Here are some of the comments I

received after following-up with the

students:

“That course was the highlight of my

entire degree.”

“This was the single most valuable

experience in my life…I still think every

day about the experience and those

people.”

“There will never be a more important

course to take at the college than this.”

For me, as the teacher of EDEN, it has

been the most demanding task in my

career. I feared the uncertainty inherent

in this type of experiential course includ-

ing the responsibility of taking students

to a developing country, exposing them to

new experiences that I struggled to deal

with on my own while also trying to help

the students as they each found their

own way to cope, and managing the dy-

namics of a group in such an emotionally

challenging and physically demanding

environment.

But would I do it again? Yes, in May

2015, I will embark with another group of

students on a life-changing learning expe-

rience to Ethiopia. The reward for me is

following our mission and vision at OC

and creating an outstanding educational

experience that transforms lives and

communities.

With significant portions of the

world’s populations living in extreme

poverty, it is important for students in

the developed world to understand how

the choices they make can contribute to

providing a better global environment.

But the issues are complex and by

offering a field school to a developing

country enables students to examine

these issues first-hand and internalize

and test the concepts.

BUAD 339–Economic Development in

Emerging Nations (EDEN) has taken

groups of students to experience and

share the challenges facing the people

living in Ethiopia. The course enables

the students to gain intimate knowledge

of the everyday lives of some of

Ethiopia’s most vulnerable citizens. On

our last trip, in 2013, we built bio-sand

water filters in the mud homes of

individuals. We met the families,

discussed the challenges (including

caring for children while battling dis-

eases such as AIDS and dysentery) and

the trials for day-to-day survival.

The course was developed using the

experiential learning cycle as defined by

Kolb (1984) and included the following:

1. Concrete experiences encountered by

the students while in Ethiopia

2. Opportunities for reflection through

journals and the sharing of information at

debriefing sessions

3. Abstraction of the experience demon-

strated in a final project submission eval-

uating the experience using economic

development and business concepts

4. Testing through ongoing education and

career choices

Speaking with the students who

participated in the field school a year

later, it is evident that the learning gained

from the course has influenced their lives

and careers. Some of these choices

include enrolling in OC’s non-profit man-

agement class and social entrepreneur-

ship class, volunteering in the community

teaching financial literacy, organizing food

drives, working with people with disabili-

ties, continuing to volunteer and support

Canadian Humanitarian (our partner

during the field school), and choosing

careers working for social enterprises

and international NGOs. Generally, the

students describe the experience as life

altering and the most important

experience in their education.

Experiential Education and Service Learning

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

Economic Development in Emerging Nations (EDEN)

1

Experiential Learning and Math Fairs

2

SL & Residential Construction

3

Fieldwork & Human Geography

4

Directed Studies, Research Assist-ants, Field Trips

5

Sowing Community Seeds

6

Women’s Shelter and a Political Science Class

6

Where’s the Library in Service Learning?

7

Experiential Education: Personal Comments

8

Multicultural Café 9

Case-Based Learning in Health Professions

10

Family Health & Healing

11

How SL has Enhanced My Teaching Practice

12

Experiencing the “Real World” in the Classroom

13

New for Moodle: Plagiarism Tutorial & Quiz

14

ILT Lunch & Learns 14

ILT Contacts & Links

14

V O L U M E 6 I S S U E 1 W I N T E R 2 0 1 5

IN THIS ISSUE How EDEN has Transformed Lives and Communities By Sheilagh Seaton, Business, Penticton

Reference:

Kolb, D.A. (1984). Experiential learning:

Experience as the source of learning and

development. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

I N S T I T U T E F O R L E A R N I N G A N D T E A C H I N G Winter 2015 page 2

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

One of the cornerstones of adult learning

is the idea that adults learn most effectively

through experience. Acquiring knowledge or

knowing something is only the first step

(Bannerman, 2009). Pfeiffer & Ballew

(1988) describe a process and cycle model

to demonstrate and explain experiential

learning. The cycle begins with orientation,

or helping learners understand what is to be

learned in the session. The next stage in-

volves clarifying assumptions and answering

prominent questions. The learning experi-

ence then proceeds and concludes with op-

portunities for reflection, generalization, and

application.

