Category: General

  • Holding space: How VIU students are shaping the dialogue around Indigenous perspectives

    Holding space: How VIU students are shaping the dialogue around Indigenous perspectives

    by Kathleen Bortolin I step off the elevator onto the fifth floor of the library, hot coffee and security fob in hand. It’s June and quiet on campus, students and faculty retreating to other pursuits now that classes have ended. I don’t expect to see anyone on the fifth floor, especially students, so I’m surprised…

  • Congratulations!

    Congratulations!

    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…

  • The 2018-19 Teaching and Learning Leadership Council

    The 2018-19 Teaching and Learning Leadership Council

    The Teaching and Learning Leadership Council is a body of teaching faculty members chosen by their Faculties to lead institutional initiatives on teaching and learning. Now entering its 5th year, the Council is deepening work begun last year on embedding VIUs Graduate Attributes within the culture and practices of the institution. Council members come together…

  • Tao of Marking: Caring For Students through Unmarking Your Courses

    Tao of Marking: Caring For Students through Unmarking Your Courses

    Photo by David Emrich on Unsplash The Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning at Vancouver Island University is putting on a series of activities this year about marking and grading. We are asking faculty to examine their marking and grading practices, and consider how best to align these processes with perspectives and techniques that make caring for…

  • Introducing VIU’s Open Education Working Group

    Introducing VIU’s Open Education Working Group

    Photo by James Sutton on Unsplash The VIU Open Education Working Group (VIU-OEWG) brings together key stakeholders from across the institution to provide advice and support for VIU’s open education initiatives, which include the creation, adaptation, and adoption of open educational resources while embracing innovative open pedagogies. Email maxwell.stevenson@viu.ca if you wish to join this meeting. Meetings happen…

  • Student Digital Learning Experience: Requirements for Learner Success at Vancouver Island University

    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…

  • Extending Your Teaching Practice: Working in the Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning (CIEL)

    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…

  • Grade 8-12 and VIU Classroom Visit Initiative

    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…

  • What makes VIU Excellent in Teaching and Learning?

    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…

  • VIU Course Retention Process: Why Are We Deleting VIULearn Courses?

    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’…

  • Recognition of Achievements in Teaching and Learning

    Recognition of Achievements in Teaching and Learning

    The Centre is delighted to announce the successful recipients of Vancouver Island University’s Recognition of Achievement in Teaching and Learning. Please join us in congratulating Belinda Williams, Carla Tilley, and Marilyn Funk! A celebration event will take place on Friday, October 26 at which Marilyn, Carla, and Belinda will also share with colleagues some of…

  • From the ground up: Enhancing a horticulture program through educational development

    From the ground up: Enhancing a horticulture program through educational development

    It’s Friday. Or Wednesday. Or Tuesday afternoon. And my colleagues and I are on our way to the Paine Centre, VIU’s 32-acre horticulture facility. A quick 10-minute drive from the main campus, past a winery and a honey farm, the Paine Centre is located in an agriculture area of Nanaimo. The facility includes 7,000 ft.…