McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
Pre-Conference Program
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Maggie Benston Centre
Pre-Conference 1
MBC 2296
Increasing Student Achievement with Synchronous and Asynchronous Online Tools
Jaron Easterbrook, Wimba
In order to increase achievement we need to increase retention. To increase retention we need to
increase engagement. To increase engagement we need to increase relevancy.
How do we do all of this when students may be located in multiple cities or have different learning styles
and needs?
Wimba is a leading provider of collaborative learning software for online and blended education. Our
solutions enable institutions to bridge technology and pedagogy by supplementing course
management systems with many of the proven disciplines of in-person learning environments. Wimba's
intuitive solutions enable educators and students to quickly and easily teach and learn live online,
engage in live chat and instant message exchanges, benefit from oral content being added to textbased course content, and more. Instructors can also use Wimba solutions to convert Microsoft Word
documents into accessible web pages and to create and administer tests, quizzes, and exams. Our
focus on education and collaboration with educators fuels our product development.
What you will learn
In this hands-on workshop we will build a course from within Blackboard, WebCT, Angel or Moodle (you
choose!) Along the way you will use each of Wimba's applications:
- Wimba Classroom: the virtual classroom environment;
- Wimba Voice: the asynchronous set of tools for audio authoring and podcast creation right from within
your CMS;
- Wimba Pronto: the Instant Messaging application that ties into your CMS; and,
- Wimba Create: the course page/quiz creation tool that plugs into Microsoft Word, bridging the cap to
your CMS.
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Light lunch
Maggie Benston Centre
1:00 – 4:00 pm
Pre-Conference 2
MBC 2296
Extending your Classroom to the Internet
Stephanie Chu, Jason Toal, Amy Severson, Vivian Neal, Stephanie Dayes, Jerry Li
SFU Learning and Instructional Development Centre
To enable a richer learning experience for today’s learners many instructors are turning to the web and
a host of new services available to communicate, facilitate students’ collaboration or extend the
learning experience beyond the bounds of the classroom and time. The challenge facing instructors is
to weed through the ever-growing list of technological hype and buzzwords to choose effective,
appropriate tools and services that match specific instructional objectives.
Rather than focusing on specific technologies themselves, this session begins with identifying select
instructional objectives and a range of tools. Through exploration, selection and combining these tools,
instructors may build a set of customized online learning components. This workshop encourages
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
participants to identify their teaching scenarios and instructional possibilities first and then the current
web technologies that would best augment those scenarios online. The sessions format consists of
demonstrations, discussions, individual and small group-work.
Participants should be able to explain ways in which emerging web technologies can be leveraged to
enhance students' learning experience, describe appropriate technologies to support specific
instructional objectives, start to apply what they have learned to their own instructional scenario and
continue their own exploration stemming from the resources provided.
1:00 – 2:30 pm
Pre-Conference 3
MBC 2290
How Classroom Video-on-Demand provides a Supplementary Learning Experience for those
Students who Cannot Always Attend Class
Bengt Neathery and Stan Neathery, IntegratingSolutions Inc.
This presentation will show how professors can transmit their lectures by video and audio archives to
students’ personal computers for those students who cannot always attend classes, and as a review
tool in studying for exams.
Conference Program – Day One
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
8:00 – 9:00 am
Registration / Continental Breakfast
James Douglas Room
9:00 – 9:15 am
Opening / Welcome
Images Theatre
9:15 – 10:30 am
Opening Keynote Presentation
Max Valiquette, Youthography
Images Theatre
Max Valiquette is one of the North Americas foremost experts on youth culture and marketing. He is
founder and President of Youthography www.youthography.com, the foremost North American youth
marketing and research firm, as well as a leading media authority on all aspects of youth culture. He is
an internationally-recognized speaker on popular culture and youth marketing, and a published author
on the same subjects. Max’s varied expertise makes him one of the most sought-after public speakers
on youth and pop culture available today. As a prominent lecturer on the topic of youth culture he has
made hundreds of speeches and presentations to tens of thousands of audience members in regards to
connecting to young people, trends in youth culture and what brands and organizations of all stripes
must know to reach a young target audience.
10:30 – 11:00 am
Networking / Refreshment Break
James Douglas Room
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Concurrent Session 1
Halpern Centre
Maggie Benston Centre
Halpern Centre 114
1.1 A Labour of Love: The role of “emotion work” in online teaching
Amanda Goldrick-Jones, Simon Fraser University
What does it mean to teach effectively in a wholly online environment? Studies often emphasize the
need for dynamic, interactive materials, well-structured discussions, and fair assessment criteria. But as
educators reshape teaching and reassess learning in an "instant"—at times impersonal—knowledgeconsumption society, we may also want to consider what sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild (2003)
would define as “emotion work”: everything we do “to sustain the outward countenance that produces
the proper state of mind in others” (p. 7). If students perceive that online courses often lack personal
presence and social reciprocity, then educators need to understand, use, and value “emotion work” as
part of online teaching.
Of interest to online educators who may never meet their students face to face, this discussion session
reviews examples of emotion work: from ethical discussion guidelines, to textual interventions that
encourage empathy, to visual cues acting as symbolic substitutes for voice and body language. We
also look clear-headedly at the challenges facing educators who engage in emotion work. Participants
will learn practical strategies for creating a personal online presence and be more aware of how
emotion work helps students stay motivated and engaged—significant requirements for effective online
learning.
Hochschild, A. R. (1983, 2003). The managed heart: commercialization of human feeling. Berkeley: U of California Press.
Halpern Centre 126
1.2 Raging or Engaging? How the Virtual Culture interacts with the other five cultures in the academy
Ken Pawlak, Langara College
We all agree that the world has radically changed in the past 20 years. We also probably know that
students learn differently than our generation, and that our teaching technologies need to follow suit.
