January 2012

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.

For a copy of the January 2012 broadcast email, please click here.

ED-D 600 (formerly ED-D 591A) - Teaching and Learning in Higher Education – 1.5 units
January 10, 2012 to April 3, 2012
Tuesdays, 9:30 AM ~ 12:30 PM, HHB 128
Facilitator: Dr. Marty Wall, Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, and the Learning and Teaching Centre
This course is designed as general preparation for graduate students to teach effectively at the post-secondary level. The course will cover such topics as planning for instruction, strategies for teaching in a variety of contexts (i.e. large vs. small classes, face-to-face and online), enhancing learning with educational technologies, meeting the needs of diverse learners, and effective assessment and assignment design. Some of the strategies that will be used in this course include microteaching exercises, case-study analysis of teaching scenarios, small and large group discussion, and reflective reading and writing assignments. My intent is for this course is to foster excellence in teaching and to make a real difference in the professional development of graduate students who prepare for a career in the higher education context.

Graduate students from all disciplines at either the Master’s or PhD levels are welcome to take this course.

To view the course outline, please visit the following link: http://www.ltc.uvic.ca/events/courses/ED-D600.php

To register for the ED-D 600, you will need to fill out a Graduate Course Change Form. Please fill out the form, have it either signed by the course instructor, Dr. Martin Wall, or attach an email from the course instructor giving you permission to take the course. Please also have your thesis Supervisor in your department sign the form and submit it to Graduate Admissions and Records in the University Centre.
ED-D 600 Information

Clicker Dialogue: Techniques for Supporting Student Engagement [Instructional Technology (IT) Series] and [First Year Course Instructors Community (FYCIC) Series]
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
9:30 AM ~ 11:30 AM, LIB 034j
Facilitators: Erik Fleischer, Learning Systems; and Ed Ishiguro, The Learning and Teaching Centre
Clickers are hand-held radio transmitters that students use to respond to questions presented in class. Instructors can collect student responses in real time with a receiver connected to a laptop computer and assess their students’ level of understanding of course concepts. Clickers also represent a proven technology to engage students, especially in large classes. The first generation i>clicker permitted questions in multiple-choice format only. The second generation i>clicker with its alphanumeric function, introduced this fall, has expanded the range of possible applications. In this session, a panel of experienced instructors, representing a variety of disciplines ranging from Computer Science to History in Art, will describe how they have used i>clickers in their classes with examples of their favourite questions. This discussion will provide an opportunity for clicker users to exchange ideas, applications and experiences. The panel also looks forward to answering questions from instructors contemplating the use of clickers in their classrooms.
Instructional Technology (IT) Series
First Year Course Instructors Community (FYCIC) Series

Enhancing Learning Activity and Experience in a Final-Year Engineering Design Project Course [Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Series]
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 [Brown Bag Lunch]
11:30 AM ~ 12:15 PM, HHB 128
Facilitator: Kin Fun Li, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Computer, Electrical, and Software Engineering students are required to take a final-year Design Project course. This project aims to create a Web-based environment to enhance students’ learning activities and experience in three key aspects of engineering design not covered in the curriculum, namely, design process, project management and team work.
And…
What am I Doing (in First-Year Calculus)?
12:15 PM ~ 1:00 PM, HHB 128
Facilitators: Lorraine Dame, Department of Mathematics and Statistics; and Breanna Lawrence, Department of Educational Psychology & Leadership Studies
This study examined first-year, post-secondary students' study behaviour and its relationship to performance. This presentation focuses on what and how much studying students do when taking first-year calculus, and what impact does self-monitoring of calculus study behaviour have on student achievement.
SoTL Series Information

Spring Teaching Assistants (TA) Conference
Thursday, January 12, 2012, 8:30 AM ~ 6:00 PM
and Friday, January 13, 2012, 9:00 AM ~ 5:30 PM, Harry Hickman Building
Facilitator: Cynthia Korpan, TA Training Program Manager, Learning and Teaching Centre
The Spring TA Conference highlights the more advanced skills which are required to upgrade your presentation quality and explore critical issues. Light snacks will be provided.
Pre-registration is required. The agenda, workshop descriptions and registration buttons are available at the link below.
TA Conference Information

