Learning Matters KPU

January 2014 Issue 1

Happy January

Message from the President

Diane Salter BSc MSc PhD Vice Provost Teaching and Learning

Alan Davis President Kwantlen Polytechnic

University

INstitute for INnovation and Scholarship in Teaching and Learning (INSTL)

Welcome to the first issue of the INSTL newsletter lsquoLearning Matters KPUrsquo Over the last few months in my new role as Vice Provost Teaching and Learning at KPU Irsquove had many conversations about approaches to teaching and learning and about the very nature of lsquoteaching and learningrsquo

The words lsquoteachingrsquo and lsquolearningrsquo are often used together as if naturally associated with each other but are theyshould they be so inextricably linked Can we teach without learning taking place Can we learn when no one teaches us As Charlie Brown laments to Lucy in a classic Peanuts cartoon ldquoI donrsquot get it Irsquove taught Snoopy to whistle a hundred times and he still canrsquot do itrdquo

When I think back to my own best learning experiences I can certainly recall times that Irsquove learned a lot without being formally lsquotaughtrsquo learning through my own actions learning through trial and error learning through mistakes and feedback When I delve more deeply into these recollections however I find that my interest has often been sparked by someone (a teacher either formally or not) who created the motivation andor the opportunity for me to delve deeper into a topic or activity and enhanced my experience by giving feedback to my explorations that scaffolded my learning

One of my favourite quotes on teaching and learning is provided by the Badger in Kenneth Grahamersquos classic The Wind in the Willows (Grahame 1908) ldquoBut we donrsquot want to teach rsquoemrdquo replied the Badger ldquoWe want to learn rsquoem learn rsquoem learn rsquoem And whatrsquos more wersquore going to do it toordquo (p 234)

It seems that when Grahame wrote those words in 1908 he was foreshadowing findings that current research on teaching and learning supports But how do we best rsquolearn rsquoem How do we create those exceptional learning experience that motivate our students and foster deep learning And how do we best support teachers in their own professional learning

Another of my favourite books on teaching and learning is Arthur Applebeersquos Curriculum as Conversation (Applebee 1996) Applebee emphasizes the importance of knowledge in action and describes that learning occurs when we have a chance to engage with the lsquodiscourse of the disciplinersquo through having conversations about things that matter ldquoSuch knowledge arises out of participation in ongoing conversations about things that matter conversations that are themselves embedded within larger traditions of discourse that we have come to value (science the arts history literature and mathematics among many othersrdquo (p 3)

I look forward to the coming year when I hope we will have many opportunities to talk about things that matter a great deal to all of us in the KPU learning community through our continued lsquoConversations about Teaching and Learningrsquo

ReferencesApplebee A (1996) Curriculum as conversation Chicago University of Chicago Press Grahame K (1908) The wind in the willows USA Charles Scribnerrsquos Sons

As a special purpose regional university KPU has the art and science of teaching and learning at its core The establishment of the Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning INSTL and now this newsletter all build on the 30 plus years of KPUrsquos experience and success in this endeavor

2 LEARNING MATTERS KPU INSTL | Issue 1 | JANUARY 2014

Message from the Provost

Salvador Ferreras Provost and Vice

President Academic

Jane Fee Deputy Provost

This exciting inaugural newsletter from the Institute for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning marks an important step forward for all of us at KPU As we embark on our first Academic Plan we immerse ourselves in a collective exercise to enrich and inspire contemporary discourse and action on Teaching and Learning at KPU We will explore consult assess and encourage renewal and innovation through the latest in global ideas about teaching Our efforts will support the VISION 2018 goals of learner engagement creating vibrant campuses and raising KPUrsquos profile as a leader in the scholarship of teaching and learning As a teaching-intensive university we will fulfill and exceed our mandate to become a compelling adventurous house of learning

We begin this academic adventure by gathering the best ideas the boldest concepts the many lessons learned in our daily interaction with our diverse community of learners and instructors Under the direction of Dr Diane Salter we will gather the most curious minds to learn contemplate discuss and analyze the dynamic interplay of learning technologies communication and research across the globe This newsletter and other related media will allow the Institute to share the results of ongoing educational and intellectual encounters As we integrate and share their most essential findings we consolidate our commitment to play a leading role in the current post-secondary ecology of teaching and learning

Let us celebrate this news forum as we work together to explore possible futures and desired states

Transitions

Conversations About Teaching and Learning December 2013

Do you remember your first year of university Fondly or not-so-fondly Were you inspired or were you turned off by the way you were treated I regularly tell the story about the amazing first year experience that I had only to discover that it was all downhill from there in my undergraduate experience

