Shannon completed her B.Ed. with a Physical Education (PE) major and an English Language Arts (ELA) minor and has taught grades 9–12 PE, Health, and ELA with Regina Public Schools for eight years. Shannon obtained her M.Ed. in Outdoor Education and PhD in Curriculum and Instruction. She has also written PE curriculum for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education during her time as the PE Consultant. At Mount Royal University, Shannon teaches in the Department of Education in the areas of physical and health education pedagogy, teacher wellness, and enjoys practicum supervision. Since 2018 she has been a co-leader for funded international collaborations with Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL). Keenly interested in the benefits of nature, her scholarship interests focus on spending time outdoors to recharge, connect to nature, and to look after our sustained wellbeing. Shannon is an active member of the PHE Canada Research Council, Health and Physical Education Council of Alberta, and volunteers with her children’s school community.

Areas of Instruction

• Physical Education and Wellness: curriculum and pedagogy
• Teacher Wellness
• Practicum supervision and seminars
• Taking Well-Being Outdoors

Areas of Scholarship

• Benefits of spending time in nature; taking effective breaks
• Implementing outdoor learning in schools
• Teacher wellness
• International education and student mobility
  

Selected Publications

Kell, S. (2024). University students’ perceptions of a 30-minute break during class: A realistic practice for wellness? Teaching and Learning Inquiry, 12, 1–30. https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.17

Hill, J., Chadwick, J., Hamilton, S., Kell, S., Nickel, J., O'Connor, K., Rafiq, S., Reena, S., Robertson, L., Schaffer, K., Trussler, P. (in press). Supporting teacher candidate wellness [book chapter]. Pedagogies of Practice.

Kell, S., & Hurley, S. (Hosts). (2022). Wellness in the teacher practicum [Audio podcast episode]. In Focus on the Field: Learning to Teach in Alberta. Alberta Teacher Education Practicum Working Group: VoiceEd Radio. https://voiced.ca/podcast_episode_post/wellness-in-the-teacher-practicum-shannon-kell/

Kell, S. (2021, November 28). Nature based physical activity - outdoor play simplified [blog post]. Creating Healthy Eating & Active Environments. https://cheerskids.ca/blog/details/nature-based-physical-activity-outdoor-play-simplified.html

Kell, S., & Anderson, J. (Hosts). (2020, December 16). The role of play and the outdoors in education with Dr. Shannon Kell [Audio podcast episode]. In The Podclass. Ever Active Schools. https://player.captivate.fm/episode/82e1daf7-beaa-4c74-b834-95a1f62d6aa5

Hurley, S., & Kell, S. (Hosts). (2019, December 10). Recess for everyone [Audio podcast episode]. In Well at Work. EdCan Network. https://www.edcan.ca/articles/recess-for-everyone/

Kell, S. (2019, December 6). How you can start taking more effective breaks - and inspire your students and colleagues to do the same: Why getting outside is the best medicine for busy teachers. EdCan Network Well-at-Work. https://www.edcan.ca/articles/effective-breaks/

Kell, S. & Gleddie, D. (2017). Why physical education? In D. Gleddie, C. Hickson, & B. Bradford (Eds.), Physical education for elementary school teachers: Foundations of a physical literacy journey (chapter 1). Ripon Publishing. Cobble Hill, BC.

Kell, S. & Gleddie, D. (2017). Physical education and you. In D. Gleddie, C. Hickson, & B. Bradford (Eds.), Physical education for elementary school teachers: Foundations of a physical literacy journey (chapter 2). Ripon Publishing. Cobble Hill, BC.

Kell, S. (2017). Student Teachers' Perceptions of Teaching Elementary Physical Education. PHE Canada Journal. 83(1).
Selected Presentations

Kell, S. (2024). University students' perceptions of a 30 minute break during class: A realistic practice for wellness? The International Organization for Physical Education in Higher Education. Jyväskylä, Finland.

Kell, S. (2024). Nature, solo, wellness, and you. Lecture for Frilufsliv students. Sogndal, Norway.

Kell, S. (2023). Nature, solo, wellness, and you. Lecture for Frilufsliv students. Sogndal, Norway.

Kell, S. & Abouali, S. (2023). Taking 30 minute breaks during class: What do post-secondary students think?Take Me Outside Conference. Banff, AB.

Harding-Kuriger, J. & Kell, S. (2023). The Beep Test in Phys-Ed class it's still being used. Should it be? Alberta at Noon with Judy Aldous (radio broadcast). https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-1-alberta-at-noon/clip/15978809-the-beep-test Calgary, AB.

Kell, S. (2023). 30 minute breaks during class as a wellness strategy for university students. Shaping the Future. Kananaskis, AB.

Kell, S. (2022). Why the outdoors? (and how we can all benefit). Health Promoting Schools Collaborative (virtual), AB.

Kell, S. & Webster, A. (2019). MRU Learning Spaces and Student Well-Being. MRU Research and Scholarship Days. Calgary, CA.

Kell, S. (2019). Outdoor Solo Time: What Did Elementary Students Think? Physical and Health Education Research Council Forum. Montreal, CA

Dean, Y., Kell, S., Currie, G., Kennedy, A., Motiejunaite, J., & Sehmby, D. (2018). Call to Action: Moving Toward Learning by Reducing Stress and Anxiety. International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Bergen, Norway.

Relevant Community Service

• Co-Lead applicant for: UTFORSK funding ‘Exploring Outdoor and Aesthetics Education in Norway and Canada (2025 to 2029)
• Co-Lead: NOTED partnership on International Physical and Outdoor Education with Western University of Applied Sciences (2019 to 2024)
• Vice-chair of the Parent Teacher Organization for the International School of Bergen (2023/24)
• Member of Physical and Health Education Research Council of Canada and HPEC (Health and Physical Education Council) of Alberta (2007 to present)
• Conference Steering Committee: AIESEP 2021 (International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education)
• President, Board of Directors:Chestermere Community Playschool (2021-2022)
• School Council for Prairie Waters Elementary School (2020 to present)