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IELC 2015
IELC 2015 - TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome ........................................................................................................... 3
Planning Committee ........................................................................................... 6
Proposal Review Committee ................................................................................ 7
General Conference Notes ................................................................................... 8
Conference Schedule at a Glance ......................................................................... 9
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Schedule at a Glance .........................................................................................10
Conference Registration/Check-in and Opening Keynote ........................................11
Concurrent Session #1 ......................................................................................12
Concurrent Session #2 ......................................................................................16
Concurrent Session #3 ......................................................................................20
President’s Reception.........................................................................................23
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Schedule at a Glance .........................................................................................24
Plenary ............................................................................................................25
Concurrent Session #4 ......................................................................................26
Lunch/Discovery Sessions ..................................................................................29
Concurrent Session #5 ......................................................................................32
Closing Keynote ................................................................................................35
Conference Presenter Listing ..............................................................................36
Biographies ....................................................................................................38
Bricker Academic Floor Plans ..............................................................................45
Science Building Floor Plan .................................................................................47
Laurier Parking .................................................................................................48
Uptown Waterloo Dining Options .........................................................................49
Welcome to the 2015 Integrated and Engaged Learning Conference:
Exploring Community Impact on Higher Education.
In keeping with our theme, the Conference Planning Committee practiced
collaboration across community divides as we engaged in the development
of this conference. With over 40 concurrent, keynote, and plenary sessions,
this year’s conference will explore various ways that community impacts on
higher education, and will assist in enhancing and transforming teaching and
learning through encouraging meaningful conversations around, and
building awareness of, the power of community engagement. The program
involves faculty, staff, students, administrators, alumni and community partners from over twenty
higher education institutions and community groups involved in providing educational experiences
that engage students deeply in their learning.
Welcome
Welcome to the IELC 2015
In his opening and closing keynote sessions, Dr. Geoff Scott, Emeritus Professor of Higher Education
and Sustainability at the University of Western Sydney, Australia, will focus on Building the Engaged
University. Geoff will discuss successful approaches for developing productive strategies for
university engagement and lead us in developing key actions to ensure that the engagement strategy
we take back to our own institutions is effectively linked, leveraged, tracked, supported and led.
Our plenary session on Thursday morning features Laurier professor Dr. Deena Mandell, intercultural
educational developer Nadine LeGros, and students from the Social Inclusion, Diversity and Equity
(SIDE) Committee within Laurier’s Faculty of Social Work. With the focus on marginalization and
exclusion in university classrooms, they will facilitate discussion about how knowledge acquired in the
classroom does not always translate into embodied experience and behaviour.
We are grateful to all of the presenters for their willingness to share their knowledge and experiences
as they invite us into an exchange of ideas and practices. The program benefitted from the
commitment of colleagues who reviewed and provided feedback on the session proposals. As we
read and reflected on the proposals, several themes emerged, among them community engagement,
experiential education, mentorship, diversity, and creating campus communities through curricular
and co-curricular activities. As most sessions addressed multiple themes, we have not identified
them in the program.
We thank President Max Blouw, and Vice-Presidents Deb MacLatchy and David McMurray for their
enthusiasm and support for this conference. Personally, I want to extend special thanks to the
Conference Planning Committee – a more energetic, collaborative and committed group of people, it
would be hard to find – and in particular, Connie Davison, for many hours of hard work in supporting
everything we have planned for you.
And to everyone who contributed to a strong conference program – Thank you!
Have a wonderful conference.
Pat Rogers
Associate Vice-President: Teaching and Learning
Wilfrid Laurier University sits on the traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples.
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Welcome
WATERLOO | Brantford | Kitchener | Toronto
May 6, 2015
Dear IELC participants:
On behalf of Wilfrid Laurier University, I am delighted to welcome you to our
second-annual integrated and engaged learning conference.
Laurier’s emphasis on the student experience has deep and long-standing
foundations and is a point of pride and distinction. I am especially proud of our
innovative approaches to how we teach and learn, and the mutual benefits we
have experienced from meaningful engagement with our communities in
Waterloo and Brantford.
At Laurier, we organize our innovative approaches around the concept of “integrated and engaged
learning,” which we pursue through a range of high-impact teaching and learning practices.
Through this conference, we will explore the power of engagement and how communities and
institutes of higher learning transform each other. We will be challenged to break existing paradigms
and think about opportunities for active learning on a global scale.
We will begin with an opening keynote to examine our approaches to engaged learning. By the end
of our time together, we will have developed a list to take back to our respective institutions that
contains recommendations on the key actions necessary to build engaged universities.
I extend a warm welcome to our guests from across the country who are presenting their own work
or simply joining us to learn. We anticipate learning a great deal from you, too.
I look forward to renewing my acquaintance with old friends and meeting new ones at my reception
on Wednesday.
Wishing you an extraordinary conference experience,
Dr. Max Blouw
President and Vice-Chancellor
Wilfrid Laurier University
75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, Canda N2L 3C5 T 519.884.0710 wlu.ca
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WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY
May 6, 2015
Welcome
WATERLOO | Brantford | Kitchener | Toronto
Dear IELC 2015 Participants:
We are delighted to welcome you to the Waterloo campus of Wilfrid Laurier University to attend the
Integrated & Engaged Learning Conference, 2015. We are extremely pleased with the high number
of registrations from across many teaching & learning communities, including faculty, students,
student affairs, learning specialists and teaching excellence professionals. We especially welcome our
external partners who provide essential enrichment in our students' educational journeys.
At Laurier, our focus on integrated & engaged learning grew out of a strong desire to fully capture
and support the important learning environments ‎our students experience: classrooms, instructional
& research labs, work-integrated placements including practica, peer-to-peer interactions including
residence life, common intellectual experiences, case study competitions, community-service
learning. Key to our approach to ensuring that all students engage in high-impact learning practices
throughout their degrees is the partnership between academic affairs and student affairs and the
integration of these portfolios in the AVP: Teaching & Learning.‎
‎ s educators, we are also all learners and the sharing of best practices is essential. We expect that
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during the conference we will learn from the integrated & engaged learning practices of our
participants, leading to improvement in the educational experiences of all our students.
With best wishes,
David McMurray
VP: Student Affairs
Deb MacLatchy
Provost & VP: Academic
75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3C5 T 519.884.0710 wlu.ca
WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY
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Planning
IELC 2015 Planning Committee
Jan Basso, Director: Co-op Education and Career Development
Joe Beer, Associate Director: Centre for Teaching Innovation and Excellence
Rick Camman, Vice-President: University Affairs
Connie Davison, Conference Administrator
Judy Eaton, Associate Professor: Psychology/Academic Integrity Officer, Brantford
Gail Forsyth, Director: Centre for Student Success
Laurie Fosty, Assistant: Dean of Students, Brantford
Elaine Francombe, Coordinator: Academic Development and Assessment
Sandy Hughes, Director: Centre for Teaching Innovation and Excellence
Laura Mae Lindo, Director: Diversity & Equity
Stephen MacNeil, Associate Professor: Chemistry
Clayton McCourt, Manager: Residence Life
Chrissy Orlowski, Graduate Student
Julie Pong, Acting Manager: Ceremonies and Events
Pat Rogers, Associate Vice-President: Teaching & Learning
Gail Roth, Manager: Community Service-Learning
Sondra Schwartz, Acting Director: University Relations
David Shorey, Associate Director, Residence Education
The Planning Committee extends special thanks for their support to:
Rebecca Kieswetter, Graphic Design and Web Support
Dawn Wharnsby, Graphic Designer
Jennifer Whistance-Smith, Administrative Assistant
Thanks also to our sponsors:
Office of the President
Office of Vice-President: Academic and Provost
Vice-President: Student Affairs
Office of Associate Vice-President: Teaching and Learning
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The IELC Planning Committee would like to thank everyone who volunteered for the IELC 2015
Proposal Review Committee. Their dedication to the peer review process ensured that the academic
program of the conference meets a very high standard.
Tina Balfour, Manager: Mathematics Assistance Centre
Jan Basso, Director: Co-op Education and Career Development
Joe Beer, Associate Director: Centre for Teaching Innovation and Excellence
Thank You
IELC 2015 Proposal Review Committee
Rick Camman, Vice President: University Affairs
Peter Donahue, Associate Director: International Student Support
Carol Duncan, Associate Professor and Chair: Religion and Culture
Judy Eaton, Associate Professor: Psychology/Academic Integrity Officer, Brantford
Lynn Farquhar, Transition Facilitator LEAF
Gail Forsyth, Director: Centre for Student Success
Laurie Fosty, Assistant: Dean of Students, Brantford
Sally Heath, Manager: Academic Program Development and Review
Anne Marie Henry, Coordinator: Global Engagement Programming
Sandy Hughes, Director: Centre for Teaching Innovation and Excellence
Laura Mae Lindo, Director: Diversity & Equity
Ken Maly, Associate Professor: Chemistry and Biology/Associate Dean: Priorities and Planning
Necia Martins, Manager: Service Laurier
Clayton McCourt, Manager: Residence Life
Julie Mueller, Associate Professor: Faculty of Education
Chrissy Orlowski, Graduate Student
Julie Pong, Acting Manager: Ceremonies and Events
Lauren Price, Administrative Assistant: FSW Program, Professional Development & Alumni Relations
Shawna Reibling, Knowledge Mobilization Officer
Pat Rogers, Associate Vice-President: Teaching and Learning
Gail Roth, Manager: Community Service-Learning
David Shorey, Associate Director: Residence Education
Melanie Will, Manager: Learning and Organizational Development
Eileen Wood, Professor: Science
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Notes
General Conference Notes
Registration
Staff and volunteers at the registration desk are available to provide you with
your registration materials and answer any questions you might have.
Registration Desk Hours
Community
Partners
Wednesday
Bricker Academic Foyer
8:30 a.m.—4:00 p.m.
Thursday
Bricker Academic Foyer
8:30 a.m.—4:00 p.m.
In gratitude to Laurier’s Community Partners, 10% of all conference registration
fees collected will be donated to the United Way.
Laurier is fortunate to partner with many organizations on education our students
and collaborating on research. During this year’s Integrated and Engaged
Learning Conference (IELC) we will have a breakfast which celebrates over 160
community partnerships in Waterloo Region. The following week in Brantford we
will host a lunch to celebrate over 80 partnerships in the County of Brant.
Interdisciplinary collaboration and community engagement are unique strengths
of Laurier and we look forward to acknowledging our many partnerships at these
events. (Note: These events are by invitation only)
Discovery
Sessions
(Electronic
Posters)
Discovery Sessions will be held on Thursday May 7th from 11:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m.
in the Science Building Atrium
Accessibility
All sessions, unless stated otherwise are held in the Bricker Academic Building,
floors 1 and 2. The Bricker Academic Building is fully wheelchair accessible, there
are elevators located in the centre of the building and accessible washrooms on
every level.
We are committed to making this conference accessible to all participants. If there
is anything we can do to assist you, please let us know.
Emergency
Contact
Special Constable Services can be contacted on any campus phone by dialing
“3333”. If using a cell phone, dial “519-884-0710” and enter “3333#”.
Internet Access
If you are from a participating Eduroam institution, you can connect to the
Eduroam wireless network using your institutional login information. Be sure to
include your username with the suffix (e.g. @wlu.ca). Leave “logon domain”
blank.
If your institution is not part of the Eduroam network, please visit the registration
desk for login information for the Laurier wireless network.
Parking at
Laurier
If you wish to park on-campus, you can park in the pay and display lots (Lot 4 &
20) for $7 per day. Please refer to the Laurier parking map on page 48
Transportation
Local Taxi Companies
City Cabs (519) 747-7777
Waterloo Taxi (519) 888-7777
United Taxi (519) 888-9999
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Wednesday, May 6, 2015
8:30—9:30 a.m.
Registration and Check-in—Bricker Academic Foyer
9:30—9:45 a.m.
Welcome—Bricker Academic 101
9:45—10:45 a.m.
10:45—11:00 a.m.
Opening Keynote:
Building the Engaged University
Bricker Academic 101
Break & Transition—Bricker Academic 110
11:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
Concurrent Session #1—Bricker Academic 2nd Floor
12:00—1:00 p.m.
Lunch—Science Building Atrium
1:00—2:00 p.m.
Concurrent Session #2—Bricker Academic 2nd Floor
2:00—2:15 p.m.
Break & Transition—Bricker Academic 110
2:15—3:15 p.m.
Concurrent Session #3—Bricker Academic 2nd Floor
3:15—3:30 p.m.
Transition—Bricker Academic 110
3:30—4:30 p.m.
President’s Reception—Senate & Board Chamber
Schedule
IELC Schedule at a Glance
Thursday, May 7, 2015
8:30—9:00 a.m.
Breakfast—Bricker Academic 110
9:00—9:15 a.m.
Opening Remarks—Bricker Academic 101
9:15—10:15 a.m.
10:15—10:30 a.m.
Plenary:
Embodying the Missing Link: From Classroom Content to Community
Bricker Academic 101
Break & Transition—Bricker Academic 110
10:30—11:30 a.m.
Concurrent Session #4—Bricker Academic 2nd Floor
11:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m.
Lunch & Discovery Sessions—Science Building Atrium
1:00—2:00 p.m.
Concurrent Session #5—Bricker Academic 2nd Floor
2:00—2:15 p.m.
Break & Transition—Bricker Academic 110
2:15—3:45 p.m.
Closing Keynote:
Building the Engaged University
Bricker Academic 101
Closing Remarks — Bricker Academic 101
3:45—4:00 p.m.
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Wednesday
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
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Schedule at a Glance – Day One
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
8:30—9:30 a.m.
Registration and Check-in—Bricker Academic Foyer
9:30—9:45 a.m.
Welcome—Bricker Academic 101
9:45—10:45 a.m.
Opening Keynote:
Building the Engaged University
Bricker Academic 101
10:45—11:00 a.m.
Break & Transition—Bricker Academic 110
11:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
Concurrent Session #1—Bricker Academic 2nd Floor
12:00—1:00 p.m.
Lunch—Science Building Atrium
1:00—2:00 p.m.
Concurrent Session #2—Bricker Academic 2nd Floor
2:00—2:15 p.m.
Break & Transition—Bricker Academic 110
2:15—3:15 p.m.
Concurrent Session #3—Bricker Academic 2nd Floor
3:15—3:30 p.m.
Transition—Bricker Academic 110
3:30—4:30 p.m.
President’s Reception—Senate & Board Chamber
8:30—9:30 a.m.
Conference Registration/Check-in
Bricker Academic Foyer
9:30—9:45 a.m.
Welcome
Bricker Academic 101
Deb MacLatchy, Provost & VP: Academic, Wilfrid Laurier University
David McMurray, VP: Student Affairs, Wilfrid Laurier University
9:45—10:45 a.m.
