Join the CID on Sept 15 & 16th as we attend an Educause Focus Session titled, Blended Learning: The 21st-Century Learning Environment online from VCC. This event offers a great opportunity to learn more about blended learning environments while building a community of practice with your colleagues right here at VCC!
The goal of this focus session is to revisit the potential of blended learning instructional models, student learning outcomes, and successful implementation practices. The maturing of online learning practices and engagements has opened new possibilities for curriculum design, including both face-to-face and online learning opportunities. The ability to design a course that uniquely blends face-to-face and distributed interaction allows institutions to address learners’ specific needs and customize the learning environment rather than rely on a “one size fits all” approach. But these options lead to a variety of questions:
- What’s the right mix of face-to-face and online?
- How do you decide when to employ an online activity or interaction?
- How can you best map the mix of blended elements to student needs and requirements?
- How can these elements be orchestrated to meet a course’s learning objectives?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of various online techniques and methods?
Click here for more information about the session at the ELI website…
This event is sponsored by the Centre for Instructional Development and no registration is required. If you are interested, feel free to attend all or just parts of the sessions that fit into your schedule.
Schedule:
Wednesday September 15, 9:00AM – 2:30AM at Broadway (Room TBA)
Thursday September 16, 9:00AM – 2:30AM at Downtown (Room TBA)
All VCC employees are welcome to attend both sessions – hope to see you there!
Oh yeah, please BYOLunch
Filed under: Distributed Learning
Don’t miss this popular semiannual PD opportunity as offered by the BC Campus Educational Technology User Group (ETUG)…
Join us June 7 and 8 for ETUG’s Spring 2010 Workshop held at the University of Victoria. Our theme is “3 Cups of T: Teaching, Technology, Transformation”. This alludes to the bestseller, “Three Cups of Tea” – an inspiring story of a brave, pioneering educator in a hostile situation who, against great odds, makes a big difference in the world. He did this in small increments, by working “failures” into successes, and by learning to really listen and consider stakeholders and their needs. The power of patience and building relationships in order to innovate and bring about change are themes we can relate to in our work in education and technology. Not to mention, our workshop is taking place in Victoria, BC (a high-tea hotspot). It will be a tea-riffic event!
Come share your challenges and triumphs with teaching with technology and views on system trends and changes.
Visit the ETUG site for more info
Registration is $100 + GST and includes all workshop sessions, 2 continental breakfasts, 2 lunches, morning refreshments, and the Monday evening BBQ dinner.
*Note: Hands-on lab sessions which have limited space will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
RECORDED SESSION NOW AVAILABLE – Click here to view now…
Don’t miss this excellent opportunity organized by in the BC Educational Technology User Group (ETUG).
Research and experience shows that a strong start toward building community can do wonders for learning and engagement in your online course. For most online courses, this begins with the Introductory post or icebreaker activity in Week 1. During this combined 1-hour web conference and one week discussion we will explore (easy, fun, and free) ways to go beyond the plain text forum post.
Live Session in Elluminate: February 12, 2010 at 11:30 GMT (your time zone)
Seminar Facilitator: Gina Bennett
Live Session Facilitator: Tracy Roberts
Visit the session page in SCoPE…
Filed under: Distributed Learning, Instructional Development | Tags: conference, Distributed Learning, moodle
So you can’t make it to Edmonton eh?
Vancouver Community College invites you to attend the 2009 Canada MoodleMoot virtually, as a group from Vancouver.
The Centre for Instructional Development (CID) at Vancouver Community College is hosting a micro
conference centre (MicroMoot) for those wishing to attend the Edmonton Moodle conference as a group,
via web-conferencing. We will provide these services at no cost to VCC employees. In addition to
covering the costs of the conference we will provide moderators to operate the web-conferencing software on behalf of the group.The 2009 Canadian MoodleMoot, hosted by Athabasca University is an onsite conference, taking place April 1 – 4, 2009 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and a simultaneous online event using Elluminate Live!