You will no doubt have heard the recent announcement about the KPU Transitions Project Aligned with KPUrsquos VISION 2018 strategic plan Transitions will ensure that the supports students need to be successful throughout their experience at KPU are in place by 2015 The planning work that was done to prepare for this project began in 2011 with the Foundations of Excellence project and continued through 20122013 with discussions about the new Admissions Framework

The exciting part of Transitions is that it will touch every aspect of a studentrsquos academic life We will re-imagine how students apply to KPU how they are admitted to the university and how we can provide them with the support and advice they need to be successful in the completion of their chosen credentials Some of the changes we need to make will ensure business practices are designed for the diverse student groups we wish to attract Other changes will require that we re-examine our first year so students have the opportunity to explore a variety of disciplines and get the foundational information they need to be successful at university Wersquoll also look at how our credentials ladder together and how we can ensure that students have the ability to transfer both in and out of KPU without losing important coursework they have already completed

This is a unique opportunity in the history of KPU to look at the entirety of the student experience and make it the best it can be We will need your ideas and your enthusiasm to succeed There are many ways to get involved ndash within your department on your Faculty Council or on Senate We will be send regular communications on the project and we have set up an email address if you have a great idea that you think needs to be incorporated into our project transitionskpuca

Pedagogical lsquospeed datingrsquo is an informal way for spreading the word quickly on a number of different topics in a fast paced roundtable format

SPEED DATING TEAM Meg Goodine Hayley Woodin Jane Fee Diane Salter Sam Newton

3INSTL | Issue 1 | JANUARY 2014 LEARNING MATTERS KPU

Teaching and Learning in a Polytechnic University ndash a personal perspective

Tom Carey Visiting Senior Scholar Institute

for Innovation and Scholarship in Teaching

and Learning

Thanks Diane for asking me to contribute on a regular basis to the INSTL Newsletter This post will provide some background thoughts on how the notion of a polytechnic evolved from a technical institute to a polytechnic university Future posts will look at strategies for teaching and learning created at other institutions that reflect the distinctive contributions a polytechnic university can make within higher education The views expressed will of course by my own as shaped by the various colleges and universities with which I have been working

The term polytechnic arose in the 19th century as a description for an institution of learning that aggregated or integrated training in several trades As a minimum bringing together various trade schools provided the critical mass for a sustainable institutional infrastructure at its best the integration of various trades built interconnections from which new trades and technologies could emerge

As the economy evolved to enable a broader range of technology-related knowledge and professional careers polytechnics (and other technology-oriented institutions of learning) evolved to prepare students for work requiring a broader and deeper knowledge base In addition to the traditional base of practical and craft knowledge students learned more conceptual and scientific knowledge ndash and ways to apply it as professionals For example Polytechnics Canada provides on its website a characterization of polytechnic education that highlights a combination of critical thinking with theoretical understanding and practical competence (polytechnicscanadaca)

In the best cases these different forms of knowledge were all valued within the evolving institutions and there was at least some integration In other cases the practical and craft knowledge came to be devalued or segregated I believe that a Polytechnic University builds on this heritage with additional depth of both scholarship and integrate Here is my lsquowork-in-progressrsquo conception as of January 2014

A polytechnic university education develops integrates and values a full range of knowledge and ways of knowing within a subject domain including dimensions such as

practical conceptual localized generalizable and experiential theoretical

Labeling these attributes as separate lsquodimensionsrsquo is concise but perhaps misleading as noted in Kurt Lewinrsquos epigrammatic paradox ldquothere is nothing so practical as a good theoryrdquo Similarly I have avoided the notion of lsquoappliedrsquo knowledge ndash any of these types of knowledge can be applied to practical challenges The important addition in this conception is the idea of integrating and valuing a wide range of ways of knowing

Of course we do not expect students to develop all of these types of knowledge in equal proportions For example in my own professional domain of information technology and systems some students become adept programmers others are more capable as software architects some become software systems engineers and still others reach their full potential as software product or team managers The most successful companies in information technology offer career paths with progressions within these capabilities (as well as across them) All of these career paths are enriched when there is understanding about the value that the different ways of knowing can contribute to a software project and product and also the capability to integrate and benefit from this diversity of capability

A technical institute can prepare students with the more practical knowledge developed through experiential learning but seldom emphasizes multiple kinds of knowledge or ways of knowing A university can provide the full range of knowledge but typically regards craft knowledge as a stepping stone to the more valued knowledge with a conceptual and theoretical base On the other hand a polytechnic university ‒ that does not privilege one way of knowing over others ‒ is uniquely positioned to fully enable students in developing integrating and valuing different ways of knowing and learning and being hellip but thatrsquos a topic for another article

