August 2012, Volume 11, No. 1
THE GWENNA MOSS CENTRE
FOR TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS
Bridges
Reflecting the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning at the University of Saskatchewan
Academic Innovation Initiatives Update
By Jim Greer, Director, ULC
In June 2011, the University of Saskatchewan invested a total of $954,000 in
annual permanent funding to support
curricular innovation and experiential
learning. This investment is coordinated
primarily through the University Learning
Centre & Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching
Effectiveness (ULC/GMCTE). The permanent
funding provided was to be utilized in the
following manner:
• Curricular Design ($587K permanent
funding, including up to 7.0 FTE
positions)
• Experiential Learning ($367K permanent
funding, including 1.0 FTE position)
The Provost’s Committee on Integrated
Planning mandated that the University
Learning Centre & Gwenna Moss Centre for
Teaching Effectiveness support new efforts
in curricular innovation, help colleges and
departments expand experiential learning
opportunities available to students, and
provide instructional and curriculum design
support for academic units in collaboration
with other academic support units.
• Planned, initiated, or completed dozens
of innovation projects and we are
constantly entertaining new requests
for assistance and support from
academic units
• Allocated about $100K from the
Curriculum Innovation Fund to
academic units and about $35K from the
Experiential Learning Fund to student
stipends and student projects
Innovation projects supported by our team
in this past year can be grouped under five
broad categories:
• College-level initiatives in curriculum
renewal or accreditation
• Development of new programs
• Program-level learning outcomes and
curricular audits
• Designing and developing distributed
and online learning resources in courses
or programs
• Implementing experiential learning in
courses or programs
It has taken some time to assemble a great
team to undertake this work and even
though the last members of our team are
only now joining our ranks, a number of
• Established a Curriculum Innovation Fund
exciting new projects started up over the
of roughly $1.5 million for direct support
past year. Some of these projects are large
to academic units engaging in curriculum
in scope, while others are small. Some will
renewal and innovation
have protracted time lines, while others are
• Established an Experiential Learning Fund nearly complete. Here is a sample of some
of $700K for direct support of student
of the “projects” we have been working on
stipends, student fellowships and student in the past year:
projects in experiential learning
• College-level initiatives in curriculum
• Assembled a staff complement to carry
renewal or accreditation in four Colleges
out this work in the GMCTE and the ULC
or Schools
In the past year, under the guidance of the
Acting Vice-Provost Teaching and Learning,
the ULC and GMCTE have:
• Development of new programs
(Certificates of Proficiency or Degrees)
in five Colleges or Schools
• Program-level learning outcomes and
curricular audits of nearly 20 programs
in six Colleges or Schools
• Designing and developing distributed
and online learning resources in courses
or programs in four Colleges
• Implementing experiential learning in
numerous courses or programs
Various academic units have been allocated
funding from the Curriculum Innovation
Fund this past year. Some of these
allocations were awarded conditionally,
with certain milestones or approvals being
required prior to release of some or all of
the funding. Some academic units were
awarded funding in the form of student
stipends or assistantship amounts paid
directly to students engaged in supporting,
developing, or experiencing various
experiential learning activities. The priority
with student stipends and assistantships
is to maximize impact through leveraging
other student funding opportunities, pilot
ideas that have potential to scale up, and
develop opportunities that can affect
more students than those receiving direct
financial support.
The academic innovation agenda is
underway. Academic units are taking
advantage of the resources that have been
devoted to this transformation, and it is
encouraging to see the early fruits of this
remarkable investment in improving our
University’s academic programs and the
intellectual experience of our students.
www.usask.ca/gmcte
August 2012
Vol. 11 No. 1
The Gwenna Moss Centre for
Teaching Effectiveness
University of Saskatchewan
Room 50 Murray Building
3 Campus Drive
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A4
Phone 306 • 966 • 2231
Fax 306 • 966 • 2242
Web site: www.usask.ca/gmcte
Bridges is distributed to every teacher
at the University of Saskatchewan and
to all teaching centres in Canada, and
some beyond. It is also available on
our web site.
Please consider submitting an article
or opinion piece to Bridges. Your
contribution will reach a wide local,
national, and international audience.
Contact any one of the following
people; we’d be delighted to hear
from you:
A New Academic Year Begins
The start of the fall term is usually a very
busy time for the GMCTE, helping faculty
and instructors prepare for students to
return to our campus en masse. After
years of immersion in an academic
environment, it is hard to remember a
time when the mere idea of “university”
was frightening, new and completely
unknown to us.
But each September, I gaze across our
campus and see it with the same awe and
wonder as I did as a nervous eighteenyear-old small town girl standing on these
grounds for the very first time. The leaves
were turning on our majestic arching
trees, contrasting beautifully with the
stone architecture of our buildings. The
sun was shining boldly, warmly, with a
subtle iridescent shimmer. The university
seemed so big, so unfamiliar, so powerful
and imposing, and yet so beautiful. It
About the
Jim Greer
Director, ULC and GMCTE
Phone 306 • 966 • 2234
jim.greer@usask.ca
By Barb Schindelka, GMCTE
was like the proverbial oyster with pearls of
knowledge hidden all over, though I wasn’t
at all sure where or how to find them.
I was not be sure of what was expected
of me or what it would take for me to be
successful as a student here. And I was only
one of the countless students who have
nervously or excitedly explored our campus
at this time of year, feeling much the same
way I did.
Every September reminds me of how
important it is to provide students with
clear learning outcomes and expectations,
and to provide constructive feedback
and encouragement along their learning
journeys. Our university truly does have
pearls of knowledge hidden everywhere; it
is our collective responsibility as faculty and
instructors to support and teach students in
their individual quests to find them.
GMCTE.....
Brad Wuetherick
Program Director
Academic Editor (Bridges)
Phone 306 • 966 • 1804
brad.wuetherick@usask.ca
Christine Anderson Obach
Managing Editor (Bridges)
Phone 306 • 966 • 1950
christine.anderson@usask.ca
Corinne Fasthuber
Assistant GMCTE
Phone 306 • 966 •2231
corinne.fasthuber@usask.ca
Views expressed in Bridges are those of the
individual authors and are not necessarily
those of the staff at the GMCTE.
THE STAFF AT THE GWENNA MOSS CENTRE
FOR TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS welcomes
everyone at the University of Saskatchewan
to visit the Centre and take advantage of our
large selection of professional development
events, courses, resources, and services.
Please visit our website to find out more about our services and resources for new
faculty, experienced faculty, sessional lecturers, and graduate students who teach.
ISSN 1703-1222
www.usask.ca/gmcte
2
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
Personalizing The Course Syllabus
By Kim West, PhD, Educational Development Specialist, GMCTE
Professional Affiliate, Department of Geography and Planning
When I meet with faculty and instructors
on the topic of course syllabi, the first
question I generally get asked is “What
should I include in my course syllabus?”
followed by “Do you have some sort of
checklist or template I could follow?”
The Academic Course Policy describes
what should be included in a syllabus
at the University of Saskatchewan
(http://www.usask.ca/university_secretary/
council/academiccourses.php):
• Learning objectives of the course
• The type and schedule of term assignments, with approximate due dates
• Notice if any mid-term examinations
or other required course activities are
scheduled outside of usual class times
• The type and schedule of mid-term or
like examinations
• The relative marking weight of all
assignments or examinations
• Procedures for dealing with missed
or late assignments or examinations
• Whether any or all of the work
assigned in a course including any
assignment, examination, or final
examination, is mandatory for passing
the course
• Attendance expectations if applicable,
the means by which attendance will
be monitored, the consequences of
not meeting attendance expectations,
and their contribution to the assessment process
• Participation expectations if
applicable, the means by which
participation will be monitored and
evaluated, the consequences of not
meeting participation expectations,
and their contribution to the
assessment process
• Contact information and consultation
availability
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
• Location of rules and guidelines
for both academic misconduct and
appeal procedures
• Course website URL, if used
The policy also specifies how the following
should be handled:
• No surprises rule: “After the
distribution of the course syllabus,
no major graded assignment, quiz
or examination is to be newly
assigned in a course unless no
student objects.”
• Change of final examination date:
“Once the Registrar has scheduled
final examinations for a term,
instructors wanting to change
the date and/or time of their final
examination must obtain the consent
of all students in the course according
to procedures established by the
Registrar, as well as authorization
from the Department Head, or Dean
in non-departmentalized Colleges.”
In the literature on teaching and learning,
the syllabus is described as having
multiple roles (Knaack 2011; Richardson
& Woods 2009; Parkes & Harris 2002),
of these the primary roles of learning
tool, contract, and permanent record
should be considered first. As a learning
tool, the syllabus needs to provide clear
expectations of what student success
is and how it is best achieved. This is
normally accomplished by including
learning outcomes or objectives that
describe what successful students
should be able to do by the end of
the course. It is best to think about
providing this information in a way that
describes how the course fits within the
broader curriculum and overall program
objectives (Richardson & Woods 2009).
