BA, MA, PhD
Instructor
deborahwainwright@capilanou.ca
Education
PhD, Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania, 2010.
MA, Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania, 2006.
MA, Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, University of British Columbia, 2002.
BA, University of British Columbia, 1998.
Bio
Deborah Wainwright (PhD, University of Pennsylvania, 2006) is an award-winning director and a Canadian Screen Award-nominated producer, director and writer whose production interests focus on great stories that inspire and entertain no matter the genre. Her principal area of academic research examines the effects of media on children and youth and the use of media as a parenting tool.
While completing her BA and MA from the University of British Columbia, Wainwright was working full-time in the television industry. Her work as a producer for Canadian Sesame Street (Sesame Park) led to an interest in television as a motivator and instructor and ultimately to the University of Pennsylvania's prestigious Annenberg School for Communication. There, she completed her PhD with a focus on children and media
Upon completing her PhD, Wainwright joined Vancouver production company Force Four Entertainment/Entertainment One as Head of Creative and Supervising Producer. She is one of the series producers, the director and one of the writers for the celebrated true crime series, The Oland Murder (CBC, Sundance Now).
I love sharing stories and crafting them into compelling narratives. To me, the best stories are told collaboratively and are experiential. I try to bring that same storytelling technique into my teaching.
DISSERTATION: Wainwright, D. K., (2010). Television as a parenting tool: The role of parental efficacy, attitude, and media use in parenting. Annenberg School for Communication. University of Pennsylvania.
Linebarger, D. L., McMenamin, K., & Wainwright, D. K. (2009). Summative evaluation of 'Super Why!': Outcomes, dose and appeal. A final report prepared for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Philadelphia, PA: Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania.
Wainwright, D. K., & Linebarger, D. L. (2009). Television can teach: Elements of effective educational television. In N. N. Nagaraj (Ed.), Effect of television on children (pp. 24-44). Hyderabad, India: Icfai University Press.
Wainwright, D. K. & Linebarger, D. L. (2008). Bedroom television: Behaviors and beliefs of parents regarding bedroom TV for young children. A final report prepared for Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Philadelphia, PA: Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania.
Wainwright, D. K., & Linebarger, D. L. (2006). Elements of effective educational television: A literature review prepared for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Philadelphia, PA: Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania.
Linebarger, D. L., & Wainwright, D. K. (2007). Learning while viewing: Urban myth or dream come true? In S. R. Mazzarella (Ed.), 20 Questions about youth and the media (pp. 179-196). New York, NY: Peter Lang.
Linebarger, D. L., & Wainwright, D. K. (2007). Cutaways: The impact on appeal and story comprehension associated with viewing an episode of 'Between the Lions' from Season 6. A final report prepared for Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Philadelphia, PA: Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania.
Moses, A., Linebarger, D. L., & Wainwright, D. K., & Brod, R. (2010). Television's impact on children's vocabulary knowledge: A meta-analysis. A final report prepared for Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Philadelphia, PA: Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania.
MASTER'S THESIS: Wainwright, D.K., (2004). Television as Teacher: Motivation to Learn Messages in Children's Educational Programming. Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education. University of British Columbia.