An institution of higher education that highlights this reality in its own practices and values can position its students for knowledge-intensive collaborations across a full range of ways of knowing For example we could ask ourselves how our practice as teachers exemplifies for students the ways of engaging with knowledge that they will want to employ in their own professional careers (and in their roles as community members and global citizens) More on this to come in future postshellip

To view Tom Careyrsquos bio please go to kpucateaching-and-learningINSTL

2 LEARNING MATTERS KPU INSTL | Issue 1 | JANUARY 2014

Message from the Provost

Salvador Ferreras Provost and Vice

President Academic

Jane Fee Deputy Provost

This exciting inaugural newsletter from the Institute for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning marks an important step forward for all of us at KPU As we embark on our first Academic Plan we immerse ourselves in a collective exercise to enrich and inspire contemporary discourse and action on Teaching and Learning at KPU We will explore consult assess and encourage renewal and innovation through the latest in global ideas about teaching Our efforts will support the VISION 2018 goals of learner engagement creating vibrant campuses and raising KPUrsquos profile as a leader in the scholarship of teaching and learning As a teaching-intensive university we will fulfill and exceed our mandate to become a compelling adventurous house of learning

We begin this academic adventure by gathering the best ideas the boldest concepts the many lessons learned in our daily interaction with our diverse community of learners and instructors Under the direction of Dr Diane Salter we will gather the most curious minds to learn contemplate discuss and analyze the dynamic interplay of learning technologies communication and research across the globe This newsletter and other related media will allow the Institute to share the results of ongoing educational and intellectual encounters As we integrate and share their most essential findings we consolidate our commitment to play a leading role in the current post-secondary ecology of teaching and learning

Let us celebrate this news forum as we work together to explore possible futures and desired states

Transitions

Conversations About Teaching and Learning December 2013

Do you remember your first year of university Fondly or not-so-fondly Were you inspired or were you turned off by the way you were treated I regularly tell the story about the amazing first year experience that I had only to discover that it was all downhill from there in my undergraduate experience

You will no doubt have heard the recent announcement about the KPU Transitions Project Aligned with KPUrsquos VISION 2018 strategic plan Transitions will ensure that the supports students need to be successful throughout their experience at KPU are in place by 2015 The planning work that was done to prepare for this project began in 2011 with the Foundations of Excellence project and continued through 20122013 with discussions about the new Admissions Framework

The exciting part of Transitions is that it will touch every aspect of a studentrsquos academic life We will re-imagine how students apply to KPU how they are admitted to the university and how we can provide them with the support and advice they need to be successful in the completion of their chosen credentials Some of the changes we need to make will ensure business practices are designed for the diverse student groups we wish to attract Other changes will require that we re-examine our first year so students have the opportunity to explore a variety of disciplines and get the foundational information they need to be successful at university Wersquoll also look at how our credentials ladder together and how we can ensure that students have the ability to transfer both in and out of KPU without losing important coursework they have already completed

This is a unique opportunity in the history of KPU to look at the entirety of the student experience and make it the best it can be We will need your ideas and your enthusiasm to succeed There are many ways to get involved ndash within your department on your Faculty Council or on Senate We will be send regular communications on the project and we have set up an email address if you have a great idea that you think needs to be incorporated into our project transitionskpuca

Pedagogical lsquospeed datingrsquo is an informal way for spreading the word quickly on a number of different topics in a fast paced roundtable format

SPEED DATING TEAM Meg Goodine Hayley Woodin Jane Fee Diane Salter Sam Newton

3INSTL | Issue 1 | JANUARY 2014 LEARNING MATTERS KPU

Teaching and Learning in a Polytechnic University ndash a personal perspective

Tom Carey Visiting Senior Scholar Institute

for Innovation and Scholarship in Teaching

and Learning

Thanks Diane for asking me to contribute on a regular basis to the INSTL Newsletter This post will provide some background thoughts on how the notion of a polytechnic evolved from a technical institute to a polytechnic university Future posts will look at strategies for teaching and learning created at other institutions that reflect the distinctive contributions a polytechnic university can make within higher education The views expressed will of course by my own as shaped by the various colleges and universities with which I have been working

The term polytechnic arose in the 19th century as a description for an institution of learning that aggregated or integrated training in several trades As a minimum bringing together various trade schools provided the critical mass for a sustainable institutional infrastructure at its best the integration of various trades built interconnections from which new trades and technologies could emerge

As the economy evolved to enable a broader range of technology-related knowledge and professional careers polytechnics (and other technology-oriented institutions of learning) evolved to prepare students for work requiring a broader and deeper knowledge base In addition to the traditional base of practical and craft knowledge students learned more conceptual and scientific knowledge ndash and ways to apply it as professionals For example Polytechnics Canada provides on its website a characterization of polytechnic education that highlights a combination of critical thinking with theoretical understanding and practical competence (polytechnicscanadaca)

