*Note: This session has passed. Please view the recording and resources below.
Workshop 1: Introduction to Neurodiversity in Higher Education: History, Theory, and First-Person Perspectives
February 13, 9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
This workshop, the first part of a two-part series, introduces teachers and staff in higher education to the history, politics, and key terms of neurodiversity, emphasizing their relevance to education. Participants will explore the origins of neurodiversity in the autistic advocacy movement and learn the histories and definitions of key terms such as “neurodiversity,” “neurodivergent,” and “neurotypical.” Participants will also engage with first-person perspectives from neurodivergent students and staff in higher education, gaining insight with the diversity of neurodivergent experiences.
Reflection opportunities will encourage participants to consider how understanding the history of neurodiversity may reshape their perspectives on its role in their classrooms. Suggested resources for further study of neurodiversity concepts and specific conditions/experiences (like Autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and more) will be provided.
This foundational workshop prepares participants for the practical applications explored in Workshop 2.
Workshop 2: Applying Your Knowledge of Neurodiversity in Teaching, Learning, and Advising
February 27, 9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
In this workshop, participants will begin with an overview of the range of laws and policies governing disability inclusion in higher education, with a focus on their connection to neurodiversity. Using a series of complex case studies, participants will practice navigating scenarios involving neurodiversity in the classroom and other learning spaces, including situations in where disabilities are disclosed or remain undisclosed.
The session will also provide opportunities for participants to reflect on their own relationship to neurodiversity and to set actionable goals for fostering greater inclusion in their teaching, learning, and advising practices. By bridging theoretical knowledge with practical strategies, this workshop equips participants to create more inclusive environments for neurodivergent individuals in higher education.
Recording and Resources
- Transcript – Supporting Neurodiversity in Higher Education: a Two-Part Workshop Series (PDF)
- Transcript – Supporting Neurodiversity in Higher Education: a Two-Part Workshop Series (Word)
- Slides – Supporting Neurodiversity in Higher Education: a Two-Part Workshop Series (PDF)
- View recording on media.bccampus.ca
About the Facilitator
Your facilitator for the two-part workshop series is Sarah Silverman.
Sarah Silverman, PhD is an independent faculty developer and instructor of disability studies. As an autistic educator, she has a personal stake in neurodiversity as well as extensive college teaching and faculty development experience. Her interests include accessible and feminist pedagogy, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and disability-informed critiques of educational technology. Her writings appear in To Improve the Academy, the Journal of Interactive Technology and Pedagogy, the blog Feminist Pedagogy for Teaching Online, New Directions for Teaching and Learning, and on her newsletter Beyond the Scope.
Supporting Neurodiversity in Post-Secondary Education Series
Student Voices on Neurodiversity: A Panel Discussion, February 4, 2025
Compassionate Planning for Neurodiverse Learners, February 10, 2025
Advancing Neuroinclusivity in Post-Secondary Education: Evidence, Initiatives, and Pathways Forward, February 11, 2025
Supporting Neurodiversity in Higher Education: a Two-Part Workshop Series, February 13 and 27, 2025
About the Session
Join Dr. Kari D. Weaver (University of Waterloo) as she introduces the newly launched Artificial Intelligence Disclosure (AID) Framework. As artificial intelligence (AI) tools—particularly generative AI based on large language models—become widely available, their use across education and research must be negotiated. The AID Framework tool provides a transparent, consistent, and targeted approach to attribute the use of AI in teaching and research work. The AID Framework can also serve as a solid foundation for discussing the ethical and productive use of AI across different contexts. This workshop will introduce the elements of the AID Framework, provide examples of AID statements used for both education and research purposes, and address some common questions and adaptations made to the AID Framework worldwide.
Speaker
Dr. Kari D. Weaver (she/her) is the learning, teaching, and instructional design librarian at the University of Waterloo Libraries and a sessional faculty member in the department of leadership, higher, and adult education at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. She holds her M.L.I.S. from the University of Rhode Island and her Ed.D. from the University of South Carolina and has been a practicing academic librarian for 18 years at institutions in the United States and Canada.
Dr. Weaver’s extensive research background centers on the intersection of human information behavior and pedagogy. She publishes on a wide range of topics including information literacy, academic integrity, generative artificial intelligence, misinformation, scientific communication, educational research methods, online learning, and digital accessibility. Professionally, she is an executive member of the Trust in Research Undertaken in Science and Technology Scholarly Network (TRuST), an invited member of the American Library Association’s prestigious Intellectual Freedom Committee, and a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Academic Librarians’ (CAPAL) Research and Scholarship Committee. Her current work, including the development of the AID Framework, is conducted on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron (Neutral), Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples, location of the main campus of the University of Waterloo.