Opening Keynote
Bricker Academic 101
Wednesday
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Building the Engaged University
In this keynote address, successful approaches to university engagement will be reviewed and some
key options for further developing a productive strategy will be explored. The keynote will:
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Review a proven quality management framework and set of quality assurance checkpoints for
effective university engagement
Identify the links between engaged learning and university engagement
Outline examples of good practice in engaged learning and engaged research
Discuss the incentives (and disincentives) for getting involved in this area. This will include
identifying what forms of instructional support, leadership, governance and policy adjustments
would help ramp up, quality assure, track, improve and sustain University Engagement
Identify the key indicators we would use to judge whether what is being undertaken is having a
positive impact on those intended to benefit
Outline the key lessons on effective change leadership and management for the area
Explore the possibility of undertaking a stocktake of what is already underway at an institution
using the framework as one useful next step.
Dr. Geoff Scott, Emeritus Professor of Higher Education and Sustainability, University of Western
Sydney
Dr. Geoff Scott is Emeritus Professor of Higher Education and Sustainability at the University
of Western Sydney, Australia. From 2004-2012 he was Pro Vice-Chancellor (Quality) and
then Executive Director of Sustainability at UWS. He is actively involved in the Sustainable
Futures Leadership Academy, helped establish RCE-Greater Western Sydney & with Canada’s
Michael Fullan is author of the widely used book Turnaround Leadership for Higher Education
and the 2014 US NPDL White Paper Education Plus. In 2013 he completed an international
study funded by Australia’s Office for Learning & Teaching of Turnaround Leadership of
Sustainability in Higher Education with Daniella Tilbury, Leith Sharp and Liz Deane and
another project for OLT with Kerri-Lee Krause and colleagues in 11 Australian universities on
Inter-university moderation and the assurance of higher education subject and program
achievement standards. In 2008 he led the Australian Learning and Teaching Council study
of 500 Learning Leaders in Times of Change with colleagues from Australian Council for
Educational Research (ACER). In 2010 he led the national survey of sustainability in the curriculum of Australia’s
universities.
He is a former member of the Board of Directors of ACER, a Fellow of the Australian College of Education, a
member of TEQSA’s Panel of Experts and a higher education auditor in many countries. He is currently National
Senior Teaching Fellow with Australia’s Office for Learning and Teaching. In 2007. he was the recipient of the
Australian Higher Education Quality Award.
10:45—11:00 a.m.
Break & Transition
Bricker Academic 110
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Wednesday
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
11:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #1
Session 1—Information Session
Two 25 Minute Presentations
Bricker Academic—210
11:00 a.m.—11:30 a.m.
CON1.IS01
New Partnerships with the Community: Oprah Winfrey and
the Popular Culture/Classroom Exchange
Dr. Michael Ackerman (Wilfrid Laurier University)
As scholars, we continue to hear accusations that the work done in universities is unrelated to the
“real world” outside its walls. This presentation is the result of an ongoing effort to help both the
academy and the broader cultural community engage with one another in mutually productive ways.
Delegates will be presented with a concrete example of one such attempt – specifically, the
development of educational partnerships between Ontario university classrooms and the Oprah
Winfrey Network (OWN). The partnerships were established this year and are comprised of two key
stages. In the first stage, instructors work with an educational liaison to see if existing network
content can be developed into a useful pedagogical tool within their classrooms. In the second stage,
professors provide feedback to the network regarding the type of educational programming they feel
would be most beneficial to the broader public. While incorporating network content helps OWN satisfy
various programming requirements, it also helps students connect theoretical classroom material to
the culture that surrounds them. The process also helps professors model what it means to think
critically about being both, consumers of and contributors to popular culture. Delegates will be
provided with examples of this model for courses in psychology, criminology and film studies.
11:30 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
CON1.IS02
Using Storytelling as a Teaching Method
Dr. Carol B. Duncan (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Stories are products of human cultures. They encode communities’ values, share wisdom and expose
fault lines of conflict in their telling and retelling. Storytelling is an important part of oral tradition as
well as literary and visual in cultures.
This session explores storytelling as a method of designing courses, developing lectures and
encouraging student engagement in class discussions, presentations and written assignments. It aims
to aid participants in several aspects of course design and delivery including: (a) the development of a
syllabus for an original course idea; (b) deciding on the key points of a lecture; and (c) helping
students to develop their own specialized interests within a course in order to “make it their own”
through using storytelling.
Using the theme of ‘migration’, the session leader will tell stories from African Diasporan traditions
that highlight the importance of physical and cultural movement and transformation as hallmarks of
African Diasporan experiences in historical and contemporary contexts. She will also demonstrate how
these stories resonate with scholarly research and in some instances hinted at controversies that have
only recently come to light in the work of academic research. Through storytelling, Prof. Duncan will
demonstrate how the incorporation of oral tradition in teaching is an important way of being
responsive to communities regarding issues of cultural representation.
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11:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #1
Session 1—Information Session
Two 25 Minute Presentations
Bricker Academic—211
11:00—11:30 a.m.
CON1.IS03
Exploring the Community’s Impact on Developing Culturally
Responsive Students Through Service-Learning
Dr. Glenda L. Black (Nipissing University)
Mair Greenfield (Nipissing University)
Research on the positive effects of community service-learning (CSL) for participants and the community
is substantial (Prentice & Robinson, 2007; Prentice, 2011). The purpose of this study was to explore the
impact of the community on students in the teacher education program and their perceived readiness for
culturally responsive education for Aboriginal youth. The students commit to a series of orientation
sessions and workshops and two hours per week working at one of 40 community partners with First
Nation communities. Although a specific goal of the Biidaaban Community Service-Learning (BCSL)
program is to support literacy and numeracy in youth in Northern Ontario, the value of BCSL extends
beyond academic achievement. Following a qualitative research design, data was collected over three
years from sixty-five teacher candidates who participated in the voluntary CSL program organized by the
Office of Aboriginal Initiatives. Reflective reports before and after their participation in the CSL provided
the data for the study. Five themes emerged from the reflections and experiences of the students, which
included empathy, self-confidence, professional practice, indigenous knowledge, and self-reflection. These
themes highlight the value and importance of providing CSL opportunities for students to facilitate their
cultural awareness and preparedness to deliver culturally responsive education.
Wednesday
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
References:
Prentice, M. & Robinson, G. (2007). Linking service learning and civic engagement in community college students. Washington, DC:
American Association of Community Colleges.
Prentice, M. (2011). Civic engagement among community college students through service learning. Community College Journal of
Research and Practice, 35. 842–854. doi:10.1080/10668920802205014
11:30 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
CON1.IS04
Growing the Seed: Tensions and Opportunities in
Community-Engaged Learning with a First Year Course
Dr. Warren Dodd (University of Guelph)
One of the central aims of community-engaged learning is to encourage a cycle of action and reflection
among students with the intention of bringing mutual benefit to both students and community partners
(Kolb, 1984; Furco, 1996; Eyler & Giles, 1999; Petkus, 2000). With this framework in mind, in the fall
semester of 2014, 18 first year students participated in a seminar course called “Growing the Seed”: An
Introduction to Collective Community Action at the University of Guelph. This interdisciplinary first year
course gave students the opportunity to explore their role in local collective community action through a
partnership with ‘The Seed’ Community Food Hub. The design and structure of the course allowed for
in-depth exploration of issues surrounding local community food security and engagement with this topic
through the creation of promotion and advocacy materials for ‘The Seed’ by the students.
Drawing on the feedback of the students and the experiences of the instructor in this course, this session
will examine several tensions and opportunities associated with community engaged learning including:
brokering meaningful relationships with community partners; navigating the tension between instructor
control and student autonomy; setting realistic expectations for community partners and students; and
institutional structures that challenge the quality and depth of engagement by both community partners
and student. This session will also provide key learnings from this process for others interested in using
community-engaged learning or imbedding a community-university partnerships within a course.
References:
Eyler, J., & Giles, D. E. (1999). Where's the learning in service-learning? San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Furco, A. (1996). Service-learning: A balanced approach to experiential education. Expanding Boundaries: Serving and Learning, 1, 1-6.
Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Petkus Jr, E. (2000). A theoretical and practical framework for service-learning in marketing: Kolb’s experiential learning cycle. Journal
of Marketing Education, 22, 64-70.
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Wednesday
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
11:00 a.m—12:00 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #1
Session 1—Panel Discussion
Bricker Academic—202
CON1.PD01
Active Learning in the STEM Disciplines
Shane Bauman (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Louise Dawe (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Tristan Long (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Moderator: Dr. Ken Maly (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Active Learning is increasingly recognized as an effective approach to improve student engagement
and achieve learning outcomes. While active learning techniques can be applied across all disciplines
and fields of study, sometimes there are differences in how and which techniques can be applied
effectively.
In this workshop we will showcase active learning approaches used by several instructors in Science,
followed by a discussion of how these and other techniques could be used in different courses. In
addition, we will address the longitudinal nature of creating a more student-centric classroom.
11:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
Session 1—Workshop
Bricker Academic—208
CON1.W01
Transcending Boundaries in Higher Education: Globally
Connected Active Learning
Dr. Gavin Brockett (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Ayesha Nawaz (Wilfrid Laurier University)
A Globally Connected Active Learning (GLOCAL) course benefits from multiple technologies to enable
students to work together. Sitting in classrooms in two different parts of the world, they share the
same readings, assignments and learning experiences. They can see each other on a screen, listen to
each other talk, communicate in their virtual clusters, or build relationships through private chats. In
their clusters these technologies enable students to tackle challenging questions that form the core of
Active Learning exercises. Student communications are preserved and at the end of each class the
professor has available a rich archive testifying to what has been learned.
This presentation will report on the delivery of two GLOCAL courses in 2014 and 2015 between WLU
and Istanbul Sehir University. It will relate the many aspects of this innovative approach to education
that promotes engaged and integrated learning, internationalization, and inter-cultural
communication. It will report on the study of the class in question and specifically address:

The nature of the university partnerships necessary for its implementation.
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The possible approaches to collaboration between faculty delivering such a course.
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The importance of classroom architecture to cultivating an Active Learning environment that
transcends borders.
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The technologies and classroom support essential to establishing a global connection with Active
Learning at its core.
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The role of student travel in the delivery of a GLOCAL course.
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The variety of pedagogical methods that are best suited to ensuring success in a GLOCAL
course.
At a time when higher education is engaging the challenges posed by new technologies, expectations
for creative and innovative pedagogies, and demands for effective internationalization, partnerships
between faculty at different universities is critical. At the same time experimentation along these lines
is extremely time-consuming while carrying with it potential risks that must be negotiated.
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Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Session 1—Workshop
Bricker Academic—209
CON1.W02
Experiential Education: Breaking the Placement/Internship
Paradigm
Dr. Diane Vetter (York University)
At the point where theory intersects practice, there is great potential for exploration, learning and
development. Such potential is lost when a placement or internship experience merely exposes a
student to an existing culture or demands student performance of specific tasks or routines inherent in
existing practice. This workshop explores innovative ways of developing partnerships to support
collaborative experiential learning partnerships where performance objectives are replaced by learning
experiences that facilitate critical analysis, engagement, collaborative conversations, focused
participant observation, advancement of skills and knowledge, and immersion in an environment that
respects a shared process of growth and development.
Wednesday
11:00 a.m—12:00 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #1
This workshop will provide insights into new practices in experiential education with much time for
discussion, and shared explorations and experiences.
12:00—1:00 p.m.
Lunch
Science Building Atrium
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Wednesday
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
1:00—2:00 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #2
Session 2—Information Session
Two 25 Minute Presentations
Bricker Academic—210
1:00—1:30 p.m.
CON2.IS01
Teaching and Learning Across Carceral Borders: Some
Reflections Turning Educational Research “Inside Out”
Dr. Sara Matthews (Wilfrid Laurier University)
The aim of this information session is to report on a research partnership that spans carceral borders –
namely, the university and the prison. Specifically, the session will explore a collaborative model for
educational research that investigates the possibilities and challenges of teaching in carceral
environments. In line with the conference theme of “exploring community impact on higher
education”, we investigate how the model of dialogue, co-learning and community building that
characterizes the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program contributes to the development and design of a
collaborative research project that we are currently conducting.
Inside-Out (now Walls 2 Bridges) is a unique education program that brings incarcerated students and
campus-enrolled students together as classmates for semester-long college or university courses.
Classes are held in correctional facilities, and are taught using a particular pedagogical approach that
aims to create the conditions for egalitarian dialogue and collective learning. In this information
session we discuss how the model of dialogue advocated by the Walls to Bridges model can be brought
to research design, implementation and analysis. Our collaborative research team is comprised of a
professor at WLU who is also an Inside-Out Instructor, and a previous student of Inside-Out who was
formerly incarcerated at Grand Valley Institute for Women. An outcome of our presentation is
therefore to showcase the ways in which collaborative research can incorporate community-university
partnerships across carceral borders. A further outcome is to introduce participants to the Inside Out
collaborative model and to engage discussion about the ethics of educational research partnerships
across carceral borders.
1:30—2:00 p.m.
CON2.IS02
Philanthropic & Community Partnerships: Essential for
Integrated & Engaged Learning Success
Rob Donelson (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Partnership is at the core of Integrated and Engaged Learning. Meaningful and mutually beneficial
partnerships with those who can provide stimulating and enriching experiences to supplement and
enhance classroom instruction maximize impact and effectiveness on our students’ education. Such
partnerships are no less true when seeking philanthropic and community support for these programs.
One of the challenges of Integrated and Engaged Learning is that it can be costly and cannot always
be covered by the University’s operating budget. Fostering partnerships with private, corporate, and
foundation donors, as well as community organizations, to fund experiential learning opportunities is
central to the work of Development and Alumni Relations at Laurier. In addition, the engagement of
our alumni, who bring a wealth of experience that can be brought to bear on our students’ time at
Laurier, is equally important.
In this session, Rob will outline this perspective and provide several examples of successful proposals
for funding of Integrated and Engaged Learning opportunities at Laurier. Participants will come away
with a new appreciation for this key element of successful Integrated & Engaged Learning programs.
16
1:00—2:00 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #2
Session 2—Information Session
Two 25 Minute Presentations
Bricker Academic—211
1:00—1:30 p.m.
CON2.IS03
The Promises and Challenges of “Doing” Public Criminology
Dr. Lauren D. Eisler (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Carrie B. Sanders (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Few topics of greater public concern exist than crime and crime control. Media accounts, with their
ability to shape public sentiment can spark “moral panic”, and “as a consequence, people often have
stronger opinions on crime and justice than on much of the subject matter of sociology, economics and
political science” (Uggen and Inderbitzin, 2010: 730). As such, public criminology holds great
importance.