But sometimes in our work we come across someone who sees the world differently and therefore
interacts with students and colleagues differently than us. We want them to understand “how the world
has changed”. We engage them in light conversation, we cajole, and we might even get into active
opposition with them on issues that mean a lot to us. The same can occur in groups. One group of
faculty might come into opposition with another.
To be more effective in our work and at our institutions we can better engage our colleagues through
first attempting to understand their assumptions and their perceptions. The presenter will outline the
major assumptions held by each of the six cultures of the academy. Participants will then identify
colleagues and groups at their workplaces who exemplify traits of these various cultures. Conflicts that
occur between the Virtual Culture and these cultures will be explored. Solutions will be discussed. After
the workshop participants may take the Academic Culture Inventory.
MBC 1302
1.3 Language-rich Schools: Thresholds and boundaries of acceptance
Satwinder Bains, University of the Fraser Valley
On a daily basis teachers and educators in BC are faced with language rich schools that have the
potential to break down barriers, marginalization and low learning outcomes for minority children by
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
acknowledging language as a cultural tool. This interactive session allows the audience to relate their
own experiences in the classroom and to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for a
unique asset-building exercise in schools that have a demographically culture and language rich
student body. A critical analysis of student centered learning that emphasizes the natural and positive
language traits of minority students allows educators to cross the doorstep of global thresholds. BC
schools have a unique and exceptional opportunity to address the issues of how languages other than
English and French are sometimes viewed as putting the child in a “deficit” position versus an “asset”
building exercise. Since the demographics of the Province of BC indicate that one out of four British
Columbians speaks another language other than English as a mother tongue, it is important to give
languages their rightful place in learning. Comparing India’s three language policy with Canada’s
varied modern language policies is one such starting point as education competes in a global market.
MBC 1304
1.4 Teaching Techniques for Physics and Applied Science Courses Adapted to Learners of the “Instant”
Knowledge Consumption Society: The relationship of course objectives, outcomes, and credit transfer
requirements
Carmen Ciubotariu, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
In the science or applied science transfer program courses taught in small-size classes the learners enjoy
the continuous/vivid interaction with the teacher and develop a dependence as well as an
expectation that learning will involve the following scheme: short description of facts (highly animated
and entertaining), conceptual examples, numerical examples, homework and test to verify learning
and/or memorization of concepts, definitions and formulae. By the end of two terms, students develop
study skills which match for their employment and life style, in terms of time and stress management.
Students appreciate and are ready to pay for a workbook or exercise workbook which guide them in
thinking steps and sometimes offer a failure-free shortcut to building a problem-solving procedure. The
speaker describes teaching scenarios which worked for various types of classes she’s teaching and
invites audience to contribute with suggestions and share some of the participants’ practices. Students
who move to different institutions are happy to see their credits transferred and recognized throughout
the province or country but immediately realize that their study habits do not match the new courses’
requirements or the new colleagues’ learning styles. The first year applied science courses are organized
under the paradigm-shift from lifelong learning to survival learning and second year transferred students
find themselves trying to fill in the thinking levels gap between cumulative learning to synthesis and
abstraction. The speaker is continuously (yearly) adjusting her teaching for the different needs of the
learners who chose to take transfer courses in a two-year program rather than overwhelming the study
load with a one-year course load full of frustrations and rush between study and sleep.
MBC 2290
1.5 The Millennial Student: Connecting to Generation Y – Not!
Maureen Wideman, University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Often faculty members are at a loss as to how to interact with the Generation Y student. What faculty
members consider common knowledge or common sense are no longer common. In this module we
discuss the millennial student, how they think and, therefore, how they learn. It provides suggestions on
how to engage the learner with active learning and assessment strategies. We look at brain theory,
how standard teaching practices can actually kill creative thinking, and how we can develop and
deliver more engaging classroom instruction. Faculty members are often frustrated by the change in
students, even over the last five years. This session will provide them with the opportunity to share that
frustration and connect with other faculty members to determine the problem and develop possible
solutions.
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
MBC 2296
1.6 Facebook and YouTube: Using social media for student learning and engagement
Nancy Johnston, John Grant, and Keiko Cooper, Simon Fraser University
Technology is rapidly changing the options we have for interacting with and educating today’s
students, and it's becoming increasingly challenging to communicate effectively with the so-called
"Millennial" generation in their spaces. In this session, we will discuss several examples of the
incorporation of these social media tools in and outside of the classroom. In particular, we will
showcase how Co-op, Career, and Volunteer programs have embraced and capitalized on Facebook
and YouTube for both promotional and learning purposes. These initiatives have garnered attention
from not only senior administrators at SFU, but also Universities across the country and even the
Provincial Government of British Columbia. This interactive session will provide an interesting overview of
the benefits and challenges of utilizing social networking systems for student engagement. The session
also outlines ways of mitigating risk and liability while ensuring that the blur between social and
educational learning spaces benefits both the institution and its students.
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Lunch Break
James Douglas Room
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Concurrent Session 2
Halpern Centre
Maggie Benston Centre
Halpern Centre 114
2.1 Educational Games for University/College Teaching
David Kaufman, Simon Fraser University
Games have recently gained popularity as they provide a new and engaging instructional method to
enhance students’ learning. The enormous popularity of digital games for entertainment has fueled this
trend and many educators are searching for ways to use the motivational power of games for
educational purposes. This workshop will provide an overview of digital frame games in higher
education and how they work, and will lead participants in playing a frame game. The workshop
leader will address the rationale and types of frame games that can used in higher education, both
face-to-face and at a distance. Participants will learn how to create frame games in a short time, how
to use them for teaching and learning, how to evaluate their games, and how to search for existing
games.