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This session will be recorded, archived, and made available publicly on BCcampus.ca. By participating in this session, you acknowledge you are aware your participation will be recorded and the recording will be openly available.
About the Series
The BCcampus Winter 2025 Research Speaker Series offers participants and presenters an opportunity to learn and share knowledge and advocacy on research methods, approaches, and pedagogies around accessibility, access, Indigenous engagement, and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in teaching and learning.
These livestream webinars take place every month from January to March and will allow you to learn about new research directly from the researchers.
Sessions
- January 21, 2025 – Storytelling sm̓iʔmay̓ Futurisms from the Digital Frontier. Challenging Colonial Narratives through a Digital Embodied Story Practice and Research-Creation, Mariel Belanger, Queen’s University
- February 25, 2025 – Transparent, Detailed, Ethical: An Introduction to the Artificial Intelligence Disclosure (AID) Framework, Kari D. Weaver, University of Waterloo Libraries
- March 11, 2025 – Engaging in Great Practices for Research on Teaching and Learning, Brett McCollum, Thompson Rivers University
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this series, participants will be able to:
- Broaden your knowledge and research skills in the B.C. post-secondary context.
- Learn about Indigenization, EDI, decolonization, and accessibility in research.
- Be inspired to participate in research communities of practice or explore the themes in your work.
- Connect with academics and community members who share your interests.
About the Session
A dynamic and interactive two-hour webinar is designed to introduce educators to Animaker, a free and intuitive tool for creating engaging animations. In this session, you will learn everything you need to get started with Animaker, from signing up to create your first animation, to exploring its key features. The session includes a fun scavenger hunt to explore Animaker’s functionality, opportunities to collaborate with peers and share animation ideas, and hands-on practice building animations to foster a dynamic learning community. Whether you are a seasoned tech user or a complete novice, this webinar will provide the skills and confidence needed to bring animations into your classroom.
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This session will be recorded, archived, and made available publicly on BCcampus.ca. By participating in this session, you acknowledge you are aware your participation will be recorded and the recording will be openly available.
About the Facilitator
Maryam Safa Schneider (she/her) is an educator with over 16 years’ teaching experience, and a dedicated researcher and learning designer for the past four years. Her research focuses on the intersection of communication technology and mental health, exploring how technological advancements influence well-being and i
nterpersonal dynamics. She holds a bachelor of fine arts in visual arts from the University of British Columbia, a master of liberal arts in psychology from Harvard Extension School, and several specialized educational certificates, blending her passions for art, education, and mental health.
She serves an assistant professor at University Canada West, where she teaches general psychology and communication to undergraduate students. In her role as an educational consultant and learning designer, she develops dynamic, learner-centered experiences tailored to diverse educational and corporate settings. She provides personalized consultation and training that aligns teaching practices with emerging trends and best practices in education.
About the Series
Discover the BCcampus EdTech Sandbox Series, workshops empowering educators, learning designers, and graduate students in B.C.’s post-secondary institutions to explore, experiment with, and evaluate cutting-edge tools for enhancing teaching excellence and student success. Aligned with the B.C. Post-Secondary Digital Literacy Framework, this program emphasizes a support technology perspective, encouraging open-mindedness, curiosity, troubleshooting skills, and the selection of appropriate tools for work and study.
Focus Areas for 2024-2025:
- The AI Sandbox: A space dedicated to experimenting with, and reviewing, artificial intelligence (AI)-based learning technologies.
- The No-Go EdTech Sandbox: A space aimed at examining learning technologies educators, students, and staff should avoid using in teaching and learning, and why.
In these two-hour live streamed webinars, expert leaders will introduce and demonstrate cutting-edge, open, and free, or low-cost educational technology tools.
By actively participating in these sandbox sessions, participants will experiment with tools, work with fellow educators to review features of the tools, gain insights into teaching activities, and discover ways to integrate these tools into courses.
Recordings of the presentations and reviews of the tools will be available on our website following the event.
