About the MicroCourse:
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, September 25, 2024, 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 FLO MicroCourse
In this Facilitating Learning Online (FLO) MicroCourse, participants will learn a design and creation paradigm for creating engaging educational videos. During the week, each participant will create a short video using the principles learned in this MicroCourse.
Video has tremendous power, both to support learning in the classroom and for educational outreach on social media. Engaging, visually interesting, and compelling videos can be highly effective tools for learning. The video creation principles in this MicroCourse blend research and practical experience.
Learning objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants in this workshop will be able to:
- Understand the fundamental principles of effective video design;
- Generate ideas for compelling educational topics that work well in the video medium;
- Refine a video idea into a concrete script with accompanying graphics;
- Create technically proficient videos with high-quality audio and visual recordings edited into a polished final product; and
- Understand the different success metrics for educational videos intended for outreach on social media and instructional videos intended for courses.
While most of the learning will happen asynchronously, two synchronous sessions are planned. These sessions will be recorded for those who cannot attend. Monday, October 7, 1:00-2:00 p.m. and Friday, October 11, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Participants should expect to spend at least one additional hour per day on coursework. Please put aside the time in your calendar for an optimal learning experience.
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Please note: Synchronous sessions will be recorded, archived, and made available to course registrants. By participating in this session, you acknowledge you are aware that your participation may be recorded and the recording will be available to other course registrants.
About the facilitator
Your FLO facilitator for this session will be Dr. Trefor Bazett.
Trefor (he/his) is an assistant teaching professor in the Mathematics and Statistics Department at the University of Victoria. Trefor has also built a YouTube channel with over 500 math education videos that have been viewed almost 40 million times. As a professor, Trefor uses video extensively in his online and flipped classrooms.
About the MicroCourse
Join this one-week Facilitating Learning Online (FLO) MicroCourse and explore the intersection of Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in the context of higher education.
Participants, including students, faculty members, and staff will explore various aspects of EI and GenAI, focusing on emotional growth, empathy development, and creating a more supportive and inclusive university environment.
Learning Outcomes
Understand the role of EI and GenAI in higher ed for self-awareness and communication by:
- Developing empathy and communication through AI-driven activities.
- Learning conflict resolution and ethical leadership with GenAI support.
- Using GenAI tools for mental health and resilience, creating personal growth plans.
- Assessing ethical use of GenAI in enhancing EI for responsible communication and personal development.
The course will be delivered asynchronously online, with an estimated time commitment of 10-12 hours for the week. We have scheduled a kick-off synchronous session on Monday, October 28, 2024, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. PT.
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Facilitators
Your FLO Facilitators for this course are Dr. Afsaneh Sharif, Dr. Mostafa Nazari, and Lucas Wright.
Afsaneh Sharif (she/her) has more than two decades’ experience in higher education and works as a senior project manager and faculty liaison at the University of British Columbia. Her expertise lies in project management and learning design, particularly within the sphere of online learning. Afsaneh holds a PhD in Knowledge Management, concentrating on enhancing the quality of online education programs. By applying research findings to develop effective educational strategies, she upholds the highest standards in digital and online learning and other modalities.
Additionally, Afsaneh is co-chair of the B.C. Digital Learning Advisory Committee in the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. Her interests include promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion; improving quality; ensuring accessibility; advancing online learning; fostering community practice; advocating for open education; and implementing UDL principles. Lately, her focus has shifted towards investigating the potential and challenges of GenAI in the educational sector, with an emphasis on accessibility and inclusion.
Dr. Mostafa Nazari (he/his) is an assistant professor in the Arts, Communications, and Social Sciences Department and is head of the English Department at University Canada West. He has recently co-authored a paper on artificial intelligence and higher education, titled “Developing effective prompts to improve communication with ChatGPT: a formula for higher education stakeholders.” Dr. Nazari has designed and conducted several workshops on technology and artificial intelligence for faculty members in Vancouver.
Lucas Wright (he/his) is a senior education consultant at the University of British Columbia (UBC). With more than 14 years’ experience, he specializes in learning technology and design, particularly in the application of GenAI. His background includes a Master of Arts in Adult Education from UBC and certifications in digital storytelling, instructional skills, and online learning. His goal is to enhance teaching and learning by integrating GenAI to foster dynamic and innovative learning environments.
About the MicroCourse:
Teaching is often a solitary practice; we rarely invite colleagues into our classrooms or see how our colleagues teach. This is often due to academic structures and because it can feel intimidating. However, discussions and feedback from peers can help us strengthen our teaching skills, including online teaching.