Halpern Centre 126
2.2 Experiments in High-tech Edutainment: Engaging students in a media-rich Popular Culture Course
Sidney Eve Matrix, Queen’s University
This presentation will share results from a second-year popular culture course, one I had taught for fiveplus years, which was radically redesigned in 2008 as media-rich in form and content. I will describe how
the revised course intentionally reflected net-savvy students’ preference for participatory media
experiences that are visually engaging. Many classroom technologies were adopted with a goal of
increasing interactivity, student engagement, and improving retention. The interactive lessons involved
300 students in peer-to-peer reciprocity using clickers. Outside the lecture hall, students exhibited selfdirected learning by accessing online material on their own time via WebCT including vodcasts, thus
extending their engagement with course materials and demonstrating an overflow effect. After taking
the plunge and adopting multiple digital technologies, gadgets and gear, multimedia lectures filled
with clips of music and movies, and all the telltale signs of edutainment, the results were extremely
positive. Student enthusiasm for the material and attendance at lectures remained strong, the
technologically-enhanced lectures aided my lesson planning, and the class achieved a grade average
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
significantly higher than the past five years’ classes. I will share lessons learned and my thoughts on what
initially felt like a risky venture into the high-tech edutainment business.
MBC 1302
2.3 Teaching through Participation: The horizontal transfer of knowledge
Rebecca Mason and Ghassem Zarbi, University of Phoenix – Vancouver Campus
Postsecondary institutions are increasingly acknowledging the value of students’ active engagement
through the use of participation marks. The University of Phoenix’ teaching and learning model has for
the last thirty years utilized a dialogic approach that assesses students on their classroom contributions
to learning and has developed best practices on implementing this method of teaching. Success is
driven by a common understanding of what kinds of contributions are considered substantive and an
assessment of the degree to which the students’ contributions advance the understanding of the
content for all students.
This interactive workshop will utilize horizontal learning techniques to engage educators who use or
would like to use participation in their classrooms. Educators will collaborate to identify the traits of
horizontal transfer of knowledge among students, create activities that can elicit this transfer in their
classrooms and measure learning through assessment of participation. Participants should expect to
engage in lively discussion.
The discussion will also encompass theories of horizontal learning and techniques for adapting horizontal
learning in an online environment or within large groups. The goal is for educators who complete this
workshop to develop working tools that can be implemented in their classrooms.
MBC 1304
2.4 Life as a Time and Space for Teaching, Learning, and Learning to Teach Technology
Bryan Hartman, University of Northern British Columbia
This presentation reports the results of a retrospective study of the life-long, technology learning
experiences of 20 teachers to determine if there are common patterns of experience explaining the
development of their current information technology (IT) competencies for teaching students of this
generation. The teachers completed IT autobiographies that included a timeline of the major IT
milestones for the past 50 years and spaces to write biographical explanations of their personal
experiences with the particular milestones that were relevant to them. To assist recall, each milestone
was graphically illustrated and verbally captioned to explain its historical significance. Mixed-methods
analyses of the autobiographies indicated that emergent technologies frequently set generationspecific trends that support the learning of both those technologies and IT in general. One example is
that a quantitative comparison of the teachers’ education experiences indicated that informal
education was significantly more important than formal education for the development of their IT
competencies. Another is that a qualitative analysis of the IT autobiographies indicated that there are
several common patterns of experience that have facilitated the development of teachers’ IT
competencies. Some of these include: parents’ purchases of home computers, access to popular video
games, the presence of IT mentors, and the availability of IT equipment at schools.
MBC 2290
2.5 The Millennial Introvert: Where are they?
Joanne Paterson, Durham College
This session will explore the current post-secondary millennial student population; their specific
characteristics, as well as some of the ongoing challenges these students face in education today. The
session will discuss some of the popular current teaching and learning trends and strategies we use in
the classroom; as well as some of the prescribed doctrines guiding our belief as faculty as to how and
why we provide such content rich, entertaining curriculum delivery. The session with provide
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
opportunities to collaboratively discuss how teaching and learning strategies potentially focus very
much on the confident multi-tasking extrovert; while many times neglecting the needs of the Millennial
Introvert student. The facilitator will discuss various curriculum delivery techniques geared towards
fostering a more homogeneous classroom community where each student’s unique personality can
thrive.
MBC 2296
2.6 Engaging Every Learner in Online and Blended Environments
Jaron Easterbrook, Wimba
Chad Leaman, Neil Squire Society
When teaching in an online or blended environment, it's crucial that students feel engaged—especially
those with accessibility requirements. Unfortunately, this is often overlooked, and instead of enhancing
the experience for learners, technology simply gets in the way.
In this session we will look at how a number of institutions across Canada are using the Wimba
Collaboration Suite to deliver instruction, encourage and support student-student and student-teacher
interaction, and facilitate learning for those with different needs, all while integrating into the most
common Course Management Systems. We will also hear from Chad Leaman of the Neil Squire Society,
a Burnaby-based, non-profit organization working to help adults re-enter the workforce after a major
disability, who will demonstrate real-time, automated closed-captioning of Wimba Classroom.
2:00 – 2:30 pm
Session Break
2:30 – 3:30 pm
Concurrent Session 3
Halpern Centre
Maggie Benston Centre
Halpern Centre 114
3.1 Perspectives on Project-based Learning in Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL)
Cristina Petersen, University of Victoria
Project-based Learning (PBL) is essentially a holistic, theme and task-based mode of learning which
focuses on a process and product orientation (Legutke & Thomas, 1991; Beckett & Miller, 2006). The aim
of this session is to provide teachers with the theoretical background on PBL and to offer insight into its
current practices in ESL. PBL fits in with the theme of the conference as it intends to create a learning
situation which is flexible, creative, adaptable to change and capable of life-long learning. PBL
attempts to avoid controlling, prescribing and predicting what goes in and comes out of educational
establishments and offers language learners authentic ways to acquire an additional language.