Advanced Research and Writing Series, #2: Developing Your Paper [TWC Workshops]
Thursday, January 12, 2012, 1:00 PM ~ 2:20 PM, LIB Room 129 THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW FULL
and Friday, January 13, 2012, 3:30 PM ~ 4:50 PM, LIB Room 129
Facilitators: The Writing Centre (TWC) staff
You have an idea and you have done some research. Now you need to develop the paper into a strong piece of research-based writing. This workshop will guide you to write a top-notch research paper.
Register for this workshop by emailing TWCdir@uvic.ca.
TWC Workshop Information

Oral Communication for Academic Purposes Series [TWC Workshops]
Section 1: Thursdays, January 12, 2012 to March 1, 2012
1:00 PM ~ 2:30 PM, MacLaurin A326
Section 2: Thursdays, January 12, 2012 to March 1, 2012
3:00 PM ~ 4:30 PM, MacLaurin A326
Facilitator: Dr. Li-Shih Huang, LTC Scholar in Residence and Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics

This workshop series aims to develop graduate English-as-an-additional-language students’ speaking skills and the strategies needed to communicate successfully in a variety of academic or professional settings (e.g., engaging in interpersonal communication, participating in seminar discussions, giving departmental and conference presentations, and teaching in the classroom). There are two separate but identical, seven-week sections to this workshop. Participants who attend all seven weeks will receive the course material free of charge. The intended audience is graduate students whose first language is not English.

Please note that spaces are limited. We will be taking registrations by e-mail only, starting at 8:00 PM on Thursday, January 5, 2012. If you are interested in participating in the workshop, please mark this time and date on your calendar to remind yourself to email twccoor@uvic.ca. Email registrations received prior to this time or date will not be accepted.  Your email must clearly indicate your name and which of the two sections you prefer (or indicate that either section is acceptable).
TWC Workshop Information
BOTH WORKSHOP SECTIONS ARE NOW FULL

Defining and Assessing Learning Outcomes [Student Learning Series]
Part 1: Monday, January 16, 2012, 9:00 AM ~ 10:50 AM, HHB 128
Part 2: Monday, January 23, 2012, 9:00 AM ~ 10:50 AM, HHB 128
Facilitator: Dr. Joe Parsons, Learning and Teaching Centre
This interactive, 2-part workshop introduces principles to guide effective learning outcome design. Participants will apply these principles by designing learning outcomes for their own courses. The workshop involves two, 110-min sessions (and a wee bit of between-session homework). General workshop learning outcomes include:

" Expect-to-see: participants will describe the principles and features of successful learning outcomes;
" Like-to-see: participants will design a set of six or more useable learning outcomes applicable to their courses; and
" Love-to-see: Participants will apply the principles of learning outcome design to their selection of instructional and assessment strategies.
Student Learning Series

Academic Standards [Critical Incidents Series]
Monday, January 16, 2012
11:00 AM ~ 1:00 PM, HHB 128
Facilitator: Angela Voht, Dispute Resolution Program
In this workshop, participants will first watch a short video clip about an African-American student who questions the comments that a professor has written on his paper. He construes them as inappropriate and racist while the instructor maintains that he must uphold reasonable academic standards. This scene triggers discussion of the assumptions of the cultural perspective of the academy and what may or may not constitute racism.
Critical Incidents Series

Introduction to Academic Writing [TWC Workshops]
Monday, January 16, 2012, 10:00 AM ~ 11:20 AM, LIB Room 129
and Thursday, January 19, 2012, 1:00 PM ~ 2:20 PM, LIB Room 129
Facilitators: The Writing Centre (TWC) staff
This workshop introduces students to the effective and efficient 40/20/40 academic writing process and provides tips on planning, research, incorporating sources, avoiding plagiarism and revising and self-editing.
Register for this workshop by emailing TWCdir@uvic.ca.
TWC Workshop Information

Managing Your Thesis or Dissertation [TWC Workshops]
Monday, January 23, 2012, 10:00 AM ~ 11:20 AM, LIB Room 129
Wednesday, February 22, 2012, 1:00 PM ~ 2:20 PM, LIB Room 129
Thursday, March 15, 2012, 5:30 PM ~ 6:50 PM, LIB Room A003
Monday, April 16, 2012, 12:00 PM ~ 1:20 PM, LIB Room 129
Facilitators: The Writing Centre (TWC) staff
This hands-on workshop teaches graduate students strategies to organize their writing, writing habits and themselves so that they can finish their thesis/dissertation work. Those in the depths of dissertation despair are particularly welcome.
Register for this workshop by emailing TWCdir@uvic.ca.
TWC Workshop Information
THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW FULL

