Salo, Mervi. “Indigenous Perspectives of Norse Contact in Contemporary Indigenous Literature.” Paper presented at Confound the Time: Reception in Medieval & Early Modern Studies, virtual conference, International Center of Medieval Art, January 24, 2026.

• This paper explores how contemporary Indigenous literature and visual storytelling reframe Norse contact from Indigenous perspectives. By placing Viking arrivals within living homelands and Indigenous sovereignties, the paper challenges Eurocentric medieval narratives and proposes a decolonial approach to Medieval studies in the North Atlantic.

Salo, Mervi. “Visual Methods of Reflection in Research.” Presentation and facilitated workshop at the Banff PDG Writing Retreat, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, July 26, 2025. Session supported by the SSHRC-funded project International Indigenous Consortium of Teacher Educators: Indigenous Resurgence and Digital Technologies in Teacher Education (Sandra Styres, principal investigator).

• As part of the Banff PDG Writing Retreat, this presentation and facilitated workshop invited participants to engage visual methods - including cyanotype and collage - as reflective tools for scholarly and pedagogical practice.
  

Salo, Mervi. “Decolonizing Math: Indigenous Pathways to Mathematical Understanding in STEM.” Paper presented at IndigMEC2: Second Indigenous Mathematics Education Conference, Sámi University of Applied Sciences, Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino, Norway, October 14–16, 2024.

• This paper explores how Indigenous perspectives are being integrated into mathematics education through culturally responsive, land-based, and transdisciplinary approaches. Drawing on system initiatives, it highlights innovative projects that support Indigenous student engagement, mathematical understanding, and future pathways in STEM.

Salo, Mervi. “Navigating the New Frontier: Ethical Considerations in AI and Digital Arts.” Digital Literacy Conference, Learning Technology Center, Northern Illinois University Naperville Campus, hybrid conference, September 13, 2024.

• This paper explores how contemporary artists and educators engage with artificial intelligence and digital tools while confronting ethical challenges such as data bias, authorship, copyright, and remix culture. Situated at the intersection of STEM, technology, and the visual arts, the presentation offers educators practical insights for fostering critical digital media literacy and ethical decision-making among students.

Salo, Mervi. “Visual Sovereignty: Indigenous Historiographics in Comics.” Paper presented in Comics as Connection: Past and Present, History in Comics 2024: Comprehending Comics-Exploring Methodologies and Approaches to Comic Studies in History and the Social Sciences, Palacký University Comics Lab, Czech Republic, virtual conference, September 9, 2024.

• This paper analyzes the shift from outsider representations to Indigenous-authored comics as a form of Indigenous historiography. It explores graphic histories as historical narratives that support decolonizing education, visual sovereignty, and Indigenous identity formation, particularly in urban and diasporic contexts, with relevance to truth and reconciliation in Canada and the Nordic countries.

Salo, Mervi. “Indigenous Wisdom and Digital Innovations: Integrating Indigenous Knowledge in STEAM Education.” Indigenous Resurgence and Transforming Education Conference, hosted by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at University of Toronto, Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, and Humber Lodge, Toronto, Ontario, August 26–28, 2024.

• This paper explores how Indigenous knowledge systems can be meaningfully integrated into STEAM education through digital tools, experiential learning, and community collaboration. Drawing on system-level initiatives and classroom examples, it demonstrates how Indigenous brilliance, innovation, and relational pedagogy can transform STEM learning for diverse learners.

Salo, Mervi. “Embracing the New Palette: Integrating AI into Visual Arts Education.” Paper presented at Artificial Intelligence in Education Conference: Shaping Future Classrooms, Ontario Tech University, virtual conference, April 29–May 2, 2024.

• This paper explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and visual art, highlighting how AI tools can be used in art education to enhance creativity, encourage ethical reflection, and prepare students for evolving artistic and technological futures.