In the best cases these different forms of knowledge were all valued within the evolving institutions and there was at least some integration In other cases the practical and craft knowledge came to be devalued or segregated I believe that a Polytechnic University builds on this heritage with additional depth of both scholarship and integrate Here is my lsquowork-in-progressrsquo conception as of January 2014

A polytechnic university education develops integrates and values a full range of knowledge and ways of knowing within a subject domain including dimensions such as

practical conceptual localized generalizable and experiential theoretical

Labeling these attributes as separate lsquodimensionsrsquo is concise but perhaps misleading as noted in Kurt Lewinrsquos epigrammatic paradox ldquothere is nothing so practical as a good theoryrdquo Similarly I have avoided the notion of lsquoappliedrsquo knowledge ndash any of these types of knowledge can be applied to practical challenges The important addition in this conception is the idea of integrating and valuing a wide range of ways of knowing

Of course we do not expect students to develop all of these types of knowledge in equal proportions For example in my own professional domain of information technology and systems some students become adept programmers others are more capable as software architects some become software systems engineers and still others reach their full potential as software product or team managers The most successful companies in information technology offer career paths with progressions within these capabilities (as well as across them) All of these career paths are enriched when there is understanding about the value that the different ways of knowing can contribute to a software project and product and also the capability to integrate and benefit from this diversity of capability

A technical institute can prepare students with the more practical knowledge developed through experiential learning but seldom emphasizes multiple kinds of knowledge or ways of knowing A university can provide the full range of knowledge but typically regards craft knowledge as a stepping stone to the more valued knowledge with a conceptual and theoretical base On the other hand a polytechnic university ‒ that does not privilege one way of knowing over others ‒ is uniquely positioned to fully enable students in developing integrating and valuing different ways of knowing and learning and being hellip but thatrsquos a topic for another article

An institution of higher education that highlights this reality in its own practices and values can position its students for knowledge-intensive collaborations across a full range of ways of knowing For example we could ask ourselves how our practice as teachers exemplifies for students the ways of engaging with knowledge that they will want to employ in their own professional careers (and in their roles as community members and global citizens) More on this to come in future postshellip

To view Tom Careyrsquos bio please go to kpucateaching-and-learningINSTL

3INSTL | Issue 1 | JANUARY 2014 LEARNING MATTERS KPU

Teaching and Learning in a Polytechnic University ndash a personal perspective

Tom Carey Visiting Senior Scholar Institute

for Innovation and Scholarship in Teaching

and Learning

Thanks Diane for asking me to contribute on a regular basis to the INSTL Newsletter This post will provide some background thoughts on how the notion of a polytechnic evolved from a technical institute to a polytechnic university Future posts will look at strategies for teaching and learning created at other institutions that reflect the distinctive contributions a polytechnic university can make within higher education The views expressed will of course by my own as shaped by the various colleges and universities with which I have been working

The term polytechnic arose in the 19th century as a description for an institution of learning that aggregated or integrated training in several trades As a minimum bringing together various trade schools provided the critical mass for a sustainable institutional infrastructure at its best the integration of various trades built interconnections from which new trades and technologies could emerge

As the economy evolved to enable a broader range of technology-related knowledge and professional careers polytechnics (and other technology-oriented institutions of learning) evolved to prepare students for work requiring a broader and deeper knowledge base In addition to the traditional base of practical and craft knowledge students learned more conceptual and scientific knowledge ndash and ways to apply it as professionals For example Polytechnics Canada provides on its website a characterization of polytechnic education that highlights a combination of critical thinking with theoretical understanding and practical competence (polytechnicscanadaca)

In the best cases these different forms of knowledge were all valued within the evolving institutions and there was at least some integration In other cases the practical and craft knowledge came to be devalued or segregated I believe that a Polytechnic University builds on this heritage with additional depth of both scholarship and integrate Here is my lsquowork-in-progressrsquo conception as of January 2014

A polytechnic university education develops integrates and values a full range of knowledge and ways of knowing within a subject domain including dimensions such as

practical conceptual localized generalizable and experiential theoretical

Labeling these attributes as separate lsquodimensionsrsquo is concise but perhaps misleading as noted in Kurt Lewinrsquos epigrammatic paradox ldquothere is nothing so practical as a good theoryrdquo Similarly I have avoided the notion of lsquoappliedrsquo knowledge ndash any of these types of knowledge can be applied to practical challenges The important addition in this conception is the idea of integrating and valuing a wide range of ways of knowing

