About the Event
Sharing facilitation strategies. Growing together.
You are invited to join our “FLO Pod” (Practices of Online Development), a peer-led community of practice for FLO (Facilitating Learning Online) participants.
Building and expanding on the work of Matty Hillman’s BCcampus research fellowship, we invite you to join the BCcampus Trauma-Informed Post Secondary Community of Practice (CoP). Using the Trauma-Informed principles (Carello, 2021) as a foundation, each CoP/Pod meeting will provide space for information and discussion on trauma-informed teaching practices and perspectives.
As the Pod matures, we hope that hosting responsibilities will rotate among the members. This aligns with Wenger’s (1998) concept of a thriving CoP, where mutual engagement, shared responsibility, and the co-construction of knowledge are central. Inspired by models like the POD Network, the FLO Pod is uniquely focused on peer-led online facilitation, i.e., a peer-led space to grow. This is an open Pod, meaning participants can join any sessions that work for them, however, in order to build a supportive and cohesive group, we strongly encourage you to schedule the meetings in your calendar and attend as many as possible.
Sessions
Synchronous sessions will be held from 1:00–3:00 p.m. PT:
- Monday September 22
- Monday October 6
- Monday October 27
- Monday November 17
- Monday December 1
Register Now!
These sessions will not be recorded.
Registrants will be asked to create a SCoPE (Moodle account) where Pod resources will be shared.
References
Carello, J. (2020). TITL general principles 3.20. Trauma-Informed Teaching and Learning
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.
About the Facilitator
Matty Hillman is a counsellor, instructor, and educational developer at Selkirk College in the beautiful Kootenay region of B.C., the traditional territory of the Sinixt people. His research interests include sexual violence prevention and response on post-secondary campuses, trauma-informed post-secondary education, and radical youth work. Matty is a regular contributor to various BCcampus projects. As a muralist, he is especially interested in the intersection of youth work and public art, exploring the opportunity these complementary practices create for empowerment, community building, and social justice advancements.
Session Description
In this interactive session we will explore the concept of Access Friction—the idea that no course can fully anticipate every learner’s needs—and how this limitation opens space for more collaborative and even improvisatory approaches to course design and delivery.
Using a hypothetical case study where access supports both include and exclude specific learners, we will frame Access Friction as an invitation to create deeply inclusive learning environments. Together we will develop responses to the multiple learning needs highlighted in the case, setting aside fixed learning outcomes to embrace learning as a process of experimentation and responsive design.
What to bring (optional): Examples of access friction from your own teaching and learning experience for group discussion.
Agenda
- Overview of Access Friction using definitions by disabled researchers, educators, and activists
- Use Zoom’s synchronous collaboration tools to respond to a hypothetical case study of Access Friction
- Discussion, reflections, and questions
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This notice is to inform you that this session will be recorded, archived, and shared after the event. By participating in this session, you acknowledge that your participation will be recorded and the recording will be made available publicly.
About the Facilitator
Stefan Sunandan Honisch (he/him) is a disabled researcher, educator, and musician. He is a sessional instructor in Theatre Studies, and a Scholar-in-Residence at St. John’s College, on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded lands of the Musqueam Nation, on which the University of British Columbia’s Vancouver campus is situated. Honisch has also previously worked for the BC Public Service Agency’s Learning Centre.
2025-26 Accessibility Bites Series
- Accessibility Bites: Introduction to Web Accessibility, August 28, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: Supporting Post-Secondary Students with ADHD, September 25, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: Let’s Talk about Learning Disabilities, October 30, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: The Gift of Dyslexia, November 27, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: Access Friction, December 11, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: UDL 3.0 in Practice, January 29, 2026
- Accessibility Bites: An Indigenous Lens on Disability Rights, February 26, 2026
For recordings and resources from previous Accessibility Bites workshops, visit the Accessibility Bites Pressbook.
About the Session
This session will explore the design and use of CITE GPT, a custom AI (Artificial Intelligence) chatbot created as a project in the UBC Master of Educational Technology ETEC 511 class, to support students and educators with academic writing, citation formatting, and ethical information use in a reflexive way. The aim of this session is to demystify the design process, showing our successes and failures, which may lead to participants being better informed or trying this skill themselves.
Developed using OpenAI’s custom GPT framework and grounded in the principles of reflexivity, digital literacy, and educational usability, CITE GPT serves as a model for how AI can be thoughtfully embedded into academic practice.
Participants will be led through the coding process of creating a chatbot, engage in hands-on experimentation with the chatbot, be encouraged to make a chatbot of their own, and explore how the system-level prompt and knowledge base can shape user experience, all while reflecting on how AI can support, not shortcut, learning. This is done by emphasizing critical thinking, ethical engagement with technology, and student agency.