Wednesday
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Recognizing teaching as a form of public criminology offers particular relevance because our classes
often comprise future criminal justice practitioners. With this in mind, Dr. Sanders and I created a
course on public criminology where teaching opened a dialogue on crime and its politics. However, we
expanded our publics by making a 4th year credit course open and free to the public. Using the
classroom as a means to bridge the gap between the academy and the public, we introduced academic
knowledge into public culture, while also making a place where public discussion was integrated into
academic culture (Bender, 1997). This presentation focuses on this enterprise and explores the
challenges and promises of ‘doing’ public criminology within the academy. We faced challenges in three
specific areas: (1) institutional support; (2) the articulation and synthesis of criminological knowledge;
and, (3) measuring the impact of this pragmatic endeavor. This presentation describes the public
criminology colloquium and discusses these challenges.
References;
Bender, Thomas 1993. Intellect and Public Life The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore.
Uggen, Christopher and Inderbitzin, Michelle 2010. “Public criminologies” American Society of Criminology 9(4): 725-749.
1:30—2:00 p.m.
CON2.IS04
MacEngaged: Inspiring Students Towards Innovation,
Leadership, and Community Engagement
Dr. Ayesha Khan (McMaster University)
Mirella Mazza (McMaster University)
Dr. Paul McNicholas (McMaster University)
Dr. Cristina Tortora (McMaster University)
MacEngaged is an undergraduate, student-led, in-class initiative. Its aim is to serve as a possible
solution to increased student apathy to course material, educators, and academic institutions as a
whole (Fredrick et al. 2004). It is based on the idea of empowering students to innovate early in their
academic careers and within the classroom environment (Kezar, A.J, 2005). Its major goal is to connect
community engagement to content learned during a course with the hopes of ultimately creating an
impactful educational experience. Using the example of a second year neuroscience course titled Basic
and Clinical Neuroscience with an enrolment of 130 students, participants will be exposed to a
demonstration of how MacEngaged has been implemented in a classroom environment with a large
student body. A description will be provided to explore how the assistance of senior peer-mentors is
useful in helping junior students work in small groups to develop and implement a project under a
course-specific theme that will help contribute to the betterment of their local and/or global
communities. Students also use an electronic portfolio as a record of skill attainment and reflection.
Students are assessed on their ability to successfully create and implement a unique project that is
directly related to clinical neuroscience and one that can be implemented and completed within a 4month period. Through this session, participants will gain useful knowledge about how to implement a
civic engagement project within a course setting (regardless of discipline) without compromising
academic content.
References:
Fredricks, J., Blumenfeld, P. & Paris, H. A. (2004). “School engagement: potential of the concept, state of the evidence,” Review of
Educational Research, 74(1): 59-60.
Kezar, A. J. (2005). Promoting student success: The importance of shared leadership and collaboration. Occasional Paper No. 4.
Accessable at: http://www.academia.edu/4666762/C_Promoting_Student_Success
17
Wednesday
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
1:00—2:00 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #2
Session 2—Panel Discussion
Bricker Academic—202
CON2.PD01
Learning Out Loud with the Diversity and Equity Office:
Partnerships for Long-Term Change
Lynn Kane (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Laura Mae Lindo (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Cassandra Mensah (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Moderator: Joe Beer (Wilfrid Laurier University)
In this session panelists will discuss planning for, implementing, and engaging in long-term social
justice projects. With an emphasis on exploring the associated challenges and rewards, this panel will
begin by exploring the importance of creating change through long-term commitments. Presenters
will be asked to share details about their projects, outlining the processes and major obstacles
encountered when attempting to integrate their vision into the larger plan of their organization. What
were the major obstacles encountered so far? How do they reconcile the varied needs of participating
stakeholders? How will “success” and “failure” be measured? What strategies have been developed to
assist in challenging resistance? What might they suggest to the next generation of change-makers?
These questions and more will be central to an ongoing dialogue about what it means to “Learn Out
Loud.”
1:00—2:00 p.m.
Session 2—Workshop
Bricker Academic—208
CON2.W01
Conversations About Teaching and Learning I: A Series
Sponsored by Laurier’s Teaching Fellows
Dr. Maria Eugenia de Luna Villaón (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Meena Sharify-Funk (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Facilitator: Dr. Mercedes Rowinsky-Geurts (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Laurier’s Teaching Fellowship (LTF) is a community of excellent teachers known for their educational
leadership across the university. Launched in 2013, the Fellowship now numbers six, with
membership from the Faculties of Science, Arts, and Social Work. The Fellows conceived the
Conversations series as a way of creating a buzz about teaching and making the experience of other
excellent instructors at Laurier available to colleagues. This monthly seminar Conversation series
involves the Laurier Teaching Fellows conversing with colleagues about their teaching in order to
create awareness of the innovative practices that occur every day in our classrooms.
Meena Sharify-Funk will talk about “Making the World Safe for Diversity: Teaching Techniques for an
Age of Difference.” She will explore a pedagogical approach in which the teacher acts both as a
content expert and facilitator of the diversity present in the classroom and local community. Through
the process of deliberative engagement with one another and external communities, she connects
students with such themes as self-reflexivity, social responsibility, and global citizenship.
María Eugenia de Luna will talk about “Using digital tools to promote active and engaging learning in
the language classroom.” She proposes the use of digital tools such as: Blubbr, Pinterest, Pictochart,
Storybird and Poll Everywhere to promote active and engaged learning through two approaches. The
first approach encourages students to gain knowledge of different concepts through material created
using digital tools. The second approach fosters opportunities for students to practice what they
learned, either individually or collaboratively, in class or at home, using digital technologies.
18
1:00—2:00 p.m.
Session 2—Workshop
CONCURRENT SESSION #2
Bricker Academic—209
CON2.W02
Seeding Wisdom in Academy and Community
Lynn Farquhar (Wilfrid Laurier University)
When devising projects intended to bring community and classroom closer, or when projects embrace
leadership and service, we often use words such as “insight,” “vision,” and “wisdom” to express our
highest goals. Our aspirations are noble: yet in the chaos of organizing and facilitating, we might find
ourselves with little time to consider the meaning behind our ideals.
In this workshop, the concept of wisdom will be discussed and reflected upon. Participants will be
invited to consider what wisdom means to them personally, how wisdom is integrated into their
practice, and how wisdom development at both an individual and organization level can become a
tangible outcome of interactions with the community.
2:00—2:15 p.m.
Break & Transition
Wednesday
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Bricker Academic—110
19
Wednesday
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
2:15—3:15 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #3
Session 3—Information Session
Two 25 Minute Presentations
Bricker Academic—210
2:15—2:45 p.m.
CON3.IS01
What Makes a Living Lab Lively? How Communities and
Higher Learning Transform Each Other
Dr. David Goodwin (University of Waterloo)
Dr. Jill Tomasson-Goodwin (University of Waterloo)
Living labs can be found worldwide. They are open innovation ecosystems, dedicated to the cocreation of technologies and creative ideas among a wide range of stakeholders. The goal is not to
create solutions for, but with people, drawing upon the resources of contextual design, user
experience design, and action research.
In 2011, the session speakers co-founded such a lab, and have worked since then to build it as an
off-campus, public facing, living lab with multiple private and public partners in the community. The
mandate is to bring together various community partners—cities, small-to-medium businesses, global
companies, universities, colleges, not-for-profits, artistic communities— to work alongside our
students to learn, innovate, and build businesses. To date, the lab has hired and trained 120 students,
run 52 research/skill-based projects, has seen seven spinoff companies created, and hosted 65
community outreach activities (such as research events, Lunch and Learns, technology and art
workshops, etc.), all efforts to meet our mandate of student and community engagement.
Delegates with hear about best practices and lessons learned about what makes a living lab "lively.”
The speakers will reflect on what has worked, what hasn't, and where trends in this kind of studentcommunity engagement are going.
2:45—3:15 p.m.
CON3.IS02
Capstone Experiences and Communities: Enhancing
Learning and Acquiring Competencies
Dr. Andrew Papadopoulos (University of Guelph)
Lauren Wallar (University of Guelph)
The Guelph Master of Public Health is a professional degree program that trains students in
epidemiology, infectious diseases, and environmental public health. Students complete nine core and
three elective courses in four to five semesters, including a summer practicum (12-16 weeks). Given
the program’s mission to prepare students to meet local and global health needs, the curriculum is
purposefully designed to engage students in diverse and impactful learning experiences.
In this information session, we will highlight the different ways that students creatively and actively
engage with their learning experiences by discussing three examples: summer practicum,
communication capstone experience, and business capstone experience. Each of these examples will
also serve to illustrate how we have created and maintained meaningful connections in our local,
provincial, national and global communities. We will also describe how we are beginning to assess
these experiences using both quantitative and qualitative methods as part of our curriculum review
process. After attending this session, participants will be able to consider how to incorporate
meaningful capstone experiences with strong community connections into their existing curricula, and
how to assess these experiences as part of their continual improvement processes.
20
2:15—3:15 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #3
Session 3—Information Session
Two 25 Minute Presentations
Bricker Academic—211
2:15—2:45 p.m.
CON3.IS03
Creating the “Community Outreach Council”: To Engage
First Year Undergraduate Students Living in Residence in
Volunteering Opportunities
Alysha Ferguson (Wilfrid Laurier University)
First-year students living in residence are often excited, passionate and curious about ways to get
involved on campus and in their community.
Wednesday
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Students graduating from high school in Ontario are required to complete 40 hours of community
service, but often don’t reflect on their service requirement as a necessary means to receive their
diploma. The Department of Residence and the Centre for Community Service-Learning partnered to
offer students volunteering opportunities with the K-W community that responded to community
partner needs. Taking the form of an interest-based council called the “Community Outreach Council”,
first year students were connected to community opportunities and carried out volunteer projects in
residence.
During this presentation attendees will have a chance to:
1)
Hear why and how the council was created
2)
Explore what have been the successes and challenges of the Community Outreach Council
3)
Hear what students have to say about their experience in the council
4)
The long term potential for students and community partners to remain engaged throughout
their university career at Laurier
2:45—3:15 p.m.
CON3.IS04
Laurier’s Jumpstart to Higher Education: A Grade 7 & 8
Program to Support Education and Career/Life Planning
Jan McPhedran-McLeod (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Grade 8 students are being asked to make decisions regarding secondary school courses, often with
little knowledge of the impact these decisions may have on their education and career pathways.
University academic advisors often see students who have never considered an alternate pathway,
even if their goals could be better met through college and/or apprenticeship programs. The Jumpstart
to Higher Education program offers Grade 7 and 8 students the opportunity to reflect on their own
skills, interests, and opportunities, and to consider the many postsecondary pathways available to
them. This is achieved through many interactive tasks, along with powerpoint and video presentations.
The Ontario Ministry of Education has developed new program and policy requirements for
Kindergarten to Grade 12 students, described in the 2013 document, “Creating Pathways to Success:
An education and career/life planning program for Ontario schools”, currently being implemented in
Ontario schools. Jumpstart has been aligned with the 4 areas of learning in this document, which
focuses on the questions:




Who am I?
What are my opportunities?
Who do I want to become?
What is my plan for achieving my goals?
Several highlights of the Grade 7 and 8 presentations will be shared, along with preliminary results of
the pre- and post-surveys. A 5-minute question and answer period will conclude the session.
Session participants will become knowledgeable of the learning goals of the Jumpstart program, its
impact on student learning, how it aligns with the Ministry’s program requirements, and the benefits of
the program to secondary and postsecondary education.
21
Wednesday
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
2:15—3:15 p.m.
Session 3—Panel Discussion
CONCURRENT SESSION #3
Bricker Academic—202
CON3.PD01
Engaging Post Secondary Educational Institutions in the
Successful Settlement and Integration of Immigrants in
the Waterloo Region
Tara Bedard (Region of Waterloo)
John Haddock (YMCA)
Lucia Harrison (KW Multiculturalism)
Dr. Margaret Walton-Roberts (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Moderator: Peter Donahue (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Universities and colleges in Waterloo Region often collaborate with the local immigration settlement
sector to provide community service opportunities for students and access to the immigrant population
in the Region for research. Recently, efforts by the Waterloo Regional Immigration Partnership (IP), a
collective of over 100 community partners (not-for-profit organizations, public sector representatives,
employers and business organizations) has discovered that members of the IP are reporting that their
needs for service placement and research don’t always match the request from the Universities and
offers to share finds are seldom follow up through on. In an effort to support the service and research
needs of the immigration settlement sector, the IP has begun to explore the development of a
“portfolio” of areas of research and community service opportunities that are needed within the
Immigration sector. A panel including the leader of the IP, leaders from the immigration support
sector and a leading researcher on Immigration at Laurier will discuss the challenges in trying to
manage the increasing request for student placements and the need for relevant research in the area
of immigration settlement in the Region. Panel members will provide an overview of the IP (10
minutes); the experience of the Region’s immigration settlement working with Universities
(20minutes) and the areas of interest for research on immigration being conducted by Laurier’s
International Migration Research Centre (10 minutes). The desired outcome for the session is a better
understanding of the opportunities for collaborations between Universities and immigration settlement
services in the Waterloo Region.
2:15—3:15 p.m.
Session 3—Workshop
Bricker Academic—208
CON3.W01
Creativity in the Community: The Impact of Community
Service Learning and Artistic Engagement (Documentary
Screening & Discussion)
Elizabeth Mitchell (Wilfrid Laurier University)
22
Each spring semester, university students have the opportunity to register for “Inclusive Arts for
Children”, a Community Service Learning course offered through the Faculty of Music and partnered
with a local child development centre. The course emphasizes theory from the creative arts therapies
along with experiential learning in music, drama, dance, and art. After completing in-class sessions,
the students become leaders at “Arts Express”, a creative arts day-camp for children with
exceptionalities. The camp culminates with a performance in the university’s recital hall. A remarkable
example of community building and collaboration through artistic engagement, the program’s rippleeffects have touched countless individuals over the past twenty-two years. During 2013, to mark the
program’s twentieth anniversary, this writer, in collaboration with an award-winning local filmmaker,
produced a mini-documentary. Thought-provoking and remarkably moving, it tells a compelling story
of the far-reaching impact of therapeutic experiences in the arts for children with exceptionalities and
their families, while also speaking to university students’ transformative experiences of Community
Service Learning. Through interviews with children, family members, students, university instructors
and administration, and other community professionals, the film celebrates collaboration between
universities and community institutions, and recognizes access to meaningful and high-quality artistic
experience as a fundamental human right. Offering conference delegates an inspiring look into an
effective Community Service Learning course and placement, participants will view the documentary
and engage in dialogue surrounding meaningful community development and engagement, benefits
and challenges of community/university collaborations, and the impact of Community Service Learning
upon student learning and growth.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Session 3—Workshop
Bricker Academic—209
CON3.WS02
The Role of Mentorship Programs in Facilitating the
Transitions of Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities to
Postsecondary Education
Dr. Melissa Fellin (Bloorview Research Institute; Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Laura Hartman (Bloorview Research Institute)
Dr. Sally Lindsay (Bloorview Research Institute)
Youth with disabilities experience more barriers transitioning to postsecondary education (PSE) when
compared to youth without disabilities. These barriers include accessing and successfully completing
PSE. This is largely due to inaccessible environments, which include social, physical, and systematic
barriers to PSE and training for youth with disabilities. One promising approach to address these
barriers is mentoring and peer support programs before and during PSE. This presentation is based on
a systematic review of literature pertaining to peer mentorship for transition-age youth with
disabilities seeking PSE. The findings reveal that mentoring and peer support programs that are longer
-term, are structured with continued oversight, and involve experiential learning benefit participants.
