Conversations about Teaching and Learning

David Rubeli has created a Zotero group and  open resource library for research literature, teaching resources, and institutional reports related to teaching large classes.

Consider joining the group or subscribing to the library RSS feed if you interested in exploring ways of exploring innovative ways of facilitating learning for large groups, teaching in large lecture halls and classrooms, and leading instructional teams of teaching assistants and markers.

David Rubeli has created a Zotero group and  open resource library for research literature, teaching resources, and institutional reports related to English as an Additional Language (EAL).

Consider joining the group or subscribing to the library RSS feed if you interested in exploring ways of exploring innovative ways of using linguistic diversity as a tool in your teaching or are  looking for new ways of helping students to read, write, or speak English more proficiently.

Since November 2010,  52 participants have gathered at Harbour Centre, Burnaby and Surrey campuses to watch and discuss Peter Wolf’s presentation “Connecting Learning Across Courses with Curriculum Mapping”. Everyone shared experiences and stories about what they are doing in their faculties and departments in the area of curriculum and course design. There was a lot of energy, enthusiasm for this conversation about student learning and ideas for further action were generated.

View the video recording of the Magna webinar “Connect Learning across Courses with Curriculum Mapping” held on November 3, 2010.

Download Peter Wolf’s powerpoint presentation: CurriculumMapping_MagnaHandout.

Highlights

Many interesting reflections emerged during the discussions:

• use an external facilitator – to manage process & push initiative forward
• identify Visual mapping (SFU software) software
• adapt individual course-level templates/tools to work with
• use data for decision-making is helpful
• consider the skills that a grad needs to have as a beginning point
• provide students with opportunities to recognize personal and academic growth over the course of their studies
• explore how e-portfolios can be used to support learning across programs and degrees
• encourage a broad overarching framework to integrate curricular work at local levels
• local pilot projects at the course level can be used to support program-level efforts
• identify champions who are involved in course and curriculum design and mapping.

What’s next?

• Create a listserv or some other vehicle for staying connected with all who are interested in continuing the conversation about course and curriculum design
• Plan another gathering and invite everyone who has participated to share their processes, designs and problem solve common questions emerging.
• Explore and share other models of curriculum development.
• Share ideas from the session with colleagues and suggested reviewing faculty documentation to explore how ideas from the session can be applied.
• Obtain a copy of the live presentation with Peter Wolf and make a digitized version available for others to see as soon as possible.

As part of the Today’s SFU Students conversation events held at Burnaby and Surrey in November, Nancy Johnson and Kate Ross offered a comprehensive  snapshot of students based on information gathered through recent surveys. Their slides are embedded below for those who were unable to attend.

To what extent does this high-level portrait of students resonate with your pratice? Are there issues covered in the presentation that you would like to explore in more detail?