Learner preferences and characteristics in B.C. higher education have undergone significant changes in recent years. Notably, emerging trends include a greater expectation for varied learning modalities (online, hybrid, and in person), as well as a wider spectrum of digital literacy skills. At the same time, post-secondary institutions have had to adapt to various disruptive technological changes, while being resilient in the face of an uncertain educational landscape.
In this spring workshop, commemorating ETUG’s 30th anniversary, we will explore the interaction between our educational ecosystem and the various technologies driving change. The focus will be on practical issues, solutions, and real technology-related challenges facing post-secondary education. We will discuss topics such as the best practices for supporting digital literacy given the current state of technology, how institutions are considering the human behind the machine, and how colleges and universities are supporting a greater demand for online and hybrid options.
The event will be held May 9-10 in person at Simon Fraser University’s Harbour Centre in Vancouver, B.C., with a livestream option available. A mixer will be held on the evening of May 9 at the Butcher & Bullock.
Helpful Links:
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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.
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Join us for this free, three-hour experiential Facilitating Learning Online (FLO) workshop.
Are you interested in reviewing and revising your assessment and evaluation framework to further support student learning and success, but do not quite know where to start?
About the FLO Lab
In her 2003 book, Assessment as Learning: Using Classroom Assessment to Maximize Student Learning, Lorna M. Earl describes a framework for assessment and evaluation that builds on traditional formative and summative assessment by introducing a third focus: assessment as learning.
In this FLO Lab, participants can expect to walk away with their own assessment and evaluation plan that includes opportunities for their students to engage in deep learning through layered assessment -as, -for, and -of learning activities. Participants should bring an existing course syllabus, unit/topic assessment and evaluation plan, or a list of course learning outcomes to work with. There will be a framework template participants can use, as well as an example of a completed one.
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This lab will not be recorded. Please plan on attending for the full three hours to get the most out of the session.
Learning Outcomes
With the help of peers and facilitated content, participants will create an assessment and evaluation framework for a topic that includes assessment -as, -for, and -of learning activities.
About the Facilitator
Your FLO facilitator will be Mike Ray. Meet Mike (he/him), a people enthusiast! With a passion for mentoring and coaching, he thrives on guiding others through change. Currently, he channels this passion as an educational developer at the College of New Caledonia (CNC). A product of British Columbia’s 1990s school system and the University of Victoria’s bachelor of education program, Mike has worn many hats over the past 15 years—from school-age education to industry training and post-secondary roles. Outside work, he’s all about mountain biking, BBQs, travel, social events, and sharing safe-for-work memes and well-timed GIFs. Reach out to him for a Teams call or coffee—connect on LinkedIn or find him on the CNC Centre for Learning and Teaching website to start a conversation!
About the Webinar
In this conversational webinar, we introduce you to the Kolibri platform from Learning Equality. It has been successfully deployed in over 200 countries and territories to provide tech-enabled learning opportunities and access to quality digital resources in places where internet access is lacking.
In this webinar, Lauren Lichtman and Jacob Pierce from Learning Equality will share examples of where Kolibri has successfully provided learning in places without internet access. They will demonstrate how it works from a learner and educator perspective, plus provide an understanding of how the platform provides digital content, and how it can be customized for local use.
Alan Levine and Harper Friedman will provide a demonstration of how BCcampus open textbook titles with interactive content such as H5P and video have been migrated to Kolibri and can be made available without access to the online versions. Beyond making the BCcampus content available, we seek ideas on how this approach might be used for learners in the province without broadband internet access.
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About Learning Equality
Learning Equality is a San Diego-based non-profit committed to enabling every person in the world to realize their right to a quality education, by creating offline-first educational technology for innovative pedagogy and supporting the creation and distribution of open educational resources. In recognition of the digital divide, Learning Equity focuses on inclusion for the 2.6 billion people who lack internet connectivity. Their work is primarily centered around a holistic suite of open and adaptable products designed for teaching and learning with technology but without the internet, called Kolibri.
About the Speakers
Lauren Lichtman, head of partnerships and strategy at Learning Equality, is passionate about collaborations and innovations to eradicate barriers to learning opportunities, so all children and youth have their right to a quality education realized. In her recent work, she focuses on supporting corporations engaging in education and the use of edtech for learning.
Jacob Pierce is a senior full-stack developer at Learning Equity, father of two, and all-around nerd. He believes that education and open access to it is one of the best paths toward creating a better world.
Alan Levine is the director of community for Open Education Global and supports a BCcampus project exploring how online open learning content can be made available in remote regions. He has also previously worked on the Open Homework Systems project where he created the H5P/Pressbooks Kitchen.
Harper Friedman is a coordinator of open textbook publishing with the open education team at BCcampus. He provides support for B.C. faculty by helping them create open educational resources as well as learning, applying, and teaching accessibility best practices and making educational resources more accessible for more students. He has been collaborating with Alan on the BCcampus project with the goal of making open learning content available in remote regions.
Session Description: 
Join us for this free, one-hour Facilitating Learning Online (FLO) webinar exploring the three qualities of an effective interpersonal communicator: openness, flexibility, and kindness. Discover their importance in enriching classroom communication experiences.
By prioritizing these qualities, educators can establish a courageous, learner-centred environment where students feel empowered to engage authentically in learning relationships with faculty and fellow students. Explore the importance of effective communication in creating a meaningful classroom experience for all participants.
In this FLO Friday session, you will:
- Consider how positioning openness, flexibility and kindness for self and others—as learners and educators—is foundational to interpersonal communication within a classroom setting.
- Explore your own opportunities to nurture authentic relationships to enable potentially transformative learning experiences.
- Identify opportunities within your own education practice to create the necessary conditions for transformative learning environments.