An innovative way to do this is to present
this information graphically by using a
graphics or outcomes map (Nilson 2007;
Nilson 2003). While this is particularly
advantageous for visual learners, it is
3
also useful for teachers because it places
the focus back on learning. In this
approach, teachers can emphasize the
interrelationships between unit topics and
even involve students in creating their
own course maps (Weimer 2011). Some
instructors also provide information on
academic accommodations, first-year
transitions, or study skills with the aim of
promoting student success.
The syllabus also functions as a contract
and permanent record in case of grade
appeals or other disputes with students.
For this reason, the syllabus needs to be
transparent regarding the schedule and
type of term assignments, examinations,
and any other graded components,
including attendance or participation
expectations. The syllabus should
describe the accountabilities of both
students and instructors, including the
responsibility of the instructor to be
available to answer student questions,
and the responsibility of the students to
engage in their studies ethically. This may
involve a description of academic integrity
and how it will be handled, complete
with specific disciplinary examples (e.g.
plagiarism in essays or group work in
labs). Finally, the syllabus should be
clear in terms of its policies, outlining the
measures that will be taken in cases of
missed assignments or exams. Knaack
(2011), Nilson (2003), and Davis (2003) all
provide useful information on appropriate
items, strategies, and questions to consider
for teachers who are writing their syllabi
for the first time.
As a learning tool, contract, and
permanent record, it is vital that the
syllabus conveys its message clearly and
effectively. However, a well-constructed
syllabus is much more than a document
that simply outlines rules, regulations, or
even expected outcomes of learning. While
we should be concerned with the accuracy
and clarity of what we write in our syllabus,
we should also be cognizant of its tone
and how this tone reflects who we are,
what we think, what we value.
www.usask.ca/gmcte
.... a well-constructed syllabus is much more than
a document that simply outlines rules, regulations,
or even expected outcomes of learning. While we
should be concerned with the accuracy and clarity
of what we write in our syllabus, we should also
be cognizant of its tone and how this tone reflects
who we are, what we think, what we value.
The tone of the syllabus conveys our
attitudes towards the subject matter,
teaching, and toward students. In their
guide to the course syllabus at Saint
Mary’s University, Richardson & Woods
(2009) cite the following observation from
Singham (2005): “The typical syllabus
gives little indication that the students
and teacher are embarking on an exciting
learning adventure together, and its tone
is more akin to something that might be
handed to a prisoner on the first day of
incarceration (p.1).” Instead, these authors
suggest that the syllabus should be used
as an opportunity for teachers to express
why they are excited about their subject
matter and how they intend to work with
students to help them learn. In many cases
a syllabus is also the first impression that
teachers make with students. When I point
this out during teaching consultations,
I usually ask, “What do you think your
syllabus says about you? followed by
“Does this really matter? Do you really
need to worry about personalizing your
syllabus, and to what degree?”
While some teachers prefer the formal
approach that is prevalent in academic
writing: “The main responsibilities of
students are to. . .” others prefer a less
formal approach: “As a student in this
course, you are expected to . . .” Whether
you use a formal or informal style depends
to some extent on your personality and
disciplinary training. Often it is not the
degree of formality but a lack of emotion
or expression that causes the tone to feel
less inviting and/or welcoming for the
reader (Daniels 2011).
2) Share your teaching philosophy,
approach, or style with students.
Regardless of whether we consciously
include a statement about our teaching
style or approach, the syllabus has
something to say about our expectations
and how we intend to interact with
students inside and outside the classroom.
Take a moment to review your syllabus.
What did you choose to include in your
syllabus and why? What information
did you exclude and why? How did you
approach the tasks of organizing and
presenting information in the syllabus?
I suggest the following strategies as
starting points to personalize and improve
the delivery of expressiveness in your
syllabus:
In his well-known book called Teaching
With Style, Anthony Grasha describes
five different teaching styles, including
expert, formal authority, personal model,
facilitator, and delegator. Each individual
style has a different emphasis on core
areas related to teaching and learning:
knowledge and expertise, status, personal
examples, the personal nature of the
teacher-learner relationship, and learner
independence and autonomy, respectively.
Which of these styles comes the closest
to your preferred interactions in the
classroom and why? Does the tone and
content of your syllabus predominantly
reflect what you value? Why or why not?
1) Include a welcome to your
students on the first page of
the syllabus.
3) Express your enthusiasm for your
subject matter, teaching, and for the
success of your students.
These introductory comments could
include information on why you are
excited about teaching this particular
The first step in personalizing your syllabus course, why students should be excited
to learn the subject matter, or the unique
is to self-assess its current state. Take a
opportunities in your course, including
moment to review a current syllabus, or
experiential learning, group work or other
if you are preparing a syllabus for the first
pedagogical innovations (see the online
time, have a look at a syllabus that was
prepared by another instructor. As Daniels template developed for faculty by the
University of Missouri- St. Louis). You could
(2011) asks, “Is the tone of your [or their]
share information on relevant professional
voice inviting, or does it tell others that
you [or they] are not interested? If you are experiences including research or
teaching, or anything else you would like
describing a wonderful adventure, does
your students to know about the course
your [or their] tone conveying your [or
their] excitement or do you [or they] sound or yourself in general. Speaking from my
own experience, students are more open
bored?” (p.1). At first, many instructors
and expressive in the classroom when their
confuse the tone of the syllabus with its
instructor has already demonstrated some
degree of formality.
willingness to do the same.
4
Most instructors express their enthusiasm
for their course by sharing their
experiences, interests, and research related
to the subject matter. To go beyond this,
I like to use a quote or image on the first
page of my syllabus to persuade students
that the course is relevant to their lives. I
discuss my teaching approach and the
types of knowledge, skills and abilities that
I emphasize in the course and why. I share
information on my teaching approach and
rationale behind the approach, including
the teaching strategies students might
expect to see in the classroom. To some
extent, I discuss how I have planned and/
or organized the course to best suit their
learning needs and why. This involves
knowing what students’ needs are, which
change from year to year. Therefore, I
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
tell students that some of the changes I
have made are based on my experiences
and reflections as a teacher and some
are related to feedback from my peers
or previous students. I find that the
more open I am, the more engaged
students seem to be with the strategies
and learning activities in the classroom,
probably because they understand
why I am doing what I am doing in the
classroom. Some instructors use the first
day of class, rather than the syllabus itself,
to discuss and/or follow up on this type
of information. Ultimately, whether the
information is included in the syllabus or
discussed in class, the message to students
is that you genuinely care about their
success in the learning process.
4) Treat the syllabus like a learning
tool for students (Parker & Harris
2002) and in reflecting upon your
teaching practice.
In Peter Filene’s The Joy of Teaching (2005),
he mentions a core philosophy in teaching
and learning: “When you teach you are
engaging in a relationship with your
students (pg.2).” This philosophy reminds
me that we should view the syllabus as a
conversation that sets the stage for learner
success, rather than a simple repository of
course content. The biggest mistake that
I see instructors make is when too much
content is included in their course syllabi.
Filene advocates the following four-step
approach to help reduce this over-reliance
on subject matter:
1) Covering: deciding what content
should be included in your course.
2) Uncovering: deciding what content
to exclude from your course, through
processes of sequencing, categorizing,
coding, and unit planning.
3) Adding: focusing on what learners
should be able to do, e.g. learning
outcomes, objectives, assessment and
evaluation while reducing content
based on the workloads of instructor
and students.
4) Modulating: calculating experiential
and cognitive rhythms and sequences.
Instructors can also use the syllabus as a
venue to reflect on what is working well,
what needs to be improved, and what
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
changes have been made in a course over
time. For instance, did the sequence of
topics you planned work well and why?
What would you do differently when
teaching the course the next time?
Next time you are writing, reviewing,
or reflecting upon your syllabus, think
about what you choose to include in
your syllabus and why, what you choose
to exclude, and how you approach the
tasks of organizing and presenting
information. When constructed effectively
a personalized syllabus says a lot about
who we are, what we value, and what we
expect in the classroom.
References
University of Missouri- St. Louis. n.d.
Course syllabus template. UMSL Online
Faculty Zone. Retrieved July 12, 2012 from
http://www.umslonline.org/.
Weimer, M. 2011. A graphic syllabus can
bring clarity to course structure. Faculty
Focus. Retrieved May 2, 2012 from http://
www.facultyfocus.com.
*Many of the books referred to in this
article are available in The Gwenna
Moss Centre’s library. Instructors, staff,
and students are welcome to borrow
these books for a two-week period.
GMCTE BLOG - EDUCATUS
Daniels, N. 2011. Is the tone of your voice
distant or inviting? Retrieved July 12,
2012 from http://www.selfgrowth.com/
print/2611091.
*Davis, B.G. 2003. The course syllabus.
In Tools for teaching (pp.14-19). San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
*Filene, P. 2005. Constructing a syllabus.
In The joy of teaching: A practical guide for
new college instructors (pp.35-46). Chapel
Hill and London: The University of North
Carolina Press.
*Grasha, A. 1996. Teaching with style.
Pittsburgh, PA: Alliance Publishers.
Grunert, J. 1997. The course syllabus: A
learning-centred approach. Bolton, MA:
Anker.
