• Concept/mind mapping for effective group/teamwork
• Growing Knowledge through Copyright
• nutsamaat uy’skwuluwun: Coast Salish pedagogy in higher education
• Indigenized Mentorship Theories and Practices in Post-Secondary Education
• Making first-year calculus attractive
• Using TEAM: a Tool for Electronically Assisted Marking
• Creative “Alternative” Assessments: Taking Risks to Reap Rewards
• Incorporating social emotional learning into practice
• User Experience Design in the Classroom: From Fearful to Functional

• Collaborative Book Writing: Process, Pitfalls and Publication
• Gamification in Pharmacology in Practical Nursing
• The Indigenous critique: A decisive pedagogical intervention for the Social Sciences
• Fostering Informed Citizens in an Information Dumpster Fire: Strategies for Teaching Information Literacy
• Journeys and Stories: Orientating the Masters in Educational Leadership
• Garry oak Ecosystem Restoration

• Gabriola Island Snuneymuxw Petroglyph Tour

• Dawn Chorus  
• Growing Open Education Together
• Reflection on Thursday’s Gabriola Experience
• Teaching Tales of Creating Inclusive Education That Conquers the Tyranny of Time Through Compassion for Vulnerability
• How Do You Deal: A Gameplay of Ethics for Educators
• Growing an Accessible and Inclusive Systems Design Course with PlantUML
• Podcasting and Collaboration for Engagement and Knowledge Mobilization
• Learning through praxis teams
• Let’s Chat About ChatGPT
• Recognizing Indirect Prior Learning, or, “How I Became a Pro Wrestler”

• Singing in the Now

Interested in finding new strategies to help activate your classroom and contextualize learning? Concept/ mind mapping is an effective visual way to make e+xplicit purposeful, self-regulatory judgment that results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation and inference of knowledge and practice based upon the organization of ideas, thoughts, conceptual learning, and knowledge. (Kotcherlakota, Zimmerman, & Berger, 2013). Shapes, colors, connections arrows (with explanation of the connection) can be used to acknowledge concepts, theory, ideas, and relationships/ connections. It is a metacognitive technique used to promote critical thinking, engaged conversation, and professional growth, facilitate application of knowledge, and team process functioning. Students are challenged as a team to go beyond rote memorization of information into the processes of application and higher order thinking according to Bloom’s taxonomy with concept/ mind mapping. Come prepared to partake in a tableside mind map while sharing classroom activity ideas (both previously used and new ideas).

Copyright has been both help and hindrance to building and growing knowledge. Join us to learn how best to navigate the world of copyright to get the resources you need and to protect your work. We will be taking an in-depth view of fair dealing, creative commons licenses & public domain, Indigenous Knowledge & copyright, and seeking permission, learning how to leverage copyright to grow and foster knowledge. Throughout the workshop, we will be pausing to discuss various common copyright scenarios, as well as leaving lots of time for your burning copyright questions.

The goal of this workshop is to present ways to instruct Coast Salish pedagogy, to discuss, share challenges and ways of implementing the teachings of the Coast Salish speaking people of south eastern Vancouver Island using various learning activities, small and large group discussions. The participants will get an overview of the Coast Salish peoples, brief history, and how Coast Salish instruct their general teachings in higher education.

Through no fault of their own, Indigenous students tend to experience a diminished connection to self, culture, family, community, identity, esteem, belonging, and wholistic well-being whilst attending predominately westernized post-secondary institutions. Culturally-rooted Indigenous mentorship initiatives are on the rise and have proven to be a highly effective response. But what ‘is’ Indigenous mentorship and how does it ‘fit’ in higher education? Are we talking about western-based mentorship theory and practices that incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing and being; or the other way around? What, if at all, makes Indigenous mentorship approaches unique from western-based mentorship? These questions, and others, are being explored utilizing Indigenous methodologies in my Indigenous- and culturally-led PhD research at the University of British Columbia. This presentation will provide a glimpse into my current work and open up space for dialogue and idea sharing.

I was recently reading an article where calculus was called “a bankrupt concept of math” and was described as outdated. We also often hear our students saying that it is disconnected from real life or other subjects they study. However, mathematical literacy is now more valuable than ever, with calculus still being one of the most practical and applicable STEM subjects. In an attempt to convince my students of the importance of calculus, I replaced one of my three traditional midterm tests with a group project that required each group to present a different application of calculus to the class. In this talk, I would like to share my experience of incorporating interdisciplinary group projects into my first-year calculus classes, together with the feedback I received from my students.

Computers, online tutorials, and online universities purport to provide quality post- secondary education, yet students are still arriving in person to get the education from live teachers. In this presentation, I will demonstrate a suite of scripts that lets the computer do the tasks it does best, freeing more of the teacher’s time to interact with the student. TEAM (a Tool for Electronically Assisted Marking) integrates with VIULearn’s management of assignments and quizzes. I’ve been the sole developer and Beta tester of this software for several years and it has allowed me to provide as much individual support to students as possible. I would like to offer it to you, my fellow VIU instructors, to use, to modify and to improve.