This session will cover the following:
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
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What is Project-based Learning?
Literature on PBL
Characteristics of PBL
Benefits to students
The teacher’s role
Guidelines
If time permits, we will also explore my MA research topic, Teachers’ and Students’ Perspectives on
Project-based Learning in ESL. We will conclude with a discussion of the results.
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
Halpern Centre 126
3.2 Post-secondary Centres for Teaching and Learning: A Canadian perspective
Emilio Landolfi, University of the Fraser Valley
Institutions of higher learning have traditionally prioritized research, subordinating teaching to an
insignificant task of seemingly negligible value. Consequently, teaching quality has suffered.
Unfortunately, academia is the only professional system that does not instruct its newcomers in how to
do what they will spend a good deal of their time doing. As a result, teaching in higher education has
historically been an amateur affair – and this must change! However, improvements to education
require intervention, and the development of a centre aimed specifically at enhancing teaching and
learning is the most significant contribution a college or university could make. Indeed, investing in
teaching for higher education today will encourage faculty to take ownership of the challenges they
face in the contemporary learning institution tomorrow and beyond!
MBC 1302
3.3 Debunking the Online Course Cookie-cutter Myth: The impact of the instructor
Sunah Cho, Stephen Carey, and Jeff Miller, UBC
The question of learner-centered, interactive learning has long been an issue in the discussion of the
benefits of online distance education. Collaborative/cooperative learning, social development theory,
and communities of practice are concepts underlying this issue. At the University of British Columbia
(UBC), the birthplace of WebCT, more than 100 courses are delivered online, including a number of
courses which are concurrently delivered by different instructors.
This session addresses how instructors plan, develop, and promote interactive learning. By examining a
course which has multiple sections taught by different instructors, factors leading to different levels of
student-student and student-instructor interactivity will be investigated. Depending on the instructor’s
attitude towards teaching and learning, knowledge of and capabilities in using technology,
relationships with students, and ways of facilitating communication, there is a difference in the way
student learning takes place.
This session sheds light on how the instructor’s facilitation/scaffolding makes a difference to student
learning in a learner-centered and interactive learning environment. The intended audience includes
instructional designers and instructional support staff for online courses, and instructors teaching online
courses.
MBC 1304
3.4 Active Learning: Using examples to develop cognitive and meta-cognitive skills for better
assignments
Tanya Haye, Douglas College
Very often, (business writing and composition) instructors are appalled when they read first-year
students' assignments and realize that their students' submissions have not taken into account the
complexities of the given assignment. This can be avoided by using examples and incorporating active
learning strategies to develop students' cognitive and meta-cognitive skills.
Drawing on research from mathematics, physics, and computer programming (Anderson, Fincham, &
Douglas, 1997) which indicates that exposure to examples is critical in the initial stages of learning a new
cognitive skill, instructors can assist novice writers by incorporating active processing of examples during
peer editing sessions. However, for examples to be effective, students need to self-explain these
examples and learn from their peers’ explanations. This interactive, example-based learning
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
environment enhances the self-explanation effect (Chi, 1989) and develops meta-cognitive skills as
learners make inferences and repair their mental model (Chi, 2000). Then, by explaining to each other,
their cognitive skills will develop. This will eventually lead to better assignments as our students transition
from high school writing to college/university writing which will reflect the demands of their discourse
communities.
Therefore, in this interactive workshop, participants will learn how to train their students to use examples
effectively during peer editing sessions.
MBC 2290
3.5 Beyond the Labels: Teaching the students we do have
Russell Day, Simon Fraser University
“They sent me the wrong students!” This is the not-so-hidden meaning behind some concerns raised by
instructors as they struggle to deal with the changing composition of our student populations. In the
challenged instructors’ search for a better understanding of the diverse new students, they often
accept the labels that others have applied when attempting to describe/define those who we have in
our classrooms. After a quick review of some of the labels (Millennials, Generation Me, Digital Natives,
Net Generation) and the characteristics some have associated with these labels, we will discuss the
problem with allowing the labels to influence our practice—especially the problem of self-fulfilling
prophecies. We will then explore how Chickering and Gamson’s (1987) Seven Principles for Good
Practice in Undergraduate Education can guide us as we respond to the increasing diversity of students
in our classrooms. As we discuss the 7 principles, participants (teachers and learners) will have the
opportunity to share ideas about how they might apply the principles in designing courses (classes, labs,
tutorials, assignments, assessment and evaluation) to meet the diverse needs of traditional and nontraditional students (whatever those labels mean).
MBC 2296
3.6 Computers in the Lab: Minimizing chaos and maximizing returns
Gary Houghton and Chao Cheng, Simon Fraser University
Computers in laboratory environments are becoming ubiquitous, but how are learning and staffing
affected?
Computers simplify and accelerate data collection and analysis, but do students actually understand
the experiment if everything is done for them? Does learning take a back seat to information
processing? How are learning outcomes different when a computer is involved?
Maintaining a computer network in a scientific lab can be challenging. How much administrative
overhead is justifiable to provide students with an acceptable service level?
The rate of change in computing technology can force upgrades that aren’t really necessary. How
can educational institutions with limited budgets best manage the upgrade process? When is an
“upgrade” necessary?
This workshop is aimed at faculty and staff who must deal with these and related issues when designing
both lab environments and experiments. Participants MUST be interested in hearing the experiences of
others and sharing their own. Breakout groups may be used to brainstorm.
Attendee input will be encouraged early to focus discussion on personally relevant issues since subject
could be discussed at length. Ideally, workshop participants will come away with an understanding of
how to better match desired learning outcomes with available technical, financial, and human
resources.