Of course we do not expect students to develop all of these types of knowledge in equal proportions For example in my own professional domain of information technology and systems some students become adept programmers others are more capable as software architects some become software systems engineers and still others reach their full potential as software product or team managers The most successful companies in information technology offer career paths with progressions within these capabilities (as well as across them) All of these career paths are enriched when there is understanding about the value that the different ways of knowing can contribute to a software project and product and also the capability to integrate and benefit from this diversity of capability

A technical institute can prepare students with the more practical knowledge developed through experiential learning but seldom emphasizes multiple kinds of knowledge or ways of knowing A university can provide the full range of knowledge but typically regards craft knowledge as a stepping stone to the more valued knowledge with a conceptual and theoretical base On the other hand a polytechnic university ‒ that does not privilege one way of knowing over others ‒ is uniquely positioned to fully enable students in developing integrating and valuing different ways of knowing and learning and being hellip but thatrsquos a topic for another article

An institution of higher education that highlights this reality in its own practices and values can position its students for knowledge-intensive collaborations across a full range of ways of knowing For example we could ask ourselves how our practice as teachers exemplifies for students the ways of engaging with knowledge that they will want to employ in their own professional careers (and in their roles as community members and global citizens) More on this to come in future postshellip

To view Tom Careyrsquos bio please go to kpucateaching-and-learningINSTL

4 LEARNING MATTERS KPU INSTL | Issue 1 | JANUARY 2014

ePortfolios Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Post Baccalaureate Program (BSN-PB)

Assessment Matters KPU

INSTL Assessment Seminars

June Kaminski RN MSN PhD (candidate)

BSN-PB Program amp Curriculum Coordinator

Diane Salter Vice Provost Teaching

and Learning

Dr Gordon Joughin University of

Wollongong Australia

The BSN-PB Program at KPU uses Mahara an open source ePortfolio system to engage students in creative scholarly and reflective learning activities in every course of the program The ePortfolios enrich the learning experiences in this blended nursing program by tapping aesthetic and reflective expression and promoting professional development and the effective use of technology tools Digital artifacts including visual models theoretical interpretations reflective journals and artistic work such as free verse prose graphical design photographs video and multimedia productions are showcased in an organized way and evaluated within the ePortfolio environment Students develop collections of ePortfolio pages each semester these showcase a rich and robust body of work developed over the course of the program

Mahara provides a user-friendly interface that helps students to focus on their own development over time and display evidence of their development in a cohesive accessible digital format

Student and faculty ePortfolios are organized in cohort groups to encourage a sense of community and afford interaction through forums journals profile walls and friend lists The journal blog and forum capabilities of Mahara also foster reflection by allowing users to write their thoughts respond to assignments share their experiences and reflect on their personal andor professional development Faculty can assess and provide feedback for each artifact as a single entity or view artifacts as a complex whole The structure of Mahara is user-friendly and intuitive and can be seamlessly integrated with the Moodle learning management system It provides an effective file repository for student assignments yet also serves as a personal learning space social milieu and reflective tool

Assessment is one of the most challenging areas for teachers Assessment and grading are essential components of good teaching however many teachers view grading as arduous and students are often unclear on how their grades are determined How do we ensure that our assessment practices are aligned with the desired learning outcomes How do we ensure that we are not lsquoover-assessingrsquo but are providing feedback to learning in progress Why do we assess These and other questions will be discussed during a number of assessment specific seminars If you would like to have an assessment seminar in your department please contact Diane at dianesalterkpuca

Session 1 - Aligning Assessment with Learning OutcomesSession 2 - Using Rubrics to enhance Student LearningSession 3 - Demonstrating and Assessing Learning with Portfolios

Visiting ScholarWe are also pleased to announce that we will have visiting scholar Dr Gordon Joughin from the University of Wollongong Australia visit KPU from March 24 to April 4 2014 In addition to having some KPU open sessions Gordon will be available for individual meetings with departmental representatives and available for departmental seminars If you would like to discuss a meeting or seminar for your faculty please contact Diane at dianesalterkpuca

Gordonrsquos research in higher education has focused on how assessment influences learning with an emphasis on oral forms of assessment and student approaches to learning Gordon has worked in universities for over twenty years as a lecturer in community studies and education as an education consultant and as an educational developer He has worked at a number of Australian universities and at the Hong Kong Institute of Education He is Head of the Higher Education Research and Scholarship unit in the Teaching and Educational Development Institute (TEDI) and a Visiting Professor at Leeds Metropolitan University More about Gordon at httpresearchersuqeduauresearcher2438