The presentation makes recommendations for educators to enhance or develop effective mentoring
programs for youth with disabilities transitioning to PSE.
Wednesday
2:15—3:15 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #3
Participants will be able to apply the recommendations from the presentation to their own
organization. The presenter will facilitate the development of an action plan for participants with
leading questions. This action plan will be developed in small groups. At the end of the session, groups
will be asked to present their ideas to engage in dialogue and to exchange ideas for mentoring
programs in PSE settings.
3:15—3:30 p.m.
Transition
3:30—4:30 p.m.
President’s Reception
Senate Board & Chamber
23
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Thursday
Schedule at a Glance – Day Two
Thursday, May 7, 2015
8:30 —9:00 a.m.
Breakfast—Bricker Academic 110
9:00—9:15 a.m.
Opening Remarks—Bricker Academic 101
9:15—10:15 a.m.
10:15—10:30 a.m.
Plenary:
Embodying the Missing Link: From Classroom Content to Community
Bricker Academic 101
Break & Transition—Bricker Academic 110
10:30—11:30 a.m.
Concurrent Session #4—Bricker Academic 2nd Floor
11:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m.
Lunch & Discovery Sessions—Science Building Atrium
1:00—2:00 p.m.
Concurrent Session #5—Bricker Academic 2nd Floor
2:00—2:15 p.m.
Break & Transition—Bricker Academic 110
2:15—3:45 p.m.
Closing Keynote:
Building the Engaged University
Bricker Academic 101
Closing Remarks—Bricker Academic 101
3:45—4:00 p.m.
24
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Breakfast
Bricker Academic—110
A light continental breakfast will be available.
9:00—9:15 a.m.
Opening Remarks
Bricker Academic—101
Dr. Pat Rogers, Associate Vice-President: Teaching and Learning, Wilfrid Laurier University
9:15—10:15 a.m.
Plenary
Bricker Academic—101
Embodying the Missing Link: From Classroom Content to
Community
Thursday
8:30—9:00 a.m.
This keynote will feature a presentation by a group of students, staff and faculty on a recently
completed film about marginalization and exclusion in university classrooms resulting from systemic
practices and microaggressions. The film is the work of the Social Inclusion, Diversity and Equity
(SIDE) Committee within Laurier’s Faculty of Social Work. Although Masters of Social Work studies
emphasize issues of marginalization, exclusion, and oppression, this acquired knowledge does not
always translate into embodied experiences and behaviours. The film is based on previous
presentations by the SIDE Committee using an adapted version of Forum Theatre, where scenes
portraying marginalization and oppression are enacted for an audience and then re-enacted with an
invitation to viewers to intervene in the interests of creating a better outcome. Jointly funded by a
Laurier Teaching Fellowship and the Faculty of Social Work, the film showcases incidents in which
students from non-dominant groups experience exclusion and being positioned as “Other” in
classrooms. The Keynote participants will show video segments from the project, discuss their
experiences in relation to these segments, and respond to audience questions.
Dr. Deena Mandell, Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Work, Wilfrid Laurier University /
Nadine LeGros, Educational Developer (Intercultural Communication) Elizabeth Akinyemi /
Bharat Khatiwada / Amrita Shrestha / Jen Vasic / Kimberlee Walker WLU & Social Inclusion,
Diversity and Equity Committee Students / Tamon Scarlett, Faculty of Music, Graduate Student
Biographies:
Dr. Deena Mandell is a full-time faculty member in Social Work at Laurier; she teaches
MSW and PhD students as well as new field instructors. She initiated and coordinates a
program to support FSW students whose previous education was in a non-North
American language or culture. In addition, she has been faculty representative on
FSW’s Social Inclusion Diversity and Equity committee for the past five years. The
SIDE Committee work has grown into a video project on Intercultural Group Work,
funded by her Laurier Teaching Fellowship and the Faculty of Social Work. The video is
aimed at supporting students and instructors in creating inclusive learning
environments.
Nadine LeGros is an Educational Developer (Intercultural Communication) in the
Intercultural Development Office at Wilfrid Laurier University. She has experience as
an international student and as an instructor in international classrooms. Nadine is a
member of the SIDE Committee and has collaborated on the video project with Deena
Mandell. Nadine works with faculty, staff, and students to contribute to the conditions
of success for international students in Canada and for domestic students in the
globalized world.
10:15—10:30 a.m.
Break & Transition
Bricker Academic 110
25
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Thursday
10:30—11:30 a.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #4
Session 4—Information Session
Two 25 Minute Presentations
Bricker Academic—210
10:30—11:00 a.m.
CON4.IS01
The Change Project: A Community-Led UniversityCommunity Collaboration to Address Gendered Violence
on Campus
Jay Harrison (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Ginette Lafrenière (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Joan Tuchlinsky (Sexual Assualt Support Centre of Waterloo Region)
This information session will explore the potential for institutional transformation driven by
community leadership and collaboration through the presentation of a case study. The Change
Project, a university-community collaboration to address gendered violence against students, is an
exemplar of community impact on higher education. Initiated and led by a local community agency,
with the leadership and significant involvement of students, this project is unique within the
landscape of engaged scholarship, teaching and research in that the partnership was aimed at
transforming the institutional and cultural climate of the university rather than primarily focused on
transformative ends within the community as is so often the case. Through a comprehensive needs
assessment that afforded research and learning opportunities for approximately 20 students, the
community partner supported the university in pursuing a new institutional strategy to address
gendered violence.
This session, presented by the community partner, principal investigator and project coordinator will
describe the formation of the initiative, the challenges and successes of university-community
collaboration when the community is at the helm, as well as the impacts of the initiative on the
university and community. Delegates will be encouraged to consider the potential implications of
community-led partnerships on institutional change within the academy including the ways in which
community leadership in engaged partnerships promotes reciprocity and meaningful engagement,
and the role of project funders in supporting the development of community-led partnerships.
11:00—11:30 a.m.
CON4.IS02
Building Bridges to Success: Creating Opportunities for
Non-Traditional Students Through Community
Partnerships
Lindsay Lawrence (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dan Robert (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Jessica Wiese (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Building Bridges to Success creates opportunities for local non-traditional students to explore and
experience post-secondary opportunities. The program aims to increase post-secondary participation
rates in low-income neighbourhoods by providing in-class and extra-curricular experiences,
information on funding opportunities, and insights into application processes for college and
university. From planning, to development and execution of the program we have worked closely
with community organizations and school boards to secure funding, reach students, and deliver a
program that encourages all students to participate in post-secondary education. A research project
funded by the initial donor organization examines the impact on students’ interest, ability and
readiness to attend post-secondary institutions. This research was conducted through focus groups
and surveys with student participants and their families. Participants in this session will learn about
the challenges and opportunities associated with developing programs that are strengthened and
supported by community partnerships, how to find and develop external funding relationships, and
the impact on community groups through targeted promotion of post-secondary education.
26
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Session 4—Panel Discussion
Bricker Academic—202
CON4.PD01
Community Engagement—Global & @ Home: From El
Salvador to Haudenosaunee Territory
Mike Boylan (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Lynne Davidson (Habitat for Humanity Brant)
Paulo de Souza (Global Village—Habitat for Humanity Canada)
Dr. Robert Feagan (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Moderator: Jessica Vorsteveld (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Thursday
10:30—11:30 a.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #4
This proposal profiles the basic contours of the engagement and partnership between Laurier
International and Habitat’s Global Village program in El Salvador over the last three years, and how
this experience has led to a parallel effort to develop intercultural and community learning
experiences @Home – that is, between Laurier, Habitat for Humanity in Brant County, and Brant
Native Housing – the latter supplying housing for the off-reserve native population in Brant
specifically. This initiative follows Laurier International’s hopes to provide global engagement
experiences domestically, along with ongoing international opportunities. It complements and builds
on the theme of community engagement and intercultural learning, with a local experiential focus on
Haudenosaunee ‘longhouse’ culture. The session aims to provide examples of how international and
locally oriented community partnerships can both have similar outcomes regarding intercultural
collaboration, service-learning reflection, and appropriate student preparation, while also positing
directions for course and program development.
10:30—11:30 a.m.
Session 4—Panel Discussion
Bricker Academic—211
CON4.PD02
LaunchPad: Mentoring Start-Ups with the Community
Mark Church (Laurier LaunchPad)
Sandeep De (Laurier LaunchPad)
Carson Kolberg (Meal In A Jar)
Jeff Mitchell (English Never Stops)
Moderator: Dr. Carol Duncan (Wilfrid Laurier University)
This panel will discuss the challenges and successes of LaunchPad, an entrepreneurial mentoring
program, from the perspective of business mentors, entrepreneurs and teachers. Laurier’s
LaunchPad delivers a campus-wide integrated learning experience through a community partnership
model. The curriculum is based on an academic body of knowledge and best practices – such as the
Stanford Lean Startup Model, and integrates many innovative teaching techniques such as the
flipped classroom, applied experiential learning, team teaching and peer-to-peer mentoring.
This session will expose participants to the benefits and challenges of integrating community
expertise into an entrepreneurial learning environment, using multiple pedagogical techniques.
LaunchPad mentors student and alumni entrepreneurs through an experiential, guided learning
process. Maximum authenticity with real world experience is ensured by requiring that the startup
businesses are in fact real businesses working with real money from the entrepreneur’s own pockets.
At a LaunchPad session, the learning environment is electric, characterized by an animated buzz of
splinter conversations between 15 volunteer mentors, a small number of teachers, and 25 startup
companies in a large open area in the tech hub. The session shifts to a core teaching opportunity,
where the teachers focus the attention on a key learning concept for the week, dynamically sharing
how these teachings apply to experiences from the mentors and from the recent experiences with
the entrepreneurs. Finally, individual presentations of progress and hurdles are presented by a select
number of entrepreneur groups, and followed by discussion of ideas and strategies to overcome
current obstacles.
27
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Thursday
10:30—11:30 a.m.
Session 4—Workshop
CONCURRENT SESSION #4
Bricker Academic—208
CON4.W01
Building Personalized Communities of Learners with
Authentic Interactive Pedagogy in an Online Environment
Lisa Fanjoy (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Carolyn FitzGerald (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Julie Mueller (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Amanda Nosko (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Steve Sider (Wilfrid Laurier University)
This workshop will respond to the question: “How do we build communities that promote student
engagement within online courses?” Social constructivist learning theory (Dewey, 1916) posits that
learning is social in nature, and in creating online courses that allow for peer to peer interaction and
personal learning, the development of community can be achieved (Garrison, 2000). Building on
literature that examines student engagement in online courses (Dixson, 2012; Quaye & Harper,
2014), we critically examine different approaches that we have taken in designing and teaching online
courses. Participants in the workshop will develop an understanding of different activities and
resources that can facilitate community-building and student engagement in a variety of online
courses—undergraduate, graduate, and certificate courses. Participants will explore course materials
and activities that foster community-building. The session will include active learning opportunities
including engaging with collaborative technology through iPads that we will provide. The workshop
leaders will encourage discussion on the prior experiences of workshop participants in nurturing
community-building in online courses. Opportunity will be provided for participants to discuss best
practices, lessons learned, and potential future partnerships to explore how student engagement can
be heightened in online courses.
10:30—11:30 a.m.
Session 4—Workshop
Bricker Academic—209
CON4.W02
Conversations About Teaching and Learning II: A Series
Sponsored by Laurier’s Teaching Fellows
Dr. Bruce McKay (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Kim P. Roberts (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Facilitator: Dr. Eileen Wood (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Laurier’s Teaching Fellowship (LTF) is a community of excellent teachers known for their educational
leadership across the university. Launched in 2013, the Fellowship now numbers six, with
membership from the Faculties of Science, Arts, and Social Work. The Fellows conceived the
Conversations series as a way of creating a buzz about teaching and making the experience of other
excellent instructors at Laurier available to colleagues. This monthly seminar involves the Laurier
Teaching Fellows conversing with colleagues about their teaching in order to create awareness of the
innovative practices that occur every day in our classrooms.
Kim Roberts will discuss “Using Wikipedia as a class assignment.” Learning experiences can be more
authentic when students see the public impact that they can have. She will discuss the highs and lows
of a class assignment to write a Wikipedia entry. The assignment challenged students in more than
just traditional academic ways by encouraging them to write for a larger audience and collaborate with
Wikipedia editors in real time. In addition, students learned about global ownership.
Bruce McKay will discuss “Strategies to increase academic integrity in large class and online testing.”
When testing large numbers of students and when testing students in online courses, collaboration
amongst peers is likely to occur. I have implemented webcam-monitored online tests, delivered
through our learning management system, wherein each student receives a unique subset of
questions, from a very large test bank of my own construction. Because each student receives a
unique test, and because each student is personally monitored, collaboration is much more difficult.
28
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Lunch & Discovery Sessions
Science Building Atrium
Discovery (electronic poster) sessions will take place in the Science Atrium during the
extended lunch hour. All discovery sessions are presented simultaneously and attendees are
welcome to move freely between presentations to view each session and speak with the
presenter.
DS01
Building Classroom Community Through Collaborative
Testing Techniques
Thursday
11:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m.
Dr. Stephen MacNeil (Wilfrid Laurier University)
We have all heard about the benefits of collaborative learning. Students who study in groups often achieve
more than students who study individually. Recent work from the Carl Wieman Science Education
Initiative at UBC indicates students experiencing collaborative testing also benefit more than students
tested in isolation. At UBC, collaborative testing has been done for midterm tests in classes with up to
1000 students! Research has shown that collaborative testing improves test scores and increases positive
relationships between students.
Since 2011, I have been using collaborative testing in a class of 30-40 students. Each week, students
write individual standard multiple choice quizzes on pre-class material. After submitting their individual
tests, students then sit in pre-assigned teams and take the quiz again. Teams discuss each question in
turn, trying to reach consensus or a majority at least, before selecting their final answer on which they
receive immediate feedback. Discussions are quite animated at times and high fives following correct
answers are frequent.