*Nilson, L.B. 2003. Teaching at its best:
A resource-based resource for college
instructors. Bolton, MA: Anker.
Nilson, L.B. 2007. The graphic syllabus and
the outcomes map: communicating your
course. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Parkes, J., and Harris, M. B. 2002. The
purposes of a syllabus. College Teaching,
50(2): 55-61.
Singham, M. 2005. Moving away from the
authoritarian classroom. Change Magazine,
37(3): 51-57.
5
In recent months the Gwenna Moss
Centre has launched a number of
new ways to share information with
members or the U of S community,
including a Twitter account (@
GMCTE_UofS), Diigo social
bookmarking group and most
recently, a blog.
The blog, titled Educatus, can be
found at words.usask.ca/gmcte
and will include contributions
from members of our staff writing
about a variety of topics including
instructional strategies, assessment,
educational technology and
research, to name a few. These blog
posts will include sharing resources,
reflecting on practice, book reviews
and information about current
and recent events of interest to
instructors, graduate students and
people U of S community as well as
at other institutions.There will be
regular updates to the blog so you
can check back often or subscribe
to the blog using an RSS reader
such as Google Reader. This works
much the same way as subscribing
to a magazine so it is delivered to
your mailbox instead of checking
for a new issue at the bookstore.
If you have any questions about
the GMCTE use of these tools or
how to make use of them in your
teaching, research or professional
development, please feel free to
contact heather.ross@usask.ca.
www.usask.ca/gmcte
Where Good Ideas Come From:
The Natural History of Innovation
By Steven Johnson
Published by the Penguin Group, 2010
In Where Good Ideas Come From:
The Natural History of Innovation,
Steven Johnson sets forth a proposal
to suggest that there are distinct patterns
beneath the formation of ideas that
have led to revolutionary invention and
innovation throughout history. Specifically,
Johnson asserts that there lie seven
distinct patterns.
First, the “Adjacent Possible” explains
that good ideas are ultimately
constrained and/or enabled by the parts
around them. While history tends to
romanticize innovations as extraordinary
breakthroughs, often ideas are generated
from existing building blocks that
have been molded, combined and
reconstructed.
Second, “Liquid Networks” are horizontal,
diverse environments that allow ideas
to generate, flow and blossom. Here,
Johnson cites the shocking results from
a study where it was found that the most
important scientific ideas were often
generated during lab meetings rather than
by individual genius.
Third, the “Slow Hunch” constitutes
instances when thoughts, questions,
insights and ideas often marinate in the
mind for periods of time before solidifying
into something more concrete.
Fourth, “Serendipity” denotes random
happy accidents for when slow hunches
are able to connect. Johnson asserts
that these accidents are rarely linear
or planned, but rather, they occur
unexpectedly.
non-market-driven network model fosters
the emergence of those seven patterns.
To support this argument, he traced the
development of history’s most infamous
inventions and innovations, and found
that a vast majority of them emerged
through this model. Unfortunately,
Johnson did not document how he
conducted his research, and it would be
interesting to see someone replicate his
historical analysis to see if they arrive to
similar conclusions.
Fifth, “Error” reminds readers that great
ideas rarely succeed in its first iteration;
rather, it develops from a history of being
wrong time and time again.
Sixth, “Exaptation” occurs when an idea
meant for one purpose is adopted and
excels when adapted and utilized for
another purpose.
Finally, “Platforms” constitute existing
knowledge bases, tools, skills and
components that can be built upon.
Johnson has found that innovation thrives
by mixing and combining established
ingredients.
Ultimately, Johnson’s book dispels the
myth of the isolated ‘Eureka!’ moments of
ideas, invention and innovation. Rather,
the inception and evolution of ideas,
invention and innovation are inherently
non-linear and messy. However, Johnson
also proposes that those seven patterns
can be cultivated through establishing
an environment conducive to change.
Here, Johnson advocates that an open,
6
While Johnson’s book is not explicitly
oriented towards teaching and learning,
it remains very applicable to the context
of teaching and learning. I would venture
to make the bold assumption that every
instructor has experienced the seven
patterns highlighted in Johnson’s book,
whether it be having a slow hunch about
an idea to improve their teaching to
experiencing countless errors before
finally arriving on a successful teaching
strategy. Moreover, Johnson’s prescription
for the cultivation of informal, horizontal
and open networks to foster ideas is
an intriguing idea. While this is already
occurring at various levels within the
University, Johnson’s book provides
further support for the importance of
nurturing curiosity through community
and collaboration.
By Stan Yu
Research Analyst, GMCTE
This book is available to loan from
the GMCTE resource library located
in Room 50 Murray Building.
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
EXPLORING
Threshold
CONCEPTS:
An example of a Threshold
Concept in Art History
By Elizabeth Loeffler and Brad Wuetherick,
University of Saskatchewan
INTRODUCTION
Threshold concepts have been a regular
feature of Bridges in the past year and a
half (Wuetherick, 2011; Wuetherick, 2012a;
Wuetherick, 2012b). In those articles, and
drawing on the seminal work of Meyer
and Land (2003), threshold concepts are
described as those concepts that are
transformative (result in a significant shift in
students’ perspectives of skills), troublesome
(conceptually difficult, counter-intuitive,
or foreign/alien), irreversible (unlikely to
be unlearned), integrative (expose the
interrelatedness of ideas and concepts),
bounded (border new conceptual areas),
discursive (help students acquire an
enhanced and extended use of disciplinary
language), and reconstitutive (requires
a reconfiguration of the learner’s prior
conceptual schema to integrate new
knowledge).
Threshold concepts have been
conceptualized in different ways - as the
subject matter for learning and teaching,
as the process of learning (students’ mastery
of disciplinary ways of thinking and
practicing), or as the process of teaching
(as the facilitation of transformative
learning and the induction of students
into disciplinary ways of thinking and
practicing) (O’Brien, 2008). No matter how
the threshold concept
is conceptualized, one still needs to ask
how is the threshold concept fundamental
to disciplinary ways of thinking and
practicing?; what might be troublesome
about the threshold concept?; and what
transformation is needed or evoked by
the threshold concept? (O’Brien, 2008).
As much as the literature in higher
education focused on threshold concepts
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
has exploded in the past handful of years,
there is still a paucity of research exploring
threshold concepts in the humanities. A
quick analysis of the first three books
that came from the first three biennial
conferences on threshold concepts shows
that only a few chapters are dedicated to
exploring threshold concepts in disciplines
counted as part of the humanities (Meyer
and Land, 2006; Land, Meyer and Smith,
2008; Meyer, Land and Baillie, 2010). This is
perhaps due to the low consensus nature
of these disciplines, where there is large
variation in programs and in how academics
conceptualize their field (Biglan, 1973). This
paper is intended to provide one example
of a potential threshold concept in the
discipline of Art History.
A THRESHOLD CONCEPT
IN ART HISTORY
Art History is a discipline dedicated to the
exploration and investigation of social,
cultural, and historical issues through art
and visual culture – “a way of looking at
culture and society of different epochs and
seeing how we think about these periods
and how attitudes have changed over time”
(Arnold, 2004, 28). One powerful bottleneck
identified as a potential threshold concept
in Art History experienced by one of
the authors (Loeffler) in her teaching is
understanding how to read art – or how to
interpret the language of art. This threshold
concept can be conceptualized as an
epistemological obstacle related to how
knowledge is created and transmitted in
the discipline of Art History.
The notion of art as a language may seem
to be a simple concept in theory, but
instructors who have already internalized
this notion may not see the importance of
7
verbalizing this explicitly for their students.
Because it is such a key concept, however, it
is a barrier that must be crossed in order to
progress further in this discipline.
What does it mean to ‘read art’ or
understand and interpret the language of
art? As Arnold (2004) articulates:
Artworks can be read on a range of
levels that can be derived from the
objects themselves … Perhaps the most
obvious starting point is the notion of
the representational meaning of art. The
idea of representation in relation to art
is often connected with the perception of
an image of the world we think we see.
… Art is an illusion – paint on canvas,
carved marble, or chalk on paper – it is
what the viewer brings to it that makes it
‘represent’. Clearly this act of reading is
culturally determined (pp. 90-91).
The issue of signification or the
representation of meaning in signs and
symbols, as experienced through art, is
a critical element to understanding the
episteme of the discipline – the hidden
underlying ways of thinking and practicing
in the discipline. Interpreting images is
intricately linked to the analysis of signs
and symbols, a practice that is only one
part of the study known as semiotics.
Semiotics is the study of signs from which
humans interpret meaning. Although there
are various definitions for semiotics and
the aforementioned definition is perhaps
overly simplistic, it should be noted that
meaning may be found in various forms,
such as language (written or spoken), body
language, images, and symbols to name a
few. While it is not the intent of this paper to
explore the full properties of semiotic study,
it is important to note that much of the
www.usask.ca/gmcte
process of interpretation is discussed and
analyzed within this discipline.