5INSTL | Issue 1 | JANUARY 2014 LEARNING MATTERS KPU

LEARNING TECHNOLOGY UPDATES

Moodle News

Digital Badges

Open Textbooks Open Learning (OERU) Event

Meg Goodine Manager Learning Technology

Moodle will be upgraded to version 26 at the end of the Spring semester What does this mean for instructors and students The new version will bring performance and usability improvements as well as new features such as the ability to award digital badges (compatible with Mozillarsquos Open Badges Backpack) Instructors will also be able to annotate student PDF assignment submissions from within Moodle

Other modules and plug-ins we will be exploring and testing over the next few months include

PooDLL - an open source online language lab with the ability for students to record and submit audio and video assignments (httppoodllcom)

BigBlueButton - an open source web conferencing tool similar to Blackboard Elluminate BCcampus is exploring a possible shared service for this tool (httpbigbluebutton org)

MediaCore - A media repository and management tool for storing and delivering media This tool can be integrated with Moodle or used as a standalone repository (httpmediacore com)

Digital badges can be earned by anyone They are validated online representations that allow badge earners to tell a more complete story (than traditional transcripts) about formal and informal learning and interests The non-profit Mozilla Foundation has created the Open Badge Infrastructure (openbadgesorg) a free non-proprietary open accreditation framework that allows any organization to issue and verify digital badges It also provides badge earners with a ldquobackpackrdquo where they can create collections of badges that can be displayed on social networking school or job websites

Whorsquos using digital badges Issuers and designers of badge systems include post-secondary institutions community and service organizations open learning communities corporations and industry associations(httpswikimozillaorgBadgesIssuers)

With KPUrsquos upgrade to Moodle 26 this spring instructors will have an additional option for tracking student progress with badges Instructors will be able to create and set criteria for course level badges Individuals will manage their badges from their profile settings and have the ability to connect to their Mozilla backpack to display Moodle badges there or to display external badges within Moodle

BCcampus has announced the Phase 3 Call for Proposals for the BC Open Textbook Project Call for creation from scratch of new open textbooks

Information about this call including eligible subject areas can be found at httpbccampuscaopen-textbook-projectopen-textbooks-call-for-proposals-phase-3

In addition the call for adaptations and reviewers is still open httpbccampuscaopen-textbook-projectopen-textbooks-call-for-proposals-phase-2

httpbccampuscaopen-textbook-projectcall-for-further-reviewers

If you have any questions please email opentextbccampusca

March 10 2014 10 AM ndash 1 PM Surrey Campus Conference Centre

Have you ever wondered

bull What is the Open Educational Research university (OERu)

bull What is the KPU commitment to OERu

bull What is the Open Textbook project

bull How do students benefit from Open Resources

This event will provide an opportunity for the KPU community to learn about new developments in Open Learning and to discuss KPUrsquos involvement with Open Learning and Open Resources

For registration please go to kpucaopen-learning-oeru-event-registration

5INSTL | Issue 1 | JANUARY 2014 LEARNING MATTERS KPU

LEARNING TECHNOLOGY UPDATES

Moodle News

Digital Badges

Open Textbooks Open Learning (OERU) Event

Meg Goodine Manager Learning Technology

Moodle will be upgraded to version 26 at the end of the Spring semester What does this mean for instructors and students The new version will bring performance and usability improvements as well as new features such as the ability to award digital badges (compatible with Mozillarsquos Open Badges Backpack) Instructors will also be able to annotate student PDF assignment submissions from within Moodle

Other modules and plug-ins we will be exploring and testing over the next few months include

PooDLL - an open source online language lab with the ability for students to record and submit audio and video assignments (httppoodllcom)

BigBlueButton - an open source web conferencing tool similar to Blackboard Elluminate BCcampus is exploring a possible shared service for this tool (httpbigbluebutton org)

MediaCore - A media repository and management tool for storing and delivering media This tool can be integrated with Moodle or used as a standalone repository (httpmediacore com)

Digital badges can be earned by anyone They are validated online representations that allow badge earners to tell a more complete story (than traditional transcripts) about formal and informal learning and interests The non-profit Mozilla Foundation has created the Open Badge Infrastructure (openbadgesorg) a free non-proprietary open accreditation framework that allows any organization to issue and verify digital badges It also provides badge earners with a ldquobackpackrdquo where they can create collections of badges that can be displayed on social networking school or job websites

Whorsquos using digital badges Issuers and designers of badge systems include post-secondary institutions community and service organizations open learning communities corporations and industry associations(httpswikimozillaorgBadgesIssuers)

With KPUrsquos upgrade to Moodle 26 this spring instructors will have an additional option for tracking student progress with badges Instructors will be able to create and set criteria for course level badges Individuals will manage their badges from their profile settings and have the ability to connect to their Mozilla backpack to display Moodle badges there or to display external badges within Moodle

