Olson was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and was raised by his grandparents until the age of 6, as his mother had contracted tuberculosis. He attended the University of Saskatchewan from 1953–55, … See more

Psychologists had traditionally seen writing as a tool for making speech transportable through space and time, a simple cipher for … See more

Curriculum designer and school reformer, Cynthia McCallister, has collaborated with Olson to integrate his theories of literacy and responsibility … See more

• Honorary degrees, University of Gothenburg, University of Saskatchewan, University of Toronto.
• Fellow, Royal Society of Canada See more

Under Bruner's sponsorship, Olson explored young children’s mental representations of space, particularly how children's language influenced their ability to reconstruct … See more

In the 1970s, Olson began a research program on children's understanding of language and meaning, advancing the claim that young … See more

Olson was long concerned with the implications of the advances in psychological theory for educational theory and practice an interest sponsored by Jerome Bruner's 1960 book, "The Process of Education" Olson examined the implications of the … See more