Moodle: Open Spaces, Open Minds is of interest to post-secondary, K-12, business and not-for-profit groups. See keynote presentations from Martin Dougiamas (Moodle), Dr. Alec Couros, (U of Regina), and Dr. Terry Anderson (Athabasca U). Find out more about Moodle directions and emerging practices. Share and network with other Moodlers online and onsite.
External delegates are welcome!
Delegates external to VCC are welcome ‐ just present proof of Virtual Registration or register online during
the event at: http://moodlemoot.ca/moodle/course/view.php?id=116/
When and where?
Thursday, April 2nd – 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Room 1227, Broadway Campus (new building)
Friday, April 3rd ‐ 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Room 240, Downtown Campus
Saturday, April 4th ‐ 7:30 AM – 12:00 PM
If you are interested in attending this day please
contact dlsupport@vcc.ca
For more information regarding the Edmonton MoodleMoot event (including a detailed schedule) visit: http://moodlemoot.ca. For more information regarding the VCC MicroMoot contact dlsupport@vcc.ca.
Filed under: Distributed Learning
Did you know that on Wednesday, February 11th Keith Milton of the Dental Technology/Denturist program was the first instructor at VCC to use Clickers in the Classroom? Keith is featured “In the Spotlight” this week so we invite you to read his story.
Keith Milton
If you want to learn more about Clickers, we have a handy development guide available. If you would like help determining if Clickers are right for you and need someone to show you how to plan a lesson using this fun and interactive tool, please contact Shona Moody at dlsupport@vcc.ca.
Filed under: Distributed Learning, Instructional Development | Tags: AABE, Aboriginal ABE, e-portfolio
The AABE e-Portfolio Project is a three year collaboration between the Native Education Centre (NEC) http://www.necvancouver.org and VCC. Since September, 2008, NEC students have been engaged in a process of gathering, evaluating and presenting evidence to demonstrate competencies met for English12 and Math 11. These e-portfolios form part of the BC Adult Graduation Diploma requirements for English 12 and Math 11.
What are e-Portfolios?
Why e-Portfolios?
Definition and Role in Education
“A purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the student’s efforts, progress, and achievements in one or more areas.” ”(Del Vecchio et.al, 20001)
A portfolio assessment is the evaluation of knowledge about a particular subject area, supported by a written reflection of the learning that has been experienced. Students gather, evaluate, and present authentic examples to demonstrate meeting course learning outcomes.
What’s in it for students?
Project manager, Wendy Seale-Bakes, suggests the educational value of portfolios and e-portfolios specifically include:
- Demonstrates progression and depth of learning achieved
- Invites reflection
- Encourages creativity
- Encourages integration of factual and creative
- Focuses on the experience of learning & metacognitive thinking
- Provides evidence of learning
Why does it fit well with the profile of AABE students?
- Focus on self directedness
- Holistic approach to assessment and learning
- Opportunity to enhance self-esteem
- Documentation of learning and competency
- Students own the portfolios and may use them for employment or further education
Native Education Centre Longhouse, Vancouver, B.C.
Some Pedagogical Reflections
How do we know our students are learning? How do they know? Through the portfolio process, students become more aware of the learning outcomes for their courses, and engage in a regular process of reflection on how well they are achieving those outcomes. The portfolio process enhances learning at the same time as it contributes to learner self-awareness, confidence, and a sense of control over learning.
Working with the instructors and students at the Native Education College has helped Wendy and other VCC instructors involved in this project appreciate Aboriginal ways of knowing, learning, and being, and to understand that culturally appropriate education means more than just adjusting content for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis learners. It involves a different way of seeing the world and how we live in it.
[1] Del Vecchio, A., Gustke, C. & Wilde, J. (2000). Alternative Assessment for Latino Students. In J.V. Tinajero & R.A. DeVillar (Eds.), The Power of Two Languages (pp. 365 – 382). New York: McGraw-Hill
