Author: Anwen Burk
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Using Teams to Build Connection
The importance of building connection into teaching and learning is not unique to online learning environments, but it can be more challenging when you are not in the same physical space as your students. To build connection into an online learning environment, there are three types of interaction to consider. These interactions can be built into…
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OLI! An Online Learning Institute
What is OLI? OLI is a 14 week institute that will guide you in designing a digital learning environment that is human centered, accessible, inclusive and mindful of your wellbeing and that of your students. Based on a proven history of successful online teaching and learning and the BC Post Secondary Digital Learning Strategy, we will help…
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Generative AI and Assessment
In our previous post about GenAI, we explored a range of approaches for integrating GenAI into course design. In this post, our focus shifts towards strategies that harness GenAI to either design assessments or adjust existing ones. Assessments serve a dual purpose: they provide us with insights into students’ acquired knowledge and skills, and they…
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What does AI mean in your classroom?
As the new semester approaches, you may be considering if Generative AI (AI) and Large Language Models (LLM) are suitable in your teaching and learning context. Many students might already be using AI tools and that presents both opportunities and challenges in our classrooms. AI can be a beneficial learning tool. However, without careful consideration…
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Is Artificial Intelligence on your mind?
It is certainly on ours! As we head into a new semester, we can’t help but think about the rapid growth of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, and consider the impact these tools are having on teaching and learning.
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The Share Drive (Ep. 22): Trust in the Process
This podcast was recorded in Fall 2022 when Vicki Nygaard was teaching Sociology of Gender Relations (SOCI 322). We talked about a project her class was working on at the time – the creation of a book on gender. That book, Gender: Reflections and Intersections, has now been published online and is also available for…
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Blended Learning
There are many ways to describe blended learning. One of my favourites describes blended learning as a “pedagogical approach that combines the effectiveness and socialization opportunities of the classroom with the technologically enhanced active learning possibilities of the online environment.” The Handbook of Blended Learning : Global Perspectives, Local Designs I like this one because…
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The Share Drive (Ep.21): How Much Water Do We Have?
It is Sustainable Development Week at VIU, so we wanted to share an example of how the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be integrated into your course design. In this podcast I spoke with Dr. Jerome Lesemann from VIU’s Earth Science Faculty about how he incorporated the SDGs into a recent course using a…
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Universal Design for Learning
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework we can use to design courses that are more inclusive and accessible. The framework, developed by CAST, is quite extensive and there are many resources available that can help you implement UDL principles. In this blog post we will provide an overview of the three UDL guidelines…
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Flexible Assessment
What is Flexible Assessment? Flexible assessment can take many forms. The flexibility may come from format, due dates or topic. It can apply to individual assignments or the assessment plan for your entire course. However, the success of any approach to flexible assessment will stem from the development of clearly established learning outcomes. Why Adopt…
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The Share Drive (Ep. 20)
In our 20th(!) episode of the Share Drive we chat with Georgina Martin (Indigenous/Xwulmuxw Studies) and Shannon Dames, (Bachelor of Science in Nursing), about the innovative work they have been doing in the Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy program at VIU.
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Starting Your Semester Off Right
Our first interactions with our students are an opportunity to set the tone for the rest of the course. Whether we are meeting them face to face, via Zoom or asynchronously via VIULearn we can use this time to connect with students, have students connect with each other, have them connect with the content and…