Together, we’ll reflect on how to use AI tools responsibly in our teaching and help students develop agency, not dependency. By the end, participants will leave with a concrete sense of how to evaluate, adapt, or build their own tools to support academic success.
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This session may be recorded, archived, and shared after the event. By participating in this session, you acknowledge that your participation will be recorded and the recording may be made available publicly.
About the Facilitator
Amanda Robins is an educator, instructional designer, and MEd candidate at the University of British Columbia, specializing in educational technology. With over 20 years of experience teaching English for academic purposes at the college level at both Langara College and SFU, she brings a deep understanding of pedagogy, digital learning, and accessibility. Her recent work explores the ethical integration of AI in the classroom. Amanda has led workshops for educators on AI and assessment for BC TEAL and UVic ProD days, and recently organized workshops for a digital literacy teaching exchange in China.
About the Series
Discover the BCcampus EdTech Sandbox Series!
In these 90-minute workshops, expert leaders will introduce and demonstrate cutting-edge, open, and free, or low-cost educational technology tools aligned with the B.C. Post-Secondary Digital Literacy Framework. 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.
Focus Areas
- The AI Sandbox: a space dedicated to experimenting with, and reviewing, artificial intelligence tools and applications in educational settings.
- Other Learning Technologies: a space to explore, experiment, and review emerging learning technologies beyond AI, highlighting their potential impacts and practical applications.
EdTech Sandbox Series Sessions
- September 10, 2025 – Choose Your Own Adventure! Dynamic Branching Scenarios and Game Maps With H5P and AI Tools
- October 8, 2025 – The Intelligent Notebook: Become a Knowledge Expert With NotebookLM
- October 17, 2025 – [Special EdTech Sandbox] Remote Proctoring Through an Ethical Lens: the Case Against Surveillance
- November 26, 2025 – Claude vs. ChatGPT: Choosing the Right AI for the Job
- January 21, 2025 – Build Your Own Teaching Bot: My Story of Creating CITE GPT as a Teaching Tool
- February 18, 2025 – Re-imagining the Past: Deepfake as a Tool for Creative Storytelling and Visual Literacy
Session Description
Are you familiar with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and trying out some ideas? Are you interested in accessible pedagogy? Interested in upping your UDL game? Join us for ideas on extending your UDL-based teaching practices using the new UDL 3.0 guidelines.
Register Now!
This notice is to inform you that this session will be recorded, archived, and shared after the event. By participating in this session, you acknowledge that your participation will be recorded and the recording will be made available publicly.
About the Facilitator
Your facilitator for this session is Dr. Seanna Takacs.
Seanna is Practice Lead in Accessibility Services at KPU. She consults on UDL and accessible pedagogy for post-secondary institutions in British Columbia and is Co-chair for the Accessibility and Inclusion Community of Practice for Canadian Association of College & University Student Services (CACUSS).
2025-26 Accessibility Bites Series
- Accessibility Bites: Introduction to Web Accessibility, August 28, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: Supporting Post-Secondary Students with ADHD, September 25, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: Let’s Talk about Learning Disabilities, October 30, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: The Gift of Dyslexia, November 27, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: Access Friction, December 11, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: UDL 3.0 in Practice, January 29, 2026
- Accessibility Bites: An Indigenous Lens on Disability Rights, February 26, 2026
For recordings and resources from previous Accessibility Bites workshops, visit the Accessibility Bites Pressbook.
About the Session
We will explore the creative and educational potential of deepfake technology. Through guided analysis, collaborative storytelling, and ethical reflection, participants will critically examine how AI-generated media can enhance historical representation and artistic narratives. Learning objectives include: understanding the dual-use nature of deepfakes; applying visual and media literacy principles; exploring ethical frameworks for emerging technologies; and fostering creative thinking through speculative media design. The aim is for participants to leave with a nuanced view of deepfakes, recognizing both their risks and transformative possibilities in education, art, and public history.
Register Now!
This notice is to inform you that this session may be recorded, archived, and shared after the event. By participating in this session, you acknowledge that your participation will be recorded and the recording may be made available publicly.
About the Facilitator
Maryam Safa Schneider is an educator, researcher, and learning designer with over 17 years of experience in the field of education. She currently teaches psychology and communication at University Canada West. With a background in visual arts and liberal arts psychology, Maryam brings an interdisciplinary lens to digital storytelling, ethical technology use, and creative pedagogy. Her work explores how emerging media, such as deepfakes, can be critically and constructively integrated into teaching and learning.
About the Series
Discover the BCcampus EdTech Sandbox Series!
In these 90-minute workshops, expert leaders will introduce and demonstrate cutting-edge, open, and free, or low-cost educational technology tools aligned with the B.C. Post-Secondary Digital Literacy Framework. 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.
