Initiative, Statistical Science of Measurement.  
  • Code, J., El Banna, N., & Zumbo, B. (in prep) Rethinking validity: Validation of the Assessment For Learning Questionnaire.  Journal of Science Education and Technology.   

My work at
 Science BC

What it is: Science BC is an online school where students learn science in clear, structured, and engaging ways beyond the traditional classroom.

Impact: I design self-paced science courses that help students build understanding, develop self-regulation, and gain confidence in their learning.

Mission: To support students in becoming independent learners who understand science deeply and take ownership of their learning.

Vision: A world where all students have access to high-quality science education that supports independence, confidence, and meaningful learning—no matter where they study.

My work in Research

What it is: I research learner agency and develop methods to study and measure autonomy, goal-setting, and self-regulation.

Impact: My work provides tools that allow learner agency to be examined systematically rather than inferred or assumed.

Mission: To advance research that enhances learning, assessment, and student agency.

Vision: A field of education where decisions about learners are informed by evidence that captures how students act, choose, and regulate, not only what they achieve.

My work in
Knowledge Translation

What it is: I research learner agency and develop methods to study and measure autonomy, goal-setting, and self-regulation.

Impact: My work provides tools that allow learner agency to be examined systematically rather than inferred or assumed.

Mission: To advance research that enhances learning, assessment, and student agency.

Vision: A field of education where decisions about learners are informed by evidence that captures how students act, choose, and regulate, not only what they achieve.

My work in Postsecondary Education

What it is: I design and teach postsecondary courses that model effective curriculum, assessment, and inclusive, research-informed teaching practices.

Impact: My teaching demonstrates how thoughtful course and assessment design can shape student engagement, participation, and responsibility for learning.

Mission: To model and advance high-quality teaching practices within postsecondary classrooms and teacher education contexts.

Vision: Postsecondary learning environments where teaching is inclusive, and grounded in evidence, setting a strong foundation for educational practice beyond the university.

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