Salo, Mervi. “Indigenous Brilliance in the Classroom: STEM for a New Generation.” Paper presented at Turtle Island Indigenous Science Conference, University of Regina and First Nations University of Canada, Saskatchewan, Canada, May 21–24, 2024.

• This paper examines how Indigenous knowledge systems, land-based learning, and community partnerships can transform STEM education. Drawing on system-level initiatives, it highlights culturally responsive approaches that centre Indigenous brilliance, innovation, and student voice.

Salo, Mervi, and Ryan Neepin. “Sharing a Journey of Indigenizing a Middle School.” Paper presented at Parents and Caregivers as Partners Conference, Toronto District School Board, Toronto, October 16, 2021.

• This presentation shares an ongoing journey of Indigenizing an urban middle school through relational pedagogy, Indigenous language and culture programming, and community-connected experiential learning. It highlights co-learning models, ethical relationality, and practices that strengthen Indigenous student well-being and belonging while engaging families and caregivers as partners.

Salo, Mervi, and Ryan Neepin. “Indigenizing an Urban Middle School During In-Person and Remote Learning Contexts.” Paper presented at Unleashing Digital Learning Conference, Toronto District School Board, May 12, 2021.

• This presentation explores how an urban middle school worked to Indigenize teaching and learning through relational pedagogy, Indigenous-authored resources, and community-connected experiential learning. Drawing on school experiences, it highlights co-learning models, Indigenous language and culture programming, and strategies that support Indigenous student well-being and belonging.

Salo, Mervi. “Goodbye Paper. Hello Apps!: Tools for School Administrators.” Paper presented at Google Camp 6.0 Conference, Toronto District School Board, Toronto, November 3, 2018.

• This paper examined practical ways school administrators can leverage digital tools to reduce paper-based processes and improve communication, collaboration, and workflow efficiency. Drawing on real-world administrative practices, it highlighted how Google Apps can support inclusive, organized, and responsive school leadership.

Salo, Mervi. “Transforming Teaching in Tkaronto.” Paper presented at the Canadian Network for Innovation in Education Conference, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, May 15–17, 2018.

• This paper explores the design and implementation of a system-wide Indigenous Education professional learning strategy within the Toronto District School Board. Drawing on community consultation, Elder guidance, and Indigenous scholarship, it highlights relational, blended, and experiential learning approaches to supporting reconciliation across diverse employee groups in a large urban context.

Salo, Mervi. “Urban Indigenous Education Centre.” Paper presented at the Canadian Network for Innovation in Education Conference, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, May 15–17, 2018.

• This paper shares the vision for an Urban Indigenous Education Centre of Excellence that brings together schooling, community engagement, professional learning, and wraparound student supports within a single Indigenized space. It highlights community-led governance, land- and culture-based programming, and the integration of media and digital technologies to support Indigenous language revitalization and system-wide professional learning.
  

Salo, Mervi, and Tanya Senk. “Supporting Indigenous Student Success and Well-Being.” Presentation at the 19th Annual Conference of the Toronto School Administrators Association, Sheraton on the Falls, Niagara Falls, Ontario, November 20–23, 2018.

• This presentation invites school leaders to examine trauma-informed approaches and cultural safety as foundations for supporting Indigenous student success. Participants engaged with practical recommendations and immediately usable resources to strengthen school climates, relationships, and student well-being.

Salo, Mervi, and Tanya Senk. “The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action—Two Years Later: Urban Indigenous Education in the Toronto District School Board.” Presentation at the 18th Annual Conference of the Toronto School Administrators Association, Riviera Events and Convention Centre, Vaughan, Ontario, November 22–23, 2017.

• This presentation reflects on how the Toronto District School Board has enacted the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action in an urban context. It explores Indigenizing and decolonizing education, anti-oppression and decolonizing anti-racism, and promising practices that support Indigenous education, with resources provided for school leaders and educators.

