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…
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…
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…
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…
What do we understand about the Canadian justice system? In the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), 12out of the 94 Calls to Action directly address the criminal justice system in Canada and how it fails Indigenous people in Canada. As of 2021, Indigenous adults make up about 30 per cent of the prison population, despite…
As I near the end of my time in the Teaching and Learning Commons, I am reflecting on the last two years. I have reconceptualized my role as an educator several times since April 2020, integrating new tools, enacting greater pedagogical care, and problem solving in different ways. I’ve been introduced to new methodologies and…
As we gradually return to the classroom after almost two years of online teaching, you may be thinking about your teaching practice, perhaps creative ways to combine both in-person and online learning. If you are interested to develop a course in a blended format, and not very sure where to start, I hope to pique…
ePortfolios are experiencing a quiet renaissance at KPU and, with this post, I hope to turn up the volume by highlighting some key milestones and a few of the many great ePortfolio initiatives that I have had the privilege to support in my role as Educational Consultant for ePortfolio Advancement in the Teaching and Learning…
Catherine Chow is a Chemistry Instructor with the Faculty of Science and Horticulture at KPU. She completed her graduate studies at The University of British Columbia (UBC) in organometallic chemistry, and following a post-graduate internship at a chemical research lab in Germany, Catherine returned to Vancouver and joined us at KPU in 2013. In 2021,…
When seeking to expand your theoretical inspiration for teaching, it is sometimes hard to know where to start; and whether a theory you are exploring is applicable to the design in general, or better suited to specific stages in the selection, creation or delivery of content. This is something every instructor must decide for themselves…