Learning and Applied Research updates - Sept. 11, 2023

Sept. 11, 2023

Learning and Applied Research team expansion 

There is great excitement in the Learning and Applied Research unit as we welcome new members to our team. Dr. Carolee Clyne and Linda O’Donoghue join us in our new Teaching and Learning Advisor positions. David Williams will join our Education Technology Coordinators, Chantale Hutchinson, Tom Esson and Ben Halsall, on a course release for the fall and winter semesters. David Wallace has begun as our internal grant writer. Our other team members include Samantha Sandhu, Partnership Development Advisor, Colette Martin, Executive Assistant and Dr. Beverlie Dietze, Director.  Our team look forward to visiting all our campuses soon. Watch for dates and times in the near future.    

Learner-Centered Instructor Certificate Program 

We are pleased to offer the Learner-Centered Instructor Certificate program October 10, 2023. This program, available free of charge to all Okanagan College employees, is conducted asynchronously online from October 10 to December 15 with two face-to-face engagements. Course topics include Building a Learner Centered Culture, Instructional Evaluation and Development, Instructional Planning and Teaching Techniques. Considerations of multi-media and education technology are also woven throughout. For more information, please contact Learning and Applied Research.   

poster

Moodle 4.1 is coming! 

m 4.1

On December 23, 2023, Moodle will be upgraded to Moodle 4.1. We invite you to join one of our workshops to learn more about “What’s New in Moodle 4.1,” scheduled for:  

  • Tues, Sept. 26, 11am-12pm

  • Thu, Sept. 28, 1:30 – 2:30pm

  • Mon, Oct. 16, 12-1pm

  • Wed, Oct. 18, 2:30-3:30pm

  • Tues, Nov. 28, 10:30–11:30am

Register on myPD

The LAR Team will also be attending department meetings throughout the semester to share a brief presentation on 4.1 and answer questions. If you are interested in having us attend, please email edtech@okanagan.bc.ca.  

Accessibility for Learner Success 

readspeaker

Providing equitable access to course materials is a core tenet of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.

The ReadSpeaker accessibility block was recently added to a course in an OC skilled trades program with great success, supporting a student who had been struggling to pass exams to achieve over 80 per cent on a subsequent assessment by leveraging the screen reader capabilities.

If you are interested in learning more about this versatile resource, contact edtech@okanagan.bc.ca.