Category: Teaching & Learning
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Student Digital Learning Experience: Requirements for Learner Success at Vancouver Island University
Digital technologies are an essential part of student learning. The student digital learning experience encompasses the required technology services, supports, infrastructure, access and learning tools for ensuring graduates of post-secondary institutions have the necessary digital skills, knowledge and abilities to thrive in the world. Students need a robust, reliable, flexible, and accessible digital learning experience for…
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Extending Your Teaching Practice: Working in the Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning (CIEL)
Photo by Joshua Sorenson on Unsplash Learning Opportunity for Teaching Faculty Members at Vancouver Island University VIU Job Posting Link (Open August 30 – September 26) Overview The Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning at Vancouver Island University (VIU) welcomes one current VIU teaching faculty member to join them in supporting faculty and students in teaching and learning…
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Grade 8-12 and VIU Classroom Visit Initiative
The Grade 8-12 and VIU Classroom Visit Initiative was a new offering of professional learning for Vancouver Island University campus community members (faculty, support staff, administration) to visit local high school classrooms (grades 8-12) in School Districts 68 and 69 and The High School at VIU. The initiative is now over for signing up. Initiative…
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What makes VIU Excellent in Teaching and Learning?
In May 2018, Vancouver Island University was named a finalist in the Global Teaching Excellence Awards from the Higher Education Academy headquartered in the United Kingdom. One of 17 finalists, VIU was the only other Canadian institution that was named a finalist besides McMaster University, which won the award. The 2018 award received 400 submissions…
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VIU Course Retention Process: Why Are We Deleting VIULearn Courses?
Photo Courtesy of: Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash VIU has implemented a Course Retention Process to protect and streamline course and student data in VIULearn, our virtual learning environment (Brightspace by D2L). Since implementing VIULearn in Spring of 2012, there were over 40,000 courses in our system as of June 2018. Because we create a blank ‘shell’…
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Cleaning Up VIULearn: New Process for VIU as of July 2018
New Process for VIULearn Course Cleanup Status: Currently we have over 40,000 courses dating back to Intersession 2012 when we began using D2L’s Brightspace software (branded VIULearn). Many of these courses were never used or are not used anymore. The accumulation of old courses can make managing VIULearn challenging and creates a messy view for faculty. Rationale: It…
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Opportunities for Post-Secondary Education: Responding to British Columbia’s New K-12 Curriculum
British Columbia has a new Kindergarten (K) – Grade 12 curriculum. K to Grade 9 was rolled out in Fall of 2016. Grade 10 curriculum will be mandatory in Fall of 2018 and Grades 11 and 12 will follow in Fall of 2019. The new curriculum model was built on research, global best practices and…
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5 Key Changes in BC’s New K-12 Curriculum: What are the Implications for Post-Secondary?
By Liesel Knaack, Director, Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning, Vancouver Island University PDF of Blog Post (1.5 MB) British Columbia’s Kindergarten to Grade 12 education system is being updated and enhanced. New mandated curriculum for Kindergarten (K) to Grade 9 began in Fall of 2016. New Grade 10-12 curricula will roll out in…
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D2L FUSION Conference: Key Take-Aways for Higher Ed
D2L’s annual FUSION conference (Reach Every Learner) for its customers was held July 19-20 in Las Vegas. This is a summary of the key take-aways for higher education faculty and support staff with a focus on Brightspace (D2L’s learning environment). Much of this info is also found on this Summer 17 release page: https://www.d2l.com/products-releases/summer-2017/ Daylight – Responsive…
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VIULearn Looks Different! Updated to a Modern Responsive Design!
When Vancouver Island University students and faculty members log in to VIULearn for the first time this Fall 2017, they will experience a change in the look and feel of the learning environment. On April 30, 2017 VIULearn was upgraded to “Daylight”, a new interface design that allows for the same experience regardless of your…
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‘Daylight’ Has Come and Gone: VIU’s Experience Moving to D2L’s New Responsive Design Interface
On April 30, Vancouver Island University switched its learning environment, called VIULearn, to the “Daylight Experience” from D2L. Daylight is a change in the look and feel (colours, buttons, icons, text), but it really updates the learning environment to one that is designed to be responsive/resizable to varied screen sizes and mobile devices. Daylight is…
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Enhancements to VIULearn: My Home, Course Home and Nav Bar (April 30)
On April 30, VIULearn will undergo a change in terms of look and feel as we upgrade to a new version called Daylight. We are also going to slide in a few enhancements to the My Home, Course Home and the Navigation Bar to take advantage of this update. Here is what is happening. My Home…