EdTech Sandbox Series Sessions:
- September 18, 2024 — Beyond Surveillance: The Case Against AI Detection and AI Proctoring, Ian Linkletter, BCIT
- October 16, 2024 — Learning Design with ChatGPT: Implications for AI Literacy, Hajime Kataoka, UVic
- November 6, 2024 — Design Smarter: Harnessing Canva’s AI for Enhanced Educational Outcomes, Prabhjot (Prab) Bhamra, University of Toronto
- January 22, 2025 — Exploratory Learning: Effectively Integrating AI with Hypothesis, Julia Grav and Emily Schudel, Camosun College
- February 26, 2025 — Exploring Animaker for Teaching and Learning, Maryam Safa Schneider
Session Description
This is a short session to familiarize you with accessible video content. If you record lectures, make instructional videos or demonstrations, produce social media content, or create any other video content, this session is for you!
Learning Outcomes:
- Evaluate video examples to identify accessibility issues
- Create a plan for creating accessible video content
- Apply the principles of integrated description to the video creation process
Agenda:
- Watch an example video and discuss areas for improvement
- Presentation on accessibility best practices when creating video content
- Presentation on tips and advice for incorporating audio descriptions into your video content
- Questions and answers
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This session will be recorded, archived, and made available publicly on BCcampus.ca. By participating in this session, you acknowledge you are aware your participation will be recorded and the recording will be openly available.
About the Facilitator
Your facilitator for this session will be Luke McKnight.
Luke McKnight (he/his) is a digital accessibility specialist, an IAAP certified Accessible Document Specialist, and a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies. Luke works at Langara College snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓ in Vancouver and is in the Inclusive Design graduate program at OCAD University. Find more information about Luke at Digital A11y.
Accessibility Bites Series
Accessibility Bites: Plain Language, September 26, 2024
Accessibility Bites: Supporting Students who are Blind or with Low Vision, October 31, 2024
Accessibility Bites: Supporting Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, November 28, 2024
Accessibility Bites: PDF Documents, January 30, 2025
Accessibility Bites: Video Accessibility, February 27, 2025
To access resources and watch past Accessibility Bites webinars, visit media.bccampus.ca.
About the Session
In this FLO Friday session, participants will formulate “ShouldAI, CouldAI, WouldAI?” questions to discuss the use of AI in their classes and assessments.
Recognizing that learning outcomes inform pedagogical practices; participants will explore how AI could be used to support achievement and to enhance student success. Generative AI has not only underscored the need for curricular innovation but also highlighted the necessity for support and training to manage this complex task.
Participants will collaborate on the future of education with an “AI perspective.” They will analyze their assessment strategies in the context of their learning outcomes and AI use among students. They will collaborate on developing a curriculum considering current and future AI use.
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This notice is to inform you that this session will be recorded, archived, and made available publicly on BCcampus.ca. By participating in this session, you acknowledge that your participation in this session may be recorded and the recording will be made available openly.
About the Facilitator
Your FLO Facilitator for this session is Jenny Fitzgerald.
Jenny Fitzgerald (she/her) is an instructor of university success strategies, communications, and English upgrading at Capilano University. As an educator and curriculum developer, she sees the promises and challenges presented by AI in a post-secondary context. For the past two years, she has engaged in research and curriculum projects to support her students and colleagues around the ethical use of AI, focusing on adapting her courses and teaching practices to support student success. Jenny takes every opportunity to geek out with other educators and strives for collaborative innovation to mitigate the challenges posed by the rapid advancement of technology.
About the MicroCourse:
Based on the success and waitlist for the September 2024 offering of this course, we are rerunning the same course. Join us for this free one-week Facilitating Learning Online (FLO) MicroCourse offering you opportunities to reframe some of the pedagogical approaches that could be hindering your journey towards reconciliation. 
Each day will introduce a new approach or resource aimed at weaving Indigenous perspectives into our practice, fostering decolonization and expanding our teaching repertoire.
Learning outcomes:
- Become acquainted with the B.C. Government’s distinctions-based approach.
- Reflect on what hinders us, and what motivates us, to do the work of decolonization and reconciliation.
- Share similarities and differences in our practice.
- Create visions for the future based on our individual contexts and collective aspirations.
While most of the learning will happen asynchronously, we have one optional synchronous session planned on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, from 12:00-1:30 p.m.
To get the most out of this learning experience, participants should expect to invest 2.5 asynchronous hours each day to review and reflect on the course materials and resources.
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About the facilitator:
Your FLO facilitator for this course is Dr. Carmen Rodriguez de France.