In my experience, collaborative testing builds community in the classroom by having students depend on
one another for part of their course grades. Team members prompt one another to do pre-class work and
students come to class each week with a common purpose. In this presentation, I will (i) review the
literature on collaborative testing; (ii) describe how teams are assigned and tests are administered in my
class; (iii) summarize anonymous student survey responses; and (iv) present my plans for implementing
collaborative midterm tests in fall term 2015.
DS02
Developing, Assessing and Supporting Student Learning Outcomes Related to Ethical Practices in Undergraduate Studies
Dr. Louise Dawe (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Jeffrey Dinsmore (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Publication and professional practice scandals have rocked the global community of chemists and
biochemists over the last five years. [1] Despite clear learning outcomes related to ethical practice now
required for undergraduate program accreditation by the American Chemical Society in the United States
[2], an equivalent requirement does not exist from the Canadian Society for Chemistry. This project
examines the attitudes and perceptions of first and third year undergraduates with respect to ethics in
chemistry and biochemistry practice.
As a result of attending this discovery session, conference delegates will learn about:
· proposing learning outcomes that will prepare undergraduates for success in the areas of
Autonomy and Professional Capacity [3];
· developing active learning strategies to achieve the proposed learning outcomes;
· assessing the effectiveness of the learning strategies in achieving the proposed learning
outcomes.
References:
[1] Harrison, W.T.A.; Simpson, J.; Weil, M. (2010) Editorial. Acta Cryst E. 66, e1-e2. (b) Drahl, C. (2014) Inspector General’s Report Labels Annie
Dookhan 'Sole Bad Actor' In Massachusetts Crime Lab Scandal. C&EN News. 92(10), p.6. (c) Drahl, C.; Widener, A. (2014) Forcing Change In Forensic Science. C&EN News. 92(19), 10-15. (d) Smith III, A.B. (2013) Data Integrity. Organic Lett. 15(12), 2893-2894.
[2] ACS Committee on Professional Training. (2011) Guidelines for the Teaching of Professional Ethics. Available online: https://www.acs.org/
content/dam/acsorg/about/governance/committees/training/acsapproved/degreeprogram/guidelines-for-the-teaching-of-professional-ethics.pdf
[Accessed Nov. 30, 2014]
[3] Council of Ontario Universities (2007) Ontario Council of Academic Vice-Presidents (OCAV) Guidelines for University Undergraduate Degree
Level Expectations. Available online: http://www.cou.on.ca/publications/reports/pdfs/university-undergraduate-degree-level-expectations
[Accessed Nov. 30, 2014]
29
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Thursday
11:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m.
Lunch & Discovery Sessions
Science Building Atrium
DS03
Integrated and Engaged Learning in Residence
Dave Shorey (Wilfrid Laurier University)
The session will begin by introducing foundational theory that helped guide the development and
enhancement of integrated learning experiences in residence at Laurier. This will help situate the
participant in past and current research that guides Laurier’s Department of Residence in its efforts.
Participants will then learn about the Department of Residence’s key stakeholders who regularly
collaborate to deliver integrated learning experiences in residence. We will then focus on specific
examples of integrated learning experiences offered in residence including Residence Learning
Community (RLCs), the residential curriculum, First Year Leadership Programs (FYLPs), and
integrated service delivery (academic advising, career services). The session will conclude with an
exploration into the ways Laurier’s model can inspire other campuses to develop their unique version of
integrated learning in residence. The use of power point, video, and personal stories will be used.
DS04
Promoting Students Engagement through Engineering
Ideas Clinic Activities
Sanjeev Bedi (University of Waterloo)
Dr. Jason Grove (University of Waterloo)
Ada Hurst (University of Waterloo)
Dr. Samar Mohamed (University of Waterloo)
Chris Rennick (University of Waterloo)
Mary Robinson (University of Waterloo)
The Engineering Ideas Clinic (EIC) is a new initiative in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of
Waterloo that provides authentic learning experiences in a community setting for undergraduate
Engineering students. In its first year running faculty-wide, the EIC ran engaging, hands-on activities
for 3000 undergraduate students across all Engineering Departments, including one activity which was
delivered to 1300 students in their 1A term.
An EIC activity is hands-on, delivering horizontal integration (i.e., integration across disciplines) and/or
vertical integration (i.e., integration across program years). Not only do EIC activities strengthen the
link between different courses in the core curriculum but they also have an emphasis on engaging the
students with their learning. In an EIC activity, students are given an ambiguous open-ended
problem, which they actively explore and discover in teams with their peers, and then reflect on what
they have learned. Students also receive an on spot guidance and feedback from the teaching team.
Such experiential learning activities provide context to an undergraduate course, and enlighten
students as to what Engineering “is”. An EIC experience prepares students to work effectively in a
multi-disciplinary team setting, while providing them with new skills, in a safe, confidence-building
manner.
In this presentation we will share our experience in designing, implementing and running some of these clinic activities as well as the anecdotal evidence that we have gathered from our students who participated in these activities.
30
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Lunch & Discovery Sessions
Science Building Atrium
DS05
Constructing a DC Brushless Motor: An Experiential
Engineering Clinic Activity
Sanjeev Bedi (University of Waterloo)
Dr. Firas Mansour (University of Waterloo)
Dr. Samar Mohamed (University of Waterloo)
A group of instructors at UW developed a set of activities called "Engineering Clinic". These activities
focus on providing students with authentic, applied and hands-on activities which integrate their
learning, and expose them to genuine applications in support of their engineering science content
while engaging them with the abstract principles that they are learning.
Thursday
11:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m.
In this session we will talk about an optional activity which was piloted for 2 nd year Management
Engineering students in their “Electromechanical Devices & Power Processing” course and for 1 st year
Electrical and Computer Engineering students in their “Physics of Electric Engineering” course. This
activity was developed because the principles of electromagnetism are often taught in an abstract
way, and students can struggle to link the concepts with real life.
Students in teams of two build a DC motor, verify its construction and test its operation. To achieve
this goal, students were provided with brief instructions to allow for their creativity to kick in. Most of
the second year students participated in this optional activity, all of the participants submitted a
reflection on their learning experience. The first year course is running during this term and we can
report on it during our talk. The plan is to run this activity for Mechatronics students in Spring 2015.
In this talk, we will explain our experience in developing and running this activity. We will share our
observations on the students’ reaction and learning experience, and some comments from
colleagues.
31
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Thursday
1:00—2:00 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #5
Session 5—Information Session
Two 25 Minute Presentations
Bricker Academic—210
1:00—1:30 p.m.
CON5.IS01
Exploring Whether Explicit Instruction of Study Strategies
in the Classroom Facilitates University Learners
Fatma Arslantas (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Mary Neil (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Eileen Wood (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Not surprisingly, successful study behaviours promote greater learning and performance.
Unfortunately, even at the university level many students lack the repertoire of effective study skills
required for success or fail to use study skills appropriately (Edwards, Weinstein, Goetz & Anderson,
2014).Successful implementation of study skills requires metacognitive skills (McCormick, 2003).
Students in the present study were provided explicit instruction and practice using an array of study
skills as part of their regular course delivery to determine whether in class instruction integrated with
relevant course materials improved learning. Undergraduate students (n=73) participated in three
interactive study skills sessions during class. Students were assessed for metacognitive skills, prior to
and after these sessions, and rated comfort and confidence with the strategies introduced and their
perceptions toward subsequent group work. Overall, results were modest but supported two trends:
metacognitive awareness increased over the intervention sessions and the quality of the study tools
produced predicted grade performance. Qualitative analysis of the study skills products indicated
variability in content and structure across materials developed by students. This study adds to the
existing literature regarding study skills and learning and suggests that study skills may be a valuable
component in course curriculum. The study also raises concerns about how much training and
exposure students might need to benefit from this type of instructional support and community
relationships that might support earlier introduction and support. Together with audience members
we will discuss strategies for enhancing retention and promoting greater learning in the classroom.
References:
Azevedo, R. (2009). Theoretical, conceptual, methodological, and instructional issues in research on metacognition and selfregulated learning: A discussion. Metacognition and Learning, 4(1), 87-95.
Edwards, A. J., Weinstein, C. E., Goetz, E. T., & Alexander, P. A. (2014). Learning and study strategies: Issues in assessment,
instruction, and evaluation. Elsevier.
McCormick, C. B. (2003). Metacognition and learning. Handbook of psychology.
1:30—2:00 p.m.
CON5.IS02
Building Local Community: Integrating Local and Global
Learning in University through Co-Curricular and
Residence Programming
Megan Lott (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Genelle Martin (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Steve Sider (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Residence Learning Communities have been identified as one of Laurier’s high impact practices in
supporting the institution’s integrated and engaged learning mandate. Find out how staff and faculty
utilized this practice to bring a vision for creating a Global community to a reality. The goal of the
program is to foster authentic learning opportunities that are truly co-curricular in supporting the
learning that occurs in courses. By providing peer-to-peer networking, faculty connection and learning
experiences to complement the students’ interest in global issues, this community inspires students to
be informed, change-making citizens. Students are challenged in the community to answer the
question: how can we think global and act local?
32
Responding to broader community and social needs for universities to nurture global-minded
students, the Global RLC has created a community where first-year students feel comfortable sharing
their experiences, ideas, and opinions of local and global issues. Attend this session to hear how
predetermined learning outcomes were achieved by staff led experiences, but also learn how bringing
a group of like-minded students together led to organic and impactful conversations in hallways and
common areas. Hear what students have to say about their experience living and learning in the
Global RLC, and what’s next for them.
1:00—2:00 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #5
Session 5—Information Session
Two 25 Minute Presentations
Bricker Academic—211
1:00—1:30 p.m.
CON5.IS03
Wilfrid Laurier University Pairs Undergraduate and
International Students in an Innovative Intercultural
Experiment
Nwora Azubike (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Valerie Kilgour (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Phyllis Power (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Stacey Wilson-Forsberg (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Thursday
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Many international students study at Canadian universities for up to four years and return to their home
with no Canadian friends. English-language learners, in particular, may have no meaningful contact with
English-speaking peers on Canadian university campuses. During the fall 2014 semester, Laurier
International and the Human Rights & Human Diversity program set out on a bold, mutually beneficial
learning experience to encourage contact between undergraduate and international students. By engaging
the Laurier English and Academic Foundation (LEAF) Program – an English program for students who meet
WLU’s academic requirements, but not its English proficiency requirements – as our community partner, we
paired undergraduate students in HR 261 Multiculturalism with students in the LEAF Program. While
spending a mandatory 20 hours together over the semester, the students learned about each other’s
norms, values, and language and walked away from the exercise having built long-term friendships. The
initiative provided participants with an opportunity to experience the Laurier and larger Brantford
communities through each other’s eyes.
1:30—2:00 p.m.
CON5.IS04
Youth Leader on Board: Leadership Development by Engaging
Students on Boards of Directors of Not for Profit
Organizations
Dr. Rosemary A. McGowan (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Madeleine Smyth (Wilfrid Laurier University)
The Youth Leader on Board (YLOB) program is designed to enhance a student’s personal leadership
development by having an opportunity to serve as a student member on the Board of Directors of a nonprofit organization. Originally funded through a WLU Special Initiatives grant and more recently by the
Smith and Woltz Family Foundation grant, the YLOB program is based on the view that non profit board
involvement is an excellent opportunity for leadership development (LD) (Korngold, 2006). Modelled on the
Youth on Board program offered by Leadership Waterloo Region (www.leadershipwaterlooregion.org), as
well as U.S. postsecondary programs such as the non profit board leadership programs at Wharton
University (http://wlp.wharton.upenn.edu/MBA/nonprofit-board-leadership-pro.cfm) and Columbia
University (http://www4.gsb.columbia.edu/socialenterprise/alumni/nonprofitboard), the YLOB program at
Laurier Brantford is currently in its third year. Students’ understanding of leadership and decision making is
enhanced by introducing them to Board activities, engaging them in Board meetings, and in some cases
having them participate in Board subcommittees. This initiative strengthens the linkages between the
university and local organizations, and meets an expressed desire of Boards for the youth perspective.
From a career perspective, involvement in a non-profit board may lead to a lifelong involvement with the
non-profit sector and/or serve as an important foundation to future Board involvement.
The criteria for participation in the program will be discussed in the presentation. The presentation will also
describe the application and promotion processes, the Board governance workshop, and ongoing activities
designed to foster program success.
References:
Korngold, A. (2006). Developing visionary leaders. Leader to leader, Spring, 45-50.
33
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Thursday
1:00—2:00 p.m.
Session 5—Panel Discussion
CONCURRENT SESSION #5
Bricker Academic—202
CON5.PD01
Participant Reflections on Laurier’s Community
Engagement Option
Dr. Michel Desjardins (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Heather Montgomery (The Working Centre)
Gail Roth (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Dr. Bob Sharpe (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Moderator: Dr. Edmund Pries (Wilfrid Laurier University)
In the Fall 2014, Laurier’s Faculty of Arts introduced its new mini-specialization known as the
Community Engagement (CE) Option. To develop this Option the Faculty of Arts partnered with
Laurier’s Centre for Community Service-Learning (CCSL), and The Working Centre (TWC), a “nonprofit, community-based, volunteer inspired venture” in downtown Kitchener. The aim of the CE
Option is to integrate meaningful community service with classroom instruction and critical reflection.
Over the Fall and Winter terms, two dozen 3rd and 4th year Arts students have taken three courses in
locations throughout downtown Kitchener. They have gained practical experience in placements with
a variety of Working Centre projects and complemented this engagement with thoughtful reading,
reflection and discourse. Preliminary assessment indicates that the CE Option has been an especially
meaningful collaboration for those involved, and offers students a distinctive program in community
engagement.
For this panel session, students, faculty, CSL practitioner and a community partner will offer
reflections on their experience in the first offering of the CE Option. Each panelist is invited to address
three questions from their perspective as participants in this collaboration: What has been especially
meaningful for you in the implementation of the CE Option? What would you highlight as the main
learning outcomes of the CE Option courses? What would you suggest could be revised or improved
for next year?
1:00—2:00 p.m.
Session 5—Workshop
Bricker Academic—208
CON5.W01
An Indigenous Experience of Mobilizing Community
Strength and Wholistic Knowledge
Dr. Kathy Absolon-King (Wilfrid Laurier University)
In this session I will provide participants with an opportunity to explore community based Indigenous
research methods and how these methods mobilize community knowledge and strengths. As a social
worker and Indigenous educator, my practice in education is integral to my community practice and
research. Being both a community member, worker and educator are all linked together. Mobilizing
and exploring community partnerships in higher education moves us to become real. Being grounded
in Indigenous community needs and providing opportunities for learning, growing and healing are, for
me, inextricably bound together. My research, teaching and community practice are woven together.
