January 2006

Unless otherwise indicated, sessions occur in the Learning and Teaching Centre (LTC) Classroom in the Harry Hickman Building (HHB) Room 128.

If the register buttons are not working, please contact us by email.

Instructional Technology Working Group VI: Strategic Issues Discussion Paper
Tuesday, January 10, 2006, HHB 128
1:00 PM ~ 2:15 PM
Recently the President's office put out a Strategic Issues Discussion Paper, along with a progress report on the implementation of the UVic Strategic Plan. This ITWG session will follow-up on the December ITWG meeting. It will be an opportunity to go over a first draft of the ITWG's response to the Discussion Paper. The goal will be to finalize our response to the Discussion Paper. The discussion will be broad -- come with ideas on what UVic needs to do to better support Instructional Technology specifically and academic computing in general. New members always welcome!!

Instructional Technology Series IV: E-Portfolios
Thursday, January 12, 2006, HHB128
12:00 PM ~ 1:00 PM
Presenters: Viviene Temple, Katy Sanford and Mindy van Rheenen.
Co-hosted by UVic's Instructional Technology Working Group (ITWG) and the LTC.
Portfolios as a means of documenting and assessing student learning have a significant history in many fields such as visual art and journalism. Recently, more fields of study have adopted portfolios as a comprehensive and useful method of assessment that also advances learning. With the developments in digital media, electronic forms of portfolios have proven to be relatively easy to construct and access for assessment purposes is fairly simple. UVic instructors who have used e-portfolios will present an overview of how students construct them, how instructors assess them and their benefit to student learning.
What is it, publications, blogs, and software [including free software]?
More about what is it, publications and blogs.

Graduate Student Supervision Series III: Graduate Student Forum: My Supervisor and Me
Friday, January 13, 2006, HHB 128
10:00 AM ~ 11:15 AM
Five graduate students from various fields of study will discuss their successful relationships with their graduate supervisors and the features of those relationships that have helped them to meet their supervisors' and their own expectations. Co-hosted by the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) and the LTC.

TA Day II
Saturday, January 14, 2006
9 :30 AM ~ 3:00 PM, HHB Lobby
Join us Saturday, January 14, 2006 for a series of informative and interesting sessions on topics that will help you excel as a Teaching Assistant, whether your assignment has you teaching labs, leading discussion groups, or marking papers (among other things!)

Learning and Teaching Development Grant Forum I: The Paperwork I
Wednesday, January 18, 2006, HHB 128
12:00 PM ~ 1:00 PM
This session will provide potential LT Development Grant applicants with an opportunity to ask questions about the application process.

Celebration of Teaching Excellence ~ UVic Award Winning Instructors
Wednesday, January 18, 2006, HHB 128
4:00 PM ~ 5:00 PM
The Learning and Teaching Centre celebrates teaching excellence in many ways, one of which is our annual event to recognize teaching award recipients at both the Faculty and University level. Please join us to show appreciation of those who have been identified as exemplars of UVic's commitment to teaching and student success.

Critical Thinking Series III: How do we teach for Critical Thinking?
Thursday, January 19, 2006
11:30 AM ~ 1:00 PM, HHB 128
Panel members will review various strategies for encouraging the development of critical thinking, giving examples from their own courses.  Participants will be encouraged to come with their own examples and questions.

Open Source Software for University Educators Session I: Firefox web browser and Thunderbird email client
Thursday, January 19, 2006
1:00 PM ~ 2:15 PM, HHB 128
Hands-on exploration of Open Source Software and its use for learning, teaching, and researching in the university environment. You are welcome to sign up for one or more sessions.

Sessional Instructor Series IV: Grant Forum II: ProD Grants for Sessional Instructors
Friday, January 20, 2006, HHB 128
10:00 AM ~ 11:00 AM
As part of the Learning and Teaching Development Grants fund, there is a specific amount designated for professional development for long service sessional instructors. Come and find out how you can apply for professional development funding and about the many conferences, seminars and workshops focusing on teaching in higher education.

Learning and Teaching Development Grant Forum II: Sessional Instructor Professional Development
Friday, January 20, 2006, HHB 128
10:00 AM ~ 11:00 AM
As part of the Learning and Teaching Development Grant fund, there is a specific amount designated for professional development for long service sessional instructors. Come and find out how you can apply for professional development funding and about the many conferences, seminars and workshops focusing on teaching in higher education. Also, hear about the teaching development experience of those who have been granted sessional instructor professional development funding in the past: Dr. Alexander Dunn (Music), UVic Chamber Singers Tour: Concert performances in Shanghai, Suzhov, Chengdv, Xian, and Beijing; Mr. Konrad Kordoski (Visual Arts), Visual art computer training research project; Ms. Diana Ng (Nursing), Labyrinth Facilitator Training; Ms. Ingrid M. Percy (Visual Arts), Self-Directed Residency at the Banff Centre [Media and Visual Arts Program].

New Faculty Lunch IV: The Teaching Dossier: Documenting your instruction and instructional contributions
Wednesday, January 25, 2006, HHB 128
12:00 Noon ~ 1:00 PM [hosted lunch for New and Recently New Faculty]
In the salary review, tenure, and promotion processes, the UVic Framework Agreement requires comprehensive documentation of your instructional practice and contributions to curriculum development.  The teaching dossier is the accepted form for these purposes.  In this session, you will be introduced to the various sections of the dossier and to a method of organizing your teaching materials.  A teaching statement is a key component of the dossier and you will begin the process of constructing such a statement so that it best reflects your teaching experiences and your teaching development goals.

Learning and Teaching Development Grant Forum III: Project Conceptualization
Thursday, January 26, 2006, HHB 128
12:00 PM ~ 1:00 PM
Join past grant recipients to hear about how they developed their projects: Dr. Jessica Ball and Sandrina De Finney (Child and Youth Care), Effective practice with Aboriginal children, youth, families and communities: Developing culturally-appropriate graduate curriculum; Dr. Allyson Hadwin (Educational Psychology and Leadership Skills), Developing and researching the effectiveness of a learning-to-learn course for 1st year students at the University of Victoria; Dr. Margaret-Anne Storey (Computer Science), Using technology to enhance collaborative and community oriented learning; Dr. George Tzanetakis (Computer Science), Bridging music and programming: Music information retrieval; Dr. Lorna Williams (Curriculum and Instruction), EDCI 487/591: Thunderbird and whale protection, welcome house post.

Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW)
Participants must attend all four days, HHB 128
Saturday, January 28, 2006, 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM,
Sunday, January 29, 2006, 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM,
Saturday, February 4, 2006, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday, February 5, 2006, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Have you ever wished you could practice teaching without it actually counting for anything? If yes is your answer, then ISW could be a worthwhile experience for you. (Times are approximate at this stage) There is no fee to attend, but there is a $25 registration deposit, which is refundable to participants who have completed all sessions.  We will ask for the deposit once your registration has been confirmed.  ALL SESSIONS MUST BE ATTENDED.

Instructional Technology Series V: SmartBoard
Tuesday, January 31, 2006, HHB 128, 2:30 PM ~ 3:30 PM
Rescheduled - New Date & Time: Tues., Feb. 14, 2006 with the Instructional Technology Working Group
One of the great challenges in the use of PowerPoint slides is the static nature of the slide and the simple fact that it limits the use of the blackboard (why do they put screens in front of the chalk board?). The SmartBoard will be demonstrated in this session.
Co-hosted by UVic's Instructional Technology Working Group (ITWG) and the LTC.