People read images as text in their daily
lives, usually without the recognition
that they are engaged in this process of
reading. Some of this process is intuitive,
like when we read facial expressions
and body language. The visual cues with
which we are familiar in life inform our
understanding of how to read those cues
in a work of art. Other interpretations are
based on our knowledge of a narrative
and an image’s place within that narrative.
Further, more complex readings may
require knowledge of meaning that has
been codified in signs and symbols. Such
meanings have usually been established
over centuries, which is why it is useful to
learn how images were read and used in
the historical past.
One way of overcoming the challenge
of reading art is through the time spent
looking at art, which then helps to decode
the meaning of the artwork (Perkins,
1994). Decoding the meaning in
images (where such meaning may be
found) is achieved by discussing the
iconography of an image. One must
ask: who/what are the main figures;
what is going on;
and how do
I know
this? Symbolism may also be present in
an image to enhance its meaning. Some
works, particularly abstract works of art,
do not have an iconography to decode.
Over time, some images carry meaning
that is both complex and easily
understood because the images are so
familiar and ubiquitous. If we take the
time, as Perkins (1994) suggests, to truly
see a work of art, much of what that
work communicates is already within
our grasp. Like reading poetry, however,
reading a work of art may take time, and
most people are not used to taking the
necessary time to decode the elements.
A further challenge in overcoming this
threshold concept is its discursive nature.
Art History has a vocabulary, a disciplinary
language that must be learned as part of
the course material. Students who make an
effort to truly understand the terminology
will be able to intelligently discuss works
that they have never seen before. And
by knowing how a work was viewed and
used at the moment of its creation, we
may gain insight into a historical moment
in time, affording information in addition
to, or perhaps beyond, other evidentiary
tools like the written word in historical
documents or archeology. Besides the
knowledge of the historical past that
Art History engenders, examination of
historical works often informs our reading
of present-day monuments.
The troublesome nature of this idea,
however, is witnessed most when
students are confronted with an
artwork they have never seen before
(particularly in an examination),
although it contains symbols and signs
they have encountered repeatedly
in class. Once they cross the liminal
space of this threshold, however, they
cannot help but see the signs and symbols
everywhere as part of art and visual culture.
A useful example of a contemporary
image that draws on meaning from the
historic past may be found in a statue
called Slapshotolus: Ancient Greek Olympic
Sculpture Meets Modern Canadian Sport
(2009), by the artist Edmund Haakonson.
A viewer confronted with this work may
be bewildered at first by the nature of this
nude male figure because it is unexpected:
a nude hockey player.
The subject of the nude figure in art is
nothing new. In fact, the artist is relying
on the viewer’s previous experience
with the male nude to inform his/her
understanding of the meaning present
in his own work. This 127 cm high
bronze statue of a hockey player shown
in an intense moment of action is not
necessarily shocking in content, but the
viewer’s expectations of the nude seem to
be upset by what Haakonson has created.
Why is this?
Knowledge of previous historical works
is central to understanding the primary
message behind this work. Haakonson
deliberately draws on ancient Greek
statuary of nude male figures engaged
in sport, but one in particular to which
his own work’s title makes reference –
Diskobolos, or The Discus Thrower.
Diskobolos is a statue created c.a. 450
B.C. for the Olympic Games (Davies et al.,
2011). While the original was created in
bronze, an expensive and durable metal
which was likely pillaged, Diskobolos is
known to us only as a marble Roman copy.
This roughly life-sized statue is not based
on an individual, but is a generalized
figure created according to a canon of
proportions demonstrating ideal notions
of human beauty at this period in time.
Haakonson’s statue is true to its progenitor
in many respects. It is also made of bronze
and it depicts a nude male participating
in sport. The sport, however, is modern,
one that is indelibly linked with Canadian
identity. Unlike the ancient Greek statues,
Haakonson used a male model so the
features are individualized, in keeping
with how contemporary society celebrates
individual achievements (Haakonson,
2009). The concept of a nude athlete
engaged in a contemporary sport,
particularly one known for its violence
and cold setting, is both unsettling
and humourous. His statue, however,
Slapshotolus by Edmund Haakonson
8
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
remains an homage to both its historical
progenitor, a celebration of the nude male
body and sport.
The original display location for this work
is also significant in terms of deriving
meaning, particularly meaning that was
not necessarily originally intended for
Slapshotolus, but in the end was very
fitting. The location in which a work
of art is displayed sets up a viewer’s
expectations of what they will see and
how to read that work. In this case,
Slapshotolus was displayed at the 2010
Winter Olympic Games in Whistler,
British Columbia. In this context, a viewer
with previous knowledge of the Greek
male nudes engaged in sport would
understand how Slapshotolus was a
self-reflexive creation with a modern
twist. The pose of the figure revealing
its musculature demonstrates an
understanding of the human body under
tension in a manner similar to the Greeks.
Further meaning, however, may be read
in the statue due to the specific location
of the work – PRIDE House in Whistler.
PRIDE House was created as a residence
and safe gathering place for Olympic
competitors who were homosexual,
bisexual, and their supporters. This statue,
a centerpiece of PRIDE House, thus
became representative of gay athletes,
a meaning embraced by the artist who
is also openly gay. Slapshotolus, though
not originally created as symbolic of gay
athletes, acquired that meaning through
its placement and context.
It is important to understand that
meaning, once established, never goes
away. An image or symbol can acquire
new meanings in addition to the old,
but the fact remains that the context
for images plays a significant role in
establishing how they are read and
which meanings are pertinent at any
given point in time.
CONCLUSION:
There is still a long way to go to
really unpack the nature of threshold
concepts in the area of the ‘low
consensus’ humanities. The variability
in how individual academic staff in
the humanities conceptualize their
disciplines, and the variability in which
their disciplines are organized and taught
over the course of a degree program,
results in a low likelihood of consensus
emerging on whether or not a particular
concept is a threshold concept. Even
given this difficulty, it is really important
to begin exploring what might be
considered threshold concepts in the
humanities, particularly those concepts
that are critical to understanding the
underlying disciplinary ways of knowing,
thinking and practicing.
Davies, P., Denny W., Hofrichter F., Jacobs, J.,
Roberts, A. and Simon, D. 2011. Janson’s History
of Art: The Western Tradition, 8/E. Toronto:
Pearson.
Land R., Meyer J., & Smith J. (eds.) 2008.
Threshold Concepts within the Disciplines.
Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Meyer, J. and Land, R. 2003. Threshold concepts
and troublesome knowledge: linkages to ways
of thinking and practicing, In: Rust, C. (ed.),
Improving Student Learning - Theory and
Practice Ten Years On. Oxford: Oxford Centre
for Staff and Learning Development (OCSLD),
pp 412-424.
Meyer J. & Land R. (eds.) 2006. Overcoming
Barriers to Student Understanding: Threshold
concepts and troublesome knowledge. London:
Routledge.
Meyer J., Land R., & Baillie C. (eds.) 2010.
Threshold Concepts and Transformational
Learning. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
O’Brien, M. 2008. “Threshold Concepts for
University Teaching and Learning: A study of
troublesome knowledge and transformative
thinking in the teaching of threshold concepts”.
In Land R. et al. (eds.) 2008. Threshold Concepts
within the Disciplines. Rotterdam: Sense
Publishers.
Perkins, D.. 1994. The Intelligent Eye: Learning to
Think by Looking at Art. Santa Monica, CA: The
Getty Centre for Education in the Arts.
REFERENCES:
Arnold, D. 2004. Art History: A Very Short
Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Biglan, A. 1973. Relationships between subject
matter characteristics and the structure and
output of university departments, Journal of
Applied Psychology, 57, pp. 204–213.
Haakonson, E. 2009. Artist Statement.
Slapshotolus: Ancient Greek Olympic Sculpture
Meets Modern Canadian Sport. http://
www.pridehouse.ca/PRIDEhouseArtists/
EdmundHaakosonsSlapshotolus/tabid/65/
Default.aspx
Wuetherick, B. 2011. “Forget about process; Let’s
focus on content! Threshold Concepts in the
Disciplines”. Bridges. 9 (1).
Wuetherick B. 2012a. “Threshold Concepts as a
Frame for Curriculum Innovation” Bridges, 10 (1).
Wuetherick B. 2012b. “Teaching Threshold
Concepts: Approaches to Overcoming Student
Uncertainty” Bridges. 10 (2).
Note: Attached image of Slapshotolus was
provided with permission for use by the artist.
Diigo
The GMCTE has a group
for our staff on the social
bookmarking site Diigo.
Social bookmarking tools
allow you to a) store
bookmarks using a portable
tool that allow you to
access them from any
computer, including tablets
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
and handheld devices and
b) share your finds with
colleagues, students and
others if you choose.
as research, educational
technology, assessment,
teaching strategies, etc. You
can find the collection at
http://groups.diigo.com/
group/gmcteusask. You
can also access it through
our Website and blog.
