Congratulations to Belinda Williams, Carla Tilley, and Marilyn Funk, recipients of the Recognition of Achievements in Teaching and Learning!
This year marked the inaugural round of applications to the program, which is an opportunity for faculty at VIU to reflect on their activity in one of four categories, and gain VIU-wide recognition for the work that they have done. The categories – Student Engagement and Learning, Design of Learning Experiences, Scholarly Reflection and Inquiry, and Leadership and Community – each represent an aspect of the work that faculty undertake here at VIU.
On Friday, October 26th we were delighted to come together with colleagues and friends to celebrate Carla, Belinda, and Marilyn, who were awarded Recognition for their work in Leadership and Community, Scholarly Reflection and Inquiry, and Student Engagement and Learning, respectively.
Marilyn, Belinda, and Carla talked through the process of building their portfolios, the development of their practice, and shared stories of lessons learned along the way. The resulting conversation was wide-ranging, touching on earliest teaching experiences and their impact on shaping a career, the light-bulb moment that enabled students to become partners in the teaching and learning process, and the importance of engaging with our colleagues to help foment a community of practice.
It was particularly striking how putting together a portfolio to capture their various activities, projects, and initiatives revealed just how deep and broad their engagement with supporting teaching and learning at VIU really is. Invariably, the question seemed not to be ‘what should I put in the portfolio’, but rather ‘what can I leave out’? The same, they suspected, was true of many of our colleagues, as so much of the work they spoke of had collaborative elements.
If you’re interested in Recognition of Achievements, we will be accepting applications again at the end of May, and would welcome the chance to discuss your application with you. Alternatively, more information can be found at the Recognition of Achievements program on the Centre for Innovation and Excellence web pages, or by emailing us at learnsupport@viu.ca. Please do get in touch.
Until then, though – please join us in congratulating Carla, Belinda, and Marilyn!