BCcampus has announced the Phase 3 Call for Proposals for the BC Open Textbook Project Call for creation from scratch of new open textbooks

Information about this call including eligible subject areas can be found at httpbccampuscaopen-textbook-projectopen-textbooks-call-for-proposals-phase-3

In addition the call for adaptations and reviewers is still open httpbccampuscaopen-textbook-projectopen-textbooks-call-for-proposals-phase-2

httpbccampuscaopen-textbook-projectcall-for-further-reviewers

If you have any questions please email opentextbccampusca

March 10 2014 10 AM ndash 1 PM Surrey Campus Conference Centre

Have you ever wondered

bull What is the Open Educational Research university (OERu)

bull What is the KPU commitment to OERu

bull What is the Open Textbook project

bull How do students benefit from Open Resources

This event will provide an opportunity for the KPU community to learn about new developments in Open Learning and to discuss KPUrsquos involvement with Open Learning and Open Resources

For registration please go to kpucaopen-learning-oeru-event-registration

6 LEARNING MATTERS KPU INSTL | Issue 1 | JANUARY 2014

Visions and Predictions

An Outcomes Based Approach to Student Learning (OBASL)

Diane Salter Vice Provost Teaching

and Learning

The beginning of a new year is often a time for resolutions visions and predictions for the future During the past two decades there have been many predictions made about how educational technology innovations would change teaching and learning What changes have we seen How have we changed our approaches What are our resolutions and what does the crystal ball show

According to one of the most highly quoted experts on pedagogytechnology issues Tony Bates President and CEO of Tony Bates Associates Ltd ldquohellipthis seems to be a good point to look not just at 2014 but where we might be going five to ten years from nowrdquo According to Tonyrsquos vision ldquohellipby 2020 people wonrsquot be talking about online learning as such It will be so integrated with teachingrdquo

In Tonyrsquos recent commentary lsquo2020 Vision Outlook for online learning in 2014 and way beyondrsquo he makes many thought provoking points that Irsquom sure will inform our discussions at KPU

I recommend Tonyrsquos posting as essential reading for those interested in the future of higher education tonybatesca201401122020-vision-outlook-for-online-learning-in-2014-and-way-beyondsthash 4wdpccZ4dpuf

OBASL is simply an approach to program and course design that is guided by the competencies students are expected to achieve by the end of a program or course These competencies are of course linked to specific course content however planning starts with questions around what does the student need to learn how will they learn it and how will they demonstrate achievement of these outcomes rather than an emphasis on the question of what content is the teacher is expected to teach The focus of the course design process is to ensure that courses have clear statements of Learning Outcomes (what students will learn) Teaching and Learning Activities (how students will learn) and Assessment Procedures and Standards (how we know to what level students have achieved the desired learning outcome)

OBASL courses and programs are designed to make this information explicit to inform students of the expectations for lsquowhat and how they will learnrsquo and lsquohow this learning will be demonstrated and assessedrsquo This approach to curriculum design and course delivery has been shown to guide students to take a deep approach to learning (vs a surface approach) and subsequently they are able to achieve higher quality learning outcomes (Biggs amp Tang 2009)

An important part of OBASL is the notion of constructive alignment This refers to the alignment of the learning activities and assessment with the stated learning outcomes (Biggs amp Tang 2009)

Reference Biggs J amp Tang C (2009) Teaching for quality learning at university Third Edition UK Open University Press

What do you want your students to learn

Learning Outcomes

How do you want your students to learn

Teaching and Learning Activities aligned with LO

How will you judge how well your students have learned

Assessment methods and Standards aligned with LO

7INSTL | Issue 1 | JANUARY 2014 LEARNING MATTERS KPU

Working with Diane Salter Vice Provost Teaching and Learning Anita Sangha interviewed a number of students and faculty at KPU as part of a project for the Journalism Program that she has now completed at SFU Here are examples of reflections from a student and a faculty member on Teaching and Learning at KPU Additional articles and photos will be posted on the INSTL website

KPU Instructors go that Extra Mile to Maximize Student Learning

Professors who Challenge the Status Quo

Anita Sangha

Blair MacDonald KPUrsquos rising star in 3rd year of the Fashion Design Program is thoroughly impressed with teaching excellence and the learning environment and is proud to be a student at KPU

ldquoMy favourite classes are designrdquo states MacDonald ldquoI love drawing Draping is another one of my favourite classes mostly because I get to be creative and really get to touch the fabric and really get to play with my hands I find I learn better with my handsrdquo MacDonald credits smaller class sizes as a key strength which allows her to develop a strong one-to- one connection with instructors and allows for her tactile learning style preference