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
3:30 – 3:45 pm
Session Break
3:45 – 5:00 pm
Keynote Presentation
Images Theatre
Richard Gale
Douglas College/Royal Roads University
Learning for Teaching; or, New Scholarship for a New Generation
In this keynote, Richard Gale will focus on the questions we have about student learning and the ways
in which instructors are trying to improve the educational experience through systematic, evidencebased, and often collaborative inquiry.
Richard Gale currently holds appointments as Visiting Scholar at both Douglas College and Royal Roads
University. He comes to Canada after a five-year term as Senior Scholar with the Carnegie Foundation
for the Advancement of Teaching in Stanford, California where he directed the Carnegie Academy for
the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) Higher Education Program. His research and
publication portfolio includes work in the areas of aesthetic literacy, assessment in the arts, collaborative
and collective inquiry, critical pedagogy, integrative and intentional learning, institutional leadership,
pedagogy and theatre of the oppressed, theatre and national identity, and of course the scholarship of
teaching and learning. He was recently elected to Canada’s national Society for Teaching and
Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) board of directors as the representative for British Columbia.
5:00-6:00 pm
Wine and Cheese Reception
Hosted by McGraw-Hill Ryerson
James Douglas Room
Conference Program – Day Two
Thursday, May 15, 2008
8:30 – 9:00 am
Registration / Coffee
James Douglas Room
9:00 – 10:15 am
Keynote Presentation
Images Theatre
Malgorzata Dubiel (2008), Dennis Krebs (2007),
Gary Poole (1994) and Peter Kennedy (1987)
Simon Fraser University’s 3M National Teaching Fellows: A Panel Discussion
Teaching for Learning: Catalysts for change and innovation
It can be said that students are not the same today as they were 20 years ago (you are free to
substitute any number).
What is the "students' lived experience"? It is important for us to understand this, and how should it be
reflected in our teaching?
Do we need to change our ways of teaching, or should we expect students to adjust? Or, a bit of
both? These questions are, of course, connected to questions about the role of the professor, and the
way we structure our classes.
In this keynote presentation, we get up close and personal with four distinguished professors, all
recipients of a 3M National Teaching Fellowship, a SFU Excellence in Teaching Award, and many other
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
prestigious honours. Please join us, as panelists Malgorzata Dubiel (SFU Mathematics), Dennis Krebs (SFU
Psychology), Gary Poole (UBC/formerly with SFU Psychology), and Peter Kennedy (SFU Economics) very
openly and candidly share how, over the course of their academic careers, their students' needs,
expectations, and evaluations have personally shaped their individual teaching philosophy and
teaching strategies, and inspired them to become advocates, or catalysts, for change and innovation
in educational leadership.
Profiles of all of SFU's 3M National Teaching Fellows
2008 - Malgorzata Dubiel http://www.mcmaster.ca/3Mteachingfellowships/2008%203M%20Press%20Release%20ENG.pdf
2007 - Dennis Krebs http://www.mcmaster.ca/3Mteachingfellowships/2007/dennis.krebs.html
1995 - Janet Giltrow http://www.mcmaster.ca/3Mteachingfellowships/1995/giltrow.html
1989 - Andrea Lebowitz http://www.mcmaster.ca/3Mteachingfellowships/1989/lebowitz.html
1984 - Gary Poole http://www.mcmaster.ca/3Mteachingfellowships/1994/poole.html
1987 - Peter Kennedy http://www.mcmaster.ca/3Mteachingfellowships/1987/kennedy.html
More about the STLHE and 3M National Teaching Fellowship
http://www.mcmaster.ca/3Mteachingfellowships/index2.html
3M Canada began collaborating with the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
(STLHE) in 1986 with the creation of the 3M National Teaching Fellowships. These awards recognize
teaching excellence as well as educational leadership. Up to ten Fellowships are awarded each year.
There are now 228 3M National Teaching Fellows scattered throughout Canada representing a broad
range of academic disciplines. They work individually and collaboratively to enhance teaching and
learning at their own institutions and through larger collaborative initiatives supported by the Society.
10:15 – 10:45 am
Networking / Refreshment Break
James Douglas Room
10:45 – 11:45 am
Concurrent Session 4
Halpern Centre
SFU Library
Maggie Benston Centre
Halpern Centre 114
4.1 The Changing Roles of Science Educators: Science education for non-science majors and the
general public
Marina Milner-Bolotin, Ryerson University
In modern technology-oriented society, science courses are often required from non-science majors.
However, these audiences are often science-phobic and take part in science courses only because
they are required. This experience not only negatively affects students' attitudes toward science and its
role in our society, but also makes teaching these courses difficult. How can this situation be addressed
and what are the tools modern technology can provide us with to resolve this situation? An attempt to
address this problem was the goal of the Physics for Architects Course offered at Ryerson University
during the Fall of 2008. Like many non-science majors, the first year architecture students, who were
enrolled in this course, showed high levels of anxiety towards physics. However, as the course went on
and the students had an opportunity to work in small groups on the semester-long project titled: Physics
at Ryerson Architecture Exhibit, where they were required to design and present to the university
community and the general public a demonstration illuminating how physics ideas are incorporated in
architecture, their attitudes towards physics gradually started to change. An opportunity to become
science-architecture experts in a small area of their interest made a significant difference for the
students.
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
Halpern Centre 126
4.2 Attributes of Exceptional Teachers: Bridging the Perceptual divide between students and their
teachers
Sia Samimi, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
This session is intended for both the faculty and administrators in post-secondary system. Using a
PowerPoint presentation and dialogue with participants, it delineates the findings of a recent awardwinning study of outstanding teachers, examines some of the long-held views about what constitutes
teaching effectiveness, and aims to bridge the gap between students and teachers in their respective
views of exceptional teaching. The best practices in teaching will also be outlined as identified by the
study.