Contributions come from
GMCTE has a Diigo
collection of links that
we keep adding to on a
variety of subjects such
9
a variety of staff members
from the GMCTE. If you have
any questions about the
GMCTE use of these tools or
how to make use of them in
your teaching, research or
professional development,
please feel free to contact
heather.ross@usask.ca.
www.usask.ca/gmcte
The Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching EffecAveness Analyze
3. How does what you have match what you want?   InnovaAon   Culture and Community   Aboriginal Engagement   Knowledge CreaAon Gather data
2. What does your program offer now? Current Program Goals? 4. What is pracAcally needed to enact the changes? Plan and Do
3. Iden8fy Discrepancies 2. Inventory (departmental /college level, accreditaAon bodies) 5. How are the changes working? 4. Implement 5. Inves8gate Impact Faculty-­‐driven Data-­‐informed GMCTE-­‐
supported 6. re-­‐Imagine 1.Informed Imagining Set the vision
1. What do you want for your program? h0p://www.usask.ca/plan Assess
Discovery Knowledge Integrity Skills CiAzenship h0p://www.usask.ca/learning_charter/ Learning Charter Core Learning Goals Continue the
commitment
10 High-­‐impact EducaAonal PracAces 6. What next? http://www.aacu.org/leap/hip.cfm Curriculum Innova.on Cycle By Sheryl Mills, Susan Bens, Carolyn Hoessler and Leslie Martin, GMCTE
Curriculum Innovation: Information about the process
IP3 Areas of Focus What informaAon do you have about the current state of your program? What are the learning outcomes of your current program? What teaching and assessment methods are being used? What is needed to improve the match between the vision and the program? Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching EffecAveness


What key resources, research methods, and experience do students become familiar with? 
What high impact, educaAonally rich experiences do students encounter in your program? 3. Iden8fy Discrepancies: How does what you have match with what you want? 
What strengths/shortcomings of your current program have been idenAfied? 
Where does this situate you in relaAon to the department’s/college’s vision? 
What new quesAons do you have about your program that may not have been answered by the inventory? 
How does what your current program looks like match your vision? 


1. Informed Imagining: What do you want for your program? 
What do you want for your students? 
What do you want your program to accomplish? 
What knowledge, skills, a\tudes and values (graduate a0ributes) do you want your students to graduate with? 
What stories do you want students, graduates, alumni, parents, employers to tell? 
What do you want colleagues in programs students enroll in subsequently to say about your students? 
What do you want your academic peers across Canada and around the world to say about your program? 
What will success look like? 2. Inventory: What does your program offer now? What can be done to improve the match? What can be undone to improve the match? What are the key areas that might benefit by accessing new resources? What can be learned from comparator programs and innovaAve peers? What communicaAon and promoAon strategies will be needed? What training (about teaching or assessment) might help? What needs to go into a program proposal that will be approved readily? What budget implicaAons exist, and where can addiAonal resources be found? How can courses be designed to incorporate appropriate uses of technology, experienAal learning, Aboriginal issues, internaAonalizaAon? What processes, policies, procedures apply? Who will do what, with whom, by when? When will the new program roll out? How will it be staged? How do you measure success of your program? What kind of data is needed to know how well your program is going? 
What ongoing system for collecAon can be established? 
How might you adjust current evaluaAon tools to gather addiAonal informaAon about your program (student evaluaAons, regular surveys of students or alumni, etc.)? 
How might you share the results of your program evaluaAon with others (on campus, in your discipline, etc.)? 6. re-­‐Imagine: What’s next? 
How will you conAnue your commitment? 


What special messages are required for student recruitment? 5. Inves8gate Impact: How are the changes working? 
How do you measure the progress of your program? 








What can you create that is be0er than anything else that currently exists? 4. Implement: What is prac8cally needed to enact the changes? 



The quesAons we ask… Curriculum Innovation
Learning Environment
By Leslie Martin, GMCTE
There are numerous advantages for post-secondary educational
(PSE) institutions to create a welcoming learning environment.
Imagine entering into a classroom or seminar and encountering
a chilly or uninviting atmosphere. This lack of reception deters
a learning environment from emerging by creating a feeling of
alienation and isolation for students. An uninviting classroom
is not conducive in developing a sense of belonging for
students and may impede the learning environment. Creating
a welcoming learning environment is a step towards student
engagement and learning.
to face to support group activities works well in face to face
classroom environments. Other techniques to create a positive,
inclusive environment include modeling acceptance and respect
for diverse views and opinions, asking for student feedback
about classroom climate; avoiding interacting with students that
may be uncomfortable and establishing clear ground rules at the
beginning of the class (Guo & Jamal, 2007, p. 34).
There are various approaches that PSE institutions are using
to assist departments and faculty in creating a welcoming
environment. At the University of British Columbia’s Centre for
Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) a series of workshops
Classroom Climate: Aboriginal Initiatives is offered that promotes
faculty to critically examine their teaching practice. Amy
Perreault,Coordinator of Aboriginal Initiatives describes how the
series got its start from a 2007 project called What I learned in
Class Today: Aboriginal Issues in the Class that examined teaching.
The project findings revealed the need to initiate change in the
areas of classroom space that allowed Aboriginal students to feel
‘safe’ within the environment and model more productive and
professional ways for all students to engage in conversations
about socially contentious issues. The series of workshops gives
faculty an opportunity to discuss teaching and ensure Aboriginal
students feel welcomed into the classroom. The success of these
workshops has enabled them to continue for the 2012-13 year
and initiate an online community to keep the conversations
going. To learn more about Aboriginal Initiatives programming
visit http://ctlt.ubc.ca/programs/aboriginal-initiatives-programs.
In Taking Stock: Research on Teaching and Learning in Higher
Education, Entwistle (2010) describes the teaching-learning
environment as an interactive system. Students experience the
“inner teaching-learning environment”, the domain over which
faculty have most control and that also has the greatest impact
on the quality of learning (p. 29). The impact that the learning
environment has on quality learning can not be understated
and should be factored into a faculty’s priority list in teaching.
Lindblom-Ylanne (2010) outlines the importance of creating
learning environments and stresses that student’s perceptions
of their learning environment are positively related to a deep
approach to learning (p.75). If the learning environment is
perceived to be unwelcoming how will students be motivated to
engage in deep learning?
What are some techniques that PSE institutions may use to
create an inviting learning environment that ensures students
feel welcome, that they belong and that they stay engaged?
Retention literature demonstrates that positive classroom
atmosphere motivates students to come to class. The role of the
faculty in creating a positive atmosphere is essential. This may
include having faculty that:
The Gwenna Moss Centre at the University of Saskatchewan
offers various workshops aimed at enhancing teaching and
learning. The course design workshop looks at the design from a
student perspective while others focus on faculty and curriculum
development initiatives related to Indigenous education. These
types of initiatives widen the doors to a welcoming classroom by
demonstrating to faculty the importance of their role in student
engagement and connection. Additional workshops, articles and
books with a focus on teaching and learning may be found at
the GMCTE website http://www.usask.ca/gmcte/ or at the centre,
located in the Murray Building.
• are approachable,
• knows the students names,
• cares that students come to class,
• shows enthusiasm about teaching and the discipline; and
• respects the student as a person and respects their opinions
(McGlynn, 2001, p.64)
Creating a physically welcoming environment through physical
seating such as a U-shaped seating arrangement to maintain
eye contact or arranging the room so that students may sit face
There are many advantages for PSE institutions to create a
welcoming learning environment. Combined with modeling
good citizenship and building student confidence, evidence
12
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
To meet the diversity of students
and student backgrounds, multiple
inclusive approaches are needed in
order to encourage deep learning.
News
TeachingAward
By Corinne Fasthuber, GMCTE
demonstrates that student success has an affective dimension
that is tied to how student’s feel in class and at the postsecondary institution (McGlynn, 2001, p. 55). Trigwell’s (2010)
research demonstrates that student GPA is associated with
maintaining high quality relationships with faculty (p. 141).
A welcoming learning environment benefits not only students
but faculty and institutions through enriched discussions,
deeper learning and positive institutional perceptions.
This past 2011-2012 year has been exciting for the
Gwenna Moss Centre in that we have been able to
reward and award so many more people on campus
for their dedication to teaching here at the U of S.
This past spring Barb Phillips, from Edwards
School of Business, won the Master Teacher
Award. Congratulations Barb! She joins the list of
exceptional teachers who have won this award
previously, including her spouse, Fred Phillips,
who won in 2006 and later went on to win the 3M
National Teaching Award in 2011.
Entwistle (2010) stresses that to achieve effective teaching
and learning in PSE institutions, faculty have responsibilities
to set up learning environments that act synergistically
to encourage and support a deep engagement with the
subject (p. 44). To meet the diversity of students and student
backgrounds, multiple inclusive approaches are needed in
order to encourage deep learning. Ensuring a welcoming
learning environment provides the foundation towards
student success.
On September 19th, the Gwenna Moss
Centre will host its annual Celebration of
Teaching, in Convocation Hall, to honour
and recognize the various teaching award
winners from this past year.