This workshop provides a look into how I attempt to achieve this while based in higher education. One
example explores a team project I am involved in. This project is a community based research project
called “Walking the Prevention Circle – Abuse & Violence Prevention Education in First Nations
Communities”. This project is a SSHRC funded project and involves very interesting collaborations
between universities, community and organizational partners. The process of mobilizing community
strengths and methodologies is integral to our research and project. I will share my role in this
project and how we collectively work to mobilize community strengths.
This session will employ an Indigenous approach to teaching and sharing. Participants will be asked to
share their location and experiences. We will engage in drumming and singing. Participants will leave
the session with more awareness of how Indigenous methodologies contribute to research, teaching
and mobilizing community.
34
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Session 5—Workshop
Bricker Academic—209
CON5.W02
Embracing Ambiguity in Short-Term International Service
Learning: A Workshop on the Grey Zone
Stephen Svenson (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Short-term International Service Learning can be said to exist within an ethical grey zone. The debate
regarding its value and impacts is generally polarized between those with concerns about the negative
impacts on communities (the knockers) and those that see these sorts of trips as beneficial to student
development (the boosters). One side is seen as “raining on the parade” and emphasizing the
negative aspects of short-term service learning while the other is cast as engaging in “wilful blindness”
or being too “Pollyanna” in their attempts to deliver meaningful educational experiences to students.
Thursday
1:00—2:00 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION #5
Recognizing that short-term international service learning is popular both with students and
administrations, the idea of this workshop is to move this polarized discussion away from the
discourse of boosters and knockers to an engagement with the complexity and ambiguity inherent in
the ethical collision that is the short–term international service learning trip.
After presenting a few case studies of short-term international service learning in the post-Katrina Gulf
Coast that highlight this ethical grey zone, participants will be invited to share their own experiences.
The ensuing discussion will attempt to tease out how a reflexive engagement with the grey zone of
short-term international service learning, working through the ethical collisions inherent, can enhance
educational and citizenship outcomes for students and mitigate negative impacts on communities.
The workshop will begin to develop a best-practices pedagogy for administrations, educators, and
students for these kinds of trips.
2:00—2:15 p.m.
2:15—3:45 p.m.
Break & Transition
Closing Keynote
Bricker Academic—110
Bricker Academic—101
Building the Engaged University
In this closing keynote we will work together on each of the key aspects identified in the opening
keynote on building the engaged university. The focus will be on what is worth pursuing and how to
make it happen. The outcome of the workshop will be recommendations on a small agreed set of key
actions to be taken to your institution to ensure that the engagement strategy is effectively linked,
leveraged, tracked, supported and led.
Dr. Geoff Scott, Emeritus Professor of Higher Education and Sustainability, University of Western
Sydney
3:45—4:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks
Bricker Academic—101
35
Presenters
IELC 2105 Presenter List
36
Absolon-King, Kathy
Wilfrid Laurier University
Hurst, Ada
University of Waterloo
Ackerman, Michael
Wilfrid Laurier University
Kane, Lynn
Wilfrid Laurier University
Akinyemi, Elizabeth
Wilfrid Laurier University
Khan, Ayesha
McMaster University
Arslantas, Fatma
Wilfrid Laurier University
Khatiwada, Bharat
Wilfrid Laurier University
Azubike, Nwora
Wilfrid Laurier University
Kilgour, Valerie
Wilfrid Laurier University
Bauman, Shane
Wilfrid Laurier University
Kolberg, Carson
Meal In A Jar
Bedard, Tara
Region of Waterloo
Lawrence, Lindsay
Wilfrid Laurier University
Black, Glenda
Nipissing University
LeGros, Nadine
Wilfrid Laurier University
Boylan, Mike
Wilfrid Laurier University
Lindo, Laura Mae
Wilfrid Laurier University
Brockett, Gavin
Wilfrid Laurier University
Long, Tristan
Wilfrid Laurier University
Church, Mark
Laurier LaunchPad
Lott, Megan
Wilfrid Laurier University
Davidson, Lynne
Habitat for Humanity Brant
MacNeil, Stephen
Wilfrid Laurier University
Dawe, Louise
Wilfrid Laurier University
Maly, Ken
Wilfrid Laurier University
De, Sandeep
Laurier LaunchPad
Mandell, Deena
Wilfrid Laurier University
De Luna Villaón, Maria
Wilfrid Laurier University
Mansour, Firas
University of Waterloo
De Souza, Paulo
Global Village – Habitat for
Humanity Canada
Martin, Genelle
Wilfrid Laurier University
Dinsmore, Jeff
Wilfrid Laurier University
Matthews, Sara
Wilfrid Laurier University
Dodd, Warren
University of Guelph
McGowan, Rosemary
Wilfrid Laurier University
Donahue, Peter
Wilfrid Laurier University
McKay, Bruce
Wilfrid Laurier University
Donelson, Rob
Wilfrid Laurier University
McPhedran-McLeod, Jan
Wilfrid Laurier University
Duncan, Carol
Wilfrid Laurier University
Mensah, Cassandra
Wilfrid Laurier University
Eisler, Lauren
Wilfrid Laurier University
Mitchell, Jeff
English Never Stops
Fanjoy, Lisa
Wilfrid Laurier University
Mitchell, Elizabeth
Wilfrid Laurier University
Farquhar, Lynn
Wilfrid Laurier University
Mohamed, Samar
University of Waterloo
Feagan, Robert
Wilfrid Laurier University
Montgomery, Heather
The Working Centre
Fellin, Melissa
Wilfrid Laurier University
Mueller, Julie
Wilfrid Laurier University
Ferguson, Alysha
Wilfrid Laurier University
Nawaz, Ayesha
Wilfrid Laurier University
FitzGerald, Carolyn
Wilfrid Laurier University
Neil, Mary
Wilfrid Laurier University
Goodwin, David
University of Waterloo
Nosko, Amanda
Wilfrid Laurier University
Greenfield, Mair
Nipissing University
Power, Phyllis
Wilfrid Laurier University
Grove, Jason
University of Waterloo
Pries, Edmund
Wilfrid Laurier University
Haddock, John
YMCA
Rennick, Chris
University of Waterloo
Harrison, Jay
Wilfrid Laurier University
Robert, Dan
Wilfrid Laurier University
Harrison, Lucia
KW Multiculturalism
Roberts, Kim
Wilfrid Laurier University
Hartman, Laura
Bloorview Research Institute
Robinson, Mary
University of Waterloo
Roth, Gail
Wilfrid Laurier University
Rowinsky-Geurts, Mercedes
Wilfrid Laurier University
Scott, Geoff
University of Western Sydney
Sharify-Funk, Meena
Wilfrid Laurier University
Sharpe, Bob
Wilfrid Laurier University
Shorey, David
Wilfrid Laurier University
Shrestha, Amrita
Wilfrid Laurier University
Sider, Steve
Wilfrid Laurier University
Smyth, Madeleine
Wilfrid Laurier University
Svenson, Stephen
Wilfrid Laurier University
Tomasson-Goodwin, Jill
University of Waterloo
Tuchlinsky, Joan
Sexual Assualt Support Centre of
Waterloo Region
Vasic, Jen
Wilfrid Laurier University
Vetter, Diane
York University
Vorsteveld, Jessica
Wilfrid Laurier University
Walker, Kimberlee
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wallar, Lauren
University of Guelph
Walton-Roberts, Margaret
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wiese, Jessica
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilson-Forsberg, Stacey
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wood, Eileen
Wilfrid Laurier University
Presenters
IELC 2105 Presenter List
37
Biographies
Kathy Absolon
Wilfrid Laurier University
Sanjeev Bedi
University of Waterloo
Mark Church
Wilfrid Laurier University
Kathy Absolon is Anishinaabekwe
from Flying Post First Nation and is
the Program Coordinator and faculty
member in the MSW Aboriginal Field
of Study. Circle learning has been a
primary teacher/learner for Kathy in
both cultural and educational
settings.
Sanjeev Bedi was the Director of the
Mechatronics Program from 2006–
2012. During this time he took the
program through two accreditation
cycles by the Canadian Engineering
Accreditation Board. As the emphasis
of the accreditation was changing to
outcome-based assessment (OBA),
Prof. Bedi was instrumental in
bringing OBA to the Mechatronics
Faculty and in embedding this
philosophy into the design of the
mechatronics program. Currently,
Prof. Bedi is spearheading the
Engineering Ideas Clinic, a concept
that has strong roots in the
outcome-based method of learning.
Mark has worked in business strategy
and product development, and is now
applying these skills to mentoring
startup companies in LaunchPad and
through the JumpStart program.
Michael Ackerman
Wilfrid Laurier University
Michael Ackerman is a professor in
English at Wilfrid Laurier University –
Brantford campus. His primary
research interests involve
inter-disciplinary approaches to
improving pedagogy, addressing
issues of gender, and examining the
Aboriginal experience in Canada.
Fatma Arslantas
Wilfrid Laurier University
Fatma Arslantas is a fourth year
psychology undergraduate student at
Wilfrid Laurier University. She is
investigating the impact of study
skills instruction for student learning
as part of her research requirements
for her program. She is interested in
Human Learning, Psychology of
Power, and Fractal Patterning.
Nwora Azubike
Wilfrid Laurier University
Nwora is from South-East, Nigeria.
Nwora trained as a Chef at the South
African Chefs' Academy, which
introduced him to the multicultural
world of hospitality in South Africa
and Canada. He also studied "Custom
Border Services" at Niagara College
and transferred his diploma credits to
Human Rights Human Diversity at
Wilfrid Laurier University. He will be
interning in Ghana this summer and
he loves to write and talk.
Shane Bauman
Wilfrid Laurier University
Shane has been working at Laurier as
a mathematics instructor for the last
seven years. Many of the courses he
teaches are large, first-year classes
so he is always looking for new
strategies to keep the students
engaged.
Tara Bedard
Region of Waterloo
MBA International Management
(Centenary) BA (International
Development Studies (Toronto)
13 years Program Manager
Researcher/Program Director
European Roma Rights Centre, Budapest, Hungary
38
Glenda L. Black
Nipissing University
Glenda L. Black is an Assistant
Professor at Nipissing University. As a
member of the Schulich School of
Education, she teaches in the
Bachelor of Education and Graduate
Studies programs. Glenda is a faculty
facilitator for the Biidaaban
Community Service-Learning (BCSL)
program.
Mike Boylan
Wilfrid Laurier University
Mike Boylan works at Laurier
International, and brings professional
experience designing and facilitating
experiential education with Outward
Bound Canada, Canada World Youth,
as well as International Service
Learning with Habitat Global Village.
Mike is particularly interested in
enhancing student learning outcomes
on international trips, as well as
developing tools to evaluate the
impact of international travel on
student’s learning and personal
development.
Gavin Brockett
Wilfrid Laurier University
Gavin Brockett is Associate Professor
of History and Religion & Culture at
Wilfrid Laurier University.
Co-coordinator of the Muslim Studies
Option, his introductory course on
Muslim Studies has been built around
the use of technology to facilitate
active learning across international
boundaries. He is an expert on
Turkish and Islamic history, and the
contemporary Middle East. A Laurier
Teaching Fellow, he is currently
engaged in two research projects
related to active learning and
internationalization through global
connections in the classroom.
Lynne Davidson
Habitat for Humanity Brant
Lynne Davidson is the Coordinator of
People & Community Partnerships for
Habitat Brant. Her role is to recruit
volunteers, families, manage special
events and social media, and web
communication. She is interested in
developing partnerships with diverse
individuals and groups in the
community as she would like
everyone to have the opportunity to
get involved in this great organization
that aims to help local families gain
access to affordable home ownership.
Louise Dawe
Wilfrid Laurier University
Louise Dawe is an assistant professor
of Chemistry. She holds a Bachelor of
Education degree and a PhD in
Chemistry from Memorial University of
Newfoundland. She is actively
involved in the North American
crystallographic community, where
she is the scientific program co-chair
for the 2015 meeting of the American
Crystallographic Association, taking
place in Philadelphia in July 2015.
Sandeep De
Wilfrid Laurier University
Program Director, Laurier Launchpad
Program. Program architect, content
author, team leader, lead instructor /
advisor to 80+ startup teams at the
MBA and undergraduate level.
Maria Eugenia de Luna Villaón
Wilfrid Laurier University
Dr. María Eugenia de Luna is an
Assistant Professor of Spanish in the
Department of Languages and
Literatures at Wilfrid Laurier
University. She teaches language,
literature and linguistic courses. Her
research interests focus on the
pedagogy of teaching and learning
Spanish as a Second Language as well
as in the interrelation between
Language and Migration from a
sociolinguistic point of view.
Peter Donahue
Wilfrid Laurier University
Lisa Fanjoy
Wilfrid Laurier University
Michel Desjardins is Associate Dean of
Arts: Curriculum and Research, and
Professor of Religion and Culture at
Laurier. He was responsible for
facilitating the development and
introduction of the university's new
Community Engagement program,
which was nearly two years in the
making and started in September
2014. During this period he also
developed an Arts-based Social
Entrepreneurship program. Michel is
a 3M National Teaching Fellow.
Career working with newcomers to
Canada spans 25 years, from
Settlement Worker to International
Student Advisor to Associate Director
of International Student Services.
Currently works in partnership with
various academic departments,
service units and individual faculty
and students to develop a
comprehensive approach to the
education and support of international
students that intentionally prepares
them to be active and engaged
participants during their time at
Laurier and in the Waterloo Region.
Lisa Fanjoy (MA, 2014, Royal Roads
University) is the manager of online
learning and instructional design in
the Centre for Teaching Innovation
and Excellence at Laurier. She
manages the design and delivery of
undergraduate online courses. Lisa’s
masters research focused on the role
of community in online courses as an
aid in student retention.
Paulo de Souza
Global Village - Habitat for Humanity
Canada
Paulo de Souza works as a Program
Coordinator for Global Village, a
program of Habitat for Humanity
Canada that sends volunteers
abroad, as well as Canada and the
USA , to help Habitat in each host
location to provide decent affordable
housing for families in need. Previous
to working with Habitat Paulo worked
with a local not-for profit. He is a
Wilfrid Laurier Alumni and has a
degree in Development and
International Studies.
Jeffrey Dinsmore
Wilfrid Laurier University
Jeff Dinsmore is a fourth year
Chemistry Honours student attending
Wilfrid Laurier University. He is
actively pursuing research in chemical
education and hopes to apply his
finding to further curriculum
development at the undergraduate
level. After finishing his degree in
Chemistry he plans to obtain his BEd
degree, and then continue doing
research towards improved models of
teaching and learning at all levels.
