The league of champions: ePortfolio initiatives supporting excellence at KPU
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The league of champions: ePortfolio initiatives supporting excellence at KPU

“The electronic or digital portfolio is an ideal format for collecting evidence of student learning, especially for those outcomes not amenable or appropriate for standardized measurement. Additionally, ePortfolios can facilitate student reflection upon and engagement with their own learning across multiyear degree programs, across different, and across diverse learning styles while helping students set and…

From Trauma-Informed Practices to a Compassionate Community

From Trauma-Informed Practices to a Compassionate Community

Trauma-informed practices are not new in education, yet it appears we still have work to do when it comes to creating a compassionate community for all. The impacts of trauma on our students and on the university community as a whole are longstanding issues, but the events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic really served to highlight…

Building-in Student Buy-in: Disposable vs Renewable Assignments
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Building-in Student Buy-in: Disposable vs Renewable Assignments

Introduction In any given classroom, students range from “here for the credit” to “here to learn as much as I can” with the majority lying somewhere in the middle. While there will always be students who are unable to engage, there are many who can be enticed towards deeper participation when given the opportunity. Open…

Fourteen simple strategies to help KPU educators support Indigenous learners today! Lessons from the BCcampus Pulling together series
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Fourteen simple strategies to help KPU educators support Indigenous learners today! Lessons from the BCcampus Pulling together series

On Feb 6, 2023, KPU’s president Dr. Alan Davis released a video message providing guidance on delivering Territorial acknowledgments that shift away from “a general colonial term to the languages of these First Nations” (President’s update, 2023, 00:32). Positioning yourself through a Territorial acknowledgement should be an integral practice all of us at KPU has…

ePortfolio Matters @KPU:  The Revival Continues

ePortfolio Matters @KPU:  The Revival Continues

Having recently submitted our Summative Report for the 2022/23 AACU ePortfolio Institute, it is in keeping with folio thinking pedagogy to reflect upon the accomplishments and impacts of this year-long learning experience. At the beginning of our journey, I waxed on about the revival of ePortfolios in a previous blog post where I introduced KPUs…

How I Stopped Being the David Lee Roth of 1990’s Instruction

How I Stopped Being the David Lee Roth of 1990’s Instruction

I first stood in-front of a class in the early 90’s. This was back when we still had chalkboards, and “no smoking” signs in the classrooms.  Having a handful of papers (remember paper?) shoved in my face accompanied by the imperative, “here, teach that!” represented the totality of my training.  So, I did what we…

Faculty Spotlight: Paola Gavilanez
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Faculty Spotlight: Paola Gavilanez

Why interior design?“It was always an interest,” Paola begins. “Growing up, I was always doing things with my hands,” such as making houses out of cardboard boxes for her Barbies. “Instead of playing with the Barbies, I would do staging and not touch it.” This isn’t surprising to learn. Paola’s father and aunt were architects,…

5 tips to create engaging educational videos
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5 tips to create engaging educational videos

Now that we are in the endemics, I am certain that most educators have at least created one video either through a conferencing tool like Zoom or Big Blue Button, a talking-head video with a webcam, or a voiceover of a PowerPoint presentation. But have you ever thought how your learner engages with this content?…

Service Learning: Creating connections and building community

Service Learning: Creating connections and building community

One of my most enduring memories from my undergraduate years is a reading break project I participated in during my first year. I was assigned to a team of science students who would be volunteering in an elementary school in Vancouver’s Strathcona neighbourhood, close to the Downtown Eastside. I remember feeling surprised when I saw…