Salo, Mervi. “Tools for the Evolving Principal.” Presentation at Google Camp 5.0, Toronto District School Board, Toronto, Ontario, November 4, 2017.

• This presentation showcased practical ways school administrators can use Google Apps for Education to modernize administrative workflows and improve collaboration with staff and families. Drawing on real school-based and system-level examples, it highlighted digital tools that support efficient, transparent, and responsive school leadership.

Salo, Mervi. “Sharing Our Future: Towards Indigenizing an Urban Middle School.” Paper presented at the National Aboriginal Physical Activity & Wellness Conference, Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario, University of Guelph, May 10, 2017.

• This paper examines approaches to Indigenizing an urban middle school through Indigenous student leadership, community partnerships, and culturally grounded programming. It highlights school-wide practices - such as Indigenous arts, land acknowledgements, and curriculum integration - that support student well-being, identity, and reconciliation in an urban context.

Salo, Mervi, and Erich Shih. “Closing the Gap: Using Google Apps for Education with Special Education Students.” Presentation at Google Camp 3.0 Conference, Toronto District School Board, Toronto, Ontario, February 20, 2017.

• This presentation examines how digital tools can be used to support students with a range of special education needs, including learners with mild intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and autism. Through classroom-based examples, it highlights inclusive strategies that use Google Apps to support communication, organization, motivation, and student voice.

Salo, Mervi. “Do Aboriginal Issues Matter to You?” Co-presented with student researchers at the Students as Researchers (StAR) Conference, Ontario Ministry of Education, October 24–25, 2013.

• Co-presented with student researchers, this presentation shared a youth-led inquiry examining Indigenous issues that shape student experience and school culture. Developed through the Students as Researchers (StAR) program, the project highlights ethical research practices, student empowerment, and the role of collaborative inquiry in advancing equity and Indigenous education.

Salo, Mervi. “Digital Storytelling: A Video Narrative Documenting One Journey in Indigenous Education.” Presentation at the Equity for All Conference, York University, Toronto, Ontario, May 8, 2013.

• This presentation explores a digital storytelling project that documents experiences in urban Indigenous education through visual arts, mentorship, and community collaboration. Using video narrative, it reflects on contemporary Indigenous identity, arts-based pedagogy, and the role of creative practice in advancing equity, decolonization, and Indigenous education.

Salo, M. (2011). “Empowering Artistic Expression: Take Part Art.” Matter of the Arts Conference. York University, Toronto, ON. April 13, 2011. 

Salo, Mervi. “Webcasts for Educators as Online Demonstration Classrooms: Vision for Arts Education.” Paper presented at the Second World Congress on Arts Education, Core Competencies of Arts Education Practitioners, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Seoul, South Korea, May 2010.

• This paper explored the development of webcast-based “online demonstration classrooms” in Ontario as a scalable professional learning strategy for arts educators. Drawing on Ontario’s province-wide arts curriculum revision, the session examined how video-based classroom exemplars can support equity, differentiated instruction, and coherent implementation across geographically and demographically diverse education systems.

Salo, Mervi. “Revision Quest: Change and the 2009 Revised Ontario Curriculum Policy Document for The Arts.” Paper presented in the session National Curriculums (C7) at TRACES: Sustainable Art Education, InSEA European Congress, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland, June 24, 2010.

• This paper reviewed major innovations in Ontario’s revised arts curriculum, including the introduction of creative and critical analysis processes, expanded cultural expression strands, and strengthened disciplinary distinctions in dance, drama, music, and visual arts.

Salo, Mervi. “Vision for Arts Education: Methodology behind the Revision of the Ontario Elementary Arts Curriculum Policy.” Paper presented in the session Art, Craft and Creativity (D6) at TRACES: Sustainable Art Education, InSEA European Congress, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland, June 24, 2010.

• This paper examined the curriculum development processes behind Ontario’s elementary arts policy revision, including teacher writing teams, stakeholder consultations, benchmarking, and cross-sector collaboration.