Warren Dodd
University of Guelph
Warren Dodd is a PhD Candidate and
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholar from
the Department of Population
Medicine at the University of Guelph.
He also works as a Project Manager at
the Institute for Community Engaged
Scholarship at the University of
Guelph where he is engaged in
several community-university
partnerships around poverty
reduction, health, and food security.
In addition, Warren is the Graduate
Student Representative on the
Executive Steering Committee of
Community Based Research Canada.
Rob Donelson
Wilfrid Laurier University
Having led award-winning
advancement programs in higher
education and healthcare, Rob is
currently VP: Development & Alumni
Relations at Laurier. He led the first
registered charity in Canada to earn
Imagine Canada’s Ethical Fundraising
License and the first Canadian
university to earn its Standards
Accreditation. He is on the Board of
the Canadian Council for the
Advancement of Education, and was
named the 2013 Outstanding
Fundraising Professional by the
Association of Fundraising
Professionals.
Carol B. Duncan
Wilfrid Laurier University
Carol B. Duncan is chair and associate
professor in the Department of
Religion and Culture at Wilfrid Laurier
University. She is a 3M National
Teaching Fellow with research
interests in the scholarship of
teaching and learning, Caribbean
religion and culture, the African
diaspora and religion and popular
culture.
Lauren D. Eisler
Wilfrid Laurier University
Dr. Lauren Eisler is in the Department
of Criminology Wilfrid Laurier
University. She spent two terms as
the Chair of the Department. She
teaches advanced theory at the
undergraduate and graduate level
and in the area of youth justice. She
has published in Critical Criminology,
Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice,
and the International Journal of Social
Inquiry. In 2013, Dr. Eisler became
the Inter-Faculty Associate Dean:
Academic Development in the newly
formed Central Academic Unit.
Lynn Farquhar
Wilfrid Laurier University
Lynn Farquhar has taught through the
Centre for Adult Education and
Community Outreach at Brock
University since 2008, and also at the
Laurier English and Academic
Foundations Program since 2010. Her
research interests include distance
education theory and practice,
transformative learning, educational
gerontology, and wisdom
development.
Biographies
Michel Desjardins
Wilfrid Laurier University
Robert Feagan
Wilfrid Laurier University
Robert Feagan explores community
service learning with his students
through a diversity of community
organization partnerships
domestically and internationally (in
Peru and El Salvador). He is initiating
a local partnership among Habitat for
Humanity, Brant Native Housing, and
Laurier in the hopes of creating a
path for involving Laurier students in
what is being called global
engagement @ Home, and deepening
learning and integration efforts with
the Haudenosaunee people via the
theme shelter and culture.
Melissa Fellin, PhD
Wilfrid Laurier University
Melissa Fellin is a Research Associate
at Bloorview Research Institute at
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation
Hospital and a part-time, Assistant
Professor and Faculty Associate at
Wilfrid Laurier University. Her
research focuses on children and
youth experiences of education and
health care, including their transitions
into post-secondary education.
39
Biographies
Alysha Ferguson
Wilfrid Laurier University
Jason Grove
University of Waterloo
Ada Hurst
University of Waterloo
Alysha is the Residence Experiential
Learning Coordinator for the
Department of Residence on the
Brantford and Waterloo campuses.
Alysha provides 300+ first year
students with leadership roles in
residence, and programming to
3000+ first year students. Alysha also
supports the development and
delivery of training modules to
Department of Residence student
staff, and is continuously mobilizing
research on student trends to develop
experiential learning opportunities
that support the social, emotional,
and intellectual development of
students.
Dr. Jason Grove is the Graduate
Attributes Lecturer in Chemical
Engineering at the University of
Waterloo. He has experience teaching
in the department at all
undergraduate levels, from first-year
through to the capstone design
project and technical electives.
Jason’s teaching interests include
experiential learning and the
measurement of outcomes. His
professional interests include
sustainability, greenhouse gas
emissions and lifecycle assessment.
Ada Hurst is a Lecturer and Industry
Liaison in the Department of
Management Sciences at the
University of Waterloo. She has
taught and coordinated the capstone
design project course for the
Management Engineering program
since 2011. She also teaches courses
in organizational theory, technology,
and behaviour. Ada`s research and
teaching interests include decision
making under uncertainty, subjective
probability, gender issues in STEM
disciplines, experiential and online
learning, team processes, and peer
assessment.
Carolyn FitzGerald
Wilfrid Laurier University
John Haddock is the Chief Executive
Officer of the YMCAs of Cambridge &
Kitchener-Waterloo and has been a
CEO within the Canadian YMCAs for
over 25 years. Immigrant Services
provided by the YMCAs in Region
include welcoming, orientation,
settlement, training and employment
of new immigrants. John was the
Chair of the Waterloo Region’s Local
Immigration Partnership from 2013 to
2105 and is its current Past Chair.
Dr. Carolyn FitzGerald (Ph.D., 2002,
University of Western Ontario) is an
Assistant Professor in the Faculty of
Education at Wilfrid Laurier University
in Waterloo, Ontario Canada, where
she teaches graduate and
undergraduate courses in Learning
and Child Development, Learning
Theories and Equity and
Diversity. She is currently involved in
a project to develop and offer a
blended comprehensive course on
Mental Health Issues in Education to
practicing professionals.
David Goodwin
University of Waterloo
David Goodwin is an Associate
Professor in the faculty of Arts at the
University of Waterloo. He instructs in
the Digital Arts Communication
program, and is a co-founder of both
the Canadian Centre for Arts and
Technology and its Research
Entrepreneurship Acceleration (REAP)
initiative.
Mair Greenfield
Nipissing University
Mair Greenfield is a Community
Service-Learning Officer at Nipissing
University. She is responsible for
overseeing, recruitment, training,
placing and supporting students while
connecting student, community, and
faculty in local schools and not-forprofit organizations in over 45
partners in North Bay, Nipissing First
Nation and surrounding area.
John Haddock
YMCA
Lynn Kane has a Master’s in English
degree with a focus on critical
disability studies and the politics of
representation and inclusion. She has
applied her interests in this area to
her role in Laurier’s Diversity and
Equity Office where she works with a
dynamic team to help build a more
equitable and just campus
community.
Jay Harrison
Wilfrid Laurier University
Ayesha Khan
McMaster University
Jay was the project coordinator for
The Change Project, a universitycommunity collaboration to address
gendered violence against students
and started in this role while enrolled
as a student in the Master of Social
Work program at Wilfrid Laurier
University. Jay’s involvement in this
project builds on her previous
experience of teaching, research and
student organizing on issues related
to gendered violence as an
undergraduate student at Laurier.
Dr. Ayesha Khan is an emerging
researcher in the scholarship of
teaching and learning. Her research
interests explore ways through which
the undergraduate student
experience can be enhanced by
incorporating experiential education
in small and large enrolment courses.
Lucia Harrison
KW Multiculturalism
Lucia Harrison is the Executive
Director of the Kitchener-Waterloo
Multicultural Centre (KWMC), where
she has worked for 16 years. Lucia is
a past Chair and a current member of
the Immigration Partnership. She
has served on the boards of
numerous local and provincial
organizations and agencies, and
presently sits on the board of the
Ontario Council of Agencies Serving
Immigrants and Youth in Conflict With
the Law.
Laura Hartman
Bloorview Research Institute
Laura Hartman is a Postdoctoral
Fellow in the TRAIL (TRansitions And
Inclusive environments Lab) at
Bloorview Research Institute focusing
on various healthcare and educationrelated transitions for youth with
disabilities.
40
Lynn Kane
Wilfrid Laurier University
Valerie Kilgour
Wilfrid Laurier University
Valerie Kilgour is the Manager of the
Laurier English and Academic
Foundation (LEAF) Program, Laurier’s
ESL and academic preparatory
program. Previous to Laurier, Valerie
taught English in China, Japan, and
Canada. Valerie’s passion in the LEAF
Program is to help students not only
improve their English, but also adjust
and prepare for the challenges and
joys of university life in Canada,
including integrating LEAF students
into the Laurier and broader
community.
Carson Kolberg
Wilfrid Laurier University
Carson is a co-founder of Meal In A
Jar, an innovative fresh and healthy
meal alternative.
Tristan Long
Wilfrid Laurier University
Firas Mansour
University of Waterloo
Dr. Lafrenière teaches Master's and
Ph.D. levels courses in research
methods, diversity, community
development and social change. She
is the founding Director of the Social
Innovation Research Group (S.I.R.G),
a research and training incubator
comprised of a multidisciplinary group
of researchers and community
practitioners dedicated to university/
community collaboration. She was
recently appointed the Director of the
Manulife Centre for Community
Health Research.
Tristan received his BSc in Honours
Ecology and Evolution in 1999, from
the University of Western Ontario,
MSc in Zoology in 2001 from the
University of Guelph, and PhD in
Biology in 2005 from Queen’s
University. Prior to joining Laurier, he
was a postdoctoral fellow in the
Department of Ecology, Evolution and
Marine Biology at the University of
California Santa Barbara (20052009), and in the Department of
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,
University of Toronto (2009-2010).
Lindsay Lawrence
Wilfrid Laurier University
Megan Lott
Wilfrid Laurier University
Firas Mansour is a Lecturer at the
Department of Physics and
Astronomy at the University of
Waterloo. He has been teaching
introductory physics since 2001 to
both majors and non-majors. Firas
has co-authored a textbook on Intro
Physics for Scientists and Engineers
and is interested in the creation and
implementation of interactive and
engaging teaching approaches. Firas
is also involved in the creation and
ongoing investigation and testing of
novel platforms aiming to transform
the learning experience and to
provide students with applicable
professional and life skills.
Lindsay Lawrence is the Building
Bridges program coordinator and
Access & Transition Officer in the
Centre for Student Success at Wilfrid
Laurier University. She earned a MEd
in Higher Education Leadership from
the University of Calgary after
completing the Business
Administration program at Laurier.
She enjoys working with students to
help them reach their academic and
career goals.
Megan Lott is the Residence Academic
Initiatives Coordinator for the
Department of Residence, at Wilfrid
Laurier University. Working alongside
a talented and hardworking residence
team, Megan creates and supervises
Residence Learning Communities, the
First Year Residence Experience
curriculum and residence-wide
programming aimed at enhancing
student learning opportunities.
Nadine LeGros
Wilfrid Laurier University
Please see page 25 for full biography.
Laura Mae Lindo
Wilfrid Laurier University
Dr. Laura Mae Lindo is the Director in
the Diversity and Equity Office at
Wilfrid Laurier University. With a
mandate to support faculty, staff and
students, Dr. Lindo uses her
expertise in critical race theory,
critical pedagogy and Education more
broadly, to encourage
long-term commitment to diversity,
equity and social justice. Her research
interests include exploring humour as
pedagogy and, more specifically,
calling on humour in educational
environments in and outside of
traditional classrooms as a starting
point for critical interrogations of
hegemonic discourses.
Sally Lindsay
Bloorview Research Institute
Sally Lindsay is a Scientist at
Bloorview Research Institute, Holland
Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
and Assistant Professor, Dept.
Occupational Science and
Occupational Therapy, University of
Toronto. Her research focuses on the
participation and inclusion of youth
with disabilities.
Steve MacNeil
Wilfrid Laurier University
Steve MacNeil is an Associate
Professor of Chemistry at Wilfrid
Laurier University. He has taught
introductory and intermediate courses
in organic chemistry for the past 11
years, striving to convince students
that organic chemistry is not the
hardest, most hated course on
campus. His efforts are focused on
improving teaching and learning in
higher education through
implementation and dissemination of
research-based teaching methods.
Ken Maly
Wilfrid Laurier University
Ken Maly completed his PhD in
Chemistry at Queen's University.
Following an NSERC postdoctoral
fellowship at the Université de
Montréal, he joined the Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry at
Wilfrid Laurier University in 2006. His
research is in the area of organic
materials chemistry and his teaching
experience has ranged from first year
chemistry to senior level organic
chemistry courses where he strives to
incorporate active learning strategies
in these classes.
Biographies
Ginette Lafreniere
Wilfrid Laurier University
Genelle Martin
Wilfrid Laurier University
Genelle Martin is a third year Wilfrid
Laurier University student in the
Honours Political Science program
with a research specialization in
International Relations. (Waterloo,
Ontario) She works for the
Department of Residence, as an
experienced Don with a residence
learning community tailored towards
engaged community
involvement. She is an editor for the
school newspaper and works as a
Student Leadership Ambassador on
campus.
Sara Matthews
Wilfrid Laurier University
Sara Matthews is Associate Professor
in the Department of Global Studies
at WLU. She is currently teaching her
second Walls 2 Bridges course at
Grand Valley Institute for Women and
is also involved in a collaborative
study that explores how teachers
encounter the possibilities and
challenges of working with the Walls
2 Bridges pedagogical model.
Rosemary A. McGowan
Wilfrid Laurier University
Rosemary A. McGowan, PhD, is an
associate professor of Business
Technology Management and
Leadership at Wilfrid Laurier
University. She is a member of the
International Leadership Association
and the Association of Leadership
Educators and she has taught
leadership courses for the past
decade.
Deena Mandell
Wilfrid Laurier University
Please see page 25 for full biography.
41
Biographies
Bruce McKay
Wilfrid Laurier University
Samar Mohamed
University of Waterloo
Amanda Nosko
Wilfrid Laurier University
Dr. Bruce McKay is an Associate
Professor in the Department of
Psychology. He teaches courses on
the brain, pharmacology, and
recreational and therapeutic drug
use. His animal-based neurobiology
research focuses on mechanisms by
which drugs change brain and
behaviour; his human research
focuses on biological/psychological/
sociological factors that contribute to
alcohol and other drug use in
undergraduate students and their
impacts on mental health and
academic outcomes. Dr. McKay is the
recipient of the 2015 Award for
Teaching Excellence at Laurier.
Dr. Samar Mohamed is the Center for
Teaching Excellence liaison at the
Faculty of Engineering. Part of her
role is to work closely with
engineering instructors on designing
pedagogically sound teaching and
learning activities that align with their
intended learning outcomes and
assessment methods. Samar also
teaches at the department of
Electrical and Computer Engineering,
she has implemented one of the ideas
clinic activities in her Fall 2014 course
on electromagnetic devices
Dr. Amanda Nosko (Ph.D., 2011,
Wilfrid Laurier University) is an
Instructional Designer and Instructor
of Psychology at Wilfrid Laurier
University. Amanda provides
pedagogical support for online course
developments and has extensive
experience with university teaching,
course design and development, as
well as quality standards research for
both in-class and online courses.
Amanda also teaches undergraduate
courses in Educational Psychology
and Social Psychology at Wilfrid
Laurier University and the University
of Waterloo.