REFERENCES
The two Master Teacher awards of this year, the
Outstanding Graduate Supervisor, recipients of the
Provost’s College Awards for Outstanding Teaching,
Provost’s Award for Excellence in International
Teaching, Excellence in Aboriginal Teaching,
Outstanding Innovation in Learning, Outstanding
New Teacher, Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award
(for Faculty), & the Provost’s Award for Outstanding
Graduate Student Teacher Award (for Graduate
Students) will be invited. In addition the Sylvia
Wallace Sessional Lecturer Award winner, and the
recipient of the University Learning Centre’s Learning
Communities award will also be recognized.
A comprehensive list of the award winners names
can be found on our website http://www.usask.ca/
gmcte/awards/uofs.
Entwistle, N. (2010). Taking Stock: An Overview of Key Research
Findings. In J.C. Hughes & J. Mighty (eds) (2012). Taking Stock:
Research on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education McGillQueen’s University Press
Guo, S. & Jamal, Z. (2007). Cultural Diversity and Inclusive
Teaching. Green Guide No.8, Society for Teaching and Learning
in Higher Education London, Ontario
Lindblom-Ylanne (2010). Student’s approaches to learning
and their perceptions of the teaching-learning environment.
In J.C. Hughes & J. Mighty (eds) (2012). Taking Stock: Research
on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education McGill-Queen’s
University Press
McGlynn, A. (2001). Successful Beginnings for College Teaching:
Engaging your students from the first day. Atwood Publishing
If you have someone in mind you feel should be
nominated for any one of these awards, please go
to the above website to find out procedures and
deadlines for nominations. Feel free to call me at
966-2231 should you have further questions.
Trigwell, K. (2010). Teaching and Learning: A Relational View.
In J.C. Hughes & J. Mighty (eds) (2012). Taking Stock: Research
on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education McGill-Queen’s
University Press
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
13
www.usask.ca/gmcte
Understanding Chinese International Students’
Adoption of English Names
INTRODUCTION
It is commonly known that when
Chinese students come to study in
Canada, many of them adopt an English
given name and use that English name
instead of their Chinese name except for
formal occasions or on documents, when
their original Chinese name is used. The
purpose of my project was to explore
the experiences of Chinese students in
Canada regarding the use, or non-use, of
their original Chinese names, focusing on
the reasons for adopting “English names”,
the manner of choosing English names, as
well as the impact of using or not using an
English name.
Previous studies reveal that as a large group
of international students in North American
universities, Chinese students face various
linguistic and cultural challenges. Although
much research has been conducted to
understand different aspects of Chinese
students’ cross-cultural adaptation in North
American universities, little attention has
been paid to their adoption of English
names. The reasons for Chinese students’
selection of a “new” name, especially a
Western one, can be complex yet practical.
As Cheang (2008) suggested, reasons can
include the following: “to enhance better
intercultural communication, to receive
some forms of privilege (e.g. religious or
political), or to create better chances for
trade and business, not to mention the
political or colonial influence” (p.197). My
research project was intended to help build
on a small but emerging base of literature
contributing to a fuller understanding
of Chinese international students’ crosscultural adaptation from the angle of the
use of English names.
This topic is of particular interest to me
because I am a Chinese student studying
in Canada who uses an English name.
My phonetically pronounceable English
name--Samvy-- had been selected years
before I came to study in Canada although
I seldom used it until I came to Canada and
felt that my official name, Shanhua, was too
difficult to pronounce. Even when I was in
China, most of my friends called me by my
nickname, Xiaobai, which is totally different
from the official name that shows on my ID
card. My Chinese name was given by my
parents, my nickname was given by friends,
and my English name was chosen by me.
All three are acceptable and I do not mind
whether people call me by my English name,
my nickname, or my Chinese name. Yet just
because the adoption of a new name was
agreeable to me, doesn’t mean this practice
is positive for all other students, and one
goal of my study was to conduct research
that had the potential for helping us listen
to voices previously unheard—an important
aspect in any teaching and learning
situation as universities work on making the
landscape supportive to all.
METHODOLOGY
by Shanhua Chen,
M.Ed., Student,
College of Education
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
Out of 20 participants, 14 (70%)
responded that they used what they
considered to be an “English” name in
Canada while 6 (30%) responded that
they did not use an English name.
Table 1 shows that over 50% of the Chinese
students taking part in this project used
an English name for two main reasons: to
overcome perceived difficulties Canadians
have in pronouncing or spelling their
Chinese names. This is not surprising, as
Chinese is not an alphabetical language
such as the language to which most
Westerners are accustomed.
Reasons for using / not using an English name
Table 1 Reasons Chosen
by Participants for Using
an English Name (n=14)
Reasons
No.%
A semi-structured questionnaire, consisting
My Chinese name is
of two parts, was utilized to collect data. The
difficult to pronounce/spell. 857.14
first part collected personal, demographic
Having an English name
information including level of study
is popular with other
(undergraduate/graduate), gender (male/
Chinese students.
17.14
female), major and information regarding
the way students typically introduced
Other reasons
535.71
themselves to other foreign students. The
second part consisted of two sections:
Total 14 100
section A for those who used an English
name in Canada and section B for those
who did not.
It is important to note here that while these
were the reasons participants gave for their
Twenty Chinese international students
choices of English names, this study did not
who enrolled in the 2012 winter term
attempt to ascertain whether these reasons
at the University of Saskatchewan
came from previous personal experiences
participated in this study. Among the 20
attempting first to use their Chinese names,
Chinese students, the number of male
or whether or not participants were merely
students (10) and female students (10)
acting upon advice given to them by
were distributed equally; in contrast,
others before coming to Canada related
the number of undergraduate students
to enabling positive communication. Only
(2) and graduate students (18) were not
one respondent indicated that having
distributed equally, something to consider an English name was popular with other
later in follow-up studies.
Chinese students.
14
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
Among the “other reasons” not specified
in Table 1, four participants responded
that using an English name is simple for
Canadians to remember or pronounce,
which can be included in the category
of rationale related to pronunciation or
spelling. One participant responded that
her English name sounds much better,
which might mean one of a variety
of things as the statement is rather
ambiguous.
Of the six participants who did not select
an English name, three of them indicated
that there was no need to use an English
name because their Chinese names were
easy to pronounce or spell, two of them
indicated that they could not react quickly
to people calling them by an English
name, and one indicated that he/she just
preferred using the Chinese name. Had
this study been designed differently, it
would have been interesting to probe
more deeply into this last student’s
thoughts and feelings.
CHINESE STUDENTS’ CHOICE
OF ENGLISH NAMES
Table 2 indicates participants’ responses to
the question “How did you decide on your
English name?”
EFFECT(S) OF USING / NOT USING
AN ENGLISH NAME
Among the 14 participants who used
an English name, 13 of them (92.86%)
indicated the positive impact of using an
English name:
• “This name help the friends from other
countries remember me better, so that
I can make more friends”;
• “English name probably enables
us adapt to Canadian culture”;
• “I think it’s a label, and help you
to join different groups”;
• “Make me more confident”;
• “Easy for Canadians to remember”;
Among these 13 responses, 57% of them
agreed that an English name is helpful
because it is easy for Canadians to
remember. Only one participated indicated
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
Table 2 Participants’ Choice
of English names (n=14)
Reasons
No.%
name in Canada reported that the effects
of continuing to use a Chinese name was
that he has to spell it every time in selfintroduction. Another participant reported
that the pronunciation of her Chinese
name is similar to an English word and
voiced a concern that some Canadians
would feel confused at the connection.
The name has a similar
pronunciation to my
Chinese name.
535.71
The name is of a favorite
person (star, singer etc.).
428.57
LIMITATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
The name has special
meaning to me.
2
I Made up my English name.
17.14
Other reasons
214.29
As an initial study, this project supports the
limited conclusions of previous research
but at the same time offers a springboard
for further studies with a larger number of
participants and through questionnaires
that utilize participants’ first language for
questions and responses.
Total 14
14.29
100
that “Canadians don’t know my Chinese
name which is more meaningful to me.”
Again, it would have been informative
to probe more deeply into this student’s
response had the study been organized
differently.
CHINESE STUDENTS’ ADVICE
The results of the study showed that 11 of
the 12 participants that responded to an
open-ended question concerning advice
they would give to other Chinese students
coming to Canada suggested the use of
an English name and one suggested to
keep using a Chinese name. Among the six
pieces of advice collected from participants
who do not use an English name, five
pieces of advice directly related to
encouragement for other Chinese students
to get an English name if their Chinese
names have difficult pronunciations or
spellings. Specifically, two participants
pointed out that for Chinese students
whose names contain “zh”, “sh”, “ch”, and “x”,
“q” or “z”, it is better to use an English name.
What they mentioned are sounds with
which English speakers might struggle.
Only one participant responded that
whether or not to choose an English name
is a personal choice.
For participants who did not use English
names and keep using their Chinese names
in Canada, one reported that continuing
to use her Chinese name reminded her
that she is a Chinese all the time. One
participant who did not use an English
15
The results of the study are intriguing
in that they show a clear pattern in the
rationale for selecting an English name,
as well as differences regarding how an
English name is selected. Further research
is necessary related to whether or not
communication is actually enhanced by
the use of an English name, and what
responses Canadian students have to both
English and foreign names used by foreign
students studying in Canada.