Academic institutions are not exempt from the imperative of assessing product quality and customer
satisfaction. The competition sparked by reputable on-line degrees available anytime and anywhere
necessitates placing student needs and academic objectives at the top of organizational priorities. The
core of this study was the attributes of inspirational teachers and how they create conditions for student
success at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. While some similarities identified were
anticipated, several significant differences also emerged. The study explored the strengths of current
instructional practices, strategies in teaching that should be encouraged, and those that merit
reconsideration.
Library Lab 2105
4.3 Adding EZE Multimedia to your Class with Ease
Maryann Sullivan and Tyler McGill, Algonquin College
Multimedia in the classroom? It is possible to do, provided you have access to an online program and
are not creating the programs from scratch. One such program is www.eze-learn.com, which provides
the framework for uploading your content, and provides the multimedia tools to enhance your own
presentations. It works similarly to a blackboard type environment, only it has all the built-in multimedia
tools already in it and it is easy to use. Minimal training is required to become self-sufficient. It provides
the tools, like wikis, workshops, discussion forums, video, integrated calendars for course work and so on,
along with the grading tools for both faculty and team/student grading activities.
The cost is currently free to faculty and priced out to students as a multimedia access fee. You can use
it in conjunction with your current materials and text books. Pricing is also available to colleges and
universities as a bundled package so that student pricing is included for those colleges that already
charge a multimedia access fee in the Registration costs.
Because EZE-Learn is a new company that is just formally being launched, we are open to discussions
with colleges and universities to conduct trials.
Library 7200
4.4 Bringing Down the Walls: Re-imagining libraries for today’s students
Mark Bodnar, Simon Fraser University
Do you spend much of your valuable class time teaching your students how to find and cite
information? Would you rather spend that time focusing on how to analyze and synthesize information,
yet still receive well-researched assignments?
At its best, an academic library – and an academic librarian – can help you be more efficient and
effective in the classroom, and can help your students produce better papers. But are we at our best?
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
Do today’s students use the expensive resources in our academic libraries, and do they use them
effectively? Do they know how and where to find expert research help? Do we know how to help
them?
In this session we will look at many examples of innovative library services and spaces as we examine
how academic libraries are changing to reach “net gen” students. Our physical spaces are becoming
flexible and dynamic zones where students can work in noisy groups, get help with their writing and
studying skills, practise presentations, and – yes – even do research. At the same time, librarians are
moving out of the building and into students’ spaces: popping up in chat, embedding ourselves in their
study spaces around campus, and poking them in Facebook.
Librarians and instructors have shared goals (and shared students!), but we have different roles. We’ll
conclude our discussion by exploring how both groups can contribute as we experiment with new tools
and services to help our new generation of students.
MBC 2290
4.5 Designing for Success: The opportunities and the challenges of interdisciplinary and cohort
education
Jen Marchbank and Sean Markey, Simon Fraser University
Explorations in Arts and Social Sciences is a first year program specifically designed to provide an
interdisciplinary education which develops academic and critical skills in the context of a cohort
experience. In this presentation we will address the challenges and opportunities this offers in terms of
program design, delivery and teaching. We will also discuss faculty and student experiences both
academic and social.
Following a presentation, program designers and those interested in interdisciplinarity and effective and
engaging pedagogies will have the opportunity to engage in discussion of these experiences, our
challenges, and our outcomes. Through such discussion we aim to facilitate an exchange of
information, experiences and successes regarding effective teaching and learning in the contexts of
interdisciplinarity, cohort and ‘first year experience’ programs.
MBC 2296
4.6 Opening Portals for Educational Possibilities
Sandra Bassendowski, University of Saskatchewan
This facilitated discussion session will be of interest to educators who are interested in transitioning to
what I refer to as a ‘3e’ classroom which reflects e-learning, e-nvironmentally friendly classrooms, and
e-xperiential learning. By the end of the session, participants will be able to discuss the implications of a
“3e” classroom; describe the advantages and challenges that a portal brings to the classroom
environment; and assess the impact of using a portal on faculty preparation, course outcomes, student
learning, and student assessment. The session will focus on a description of a longitudinal study (20072011) related to using a nursing portal (NurseONE). The session will provide an opportunity for
participants to engage in a discussion about the opportunities and challenges that using a portal
presents to faculty and students. Session format will include a short presentation about the ‘3e’
classroom and then facilitated time for discussion with participants. Participants will have an opportunity
to view the portal site online and explore the specific platform on the portal which identifies the links to
required online resources for students such as podcasts, vodcasts, online articles, and photos. I
welcome suggestions about additional possibilities when using portals in teaching and learning
environments.
11:45 am – 12:45 pm
Lunch Break
James Douglas Room
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
12:45 – 1:45 pm
Concurrent Session 5
Halpern Centre
SFU Library
West Mall Centre
Maggie Benston Centre
Halpern Centre 114
5.1 Technology: Enhancing the learning of nursing students for whom English is a second language
Nan Lowe and Ann-Marie Mackey, Algonquin College
Algonquin College is committed to the use of technology to enhance the teaching and learning
process. The school of nursing studies is a leader in implementing the use of the Blackboard web-based
platform.
Since the 1970’s Algonquin College has been a portal for Internationally Educated Nurses to become
eligible for Canadian Registration. Recent shifts in the demographics of the undergraduate nursing
programs are to the point that more than 50% of the students in the Diploma Nursing Program have
English as a second language.
The presenters have taught different levels of nursing students, and have integrated technology into
their courses, for classes of 12 to 115 students.