MacDonald emphasizes ldquoInstructors are trained in the outside world and then they are instructing I think that is really important because it gives real life experience to the subject that you are learning and I think it makes it more important and it can give you a connection into the industry you want to be inrdquo MacDonald believes KPU instructors go that extra mile to ensure that students maximize their learning ldquoIrsquom just so grateful for every instructor Irsquove had They have mentored me intellectually but also manually as well when drafting or sewing I value their opinions of me and the opinions of my workrdquo

The core aspect of learning that MacDonald feels is so important is the hands-on learning that one obtains at KPU ldquoYou canrsquot read about fashion You canrsquot just study fashion in theory Therersquos no such thing Yes you can study the history of fashion but you wonrsquot get that in-depth feeling about it It just becomes very shallow To really experience fashion and to really understand it you have to get right in the middle of it and you have to get your hands dirty in it and you have to see that blood sweat and tears You have to become a full part of it and just allow yourself to be completely immersed in it to understand it completelyrdquo

Instructors who challenge the status quo and take teaching outside the confines of the traditional classroom are exceptional and create those learning moments for students that are unforgettable

What inspired Janice Morris Academic and Career Preparation (ACP) Instructor to do something non-traditional Morris had participated on a subcommittee KPUrsquos Foundations of Excellence Task Force which focused on student engagement

Morris states ldquoIf you want to engage students you have to actually do somethingrdquo Morris and colleague Helen Mendez realized that they wanted to do something different Morris states that they were ldquowanting to engage in dialogue with students especially but really anyone in the community inside these walls or outsidehellipWe just want[ed] our students to talk more engage more and think about the issuesrdquo

The duo teamed up to create the Missrepresentation Group which was named after the film ldquoIf you see the film it is a call to actionrdquo states Morris ldquoAsking people to make whatever small or big changes they can in their own communities as a way of addressing global concerns of any kind around social justice of any topicrdquo

For Morris the magic happens ldquoWhen you are in that room and the event is on and therersquos a long lineup of students up at the mike who want to talk and they all want to ask questions and they are so intelligent captivating curious and engagedrdquo

ldquoWords like experiential learning for me are synonymous with engagement and something that can happen at the dinner table it can happen in a classroom it can happen right here it can happen in lots of places I think thatrsquos really all any teacher wants that people are thinking about things To me experiential learning is whatever makes you think makes you dialogue with others and listen to others and hopefully from that comes action in the worldrdquo

ldquoThe documentary series is our high profile projectrdquo states Morris ldquoOur dream is that one day wersquoll have a festivalrdquo Mendez and Morris are exceptional instructors making a difference in studentsrsquo lives through innovative out of the classroom experiences

Teaching and Learning Socials

Learning Matters KPU

These events are open to the KPU community to discuss teaching and learning through roundtable discussions with a goal of developing a set of principles of teaching and learning at KPU Key concepts of KPUrsquos vision 2018 and the Academic Plan will provide the framework for the discussion

Tuesday February 11 2014 Surrey

Tuesday February 11 2014 LangleyCloverdale

Wednesday February 12 2014 Richmond

For registration please go to kpucaregistration-teaching-and-learning-social

For a list of more events on Teaching and Learning please visit our web site kpucateaching-and-learning events

Learning Matters KPU is a newsletter for the KPU community published three times a year Our goal is to share information on KPU teaching and learning activities If you have any questions or comments on the newsletter or if you have items you would like to submit for future issues please e-mail learningmatterskpuca

INSTL website kpucateaching-and-learning

Conversations About Teaching and Learning December 2013

Learning Matters KPU

January 2014 Issue 1

INstitute for INnovation and Scholarship in Teaching and Learning (INSTL)

Teaching and Learning Socials

Learning Matters KPU

These events are open to the KPU community to discuss teaching and learning through roundtable discussions with a goal of developing a set of principles of teaching and learning at KPU Key concepts of KPUrsquos vision 2018 and the Academic Plan will provide the framework for the discussion

Tuesday February 11 2014 Surrey

Tuesday February 11 2014 LangleyCloverdale

Wednesday February 12 2014 Richmond

For registration please go to kpucaregistration-teaching-and-learning-social

For a list of more events on Teaching and Learning please visit our web site kpucateaching-and-learning events

Learning Matters KPU is a newsletter for the KPU community published three times a year Our goal is to share information on KPU teaching and learning activities If you have any questions or comments on the newsletter or if you have items you would like to submit for future issues please e-mail learningmatterskpuca

INSTL website kpucateaching-and-learning

Conversations About Teaching and Learning December 2013

Learning Matters KPU

January 2014 Issue 1

INstitute for INnovation and Scholarship in Teaching and Learning (INSTL)