The idea that the selection of an English
name could have some negative impact
on international students was not part of
the questions posed to study participants,
and further overt work is necessary to
investigate whether foreign students –
even students who are happy with their
English name – experience any negative
effects alongside effects that they perceive
as positive once a name other than their
Chinese name is selected. In terms of
identity, using an English name may have
an effect on Chinese students, according
to one respondent. This idea requires
further exploration and while not “popular”
in terms of the results of this study, could
perhaps be considered more openly by
participants within an in-depth case study
research format.
With respect to the small percentage of
participants who offered contrasting views
to the dominant idea that the selection
of an English name is better for everyone,
opinions emerge in the context of this
www.usask.ca/gmcte
Understanding
A Transition in Learning:
Adoption of
English Names
Staff & Faculty Development Initiative
Chinese International Students’
Continued....
study that dislodge commonplace
ideals regarding the adoption of
English names. It is critical to hear
minority voices previously unheard in
other research on this topic. Particular
participants indicated that people do not
know her Chinese name which is more
meaningful to her and that it is difficult
to know when someone is calling you
when you’re unfamiliar with your new
English name. These comments can
be contextualized within Lindemann
Nelson’s (1995) idea of a counterstory ,
defined as a narrative of resistance that
challenges paradigm stories embedded
within a community, “contributing to
the moral self-definition of the teller”
(p. 23). In summary, while the majority
of participants in this study supported
commonly held beliefs about benefits
to foreign students of selecting an
English name, opposing viewpoints are
intriguingly resonant and worthy of
further contemplation.
REFERENCES
Cheang, J. (2008). Choice of foreign names as a
strategy for identity management. Intercultural
Communication Studies, XVII (2), 197-202.
Chen, S. (2012). Understanding Chinese
international students’ adoption of English
names: An exploration of individual perspectives.
Unpublished Doctoral Project, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
Lindemann Nelson, H. (1995). Resistance and
insubordination. Hypatia, 10 (2), 23 – 40.
The Indigenous Voices
By Jeff Baker, Faculty Development Specialist, Aboriginal Programs, GMCTE
Each fall on the prairies brings the
completion of harvest, preparations for
the winter ahead, and the beginning of
a new academic year. For the region’s
Indigenous peoples, fall has
similarly involved harvest,
preparations, and a
transition in learning.
A time of adjustment
to the slowing
rhythms of nature,
fall also marks
the beginning
of storytelling
season, where
fire-lit teachings are
shared through the
evening and late into
the night. The launch
of the Indigenous Voicesi
staff and faculty development
program this fall marks a significant
transition in learning for the University of
Saskatchewan. Contrary to the colonial
roots of Canadian Universities, where
at one time an “Indian” could become
enfranchised (i.e., lose status and gain
the right to vote) by completing a degree,
the University of Saskatchewan is now
supporting the creation of programming
through which staff and faculty will learn
with and about First Nations, Métis and
Inuit peoples, cultures, histories, and ways
of knowing.
The integrated planning process has
identified Aboriginal engagement as an
institutional imperative for the University.
A growing demographic of young
Aboriginal peoples in Saskatchewan and
high attrition rates among Aboriginal
students have prompted the University to
16
address “the fundamental importance of
its relationship with First Nations, Métis,
Inuit and Indigenous peoples” (2008, p.
5). The Third Integrated Plan has further
identified the critical nature of
post-secondary education for
“the future of First Nations
and Métis people
and communities
in Saskatchewan
and therefore
to the future
of the province
itself” (2012, p.
8). The Indigenous
Voices initiative
is responding to
this imperative by
strengthening the
capacity of our faculty and
staff to engage respectfully with
Indigenous peoples and communities in
their personal and professional lives. The
provision of these learning opportunities
will also benefit the University’s longterm goal of moving “beyond support
and accessibility programs [for Aboriginal
students] toward the development of
compelling undergraduate and graduate
programs and increased communitybased research” (2008, p. 5).
Indigenous Voices is a collaborative effort
between the College of Education and
the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching
Effectiveness (GMCTE)ii, and programming
will be piloted in these units before
being adapted to the needs of other
interested Colleges and Departments.
The Colleges of Kinesiology and Nursing
have both expressed interest in this
work, and Kinesiology’s faculty and staff
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
The University of Saskatchewan is
poised to become the first University
in Canada to support the provision
of campus-wide staff and faculty
development in Aboriginal education.
have recently completed a preliminary
needs assessment. Indigenous Voices
was initiated and continues to receive
guidance from the BEADWORK group
in the College of Education (a group
of Indigenous and non-Indigenous
faculty), and further guidance has been
provided by local Elders and a number
of community members, some of whom
will also be involved in facilitating the
programming. As presently constructed,
Indigenous Voices consists of a core
program of thirteen gatherings (Fig.
1) and a variety of extended learning
opportunities (e.g., themed talking circles,
online resource base and programming,
individual and small group consultation,
etc.). Programming is taken on a voluntary
basis, and has been designed to meet the
needs of a variety of participants.
While the Indigenous Voices programming
is being piloted, an additional series
of staff and faculty development
opportunities open to the broader
campus community are being offered.
In a serendipitous meeting last fall, Jeff
Baker (College of Education and GMCTE)
and Tereigh Ewert-Bauer (GMCTE) (both
of Indigenous Voices) met with Dr. Holly
Graham-Marrs (College of Nursing)
and Val Arnault-Pelletier (College of
Medicine) to discuss their common
interest in faculty development in
Indigenous education. A couple of hours
later the Wāskamisiwiniii (a Plains Cree
term meaning “growing in awareness”)
staff and faculty development series
was born. Last year’s series consisted
of six presentations on topics such as
Circle teachings, Indigenous health and
well-being, the Plains Cree way of life,
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
the Indian Act and residential schools,
anti-racist education, and Indigenous
pedagogy. This year the series will
be expanded to include additional
presentations on cultural protocols,
cultural safety, and decolonization.
The University of Saskatchewan is poised
to become the first University in Canada
to support the provision of campuswide staff and faculty development in
Aboriginal education. This should come
as little surprise considering former
President Peter McKinnon’s declaration
that “Aboriginal education is the great
social imperative of the 21st century in
our province and beyond” (2010, p. 5).
Current President Ilene Busch-Vishniac
has similarly pledged “to be a trustworthy
partner for First Nations and Métis
communities” (On Campus News, Dec.
19, 2011), a pledge she has already begun
demonstrating by her attendance at this
summer’s Wanuskewin powwow and
the Truth and Reconciliation National
Gathering in Saskatoon. We are grateful
for this leadership, as well as the support
of countless others. To all of those who
are making this transition in learning
possible we say:
Nanaskomitin! Wopida! Miigwech!
Mahseecho! Marsee! Qanuitpii! Merci!
Thank you!iv
saskatchewan-announces-ilene-buschvishniac-as-ninth-president/
University of Saskatchewan (2008).
Second Integrated Plan: Toward an Engaged
University. Retrieved from: http://www.usask.
ca/ipa/integrated_planning/second_intplan/
index.php
University of Saskatchewan (2010).
University of Saskatchewan Strategic Directions
Update. Retrieved from: http://www.usask.ca/
ipa/planning/strategic_directions.php
University of Saskatchewan (2012). Promise and
Potential: The Third Integrated Plan, 2012-2016.
Retrieved from: http://www.usask.ca/ipa/
integrated_planning/third_intplan/index.php
ENDNOTES
In a previous article on this initiative (Bridges,
Vol. 10, No. 1, p. 4) the project had yet to be
named. We arrived at the name Indigenous
Voices through a lengthy circle discussion
with the project leaders, BEADWORK group,
and Elders. For more information or to
register for events (Education, GMCTE &
ULC faculty and staff only) visit www.usask.
ca/indigenousvoices (website active but
presently under construction)
i
ii
With support from the Provost’s Committee
on Integrated Planning
For more information or to register for events
visit www.usask.ca/waskamisiwin (website
active but presently under construction)
iii
REFERENCES
On Campus News (2011). University of
Saskatchewan announces Ilene Busch-Vishniac
as ninth president. Retrieved from: http://
news.usask.ca/2011/12/19/university-of-
17
‘Thank you’ in: Plains Cree, Dakota,
Saulteaux/Nakawe, Dené, Michif, Inuktitut,
French, and English
iv
www.usask.ca/gmcte
DEVELOPING CONNECTIONS
& FOSTERING ENGAGEMENT
by Learning Students’ Names
By Wenona Partridge, GMCTE
Students enter the U of S from a variety
of geographical and social places,
and each of them brings with them a
different set of expectations, worries,
interests and talents. A name is often
the first point of contact between
students on campus, and learning
another person’s name can open a door
to establishing a meaningful social or
professional connection. In a classroom,
learning your students’ names can
help to create the sort of environment
in which students feel that they are a
person rather than a student number.
From my own experience as a fairly
disengaged and often truant first
year student, I felt far more pressured,
and enthusiastic, about attending
and participating in classes taught by
professors who recognized me and
knew my name. Alexander Austin
wrote the impact of learning student’s
names in his 1993 book, What Matters
in College. He found that “two things …
made the biggest difference in getting
students involved in the under-graduate
experience: greater faculty-student
interaction and greater student-student
interaction.”