Technology:
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can be used for assessment and for remediation
provides opportunities to practice and evaluate language and nursing skills in a safe
environment
levels the playing field so this group of students has opportunities to contribute and critique
performance prior to entering a health care facility
facilitates mentoring between Canadian and internationally-educated nurses
Participants will sample different ways that technology can be used to enhance the educational
experience:
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visit “on-line” discussion forums
view weekly learning exercises
view videos of high fidelity simulation activities
interact with the presenters to understand what simulated learning means
Halpern Centre 126
5.2 Enhancing Transdisciplinary Training through Shared Knowledge Creation: An online course in
women, gender, and addictions
M. Elizabeth Snow and Lorraine Greaves, BC Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health
Aimed at anyone interested in transdisciplinary work and/or learner-directed educational technologies,
this session will include an exploration of an online course that we developed for the Integrated Mentor
Program in Addictions Research Training (IMPART), a transdisciplinary research training program focused
on women, gender and addictions and a group discussion on the benefits of using educational
technologies to enhance transdisciplinary work and the shared creation of knowledge. One of the key
challenges in conducting transdisciplinary work is the varied backgrounds of participants – in our case,
from neuroscientists to epidemiologists to sociologists to clinicians. Our online course was developed as
a series of modules on the core concepts in the area of women, gender and addictions, allowing
trainees to focus their learning on those modules that will fill in gaps in their background to enable them
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
to engage in meaningful transdisciplinary work with a better understanding of different areas of
expertise of their colleagues and new perspectives on their own research. Moreover, trainees each
contribute to the enhancement of the modules in their own discipline, thus enriching the learning of
their peers. This session speaks to the themes of educational technologies, the "instant" knowledge
consumption society and the changing roles of educators.
Library 7200
5.3 The Academic Enhancement Program (AEP) in Computing Science: Understanding today’s students
and helping them succeed by integrating learning strategies into the classroom
Donna McGee Thompson and Diana Cukierman, Simon Fraser University
The Academic Enhancement Program (AEP) is an innovative and newly created program run in the
School of Computing Science (CS) in collaboration with the Student Learning Commons (SLC) at Simon
Fraser University. With the timely integration of learning sessions and other activities into essentially all
core computing science courses, we aim to proactively provide students with opportunities for active
participation, an environment that allows them to reflect on their own learning, and resources essential
to succeeding in their university studies. We also aim to help students become aware of potential
individual learning, time management, and other academic challenges they may have, as well as
support available on campus. While the AEP is currently a program tailored to computing science
courses, and the learning activities are focused on course distinctive characteristics, this model is easily
adapted to other disciplines. In this session participants will learn about the AEP program and also about
our promising research findings, including what AEP students are identifying as academic challenges
and how the AEP program is helping to address them. This session will be of interest to instructors,
program and retention planners, students, and anyone interested in supporting students’ learning.
Discussion and questions will be encouraged throughout the presentation.
West Mall Centre 3513
5.4 Getting Started with Clickers in the Classroom
Javed Iqbal, University of British Columbia
This presentation describes the importance of interactive teaching and explains the use of ‘clickers’ as
a vehicle to initiate greater student interaction and participation in large to medium class rooms. Best
practices for the use clickers are discussed as well as some common pitfalls that may lead to student
dissatisfaction with the use of clickers.
MBC 2290
5.5 Rethinking the Curriculum: Preparing students for intellectual life beyond the university
Mark Battersby, Capilano College
Does our curriculum really prepare students for life outside the academy?
Most of our lives are spent dealing with issues that are outside our domain of expertise: dealing with
everything from car problems to interpersonal problems, from doctors to computer technicians. An
education appropriate to the rich world we live in should prepare students for such a full life by enabling
them to become “competent laypeople.”
“Competent laypeople” have the generic intellectual abilities and broad understanding of the world
that enables them to effectively seek and evaluate information outside their area of expertise and to
delve more deeply into an area of specialization with efficiency. They should also be an appreciative
audience for human creativity.
Competent laypeople have the research skills, intellectual power and the requisite judgmental and
communicative skills to enable them to achieve the fundamental goals of liberal education: intellectual
freedom and thoughtful citizenship.
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
The session should be of interest to all who are involved in curriculum development. The purpose of this
workshop is to encourage participants to rethink their curriculum goals through the lens of the concept
of “the competent layperson.”
The session will begin with a ½ hour presentation and be followed by discussion.
MBC 2296
5.6 The “Buffet” Approach to Learning Biology: Addressing learning styles in First-Year Life Sciences
Monika Havelka, Chad Jankowski, and Alicia O’Neill, University of Toronto
There is a considerable body of literature devoted to the concept of learning styles -- the idea that
individuals vary in their preferred modalities of obtaining and processing information, in their preferences
for receiving instruction, and in their strategies for acquiring mastery of a subject area. Many models
categorize learning styles based on the dominant sensory modalities employed in learning, so that
learners are broadly categorized as auditory, visual or kinesthetic learners. In a first-year biology course
of 700 students, we tested the hypothesis that providing students with course material in ways that
address different learning styles would increase student success (as measured by grades) and
engagement with the material (as assessed by surveys and indices such as involvement in related
volunteer/research activities). We also followed a focus group where learning styles were specifically
addressed in terms of learning strategies (specifically, the construction of study notes that create
insightful connections within the course material). The results of our study suggest that a “buffet-style”
approach to the presentation of course material not only increases student success and engagement,
but also seems to increase a sense of personal responsibility for learning among first-year students. This
study was part of a larger investigation into the challenges and roadblocks to success faced by firstyear life science students; we discuss these broader results as part of an evolving approach to help
students overcome these challenges.
1:45 – 2:15 pm
Session Break
2:15 – 3:15 pm
Concurrent Session 6
Halpern Centre
SFU Library
West Mall Centre
Maggie Benston Centre
Halpern Centre 114
6.1 Fostering Leadership in the Classroom: Learning from successful programs outside of the university
Amber Church, Simon Fraser University
Universities have an increasingly recognized duty to aid in the development of the next generation of
leaders, decision-makers, and global citizens. As institutions work to embrace this duty, they will be best
served by drawing upon examples of successful programs on-going in recreational and social learning
spaces.