Salo, Mervi. “Shared Vision: Building Cross-Cultural Understanding with Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Students through the Arts.” Paper presented in the session Developing Cultural Awareness (F5) at TRACES: Sustainable Art Education, InSEA European Congress, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland, June 23, 2010. Session chair.

• This paper highlighted a credit-bearing, arts-based reconciliation program in which Indigenous and non-Indigenous students collaborated with artists and Elders to create theatre, dance, and media works that travelled into schools and community spaces.

Salo, Mervi. “Once Upon a Time This Was True: Re/Claiming Indigenous Histories Using Arts-Based Narratives.” Paper presented in the session Cultural Images and Narratives (D2) at TRACES: Sustainable Art Education, InSEA European Congress, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland, June 22, 2010.

• This paper explores the use of arts-based narratives and graphic storytelling to engage Sámi youth and diaspora communities with Indigenous histories shaped by colonization and displacement. By merging history, myth, symbols, and contemporary experience, it proposes visual narrative as an accessible, dialogic form of Indigenous knowledge-making that resists closed, propositional histories.

Salo, Mervi. “Reclaiming Histories Using Arts-Based Narratives.” Presentation at Finn Forum IX: Finland and the World - Past, Present and Future, “The Finnish Presence in Urban Ontario,” Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, May 4, 2010.

• This paper explores arts-based autoethnography as a research methodology that merges personal history, Finnish folklore, Sámi histories, and contemporary visual storytelling. Using film and graphic narrative, it reflects on diasporic identity and memory, emphasizing dialogue, relational knowledge, and the ethical possibilities of arts-based research beyond singular or authoritative histories.

Salo, M. (2010). “Redesigning the Arts Curriculum: Embracing Equity and Inclusion in Policy Reform.” Arts with a Social Justice Lens Conference. National Art Education Association (NAEA): Baltimore. April 17, 2010.

Salo, M. (2010). Enacting Equity, Social Justice and Inclusivity through Arts Education: Policy Change and a Province. Paper presented at the Arts for Social and Environmental Justice (ASEJ) Symposium, Laurier University Centre for Music in the Community, Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. May 2010.

Salo, M. (2010). “Introduction to Native Plants and Why They're Important.” Isogaisa 2010 Symposium and Festival: Indigenous Culture and Spirituality, Istindportalen Center, Sápmi (Norway). September 3-5, 2010.

Salo, M. (2010). Power of Literacy Through Arts. Presented at the Artspark: Igniting Creativity and Passion in Leading Through the Arts, Vaughn, City Playhouse Theatre, January 27.

Salo, M. (2009). “Take Note!: What's New for Music Educators in the Revised Elementary Arts Curriculum." Con Brio Conference. Ontario Music Educators’ Association and the Canadian Music Industry Education Committee, Toronto, ON. November 6, 2009.

Salo, M. (2009). “Music Links! Music implementation resources for Primary Educators!" Con Brio Conference. Ontario Music Educators’ Association and the Canadian Music Industry Education Committee, Toronto, ON. November 7, 2009.

Salo, M. (2009). “Exploring Innovations: What is new in the secondary Music Curriculum?" Con Brio Conference. Ontario Music Educators’ Association and the Canadian Music Industry Education Committee, Toronto, ON. November 7, 2009.

Salo, M. (2009). “So You’ve Got the Curriculum Blues: Exciting New Music Resources for Intermediate Educators!" Con Brio Conference. Ontario Music Educators’ Association and the Canadian Music Industry Education Committee, Toronto, ON. November 7, 2009.

Salo, M. (2009). “Re-Thinking the Curriculum: An Overview of the Comprehensive Renewal Process of an Arts Policy.” Arts with a Social Justice Lens Conference. National Art Education Association (NAEA): Minneapolis, MN. April 18-19, 2009.