Carmen (she/her) is of Indigenous heritage from the Kickapoo Nation in Northeast México. She acknowledges the privilege and responsibilities she holds for living on the land of the W̱SÁNEĆ Nation, and the lək̓ʷəŋən people from the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations in the province of British Columbia. Born and raised in Monterrey, Carmen is a member of the Department of Indigenous Education at the University of Victoria, where her teaching and research focus on social justice, anti-racist education, and the experiences of in-service and pre-service teachers. Carmen’s career in education spans almost 40 years, previously working as a teacher in Mexico. She is expanding her work outside academia as a consultant for a variety of organizations such as the National Film Board, Intercultural Association of Victoria, and the Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of B.C.
About the Session
Felten’s Good Practice in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) provides a framework for researchers of teaching and learning within higher education. These principles emphasize the contextual nature of student learning, the importance of appropriate methodological practices, and the value of conducting inquiry in partnership with students. Recently, Hamilton and McCollum have proposed an additional principle for Great Practice in SoTL. This 6th principle serves to bridge the gap between research traditions of academic silos, improving the communication and application of scholarly findings for teaching practices across post-secondary settings.
In this session, McCollum will present models for engaging with students as partners, considerations for learner safety during research mentoring processes, and the importance of describing your research’s epistemological and ontological traditions for scholarly impact.
Speaker
Brett McCollum is the director of the centre for excellence in learning and teaching at Thompson Rivers University. He holds a PhD in chemistry (Simon Fraser University) and is a 3M National Teaching Fellow (2019). He is internationally recognized in the fields of scholarship on teaching and learning and discipline-based education research, serving as editor-in-chief of The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CJSoTL).
Prior to joining TRU, McCollum was a full professor in the department of chemistry and physics at Mount Royal University. He also held an inaugural board of governor’s teaching chair, focusing on educational leadership and has served as chair of SoTL Canada, a constituency group of the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
McCollum’s passion for improving the student learning experience was recognized through the MRU Undergraduate Research Supervision Award (2019), the Student Association Open Education Champion Award (2020), and the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations Distinguished Teaching Award (2021). With research experience in both quantitative and qualitative methods, McCollum is enthusiastic about evidence-based scholarly teaching and creating the conditions for faculty, staff, and students to collaborate as partners for exceptional learning experiences.
Register Now!
This session will be recorded, archived, and made available publicly on BCcampus.ca. By participating in this session, you acknowledge you are aware your participation will be recorded and the recording will be openly available.
About the Series
The BCcampus Winter 2025 Research Speaker Series offers participants and presenters an opportunity to learn and share knowledge and advocacy on research methods, approaches, and pedagogies around accessibility, access, Indigenous engagement, and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in teaching and learning.
These livestream webinars take place every month from January to March and will allow you to learn about new research directly from the researchers.
Sessions
- January 21, 2025 – Storytelling sm̓iʔmay̓ Futurisms from the Digital Frontier. Challenging Colonial Narratives through a Digital Embodied Story Practice and Research-Creation, Mariel Belanger, Queen’s University
- February 25, 2025 – Transparent, Detailed, Ethical: An Introduction to the Artificial Intelligence Disclosure (AID) Framework, Kari D. Weaver, University of Waterloo Libraries
- March 11, 2025 – Engaging in Great Practices for Research on Teaching and Learning, Brett McCollum, Thompson Rivers University
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this series, participants will be able to:
- Broaden your knowledge and research skills in the B.C. post-secondary context.
- Learn about Indigenization, EDI, decolonization, and accessibility in research.
- Be inspired to participate in research communities of practice or explore the themes in your work.
- Connect with academics and community members who share your interests.
The British Columbia Open Education Community (BCOEC) welcomes members from the post-secondary sector in British Columbia and the Yukon. This community convenes monthly in virtual gatherings, fostering an environment for sharing insights, providing support, and engaging in discussions about the challenges, best practices, and current issues within open education.
Register now!
Recordings and transcripts available from past meetings: B.C. Open Education Community (Playlist)
The British Columbia Open Education Community (BCOEC) welcomes members from the post-secondary sector in British Columbia and the Yukon. This community convenes monthly in virtual gatherings, fostering an environment for sharing insights, providing support, and engaging in discussions about the challenges, best practices, and current issues within open education.
Register now!
Recordings and transcripts available from past meetings: B.C. Open Education Community (Playlist)
The British Columbia Open Education Community (BCOEC) welcomes members from the post-secondary sector in British Columbia and the Yukon. This community convenes monthly in virtual gatherings, fostering an environment for sharing insights, providing support, and engaging in discussions about the challenges, best practices, and current issues within open education.
Register now!
Recordings and transcripts available from past meetings: B.C. Open Education Community (Playlist)