This session will highlight several examples of successful programs to draw participants into a facilitated
discussion focusing on developing leadership and global citizenship within the university context.
Specifically, participants will be asked to consider the importance of developing these skills within
university classrooms; the lessons that can be taken from those programs currently underway in social
and recreational learning spaces; and, the barriers to inclusion in a university setting for these concepts.
Two programs will be highlighted and discussed as successful examples. Students on Ice takes students
to both Polar Regions aboard research vessels to learn science, policy, and leadership in an aweinspiring and deeply threatened environment. Simon Fraser University’s LEAD program strives to develop
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
leadership in its participants through a series of workshops and a community service project.
This session will benefit from a broad audience including, but not limited to, educators, students and
educational developers.
Halpern Centre 126
6.2 Wikis1 and Blogs2 in a VUCA3 World
Sharon Taylor, Thompson Rivers University
Collaborative writing and collective thinking: participatory media and convergence culture. Terms fly
past us as we uneasily navigate the world our students think and play in.
How can we accommodate students whose learning styles have evolved in so many directions at
once? How do we accommodate both students who are media-savvy and those who are mediaphobic? Many students are used to re-framing information in most sectors of their lives, both academic
and recreational. This can lead to some problems (plagiarism) and some opportunities. We will explore
some ways to bring new media into the classroom and to allow students to share control of information
flow.
Led by the facilitator in an interactive PowerPoint presentation, instructors and students interested in
integrating alternative media into writing instruction will explore practical classroom applications of online platforms such as social networking sites (facebook, livejournal) and convergence media sites
(wikipedia, youtube) commonly used by post-secondary students in their recreational activities.
1
Wiki: from a Hawaiian word meaning “quickly” – a website edited by any number of collaborators.
2
Blog: a contraction of “weblog” – a journal posted and read on-line.
3
VUCA: Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity
Library 7200
6.3 The Mini-Skirt Meets the Plugged-in Hoodie
Robyn Heaton and Catherine Laberge-Kenney, Algonquin College
YouTube, Facebook, blogging, podcasting - the new literacy of social networking means a brand new
student who challenges the way teachers act and interact in the classroom. We’ll explore what’s
going on under the “plugged-in hoodie” and techniques to transport the classroom to their world wide
reality.
This interactive workshop examines the exciting challenges of dealing with the millennial and neo
millennial student and explores how we can combine traditional techniques and digital technology to
adapt our courses in time to meet their ever changing lifestyles. We’re going where no faculty has
gone before – casting a net into “instant technology” and extracting deep thinking from our new
learner’s multi-tasking web. A case study will also be presented featuring a tried and proven course that
has implemented digital tools that appeal to our new student. Join us in the new wave of pedagogical
gratification
MBC 2290
6.4 Learning Space: Designing a fabric of opportunity
Jacqueline Pizzuti Ashby, Simon Fraser University
Current research indicates that there are specific contributors and assessment frameworks in designing
and evaluating effective learning spaces, and the data further assert a mutual relationship between
campus environment and student success. This session, designed for faculty and staff, will review
selected seminal works that investigate the dynamics of space and its correlation to human behaviour,
and will explore spatial design theory and the evaluative techniques employed to nurture a positive
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaching, Learning & Technology Conference
Hosted by Simon Fraser University
May 14-15, 2008 (Pre-Conference: May 13, 2008)
educational experience for students, faculty, and staff. For participants, this is an opportunity to engage
in a dialogue about what environmental factors are contributing and hindering learning spaces; to
discuss the assessment techniques employed to determine the success of our campus environment;
and to consider our role in campus space and design.
MBC 2296
6.5 Good Advocacy is Good Teaching; and, Good Teaching is Good Advocacy
Nicole Zwiers, Durham College
This session provides a useful tool for any educator interested in emerging themes and innovative
practices within education. In particular, this session speaks to postsecondary educators and includes a
series of unique and relevant observations from a trained advocate turned educator who formerly
practiced corporate commercial litigation at a large, international Bay Street law firm in Toronto,
Ontario. The session highlights two of the themes of the conference: “Changing roles of educators and
how those roles are becoming increasingly borderless” and “The blurring relationships between
educational, social, and recreational learning spaces and how teaching and learning institutions can
embrace those changes”.
As a lawyer cum college professor of law, the theme of the session is the close analogy and blurring of
the lines between the practice of litigation and the profession of education. The outcome of the session
is to demonstrate the critical importance, necessity and transferability of good advocacy skills to the
field of education and to the classroom. Any educator wanting to improve their content delivery,
audience reception and interaction with their students should attend this session.
The session includes the presentation of the author’s paper entitled, “Good Advocacy is Good
Teaching and Good Teaching is Good Advocacy. Observations from a Trained Advocate and New
Educator.” The paper is delivered in an interesting, informative and entertaining manner with all the
skills expected of a trained advocate. In addition, the session includes a PowerPoint highlighting the
key outcomes of the presentation.
3:15 – 3:30 pm
Session Break
3:30 – 4:45 pm
Closing Keynote Presentation
Shannon Murray
University of Prince Edward Island
Images Theatre
In My End is My Beginning: Four Principles for Academic Closure in Changing Times
This conference asks us to think about the rapid change, inter-related elements, and new opportunities
that our 21st century students face. How exciting and how overwhelming for the student who comes
through this brave new world of choice and innovation, and who stands, degree or diploma in hand,
ready to graduate. This closing talk explores ways both old and new that educators can exploit the rich
potential of endings -- of both courses and academic programs -- to encourage reflection, integration,
transition, and celebration.
4:45 – 5:00 pm
Closing Remarks /Adjournment
Images Theatre