Bring your heart, your creativity, and yes, even your fear, to this dynamic roundtable facilitated by long-term Sociology faculty member Vicki Nygaard and CIEL’s Curriculum Specialist Anwen Burk. Come prepared to engage in a lively discussion focused on the risks and potential rewards of offering students non-standard assignments and other modes of assessment. Participants can share examples of their own road-tested alternates, along with any “pie-in-the-sky” ideas they’ve not yet dared try.

This session will show models and frameworks to support social-emotional learning and discuss how using social-emotional learning frameworks can support you in your teaching practice. We will address activities to strengthen social-emotional learning; the importance of modelling; how to build and maintain rapport with learners with notable social, emotional, and behavioral needs; and the importance of self-compassion.

As a professor of User Experience design, I use design thinking to incrementally problem-solve my way to shaping a more engaging learning environment for my students. In this story of teaching and learning, I will talk about how I leverage my own anxieties, scattered mind—and even a bit of selfishness—to my advantage to create more connection within the classroom.

This session will focus on a collaborative book writing project undertaken by the students of Sociology of Gender Relations (SOCI 322) in Fall 2022. Vicki Nygaard taught the class and Anwen Burk assisted in the publishing process and the use of the Pressbooks publishing platform. We will discuss the creation process from beginning to end, including how the project was initiated, how roles were assigned, how the final product was reviewed and edited, and how it was ultimately published. Participants will learn about the unique opportunities that a collaborative book writing project offers. They will also hear about some of the pitfalls we experienced along the way and what we would do differently next time. Join us for an engaging and informative session that will inspire and inform you on how to tackle collaborative book writing projects with your students.

Students historically have struggled with the concepts taught in pharmacology. A change of delivery, assessment format and gamification principles transformed this course so that students were more engaged, more successful and had fun. Students worked in teams for the entire semester, working on case scenarios and questions, and taking an online quiz. Each team developed a board game to teach their peers and have their peers self-evaluate their knowledge on various drug classifications at the end of the course.

The globalization of Western culture is often viewed, even among Social Scientists, as the more or less unidirectional passage of Western culture across the Atlantic Ocean. What crucially gets overlooked in Eurocentric accounts is the Indigenous critique of then existing Western culture and governance institutions. Based on Indigenous values and democratic governance practices, this critique was influential in public debates and on major thinkers contributing to the Enlightenment. After describing and historically situating Indigenous critique, I will draw from my experience teaching it for the course “Globalization and Cultural Change” (SOCI380). I argue that not only does the Indigenous Critique represent a decisive pedagogical intervention in disciplines with a focus on modernity such as Sociology and Global Studies, but it also provides critical insight for the ethico-political processes of Reconciliation and decolonization.

The internet has become an information dumpster fire thanks to algorithms, information capitalism, artificial intelligence, and deep-seated systemic problems in the tech industry. It is becoming increasingly difficult to evaluate information to tell fact from fiction. Information literacy (IL) falls under the three pillars of VIU’s Graduate Attributes and describes “the ability to find and critically evaluate relevant information and its sources, and to synthesize the information with existing knowledge.” It is part of a valuable interconnected skill set that students should develop over the course of their time at VIU to enhance their employability. Faculty members, librarians and other educators, including Writing Centre and academic support staff, have a collective responsibility to support students in becoming effective researchers, critical consumers and creators of information. If we work together towards a shared vision, IL can be a core component of the university’s curriculum and contribute to the success of students in their academic, professional, and personal lives. Join this roundtable discussion to learn from colleagues about their approaches to teaching IL across different disciplines, sharing ideas, perspectives, experiences, and strategies to move beyond challenges.

Through storytelling, our presentation will interpret how our personal journeys leading up to the start of our graduate studies have inspired the idea of designing a comprehensive orientation specifically for the Master of Education Leadership (MEDL) students here at Vancouver Island University. Presented in a virtual multi-sensory format, our presentation will feature recorded poetry, a virtual photobook, varied versions of story sharing, an introduction to the MEDL orientation project, and conclude with a discussion with the audience.

We are excited to invite you to join us for a tour of the Garry Oak Ecosystems Restoration project on Campus. Learn more about experiential land-based learning opportunities through Garry oak ecosystems restoration on campus, which are drought-adapted landscapes of cultural and ecological significance to our region. They are one of the most biodiverse, but also one of the most threatened, ecosystems in Canada.

Join Caroline Josefsson, botanist and plant biologist, who will guide us through VIU’s restoration efforts and share her knowledge about this fascinating ecosystem. You will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of these ecosystems and how they can be restored through hands-on experiences and collaboration.

Meet us on the second floor of Building 210 at 1:45pm and walk with us to the restoration site between buildings 370 and 375. Please note that the best parking for this event is Lot J. You can refer to the attached maps for more details.

We encourage you to dress appropriately for the outdoors and wear comfortable walking shoes. We also recommend bringing a hat, sunscreen, umbrella, and any other personal items you may need to enjoy this event.