Experiential learning is also built upon a

foundation of interdisciplinary and construc-

tivist learning (Wurdinger, 2005). However,

simple participation in a prescribed set of

learning experiences does not make some-

thing experiential. Chapman, McPhee, and

Proudman (1995) argue that true experien-

tial learning encompasses blending content

and process, excluding excessive judgment,

engaging in purposeful endeavours, encour-

aging an expansive perspective, utilizing

reflection, creating emotional investment,

constantly examining values, showing mean-

ingful relationships, and promoting learning

outside perceived comfort zones. Experiential

learning can also be defined by the qualities

imparted to students. Qualities such as will-

ingness to reorder topics, reason for them-

selves, provide warranted positions, manage

self, and bring forth personal voice are highly

relevant (Moon, 2004).

Experiential learning may be accomplished

in many ways such as through lecture, small

group discussion, role play, and activities

(Bannerman, 2009). Experiential activities

tend to be interactive and dynamic in nature

with rich opportunities possible for both in-

structor and student. Brookfield (1995) sug-

gests that asking experiential questions helps

instructors decode written material, for exam-

ple, demystifying academic tests. Choosing

powerful activities that increase learner in-

volvement advances more meaningful learn-

ing. This type of learning refers to the notion

that learned knowledge is completely under-

taken by the student and that this

information can be related to other stored

facts. This is in direct contrast to rote-

learning. Transfer, or the ability to apply

the information to a new situation, is

identified as an indicator of meaningful

learning (Mayer, 2002).

I offer that math fairs provide great

experiential learning. A math fair is a non-

competitive problem-solving event that

gives teachers an opportunity to have their

students solve problems with a particular

goal in mind. The goals of a fair are to

motivate and inspire all students through

student-centered work. The project devel-

oper experiences learning as well as the

participating audience. I argue that once a

student comes up with an answer to a

problem the student seldom forgets their

particular solution. The experiences at the

fair encourage all students to strive for

success. Hopefully, with repeated suc-

cess, students prefer to come with their

own solutions instead of waiting for the

instructor’s answers. My primary goal for a

math fair is to develop curiosity. I would

like students to value uncertainty and

puzzlement, as I do. As well, peer evalua-

tion is important: students should be given

the opportunity to reflectively evaluate the

work of one another.

Experiential Learning with Math Fairs

By Donna-Leigh Goodman, AACP Chemistry, Vernon

[Experiential] learning refers to

the notion that learned knowledge

is completely undertaken by the

student and that this information

can be related to other stored

facts. This is in direct contrast to

rote-learning. Transfer, or the

ability to apply the information to a

new situation, is identified as an

indicator of meaningful learning

(Mayer, 2002).

References:

Bannerman, N.R. (2009). Facilitating powerful learning experiences: Experiential learning, the experiential learning cycle, and “how tos” for facilitators.

Retrieved January 20, 2015 from http://www.ryanbannerman.com

Brookfield, S.D. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Chapman, S., McPhee, P., & Proudman, B. (1995). What is experiential education?. In K. Warren (Ed.), The theory of experiential education (pp. 235-248).

Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.

Mayer, R. (2002). Rote versus meaningful learning. Theory Into Practice, 41(4), 226-232.

Moon, J.A. (2004). A handbook of reflective and experiential learning: Theory and practice. New York: Routledge/Falmer.

Pfeiffer, J. & Ballew, A. (1988). Design skills in human resource development. San Diego: University Associates Inc.

Wurdinger, S.D. (2005). Using experiential learning in the classroom. Lanham: Scarecrow Education.

I N S T I T U T E F O R L E A R N I N G A N D T E A C H I N G Winter 2015 page 3

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

Could you explain how the Residential

Construction Program (RCP) has been able

to combine program instruction with

meaningful community service?

We like to do community projects as part of

our program. We do that because we like to

have our students have real world experienc-

es and what better way to do that than do

something for the community.

What are some of the non-profit community

projects the RCP has been involved in?

What are some of the strengths of students

learning in a community workplace?

Working side by side with the other sub-

trades on a building project gives them the

added advantage of seeing what it is that the

other trades do in their contribution to the

project, and how they have to work alongside

as part of a team. For example, if they were-

n’t working alongside a plumber and watch-

ing what he does, a carpenter may not under-

stand fully why he has to frame a floor a cer-

tain way. Physically seeing the other work

that’s going on gives some context to their

own work.

Do you see the potential for more

opportunities in the future for trades

students to engage in service learning?

Absolutely! There’s always a community

group that needs help. One of our next pro-

jects is for the Lake Country Food Bank, and

Habitat for Humanity is always looking for a

community group in need. We do a screening

process and make a choice based on a set of

selection criteria.

What could Okanagan College do to create

opportunities for more service learning?

There’s always potential to grow in new areas.

For example, this year for the first time we are

partnering with the

Nicola Valley Insti-

tute of Technology

and the aim there

is to offer residen-

tial construction in

an area of the prov-

ince that hasn’t had

access to that, in

this case the aboriginal community in that

area that have not had easy access to this

kind of training.