Preparing a Great Syllabus [Teaching Tips Series #6]
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
10:00 AM ~ 12:00 PM, HHB 128
Facilitator: Dr. Marty Wall, Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, and the Learning and Teaching Centre
The syllabus is a document that most instructors regard as a formal contract with students, outlining basic information about the course and the penalties for violating the rules of participation. But such a version misses other potential uses, including the opportunity to communicate important and subtle information about you and the course that will engage your students right from the start and will reinforce the impact you should be creating in your first meeting with them. We will discuss this more expanded view of the functions of a syllabus. Please bring with you a copy of your current syllabus.
Teaching Tips Series Information

Implementing Tutorials in Physics Courses [Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Series]
Thursday, January 26, 2012 [Bring a Brown Bag Lunch]
11:30 AM ~ 12:15 PM, HHB 128
Facilitator: Mark Laidlaw, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Physics and Astronomy embarked on a substantial redesign of its undergraduate course structure in 2009. One of the major changes was to be the introduction of tutorials in support of a 'core' set of courses at the second and third-year level. Mark will discuss the context for these changes and will have some preliminary comments about their effectiveness.
SoTL Series Information

LTC Communications Luncheon
Friday, January 27, 2012
11:30 AM ~ 1:00 PM, HHB 128
In appreciation for their ongoing support of our programs, the Learning and Teaching Centre is hosting a luncheon for all departmental secretaries and administrators who directly support the heads of academic units (schools, departments and faculties). We hope this will give you an opportunity to tell us how we can best support the needs of your academic unit. If you have missed receiving an invitation to this event, please contact the Learning and Teaching Centre.
By Invitation Only

Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW)
Participants must attend all four days.
9:15 AM ~ 5:00 PM every day, HHB 128.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Coordinator: Dr. Jane Gair, Teaching Consultant, Learning and Teaching Centre and Senior Instructor, Division of Medical Sciences
Facilitators: John Fagen, Engineering Co-op, Carolyn Sampson, Social Work, Cindy Drover-Davidson, English and Erdem Yazganoglu, Health Information Science
Please note: This workshop is open at no charge to all teachers or potential teachers currently affiliated with a department/school at UVic (including post docs, TAs and other grad students). Graduate students must be enrolled in a UVic graduate program. However, we ask that you provide us with your department’s/school’s FAST account number to secure your place. Your department/school will ONLY be charged the $60.00 if you do not complete the program. Cancellations are permitted up to 10 working days before the start of the event without penalty. If you do not have access to a FAST account, a $60.00 deposit [cash or cheque only, made out to the Learning and Teaching Centre (LTC)] will be accepted at the LTC. It will be returned in full upon completion of the 4-day workshop.
Special arrangements are also available for current instructors at Vancouver Island Educational Developers’ Alliance (VIEDA) partner institutions (Royal Roads, Camosun College, Vancouver Island University and North Island College). The cost to VIEDA instructors is $50.00.
The cost to those not affiliated with UVic or VIEDA is $600.00.
THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW FULL

Sharing Best Practice: A day to celebrate teaching excellence at UVic (for Graduate Students Only)
Monday, January 30, 2012 and
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
all day various locations
Great teachers do not just happen. It takes years of experience and tremendous effort to garner a teaching award, whether within the department, faculty or institution.
In celebration of the excellent teaching taking place at UVic, past UVic teaching award winners were asked to open their classroom doors to graduate students so that they may witness best teaching practices. On Monday, January 30, and Tuesday, January 31, 2012, several award winners have agreed to invite graduate students into their classrooms.
The schedule will be posted on January 9, 2012. Registration is required but will be on a first-come basis and spots are limited. Once the maximum number of guests allowed is reached, you will not be able to attend the class. The sign-up form will be available at the Learning and Teaching Centre, HHB126, on January 9, 2012.
Sharing Best Practice Registration

UVic Continuing Sessional Lecturer Scholarship Fund ~ Submission Deadline
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
4:00 PM, HHB 126
This is a fund to support the professional development of Sessional Lecturers designated in their appointment as Continuing by Human Resources at UVic. Deadlines are twice per year.
Information and Application Form

February 2012 Events