On Thursday, a small group of faculty will have the opportunity to travel to Gabriola Island with VIU Elder-in-Residence Auntie Geraldine to learn about Snuneymuxw cultural teachings, including learning about petroglyphs and legends. This trip will take all day so participants will not have the opportunity to attend other Conference sessions on the Thursday.

More information and registration can be found on INVIU.

Calling all early birds! Join us for a guided bird walk on campus with Dr. Eric Demers. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the various bird species that can be found on campus and in the surrounding area. Dr. Eric Demers is an expert in the field and will share his vast knowledge of birds, their behavior, and habitat.

More information and registration can be found on INVIU

Do you wonder where and how Open Education grows at VIU? Have you worked or are interested in working in Open Education Practices? Created or want to create Open Educational Resources (OER)? Created or want to create Open Scholarship or publish Open Access? Join us for an hour of presentations and discussions on why and how a culture of Open Education can grow at VIU, and how your practices can make a difference. We will give a brief overview of what it is and how Open Ed is already growing across Canada benefiting students, faculty, and disciplines. Come listen to faculty share their stories, both the success and challenges. If you are interested in discussing what Open Education can be at VIU, come join us for a discussion of what open means to you and VIU, what support you would like to see on campus, what benefits you would like to see for students, and what you see as the future of Open Ed at VIU.

This is a debriefing Circle for participants in Thursday’s experience on Gabriola Island designed to discuss and deepen our understanding of what we learned and its value for understanding history and taking steps toward reconciliation.

My desire to create inclusive education began in 2005 during my first semester of teaching at VIU when I was visited by three disabled students who woke me up to how my use of time was preventing them from experiencing the transformation that good and worthwhile education can offer. This awakening set me on a journey to learn how to create education based in compassion and with a concern for vulnerability to free ourselves from the tyranny of time that is so prevalent in Western ways of being and thinking. During this session, I share stories from my teaching practice that reflect how I’ve learned to use time, both in and out of the classroom, to more-effectively support all students so that they have an opportunity to begin anew through inclusive, transformative education.

Diagrams are commonly used in Computer Science courses to communicate complex ideas, designs, and processes. While tools exist to accommodate blind and visually impaired users to work with diagrams, many tools fall short in terms of enabling these users to independently create and edit diagrams. This limits the extent to which blind users can work in team and peer-feedback activities that use visual diagrams. Adapting visual design activities to be accessible and inclusive benefits blind users and sighted users: being inclusive can lead to more diverse perspectives, which is invaluable to the creative process of iterative design. We describe how a Computer Science course was adapted, using off-the-shelf tools, to be not only accessible to a student who uses a screen reader but also inclusive, enabling all students to equally participate in team and peer-feedback activities. We report the successes and challenges of this experience from the perspective of the instructor, the blind student, and their sighted teammates.

By “Gathering Together” educational professionals will play an innovative and engaging game that is designed to draw awareness, ignite discussion and create dialogue over ethically perplexing educational situations. The activity intends to inspire effective group-work and collective problem-solving; promote collaboration across diversity; honour Indigenous ways of learning, knowing and being when seeking meaningful understandings of educational matters; value and validate different voices and lenses in the room; and invite collaborative research for learning by inspiring post-activity discussions.

How can the creation of spoken and other aural content—as an alternative to the traditional written paper—strengthen and enhance teaching and learning in the university and beyond? This presentation will explore the pragmatic aspects of podcasting, and bring examples from the classroom to illustrate success with audio production and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Praxis can be viewed as a circular process of reflection and action within conversation between co-teachers and co-learners to create transformative learning. This integrational cycle includes the components of epistemology (to know), ontology (to be), and axiology (to do) that reflects upon and integrates experiences and theories/ knowledge to inform intentional action with the development of new insights. Complexities of reflection can be presented by different perspectives and contextual considerations through team member sharing. (Hills, M., Watson, J, & Cara, C, 2020). Come prepared to partake in praxis activities firsthand, attendees will have the opportunity to share insights gained from the conference experiences thus far.

It is no surprise that ChatGPT has been on the minds of many instructors since its launch in late 2022. It has quickly shifted conversations about AI as a theoretical construct to a classroom reality. How does a tool like ChatGPT affect things like academic integrity, assignment design, writing skills and administrative tasks? What challenges does it present? What opportunities does it bring? Attendees In this collaborative session will have the opportunity to ask questions and share their own experiences with ChatGPT or other AI tools.

I will talk about my learning journey with wrestling, especially as it relates to past experiences and skills that were unexpectedly helpful. Participants will examine their own backgrounds and skills that helped them learn new things. We will apply this idea to our own classrooms: how to facilitate the kind of reflection that allow students see that a variety of backgrounds and skills can help them even if there is not an obvious connection between their existing background and the new learning they are engaged in.

Join Rosemary and Eliza for this capstone session that builds solidarity through song. Music is educational and entertaining, and it brings people together – plus, and there’s nothing quite like the sweet sound of harmonic voices to lift spirits. We’ll sing a selection of participatory numbers from diverse traditions that are intellectually engaging and super fun. No musical background is required for this artsy session that promises to end our conference on a high note!