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About the Facilitator:
Your FLO Facilitator for this session is Tanya Pawliuk. Tanya (she/her) is an associate teaching professor in the School of Social Work and Human Service at Thompson Rivers University, located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc people. Her teaching specialties include child and youth care, and trauma-informed practice and communication. She has worked for over 25 years with children, youth, and families in the fields of permanency, adoption, and gender-based violence. She is the co-founder of the Consent Café.
About the FLO MicroCourse
Join our next free, one-week Facilitating Learning Online (FLO) MicroCourse!
As post-secondary educators become more aware of, and proficient with, trauma-informed and student-centred approaches to teaching, a greater understanding of the need to create and set boundaries with students has emerged.
This micro-course offers participants the opportunity to consider and reflect on their own professional boundaries as well as discuss and practice boundary setting.
While most of the learning will happen asynchronously, we will offer two optional synchronous sessions in Zoom:
- Monday, May 27 – 5:00-6:00 p.m. PT
- Friday, May 31 – 12:00-1:00 p.m. PT
These sessions will be recorded for those who cannot attend.
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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 will be recorded and the recording will be made available openly.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, participants will have the opportunity to:
- Discuss the need for various types of boundaries in the post-secondary environment
- Explore their personal boundaries in various contexts
- Share experiences and challenges with setting boundaries
- Practice setting boundaries in written and verbal communication
Participants can expect to dedicate approximately 60-90 minutes per day for five days on learning and activities.
About the Facilitator
Your FLO Facilitator will be Matty Hillman. Matty (he/his) is an educational developer, counsellor, and instructor at Selkirk College, as well as a regular collaborator with BCcampus. Through a student-centred and trauma-informed approach to this work, he strives to create systemic change within post-secondary spaces and increase mental health literacy and skills for educators, students, and community members. Matty’s scholarship and research interests include sexual violence prevention and response on post-secondary campuses, trauma-informed education, healthy masculinities, and critical youth mentorship. His writing can be found in various child and youth care journals and several provincial anti-violence projects. You can find his murals adorning walls throughout the West Kootenays.
About the MicroCourse:
Join us for an exploration of the ethical minefield of artificial intelligence (AI) image generation in this free, one-week Facilitation Learning Online (FLO) MicroCourse.
We will tackle the ethical complexities of this fast-evolving technology, exploring issues like bias, ownership, and the future of creativity. Through hands-on experimenting with AI tools, analyzing examples, and engaging in debates with peers, you will have the opportunity to build your own ethical framework to navigate this powerful technology. Artists, teachers, and art enthusiasts are welcome!
Learning Outcomes:
- Understand the key ethical considerations in AI art and image generation.
- Evaluate potential biases and harms in AI art tools.
- Examine issues of intellectual property, ownership, and artistic agency in AI-generated work.
- Develop a personal framework for ethical decision-making with the use of AI in artistic practice.
Participants should be prepared for approximately 6-8 hours of asynchronous work throughout the week.
We also have two optional synchronous sessions planned on Tuesday, June 18, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., and on Thursday, June 20, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Registration coming soon!
MicroCourse Facilitators:
Your FLO facilitators for this course are Brent de Waal and Jason Toal.
Brent (he/him) is a learning designer focused on creating meaningful experiences for adult learners. With experience teaching in both university and private corporate settings, he understands the unique challenges and opportunities of diverse learning environments. As a parent with children in university, he is actively invested in the learning process, bringing a personal perspective to his work. He likes to use his background in art and photography to make courses and workshops with a focus on the creative process. Brent is looking forward to some great discussions in this FLO MicroCourse!
Jason (he/him) is a creative learning designer and human-centred educational technologist based in Victoria, B.C. With over two decades of experience in educational technology, Jason is on a mission to make learning more engaging, accessible, and downright fun. From leading teams at institutions like University of British Columbia Okanagan to consulting independently with Same Page Studios, Jason has championed technology-driven learning experiences that spark curiosity and drive innovation. He’s not just about pushing buttons; he’s about pushing boundaries.
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!
About the Webinar
Join us for this engaging and free three-hour Facilitating Learning Online (FLO) workshop introducing you to the dynamic intersection of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a synergy poised to revolutionize educational accessibility and inclusivity. You will explore the fundamentals of UDL, an educational framework designed to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. You will also explore the transformative power of GenAI technologies in creating adaptive, personalized learning experiences meeting the varied needs of learners.
Through interactive sessions, case studies, and hands-on activities, you will uncover practical strategies and tools to effectively implement GenAI and UDL principles within your educational practices. This workshop aims to empower you with the knowledge and skills to create learning environments where every student can thrive, fostering a culture of inclusivity and accessibility through the innovative use of technology.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:
- Identify the core principles of Universal Design for Learning and how they can be applied to create inclusive learning environments.
- Recognize the potential of GenAI technologies in enhancing educational content and practices.
- Articulate the value of integrating GenAI into a UDL framework, specifically discussing at least two benefits of GenAI-UDL integration for enhancing inclusion and accessibility in educational settings.
- Demonstrate the ability to incorporate at least one GenAI-based tool or technique into a lesson plan aligning with UDL principles
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About the Facilitators
Your FLO facilitators for this lab will be Lucas Wright and Afsaneh Sharif.
Lucas Wright (he/his) is a senior education consultant at the University of British Columbia (UBC). With over 14 years of 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.
Afsaneh Sharif (she/her) has over two decades of experience in higher education and she is currently serving 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. She holds a PhD in knowledge management, concentrating on enhancing the quality of online education programs. Her role involves applying research findings to develop effective educational strategies, striving to uphold the highest standards in digital and online learning and other modalities. Additionally, she is a co-chair of at the B.C. Digital Learning Advisory Committee within the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. She has wide-ranging interests including 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.
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.