Jan McPhedran-McLeod
Wilfrid Laurier University
Heather Montgomery is a community
builder at The Working Centre who
supports the CE Option as a
community partner. A Laurier
alumna, Heather has spent more than
15 years working in the non-profit
sector and is passionate about the
potential of community-university
partnerships that build genuine
understanding and knowledge
transfer between sectors. Prior to
joining The Working Centre, Heather
worked at United Way, St. Jerome's
University, and as an independent
consultant and facilitator.
Jan McPhedran-McLeod is a former
teacher, guidance counsellor and
principal with the Waterloo Region
District School Board.
Cassandra Mensah
Wilfrid Laurier University
Cassandra Mensah is a third year
Women and Gender Studies student
leading a student-run campaign
dedicated to combatting gendered
violence within the WLU community.
Elizabeth Mitchell
Wilfrid Laurier University
Elizabeth Mitchell, music therapist
accredited, has been a part-time
instructor and clinical supervisor in
the department of music therapy at
Laurier since 2007, and is a PhD
candidate at The University of
Western Ontario in the department of
music education. Formerly the music
therapist at Lutherwood Mental
Health Services in Waterloo, she
currently works as the choral
conductor for “El Sistema Aeolian”, an
inclusive children’s choir in London,
and sings with the Canadian Chamber
Choir.
Jeff Mitchell
Wilfrid Laurier University
Jeff is a passionate advocate for
English education, and a qualified
English as a Second Language
educator.
Heather Montgomery
The Working Centre
Julie Mueller
Wilfrid Laurier University
Dr. Julie Mueller is an Associate
Professor in the Faculty of Education
at Laurier, where she teaches
graduate and undergraduate courses
in Learning and Child Development;
Integration of Technology, Pedagogy
and Content; and Health and Physical
Education Teaching Methods. Julie’s
current SSHRC-funded research
examines the assessment of
problem-solving in a digital world.
She is currently the President of the
Canadian Association of Teacher
Education.
Ayesha Nawaz
Wilfrid Laurier University
Ayesha Nawaz earned her MA in
history from Wilfrid Laurier University
in 2014. A certified teacher, she
worked as a Research Assistant in the
study and support of globally
connected active learning courses at
Laurier in the winter of 2015.
Mary Neil
Wilfrid Laurier University
Mary Neil is a graduate student
engaged in independent research
involving student learning. She is
interested in the impact of culture
and identity as it supports or inhibits
student well-being, growth and
learning in varied academic contexts.
Mary also has research interests in
migration, food, and affect studies.
42
Andrew Papadopoulos
University of Guelph
Dr. Andrew Papadopoulos is an
Associate Professor and Coordinator
of the Master of Public Health
Program. He joined the Department
of Population Medicine in July 2008.
Previously, he was an Associate
Professor and Director, School of
Occupational and Public Health,
Ryerson University for four years. His
professional experience includes
being the Executive Director of the
Association of Local Public Health
Agencies for six years and working in
local public health for nine years.
Phyllis Power
Wilfrid Laurier University
Phyllis Power is the Manager, Global
Engagement Programming, with
Laurier International. Phyllis has
worked in international education
since 1991. Phyllis led projects for
Canada World Youth, in Uruguay,
Jamaica and Egypt; managed
International Development Projects
for the University of New Brunswick in
China, Cuba and Viet Nam; led
intercultural training for Department
of Foreign Affairs, Trade and
Development. Ensuring that Laurier
graduates can develop innovative
solutions for the future by
collaborating effectively with people
with diverse perspectives is Phyllis’
goal.
Edmund Pries
Wilfrid Laurier University
Edmund Pries (PhD) is an Assistant
Professor of Global Studies at Wilfrid
Laurier University. His current
research focuses on citizenship and
military loyalty oaths. Edmund is the
recipient of teaching excellence
awards from Wilfrid Laurier University
(2011) and the Ontario Confederation
of University Faculty Associations
(OCUFA) (2014). He taught the
capstone course in the inaugural year
of the new Community Engagement
Option. He also serves on the
executive of the Peace and Justice
Studies Association.
Gail Roth
Wilfrid Laurier University
Meena Sharify-Funk
Wilfrid Laurier University
Chris Rennick is an Engineering
Instructional Support Tutor with First
Year Engineering at the University of
Waterloo. In his role at the
University of Waterloo, Chris has
been heavily involved in developing
and delivering hands-on, experiential
learning labs and activities to
undergraduate students since
2010. Chris received his MASc from
the University of Windsor in Electrical
Engineering in 2009.
Gail Roth is the Manager for
Community Service-Learning, Centre
for Teaching Innovation and
Excellence, at Wilfrid Laurier
University. Gail ensures the
integration and strengthening of
curricular service-learning efforts at
the Waterloo & Brantford campus.
Gail began her career at Laurier in
2006, in the Development & Alumni
Relations office. Prior to her role as a
fundraiser she worked in community
programming at the City of Kitchener.
She is currently studying part-time in
Laurier's MSW program.
Meena Sharify-Funk, Ph.D., is an
Associate Professor in Religion and
Culture who specializes in Islamic
studies with a focus on contemporary
Muslim thought and identity. SharifyFunk has written and presented on a
variety of topics, including women
and Islam, Islamic hermeneutics, and
the role of cultural and religious
factors in peacemaking. Her books
include, Encountering the
Transnational: Women, Islam, and
the Politics of Interpretation (2008),
Contemporary Islam: Dynamic, Not
Static (2006), and Cultural Diversity
and Islam (2003).
Dan Robert
Wilfrid Laurier University
As Laurier’s fundraiser for Student
Affairs, Dan is responsible for
managing relationships with external
parties interested in supporting the
Building Bridges program and
attracting prospective donors.
Kim P. Roberts
Wilfrid Laurier University
Dr. Kim P. Roberts has taught at
Laurier for 14 years at both
undergraduate and graduate levels,
and runs the Child Memory Lab to
research children’s cognitive skills in
forensic and educational settings. She
has mostly taught small seminar
courses of 25 or fewer students, and
has supervised the research projects
of over 30 undergraduate and 15
graduate students. She strives to
instil ‘Calm and Confidence’ in these
senior students, and prepare them for
a global workplace.
Mary Robinson
University of Waterloo
Mary Robinson is a Lecturer and an
Associate Director of First Year
Engineering at the University of
Waterloo. Mary has taught a variety
of courses in Chemical Engineering
starting in 2008, spanning first-year
introductory chemistry through to
fourth-year technical electives in food
engineering. Mary's teaching and
research interests include integrative
learning, student retention, gender
issues in STEM, the first-year
experience, teaching with technology,
process safety management, and food
engineering.
Mercedes Rowinsky-Geurts
Wilfrid Laurier University
Mercedes Rowinsky-Geurts has
obtained the 2000 Wilfrid Laurier
Outstanding Teaching Award, the
2005 Faculty Mentoring Award, the
2008 3M National Teaching
Fellowship, the 2012 Ontario
Undergraduate Student Alliance
Award for Teaching Excellence, the
2012 Residence Partnership Award at
Laurier and the 2014 Inaugural
Laurier Teaching Fellowship. She is
associate professor of Spanish and
Associate Dean: Student Affairs and
Special Projects, in the Faculty of
Arts.
Carrie Sanders
Wilfrid Laurier University
Biographies
Chris Rennick
University of Waterloo
Bob Sharpe
Wilfrid Laurier University
Bob Sharpe is an Associate Professor
of Geography and Environmental
Studies in the Faculty of Arts at
Laurier. His primary teaching and
research interests are at the
intersection of human geography,
geospatial thinking and field
experiences. Downtown Kitchener,
where he lives, is a place rich in opportunities for teaching and learning.
Bob is one of the faculty members
responsible for creating the
Community Engagement Option and
taught its inaugural course in the Fall
of 2014.
David Shorey
Wilfrid Laurier University
Carrie Sanders is an Associate
Professor of Criminology at Wilfrid
Laurier University. Her interests
include social constructionism, social
shaping of technology and critical
criminology. Her research foci,
funded by the Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Council of
Canada, include police technology,
policing, and public sociology. Her
research is published in: British
Journal of Criminology; Qualitative
Sociology Review; Policing &
Society: An International Journal,
Canadian Review of Sociology,
Science & Public Policy, Social Science
and Medicine.
Dave has served the Department of
Residence in multiple roles since
2003, supporting the complex needs
of students living in residence at
Laurier. Dave has led the
development of the Residence
Education unit, which
collaborates with campus partners to
facilitate service delivery to
students in residence buildings.
Numerous programs have been
developed to promote a rich
co-curricular student experience.
Dave is a proud Laurier alumnus keen
on fostering a more integrated and
engaged community of learners.
Geoff Scott
University of Western Sydney
Steve Sider
Wilfrid Laurier University
Please see page 11 for full biography
Dr. Steve Sider (Ph.D., 2006,
Western University) is an Assistant
Professor of Education at Wilfrid
Laurier University, where he teaches
courses in leadership, global
education, and special education. His
research interest is in educational
leadership in international contexts.
He is on the executive board of the
Comparative and International
Education Society of Canada.
43
Biographies
Madeleine Smyth
Wilfrid Laurier University
Diane Vetter
York University
Jessica Wiese
Wilfrid Laurier University
Madeleine K. Smyth, BA, B.Ed, is a
recent graduate of the Laurier
Brantford – Nipissing University
Concurrent Education program. She is
an active volunteer in her community
and will be continuing her education
in September as a Master’s student in
the Social Justice and Community
Engagement program at Laurier
Brantford.
Dr. Diane Vetter, Practicum
Coordinator for the Faculty of
Education at York University, holds a
PhD in Education with research
interests in experiential education,
oral language and inclusive
learning. Dr. Vetter’s 2014
publications include Shifting
perspectives and practices: Teacher
candidates' experiences of an
Aboriginal infusion in mainstream
teacher education. Bricks in the
Backpack: Respecting the invisible;
and Culturally Responsive Teaching:
Stories of a First Nation, Métis, and
Inuit Cross-Curricular Infusion in
Teacher Education.
Jessica Wiese is a Ph.D. candidate in
the Social Psychology program at
Laurier and the Coordinator of the
Building Bridges to Success
evaluation. She has been involved for
several years in community-engaged
scholarship with Dr. Terry Mitchell
examining issues related to education
and poverty reduction.
Stephen Svenson
Wilfrid Laurier University
Stephen Svenson is contract faculty
in the Department of Sociology at
WLU. He has been running alternative
reading weeks to New Orleans since
2008 and has produced and directed
two documentary films on the
subjects of volunteering and
rebuilding in New Orleans. His most
recent course offering was
environmental sociology.
Jill Tomasson Goodwin
University of Waterloo
Jill Tomasson Goodwin is an Associate
Professor in the faculty of Arts at the
University of Waterloo. She teaches in
the Digital Arts Communication
program, and is a co-founder of both
the Canadian Centre for Arts and
Technology and its Research
Entrepreneurship Acceleration (REAP)
initiative.
Joan Tuchlinsky
Sexual Assualt Support Centre,
Region of Waterloo
As the Public Education Manager at
the Sexual Assault Support Centre of
Waterloo Region, Joan regularly
collaborates with community partners
in the work of ending gendered
violence. Partners include local
universities and college, the Waterloo
Region Sexual Health Youth Strategy
Committee and men involved with the
Male Allies Against Sexual Violence
program. Joan is recognized as a
diaconal minister in the United Church
of Canada with a focus on education,
pastoral care and social justice.
Jessica Vorsteveld
Wilfrid Laurier University
Jessica Vorsteveld is the Community
Service-Learning Coordinator at
Laurier Brantford, and focuses on
developing meaningful and mutually
beneficial relationships with
community partners through
service-learning in this role. She has
experience with community
service-learning in local and
international contexts, has worked in
post-secondary student affairs, and
taught internationally as well. In
addition to her BSc. and BEd., Jessica
is currently working toward her MA in
Social Justice and Community
Engagement at WLU.
Lauren Wallar
University of Guelph
Lauren Wallar is a PhD student in the
Department of Population Medicine at
the University of Guelph. She
completed her Bachelor and Master of
Science degrees at McMaster
University. Her research interests
include competency-based learning in
public health, academic-public health
practice linkages, and the role of
education in public health workforce
development.
Margaret Walton-Roberts
Wilfrid Laurier University
Margaret Walton-Roberts is an
associate professor in the Geography
and Environmental studies
department at Wilfrid Laurier
University Ontario, the associate
dean, School of International Policy
and Governance, and the associate
director of the International Migration
Research Centre. Her research
addresses gender, Indian migration,
immigrant settlement in mid-sized
Canadian cities, and the impact of
transnational networks in both source
and destination locales.
44
Stacey Wilson-Forsberg
Wilfrid Laurier University
Stacey Wilson-Forsberg is Assistant
Professor in the Human Rights Human
Diversity program at Wilfrid Laurier
University. Stacey specializes in
multiculturalism and immigration. She
published “Getting Used to the Quiet:
Immigrant Adolescents’
Journey to Belonging in New
Brunswick, Canada”, McGill-Queen’s
University Press (2012) and is now
co-editing a textbook on immigrant
youth in Canada (Oxford University
Press). Stacey teaches undergraduate
courses on human rights and multiculturalism, in which she incorporates
community service learning, and field
work.
Eileen Wood
Wilfrid Laurier University
Dr. Eileen Wood is a professor of
Developmental Psychology at Wilfrid
Laurier University. Her research
examines how children and adults
acquire, retain and understand
information presented through
traditional text-based delivery
systems and digital media. She also
examines social and cognitive
outcomes of learners in formal and
informal educational environments.
COAT CHECK &
NETWORKING
ROOM
BREAK &
TRANSITION
ROOM
REGISTRATION
PLEASE NOTE:
Indicates IELC Session locations
Bricker Academic First Floor Plan
45
PLEASE NOTE:
Indicates IELC Session locations
Bricker Academic Second Floor Plan
46
DISCOVERY
SESSIONS
LUNCH
Science Building Floor Plan
47
48
BRICKER
ACADEMIC
SCIENCE BUILDING
ATRIUM
SENATE &
BOARD
CHAMBER
Laurier Parking Map
Bauer Kitchen—Unit 102
187 King Street South
(519) 772-0790
www.thebauerkitchen.ca
Marbles Restaurant
8 William Street East
519-885-4390
www.marblesrestaurant.com
Huether Hotel (several
restaurants at this location)
59 King Street North
519-886-3350
www.huetherhotel.com
Symposium Café
4 King Street North, Unit 2
519-746-3550
www.symposiumcafe.com
Beertown (in Waterloo Town
Square)
75 King St. South – Unit 37
(519)885-5151
www.beertown.ca
Sole
83 Erb Street West
(519) 747-5622
www.sole.ca
Places to Eat in Waterloo
Uptown Waterloo Dining Options
49