Salo, M. (2009). “The Standards are not Written in Stone.” Arts with a Social Justice Lens Conference. National Art Education Association (NAEA): Minneapolis, MN. April 18-19, 2009.

Salo, M. (2009), “Vision for Arts Education.” Re-Vision Conference. Ontario Society for Education through Art, George Brown College, Toronto. ON.

 

Salo, M. (2008). “Artistic Evolution: Change in the Revised Arts Curriculum.” Northeastern Ontario Regional Arts Conference (NORAC), Sudbury Secondary School. October 3-4, 2008. 

Salo, M. (2008). “Environmental Education and the Revised Arts Curriculum.” Green Gallery Conference, Ontario Society for Education through Art. York University, Toronto, ON. 

Salo, M. (2008). "The Kindergarten Program." Presentation to the Head of International Relations, Helsinki Education Department, and the Mayors of Helsinki-area Departments of Education from Finland. Ontario Ministry of Education, Toronto, ON. 

Salo, M. (2007). "Shifts in Drama and Dance Education." Stepping into Character: Developing the Whole Child through Dance and Drama. 37th Annual Conference of the Council of Dance and Drama Educators. Blue Mountain, ON. October 26-28, 2007.

Salo, M., (2006). “Brushes with Success.” Art Trek: Continuing the Studio Journey Conference, Ontario Society for Education through Art, Rosedale Arts School & Gardiner Museum, Toronto, ON. 

Salo, M., (2005). “A grab bag of engaging arts ideas.” Arts on Edge. Conference co-hosted by Council of Dance and Drama Educators and the Ontario Society for Education through Art, Harold M. Brathwaite Secondary School, Brampton, ON.

Salo, M., (2004). “Early drawing and Literacy.” Art Stories, Our Stories Conference, Ontario Society for Education through Art, Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto, ON. 

Salo, M. (2004). “Tech Fusion: Integrating Technology Across Art, Math, and Social Studies.” ECOO/2004: The 25th Annual Conference of the Educational Computing Organization of Ontario (ECOO). Delta Meadowvale Conference Centre, Mississauga, ON. May 5-7, 2004. 

Salo, M. (2003). “Integrating Indigenous Arts in Education: All Things Are Connected.” Art Without Borders: Global Visions and Cultural Connections Conference. Ontario Society for Education through Art. Sheridan College's Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Oakville, ON. October 25, 2003.

Salo, M. (2002). “Art & Media: Exploring Integration in Creative Expression.” Intermediate Forum 3. Toronto District School Board. June 2002. 

Salo, M. (2002). “Drawing Approaches in the Elementary Classroom.” A Sense of Place Conference, Ontario Society for Education through Art, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON. 

Salo, M. (2001). Digital photo compositing in Adobe Photoshop. Photo Educator’s Forum, Ryerson University. May 2001. 

Salo, M. (2001). “Image compositing and illustration in Photoshop.” Art Reach. Canadian Society for Education through Art and Ontario Society for Education through Art co-hosted the National/Provincial Conference. Claude Watson School of the Arts. Toronto, ON. November 2001. 

Salo, M. (July 2000). “Layout and design with digital images in publishing.” Summer Tapestry Conference, TDSB Academic Services Information Technology, Toronto, ON. 

Salo, M. (2000). “Artful Integration: Exploring Technology in the Arts Curriculum.” Intermediate Forum 2. Toronto District School Board. February 2000. 

Salo, M. (2000), “Adaptations to create Success for All.” Odyssey Conference, Ontario Society for Education through Art, Georgian College, Barrie, ON.

Salo, M. (April 2000). “Empowering Teaching with Technology: Strategies for Meeting Curriculum Expectations.” Tapestry Conference, TDSB Academic Services Information Technology, Toronto, ON. 

Salo, M. (August 1999). “Database development in the classroom.” Mentoring Information Technology Conference, Academic Services Information Technology, Toronto, ON.