April 2009

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.

TRUTH (Teaching and Research Using Technology in the Humanities) Symposium 2009: Virtual Communities in the Humanities
Friday, April 3, 2009, HHB 128
9:00 AM ~ 3:15 PM [Breakfast, refreshments, and lunch will be provided]
Join Digital Humanities researchers and practitioners for a day of engaging talks and discussions on a range of topics, including online gaming and internet interest communities in language learning, the evolution of e-readers and e-research, online collaboration, and the practice of humanities interface design. For more information, please visit http://truth.uvic.ca.
Please register before March 27th at http://truth.uvic.ca/signup.php

Psychology Students of Vancouver Island Poster Session (PSOVIPS)
Friday, April 3, 2009
3:00 PM ~ 5:00 PM, Queenswood/Arbutus Rooms, Cadboro Commons, University of Victoria
A select group of advanced undergraduate Psychology students from UVic and Vancouver Island University will present posters reporting their cutting-edge scientific research in such areas as human memory, child development, interpersonal social interactions, and electrophysiological analyses of brain processes. Additional information about PSOVIPS 2009 will soon be available on the UVic Psi Chi web site http://web.uvic.ca/~psichi/ or contact Prof. Steve Lindsay (slindsay@uvic.ca). This event is sponsored by the UVic Department of Psychology, the UVic Chapter of Psi Chi (the honours society for psychology students), and the UVic Learning and Teaching Centre.

First Year Course Instructors Council (FYCIC): The 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
10:00 AM ~ 11:30 AM, HHB 128
Facilitator: Mr. Tony Eder, Director of UVic Institutional Planning and Analysis
Tony will summarize the 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement, focusing on what the UVic data means and does not mean. He will also provide an overview of other resources that are available through Institutional Planning and Analysis that would have important implications for instructors of first year courses.
FYCIC Series Information

Managing Your Thesis or Dissertation (for Graduate Students)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
10:00 AM ~ 12:00 PM, HHB 128
Facilitator: Tusa Shea, Senior Writing Centre Tutor
Is your research, writing, thesis or dissertation out of control? This hands-on workshop will help you map out your project, and understand what you need to do, when, and how, by applying project management concepts to the process of writing academic work. This session is open to all members of the UVic community who are working on a graduate-level, large-scale academic research or writing project. Those in the depths of dissertation despair are especially welcome, as are those who just want to check in and map out their next steps.
Spaces are limited to 12 people as the workshop requires a low facilitator-to-participant ratio to be effective. Participants can bring their notes, research logs, books, coffee, snacks - whatever they need to focus on getting their projects outlined on paper.
TWC Seminar and Workshop Information


Using Skype for Teaching and Learning: Instructional Technology Group (ITG)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
1:00 PM ~ 2:00 PM, HHB 128
Facilitators: Nozomi Riddington, Japanese Instructor and Erik Fleischer, Project Manager, Client Services
In this session, we will briefly discuss reasons for choosing Skype - a communication tool which offers free calls, video calls, and instant messaging - to support teaching and learning. To better understand the reasons and strategies for using Skype in educational contexts, we will examine one particular example where this tool was used to promote cross-cultural interactions between local language students and native speakers of their target languages. There will also be a brief discussion of the technical considerations that need to be made before deploying Skype in a computing facility, from security to bandwidth management. We look forward to your questions and to a broader discussion on best practices in using this popular tool for educational purposes.
ITG Series Information



First Year Course Instructors Council (FYCIC): New Initiatives in Student Success
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
1:00 PM ~ 2: 30 PM, HHB 128
Facilitators: Dr. Joe Parsons, Director of Counselling Services; Liisa Robinson, Manager of Residence Student Affairs; Lorraine Dame, graduate student in Mathematics and Statistics.
Joe and Liisa will discuss the “Peak UVic” pilot project. This project was designed to develop a community of first year learners in UVic Student Residences.Lorraine Dame will discuss her compelling research on the impact of home work assignments on student success in first year mathematics courses.
Everyone welcome to attend.
FYCIC Series Information


Learning and Teaching Development Grant (LTDG) ~ Information Session
Thursday, April 23, 2009
2:00 PM ~ 3:00 PM, HHB 128
Presenter: Teresa Dawson, Director, Learning and Teaching Centre
Do you have a question about how your students are learning in your class that you would like the opportunity to investigate? Is there a teaching and learning idea in your discipline that you have always wanted to explore? Come find out how you can apply for a grant to assist you in achieving your pedagogical goals. We promise it is an easy process!
Open to all those interested in applying for Learning and Teaching Grants in 2009
Link to LTDG Information and Application Forms

Developing Your Teaching Dossier Workshop
Friday, April 24, 2009, HHB 128
11:00 AM ~ 1:00 PM [Lunch provided]
Facilitator: Professor Marty Wall, Department of Psychology
Developing your teaching dossier is the most effective way to document your teaching for reappointment, tenure and promotion, as well as for winning awards. The most important part of the dossier is the narrative statement that guides the reader through the supporting documentary evidence. This workshop will discuss the role of the teaching dossier in the assessment process at UVic, assist you in developing your narrative, and outline an effective structure for organizing your materials. The workshop is also useful for graduate students who plan to apply for teaching jobs!
Open to all those who are involved, or plan to be involved, in instruction.

2009 Online Teaching and Learning Showcase ~ “Foundations for Innovation”
Tuesday, April 28, 2009, Harry Hickman Building
1:30 PM ~ 4:00 PM [Snacks and drinks provided]
How do you use innovative tools and strategies in your teaching and learning to foster collaboration, interaction and critical thinking online?
You are cordially invited to attend the Online Teaching and Learning Showcase 2009, entitled “Foundations for Innovation,”  and engage with colleagues who have designed and delivered online learning activities and projects.  This year's Showcase (building on the Moodle Showcase 2008) features a panel discussion and poster sessions presenting best practices from multiple disciplines (including yours!).
Come and join your colleagues, share knowledge and ideas, and see how others are effectively using collaborative spaces, facilitating discussion and projects, and integrating multimedia into learning management systems such as Moodle and Blackboard.
To learn more about the event and to RSVP, please visit the Showcase website: http://elearning.uvic.ca/showcase/2009
Door prizes will be awarded.

May 2009 Events