Focus Areas for 2025-2026
- The AI Sandbox: a space dedicated to experimenting with, and reviewing, artificial intelligence tools and applications in educational settings.
- Other Learning Technologies: a space to explore, experiment, and review emerging learning technologies beyond AI, highlighting their potential impacts and practical applications.
EdTech Sandbox Series Sessions
- September 10, 2025 – Choose Your Own Adventure! Dynamic Branching Scenarios and Game Maps With H5P and AI Tools
- October 8, 2025 – The Intelligent Notebook: Become a Knowledge Expert With NotebookLM
- October 17, 2025 – [Special EdTech Sandbox] Remote Proctoring Through an Ethical Lens: the Case Against Surveillance
- November 26, 2025 – Claude vs. ChatGPT: Choosing the Right AI for the Job
- January 21, 2025 – Build Your Own Teaching Bot: My Story of Creating CITE GPT as a Teaching Tool
- February 18, 2025 – Re-imagining the Past: Deepfake as a Tool for Creative Storytelling and Visual Literacy
About the Event
This session shares national research findings fon the barriers neurodivergent learners face when moving from post-secondary education into the workforce. Drawing on the lived experiences of neurodivergent students, as well as insights from advisors, administrators, and faculty, the session highlights the challenges neurodivergent learners encounter when preparing for employment.
The session will highlight practical strategies and actionable recommendations for post-secondary leaders, educators, and staff to enhance supports and student success during this transition.
Please note, the session will only be partially recorded. To get the most out of the learning, please plan to attend synchronously.
Research Acknowledgement: This research was conducted by the Conference Board of Canada in partnership with the Future Skills Centre, whose support made this study possible.
Registration Coming Soon
This notice is to inform you that this session will be recorded, archived, and shared with course registrants
About the Facilitator
Dr. Jennifer Fane is the Lead Research Associate in the education and skills knowledge area at the Conference Board of Canada. She holds an interdisciplinary PhD in education, public health, and social policy, and leads the Conference Board’s neurodiversity research portfolio. With over 18 years’ experience as a classroom teacher, professor, and educational researcher in Canada and Australia, she has worked across the birth-to-five, K-12, post-secondary, and non-profit sectors. As a neurodivergent educator and researcher, Jennifer is passionate about translating research into practice to strengthen learning and employment outcomes for neurodivergent individuals.
Session Description
This workshop offers a brief but meaningful reflection on disability rights through an Indigenous lens, drawing from traditional Nɬeʔkepmx ecological knowledge. It challenges Western deficit-based models and affirms the strength, knowledge, and interdependence of all community members, including those living with disabilities. Participants will gain insight into how Indigenous knowledge systems hold space for diverse bodies, minds, and spirits, and how this informs a decolonial approach to accessibility in post-secondary spaces.
Register Now!
This notice is to inform you that this session will be recorded, archived, and shared after the event. By participating in this session, you acknowledge that your participation will be recorded and the recording will be made available publicly.
About the Facilitator
Sue Sterling-Bur is a member of the Nłeʔkepmx and Stó:lō Nations and sits with the Duntem’yoo (Bear) Clan in Bahlats with Nadleh Whut’en from the Carrier Sekani Nation. She is a strong advocate for the advancement of Indigenous Rights and educational opportunities for all.
Sue holds a master’s degree in social work and is a Ph.D. candidate at The University of British Columbia Okanagan, where she also serves as the Manager of Indigenous Strategies and Initiatives. Her doctoral research offers an Indigenous perspective on the systems of belief around giftedness in children with disabilities. Her research is grounded in Nłeʔkepmx Spilahem and Speta’kl stories and aims to identify the ethics, values, and beliefs that guide working with and supporting Indigenous people with disabilities.
Sue’s experience includes supporting Indigenous communities and agencies in B.C. to develop and implement programming for Indigenous children; serving as a Child & Youth Mental Health Advisor for Doctors of B.C.; acting as a Provincial Child Care Advisor for the Ministry of Children and Family Development, serving as Vice President for Students for the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology; sitting on the Board of the BC Aboriginal Child Care Society, and more recently, being appointed co-lead of the Idigenous Research stream at the Canadian Institution for Inclusion and Citizenship.
2025-26 Accessibility Bites Series
- Accessibility Bites: Introduction to Web Accessibility, August 28, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: Supporting Post-Secondary Students with ADHD, September 25, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: Let’s Talk about Learning Disabilities, October 30, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: The Gift of Dyslexia, November 27, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: Access Friction, December 11, 2025
- Accessibility Bites: UDL 3.0 in Practice, January 29, 2026
- Accessibility Bites: An Indigenous Lens on Disability Rights, February 26, 2026
For recordings and resources from previous Accessibility Bites workshops, visit the Accessibility Bites Pressbook.