TEACHING AND LEARNING
AT SFU
2012 Update
Jon Driver
Vice-President, Academic
Looking back
• 2010–2013 Academic Plan emphasizes high-quality student
experience and the role of teaching and learning
• Highlights
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Diversify pedagogy
Develop learning outcomes
Link to research
Encourage experiential learning
What have we done so far?
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Released final report by Task Force on Teaching and Learning
Began restructuring Teaching and Learning Centre
Initiated research grants in teaching practice
Produced preliminary report on experiential learning
Worked with VPR to increase undergraduate research support
Expanded Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue program
Pressures
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Caps on funded enrollments and tuition increases
Reaching capacity for international undergraduates
Questions regarding value of undergraduate education
More choice in post-secondary education in BC
Accreditation
Results from student surveys
What’s next?
• 2013–2016 Academic Plan consultation
• Implementation of new initiatives:
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Accreditation and learning outcomes
Teaching and course evaluations
Learning management systems (WebCT) review
English as an additional language initiative
Experiential learning
Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue program
Classroom upgrades and virtual campus
Teaching and Learning Centre programs
Teaching and learning and accreditation
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Why accreditation?
– External assessment of adherence to best-practice standards will
increase accountability to stakeholders
– Process will benefit students by establishing clearer
benchmarks/standards for assessing learning outcomes
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Relevance
– Accreditation requires regular monitoring, assessment, and evaluation
of the education students receive
– Learning Outcomes and Assessment approach provides formal process
for ongoing evaluation and improvement of programs, enabling joint
work by faculty, students, and administrators to advance SFU’s mission
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Current status
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SFU is currently an “applicant,” soon to be a “candidate”; accreditation
in 2015
Learning outcomes and
assessment (LOA) approach
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Aim of LOA approach is to improve student learning experience by
clarifying purpose of courses and programs
Seeks to increase accountability, contribute to curriculum review and
improvement
Guided by LOA Working Group (Paul Budra, Chair)
Terms of reference:
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Draft principles to guide establishment of LOA (for Senate discussion)
Indentify academic units now using LOA approach
Review best practices for adopting LOA
Recommend best approach and timeframe for LOA implementation across
curriculum
– Identify ways to support faculty in use of LOA practices
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Working Group will report to VPA by end of summer 2012
Teaching and Course
Evaluation (TCE) Project
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Primary goals of project are to support teaching and enhance student
learning through effective and responsible use of evaluation data and
information at SFU
Project will recommend a replacement for SFU’s TCE form on the basis of
– The growing body of research on effective, appropriate, and responsible use of
student evaluation of teaching
– Feedback from SFU community
– Consultation with other institutions
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Objectives include
– Replacing SFU’s instrument and processes for student evaluation of instructors
and courses
– Engaging SFU community throughout project
– Developing a best-practices guide on interpretation and use of data
TCE consultations and schedule
• Opportunities will include
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Open-forum discussion sessions on each campus
Meetings at the Faculty and/or departmental level
Focus groups
Input via social media
Surveys
• Detailed project schedule is under development
• If a decision is made to implement an online evaluation system,
more time will be needed to plan and coordinate
WebCT Replacement Project
• Background: SFU has used WebCT as its institutional learning
management system since 2001. In December 2012 Blackboard
Inc., the provider of WebCT, will end maintenance support
• Project objectives:
– Find a solution for the majority of faculty, staff, and student users to
replace essential functionality and position SFU to take advantage
of emerging trends
– Ensure that all constituents are prepared for the transition
– Ensure that ongoing maintenance and support for the implemented
solution are adequate and effective
WebCT consultations – Overview
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Individual consultations, focus groups, and open forums have been
designed to achieve qualitative and practical understanding of
– What people want to do
– What they are actually doing and how
– What they believe their support needs to be
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Themes: architecture, administrative/managerial and teaching and learning,
learner engagement, learner-driven, integration
Phase 1: Evaluation (September 2011 to May 2012)
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Complete one-on-one interviews with faculty, students, and staff
Complete analysis of student and TSSU surveys
Test and evaluate short-listed products
Finalize needs analysis/functional requirements document
Prepare cost estimates
WebCT project plan – Overview
• Phase 2: Selection (June to November 2012)
– Procurement process
– Plan implementation phase (including technical and support
resources, budget, hardware procurement if required, major steps)
• Phase 3: Implementation (from December 2012; launch
summer 2013)
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Detailed implementation planning
Implementation of new system
Training and change management
Implementation of support infrastructure (technical and functional)
Retirement of WebCT Vista
English as an additional language (EAL)
initiative – Review and follow-up
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From September 2010 to June 2011, committee reviewed EAL issues at
SFU, including admissions, supports, and services to EAL students
Proportion of EAL students at SFU is increasing. Are they prepared for
successful study? What are the impacts of a multilingual classroom on
teaching and learning? Is SFU providing sufficient support?
