The Irving K. Barber Learning Centre Lillooet Room was buzzing with excitement and creativity during Celebrate Learning Weeks’ Distance Education Showcase. The event commemorated the 60th anniversary of distance education at UBC and showcased images and facts about the evolution of distance education at UBC since it’s inauguration in 1949. The high attendance reflected the degree to which distance education is a part of many faculty, staff and students time at UBC.
Michelle Lamberson, Director of the Office of Learning Technology, welcomed attendees with her opening remarks. She started by acknowledging the long standing history of distance education at UBC, and brought attention to the 60th anniversary celebration. Michelle also highlighted the types of conversations around teaching and learning that take place in the development of distance education courses and programs. Then, using iClickers, MC’s Chris Crowley and Donna Scalzo (Instructional Designers and Project Managers at the Office of Learning Technology) kicked off the event with an electronic quiz on the history and success of distance education at UBC. Conspiring over the tables’ pumpkin centerpieces, each team debated responses and worked together to send in their responses. A tie between two groups proved that our distance education community is well informed and versed in the details of the program.
The highlight of the event, which saw a burst of enthusiasm from participants, was the interactive Peer Assist activity. A Peer Assist brings together a group of peers to elicit feedback on a problem, project, or activity, and draw lessons from the participants’ knowledge and experience. The session is collaborative; a problem solving and reciprocal exchange of ideas. Peer Assistees Susanne Sunell, Maja Krzic, and Leah May Ver shared information about their area of expertise and presented challenges for their groups to discuss and problem solve.
Susanne Sunell has an educational consulting practice, and is a part-time faculty member with the UBC Dental Hygiene Degree Program in the Faculty of Dentistry. In this capacity she has been involved in the development and implementation of online courses since 2004. Her challenge, “How to stimulate realistic self and peer assessments in online courses?” proved thought provoking as participants considered multiple avenues for solutions. Responses included giving context to why students need to give effort, clarifying expectations of what’s expected in group work, and determining how to combine the marking of students with the grades from instructors.
As an Associate Professor of Soil Science in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, Maja Krzic has developed several web-based, interactive teaching tools, used in post-secondary institutions internationally, which reflect her application of information technology to integrate research and teaching. Her challenge consisted of, “Developing and naming a science course for non-science students.” An energetic debate emerged as participants were divided in their suggestions and reasoning for their response. One group urged the course to stray away from using the word ‘soil’ suggesting it sounded too scientific and vague for Arts students and that ‘dirt’ would be more eye catching. On the other hand, another group believed the term ‘soil’ is more accurate just so long as ‘science’ is not in the title. Although no definitive solution came out of the discussion, it provided multiple perspectives and reasoning for Maja to further consider.
Professor Leah May Ver lectures for the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences in the Faculty of Science and teaches online versions of EOSC 114, 314, and 315. Her challenge to the participants was to consider the threats to classroom management and suggest solutions to these dilemmas. Participants brainstormed threats that included student’s schedules pulling them away from the material for long periods of time, and the lack of communication from the students to the professor. Among the suggestions to counter this threat were outlining clear expectations to students, follow up emails, small group activities with peer grading, marks for weekly postings, using voice email for assignments, encouraging students to phone in for major challenges, and maintaining constant interaction between students and the instructor.
The numerous and diverse responses during the Peer Assist activities are evidence to the energy and creative collaboration present during the Distance Education Showcase. It was not only an informative opportunity for attendees, but this event was also a celebration and a social event. Old friends reunited and new relationships formed.
In his closing remarks, Jeff Miller, Manager of Distance Learning at the Office of Learning Technology, emphasized the innovative work done by the Course Authors and the OLT Development Team to create effective courses that use a range of technologies to enhance the teaching and learning environments. He also touched upon the growth of distance education over the years, and what lies in store for the future of distance education at UBC. Many left inspired by how emerging technologies have enhanced teaching and learning environments over the last 60 years, and these tools are sure to continue to do just that. Here’s to another 60 years!
For more information on Peer Assists please check out:
Learning to Fly – Practical Knowledge Management from Leading and Learning Organisations by Chris Collison and Geoff Parcell (Capstone Publishing, 2001, 2004).