The familiarity that is expressed by using
a student’s name can contribute to the
development of a safe and inclusive
classroom – having students learn each
other’s names can help a teacher learn
names, and can help students get to
know each other enough to feel like they
are in the company of potential friends
rather than perpetual strangers.
An article in Bridges v.4.1 (2005)
presented a series of tips for professors
to learn and remember their students’
names. This article will include some
of those earlier tips, as well as some
new ones that are adapted to changes
in technology since then. We at the
GMCTE hope that you find these tips
useful, and contribute some of your own
in response to this article.
The following tips have been adapted from the University
of Virginia’s Teaching Resource Centre:
Read student’s first names on the
class list. Memorize as many names
possible before class starts, use them
as often as you reasonable can during
the first class, then imagine the faces of
your students and match them to the
names you have memorized, “noting any
distinguishing features.”
Ask your students to help you remember
names during the second or third class,
as you practice using them. “You will find
that you know many more names than
your students.”
Try to review the names of your students
“just before class or during group activities,” asking yourself who you can and
cannot identify, while thinking about
ways to help yourself remember their
names.
Tent Cards: a tent card that displays
a student’s name helps both you and
other students learn each other’s names.
You can also use the cards as a means
of tracking attendance, if “you have the
students pick up their tent card from you
before each session.”
Returning assignments personally to
students “allows you to associate written
names with faces.”
In large classes, use the names you
do remember as frequently as you can.
“Students whose names you don’t use will
tend to feel that you know them, as well.”
The UVa guide also suggests the following
tips for “small to medium or discussionbased classes:”
“ ‘Playful’ repetition:” These activities
allow students to learn each other’s
names by repeating them, such as having
one student say her name and the name
of a second student next to her. The
second student then says his name
and the name of a third student. Once
an entire class has gone through this
18
exercise, the name of every student has
been repeated at least once.
Another activity is to have students stand
in a circle and toss a ball to a student who
they first name. Once a student has been
named, they cannot catch the ball again
till all students in the circle have been
named. “Be sure to make the activities
fun, so that students who are not aural
learners or who have bad memories do
not feel pressure to perform.”
“Little Known Fact:” Have your students
write “something memorable, interesting,
weird, or unusual” about themselves on
a piece of paper with their name and ask
them to share with the class. “(Y)ou can
use (these papers) to help remember (the
students) and get to know them better.”
“Commonalities:” In small groups, ask
your students to share each other’s
names and find “three (not-so-obvious)
things they all have in common.” Each
group then introduces themselves to the
rest of the class, and shares what they
have in common.
“Alliterating Adjectives:” Have your
students give themselves a nickname that
consists of an adjective that “starts with
the same letter as their first name and also
defines a personal characteristic.” Each
student can then introduce themselves
using their nicknames and “explain their
choice of adjective.”
“Scavenger Hunt:” Have students
compose questions that relate to the
course they are taking, and then ask them
to “find a different person who can respond
“yes” to each question.” Once students
have found someone who answers
positively, “the follow-up discussion can
include getting more details about the
activities most pertinent to the course.”
Full article available at http://trc.virginia.
edu/Publications/Teaching_Concerns/Misc_
Tips/Learn_Names.htm
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
What
is
Instructional Design?
Jay Wilson
By Barbara Schindelka, GMCTE
It’s very common for people to ask what “Instructional
Design” is. Instructional design is at the most basic level
the combination of theory and practice, in order to make
student learning as efficient, effective, and engaging as
possible. Instructional designers have had an established
presence at the U of S for a number of decades, but
historically their involvement focused primarily on
distance delivered and correspondence courses within
the Extension Division. Now, instructional designers are
situated in different units around our campus and assist
faculty and instructors in a wide variety of educational
contexts: face-to-face teaching, blended or distributed
learning, and developing educational media resources,
in addition to the design of distance and online courses.
College of Education,
U of S, 2012 winner of the
Desire2Learn Innovation Award
in Teaching and Learning
Dr. Jay Wilson, an assistant professor
from the College of Education, was one
of five winners of the inaugural Society
for Teaching and Learning in Higher
Education and Desire2Learn Innovation
Award in Teaching and Learning in 2012.
The STLHE site announced that the
new international award “celebrates and
recognizes innovative approaches that
promote learning in new ways at postsecondary institutions.”
The U of S Instructional Design Group (IDG) is an
intentionally small but innovative, cohesive and
collaborative community of practice created by and
for instructional designers from different divisions
around the university. Now moving into its third year,
the group includes Instructional Designers from the
Gwenna Moss Centre, Centre for Continuing and Distance
Education (CCDE), Health Sciences, and Information and
Communications Technology (ICT).
The U of S IDG meets monthly with a “rotating chair”
and “rotating secretary” for each meeting. Each spring,
a one-day retreat is dedicated to planning the group’s
major projects and cross-division undertakings for the
upcoming year.
STLHE and D2L recognized the contribution to innovative
teaching made by Wilson’s model of Open Authentic
Learning and the teaching practice he developed from
this theory. Wilson’s teaching practise and his use of
the OAL model “help to foster group initiative, creative
thinking, practical skills, and challenge students with
many perspectives and ideas.”
The group was initially formed at the “grassroots” level
because designers at the institution recognized that
collaborating and sharing their experiences, information,
best practices, resources and knowledge would enable
them to better meet the needs of faculty and instructors
who are designing or redesigning courses. The ID group
members work together to collaboratively develop and
distribute high-quality course design resources, tools
and best practices, which are shared with faculty and
instructors all across the institution.
The U of S Instructional Design Group is currently
working with instructional designers at other universities
to create a national special interest group focusing on
instructional design and educational technology.
When asked what he thought about winning, Wilson
said, “It is truly an honour to be recognized by the award.
When it comes to being innovative, I am not purposely
trying to innovate for the sake of doing something
differently. I am looking for ways to improve the learning
experience for my students. I believe that all educators
should be searching for more effective and engaging
ways to offer content and create an authentic learning
experience for their students.”
Queries about either the U of S Instructional Design
Group or the national Special Interest Group (SIG)
may be sent to either heather.ross@usask.ca or
barbara.schindelka@usask.ca.
The D2L Innovation Award will call for nominations
annually. Visit the STHLE’s website at http://www.stlhe.
ca/awards/desire2learn-innovation-award/ or contact the
GMCTE if you would like more information.
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1
19
www.usask.ca/gmcte
Introducing...
Carolyn Hoessler, Program and Curriculum Development Specialist
CAROLYN HOESSLER
Carolyn contributes to the Program and Curriculum Development team with a focus on
teaching and learning in higher education, assessment, program evaluation, graduate student
development, mentorship, and teaching strategies. In supporting individuals, programs, and
departments, she draws on her background in quantitative statistical and mixed-method
research in both education and psychology. Her research interests encompass contextual,
social, interpersonal, and motivational influences shaping educational and professional
development experiences. Her doctoral research examines support for graduate students’
teaching across the multi-layered context in which they learn and teach. Prior to coming to
the University of Saskatchewan, Carolyn worked as an Educational Development Associate
at the Centre for Teaching and Learning at Queen’s University, while working on a PhD in
Education, and as a Teaching Assistant Associate at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Educational
Development Office, while completing a Master’s degree in Psychology. You can contact her
by E-mail or by phone (966-5371).
Roxanne Martine, Curriculum Assistant
ROXANNE MARTINE
Roxanne works half-time at The Gwenna Moss Centre, and also works half-time for the Office
of the AVP (Financial Services). She’s been on campus since 2007 and will be supporting the
team at Gwenna Moss with “curriculum innovation” projects. You can contact her by E-mail or by phone (966-4832).
Leslie Martin, Program and Curriculum Development Specialist
LESLIE MARTIN
Leslie completed her MBA from the U of S and her M.Ed in instructional design and distance
education from Athabasca University. She is currently working towards a PhD in Educational
Administration. As a member of the Program and Curriculum Development team, Leslie’s
expertise lies in the areas of culturally responsive programming, community engagement and
distance education. Her research interests include organizational change in post-secondary
institutions with a focus on culturally responsive program initiatives. Previously, Leslie was
the Manager of Curriculum and Instructional Support at the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of
Technologies (SIIT). As well, she has many years of instructional experience at various postsecondary institutions throughout Saskatchewan including the University of Saskatchewan.
You can contact her by E-mail or by phone (966-2245).
Ryan Banow, Instructional Design Assistant
RYAN BANOW
Ryan grew up in Esterhazy, SK and attended the University of Saskatchewan where he
completed a B.Ed. and a B.Sc. in Math. He is currently working on a M.Ed. in Educational
Technology and Design at the U of S. His interests include blended learning and flipped
teaching, educational technology, social media tools and virtual learning communities.
He is very excited to be working with faculty to transform teaching and learning on campus
and in online environments. Ryan can be contacted by E-mail or by phone (966-5508)
20
Bridges, Vol. 11, No. 1