Report and recommendations sent to Senate in December 2011
Report and VPA proposals for next steps posted for public comment
until February 15, 2012 (ealrpt@sfu.ca)
Next: Steering committee for improved coordination and ongoing
development of services. How can SFU take better advantage of our
multicultural strengths?
Experiential Education (EE) Project
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Surveying all SFU Faculties to identify credit-bearing EE courses (undergrad
and grad)
Began with F.aculty of Environment and FASS; now working with all other
Faculties
Definition of experiential education: the strategic, active engagement of students
in opportunities to learn through doing, and reflection on those activities, which
empowers students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical endeavours in a
multitude of settings, inside and outside of the classroom
1500+ courses with EE elements identified, engaging in six broad practices:
reflection, field-based, creative-based, community-based, directed studies,
collaborative
Growing culture of EE curriculum at SFU, building on foundation of longestablished co-op program
Results will be used to improve support to faculty, identify EE opportunities for
students, and continue to grow EE at SFU
Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue
• Expanding to include
– Existing university-wide model
– City Studio: collaboration with six post-secondary institutions and
municipalities (currently City of Vancouver)
– Capstone courses within departments/Faculties
– Honeycomb: faculty retreat, Interdisciplinary Learning and
Collaboration (apply by March 2, 2012)
Physical and audiovisual (AV)
renovations of classrooms
• 2010–2011: $280K for AV in Burnaby classrooms
– Basic AV installed in 31 AQ5000 rooms, six AQ4000 rooms, Mall
Theatre; lecture hall audio stabilized
• 2011–2012: $2.04M for renovations and AV
– AV in 25 HC rooms, four WW rooms, 45 BBY rooms, Images
– Renovations to AQ5000, EDU 7618
• 2012–2013: $2.4M for renovations and AV
– Renovations and AV in 13 RCB rooms, five old-FIC rooms, Images
ventilation, AQ3149-50, SSCB 9200-201
Virtual campus infrastructure –
Year 1 pilot
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Objective: Develop and implement five pilots of virtual delivery models
– Incorporate current technologies (video conferencing, teleconferencing,
etc.) to ensure optimal benefit in a teaching and learning or other theme
situation, supporting information sharing and collaboration
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Examples:
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Distributed grad seminar (EDUC)
Multi-campus undergrad course (FCAT)
To-the-desktop lifelong learning (LL)
Virtual library research services (Library)
Multi-campus committee meetings (VPA)
Aim is to have pilots adopted by interested parties beyond pilot phase
Four additional models to be piloted in 2013–2014
Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) –
2011 overview
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Immersion of Educational Consultants in Faculties with short- and
longer-term goals and initiatives – appreciation of Deans, Associate
Deans, faculty members, and educational staff for their support and
involvement
Launch of new initiatives (programming foci); faculty-only ISW; piloting
of new learning technology and communications roles; conversations
on teaching; recognition of Teaching Excellence award recipients; T&L
News, etc.
Improved communications, human resources processes, fiscal
responsibility, and permanent directorship – thanks to Lifelong Learning
Return to Office of the VPA to better support Academic Plan and serve
Faculties in development of discipline-specific goals
Development and funding of small and large research projects in
collaboration with Institute for the Study of Teaching and Learning in the
Disciplines
Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) –
2012 preview
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Completion of strategic plan
Expected completion of reorganization and restructuring by fall 2012
Piloting of Faculty Associates program to second faculty members to work
with TLC on programs of broader interest (e.g., faculty mentorship, teaching
dossiers, university teaching and learning program for faculty, communities
of practice)
Further recognition of teaching excellence
Reinstatement of Symposium on Teaching and Learning and Course Design
Workshop for Faculty
Significant improvements to learning technology consultation and support
Increased responsiveness to and anticipation of institutional directions;
Faculty priorities in communities of practice; synergies between teaching,
learning, and research; and academic, professional, and curriculum
development
Input on all initiatives will be sought and welcomed