During this Facilitating Learning Online (FLO) MicroCourse, you will learn about research on “paired teaching” and “Teaching Triangles,” two programs that promote professional development through mutual observation and discussion. Key features of productive mutual observations include:
- Each instructor articulating their own goals for learning from the process,
- Giving space for both the teacher and the observer to learn from observations, and
- Establishing what makes productive (and non-productive) feedback.
This FLO MicroCourse will prepare participants to engage in reciprocal peer observations for professional development, if they choose to do so (optionally after the course). Participants will have the chance to identify where they might like peer feedback on their teaching and examine any potential fears around being observed. They will gain practical experience in observing teaching, giving productive feedback, and learning from these observations. We will discuss equity considerations in observations and giving and receiving feedback. At the end of the course, participants interested in continuing reciprocal observations will be paired with a fellow participant.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, participants will have the opportunity to:
- Feel excited about learning from reciprocal observations
- Recognize the value of teaching observations for both the observed teacher and the observer
- Reflect on areas of their own teaching where they would like feedback and/or inspiration
- Know features of positive productive feedback, including equity considerations in giving and receiving feedback
- Experience reflecting and giving feedback in a practice observing scenario online
- Reflect on potential fears or challenges of being observed
Participants should anticipate at least one hour per day of asynchronous learning. Two optional synchronous sessions are planned for the week:
- Tuesday, November 19, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
- Friday, November 22, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
While attendance is encouraged, the sessions will be recorded for those who cannot attend.
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About the Facilitator:
Your FLO facilitator for this FLO MicroCourse is Linda Strubbe.
Linda (she/her), Ph.D., is a Vancouver-based independent educational consultant for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) higher education at Strubbe Educational Consulting. Linda is passionate about supporting educators’ collaboration, agency, and joy in teaching. Through workshops, communities of practice, and curriculum development, she supports university faculty in North America and beyond in developing skills for effective and equitable teaching. She also supports STEM education projects as an external evaluator.
Linda’s doctorate is in astrophysics from the University of California, Berkeley, and she has postdoctoral experience in physics and astronomy education research and faculty development in both Canada and the U.S. She was a Science Teaching & Learning Fellow with the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative (CWSEI) at the University of British Columbia (2015-18). Linda is also co-director for the Pan-African School for Emerging Astronomers (PASEA), and has worked with the University of Central Asia, American Physical Society, and American Association of Physics Teachers. She is excited to work with BC Campus to offer this new FLO MicroCourse!
About the MicroCourse
Explore how to design accessible eLearning experiences by applying the four principles of the POUR framework:
- Perceivability,
- Operability,
- Understandability, and
- Robustness.
These principles are the foundation of the international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
During this week, participants will learn and apply POUR principles through activities and will give and receive feedback. Participants will also identify how they would revise one of their eLearning materials using the POUR principles.
Learning Objectives
- Develop a basic understanding of accessibility and the POUR framework
- Apply POUR principles to eLearning materials
Participants should anticipate at least 6.75 hours of asynchronous learning during this week.
Three optional one-hour synchronous sessions are planned:
- January 20, 2025, 12:00-1:00 p.m. PT
- January 22, 2025, 12:00-1:00 p.m. PT
- January 24, 2025, 12:00-1:00 p.m. PT
These sessions will not be recorded.
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About the Facilitators
Your facilitators for this FLO MicroCourse are Fizza Haider and Gena Hamilton.
Fizza Haider (she/her) is a post-secondary educational professional with over seven years’ experience instructing students and supporting their access to learning. Her professional philosophy centers on providing accessible, flexible, and responsive learning to students.
She believes students learn, acquire and process information differently and values designing learning experiences to meet diverse student needs and preferences. She has demonstrated success in these areas through a multi-disciplinary process of consultation and collaboration with students, faculty, staff, and external campus and community partners.
With a master’s degree in Educational Psychology, she draws on her understanding of evidence-based instructional strategies and frameworks such as Universal Design for Learning, the POUR framework for accessible design, and the Multimedia Learning Theory. to develop training workshops and resources for diverse audiences including educators, educational technology specialists, and instructional designers, guiding them in the practical application of these theoretical principles to course design. She works as a learning designer at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV).
In this role, Fizza encourages faculty to think about accessibility and flexibility in all aspects of course development and supports the development of accessible content design skills. Fizza serves on UFV’s Accessible British Columbia Act steering committee, tasked with guiding the university in meeting the statutory requirements of the provincial legislation. She is also a member of BCcampus’ Sector Advisory Committee, providing leadership, advice, and support with the rollout of B.C.’s Digital Learning Strategy.
Gena Hamilton (she/her) is an academic advisor for the school of education at the University of the Fraser Valley and a certified career development practitioner. She has a passion for learning design and innovation in career education.