What are the main advantages of service

learning?

Students, that are involved in building projects

that benefit the community in some way, can

go back years later, drive by the project that

they have contributed to and feel good about

the work that they have done and the commu-

nities they have helped.

Realizing that as a trades person you can con-

tribute back to your community in some way.

Habitat for Humanity, is a group that is

always looking for volunteers and you don’t

have to be student to help them with the

really good work they do.

How can you strike a balance between the

need for theoretical learning and the need

for experiential learning in your programs?

In construction, so much of

what we do is hands on, but we

also have a theoretical compo-

nent. We may do math in the

morning but in the afternoon

were going to apply that math

to actually build something

that’s related. So there is a

natural connection and I feel

like for most of what we do in carpentry

you can’t have one without the other. The

student that does have the theoretical

background understands the math behind

the certain framing components, such as,

complex roof design or perhaps an intri-

cate staircase, and if they don’t have the

math behind them then it makes their

practical work impossible. If you spend the

time initially understanding the theory

behind your work it goes that much more

efficiently and you’re that much more valu-

able to your employer and to the industry.

The Role of Service Learning and The Residential Construction Program An interview with Alf Leimert, Chair, Construction Trades Department, Kelowna, February 4, 2015

We like to do community projects

because we want our students to

have real world experiences and

what better way to do that than

do something for the community.

● The Women’s Shelter in Salmon Arm.

● A daycare project here on KLO campus

which is a benefiting the community here.

● A project in Summerland for Critter Aid

● A project in Okanagan Falls for the South

Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls

● Several affordable housing projects for

Habitat for Humanity in Penticton,

Kelowna and Vernon

● A housing project for the Revelstoke

Community Housing Society

● Cabins for the Agur Lake Society

● Cabins for the Caravan Farm Theatre

● The Kindale Lydia Boss Centre in

Armstrong

● An assisted living house for the North

Okanagan Community Life Society

I N S T I T U T E F O R L E A R N I N G A N D T E A C H I N G Winter 2015 page 4

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

Could you explain how you have been able to

combine program instruction with meaning-

ful community service and describe some of

the projects your students have been in-

volved in?

I have been involved in a variety of communi-

ty service projects with students. We did a

summer field school in Vanuatu on the island

of Nuna where I used to live. We worked

with a group of three villages to create a

conservation management program for an

endangered species--- the coconut crab.

Students were looking at the habitat and

determining if there were any differences in

where the coconut crab lived at different life

stages. We have only been able to do one

year of this fieldwork so we don’t have much

data yet. Hopefully we will be able to contin-

ue this joint partnership where we had the

local indigenous knowledge of the habitats

coupled with the students’ knowledge of

GPS, mapping, and the more scientific and

technological side. As well, the students had

to do a presentation in the local language to

help them learn how to communicate with

their partners while they were out mapping

transects. That one was a lot of fun!

In terms of more local projects, students

worked with the Greater Northern Okanagan

Community Gardens Network and created a

survey for community gardens users to

assess the benefits of participating in com-

munity gardens. The survey information

would help improve funding applications.

Often smaller community groups simply can’t

afford to do the research they would like to

do so partnering with our students gives the

students field experience while also helping

out the local group. Because it is student

coursework, the local group doesn’t have to

pay for the research. We have had some

projects with the community gardens net-

work in Kelowna as well. That one did not

work as well because students were not able

to get their hands on the kind of data they

would have liked to. We hope to redo that

project - so sometimes it works and some-

times it doesn’t.

Other projects we are looking at are doing

inventories of local wetland areas. The Oka-

nagan Water Basin is looking at gathering

information – they have public scientists, so

any member of the public can go out and fill

out survey forms. We are hoping to get stu-

dents out to do things like that and again be

able to incorporate real world experience (ie.

learning how to actually gather data out in the

field rather than just in a controlled lab for-

mat). Students experience the diversity that

happens in the actual field, and they can use

that information in real world reporting. As

well, a lot of community groups simply can’t

afford to hire large groups of people to go out

and gather data for them. In the end, all par-

ties can benefit from course/community field

work. Working with students allows OWB to

get the data without the cost and our students

benefit from the field experience.

What are some of the strengths of taking stu-

dents off the campus setting to learn in the

community?

For some projects it’s simply not possible to

replicate the eco-system or environment that

we’d be operating in on our campus facility.

Given the background or the discipline basics

for Geography and Environmental Sciences –

students need to be actually out in the field

gathering data which is not lab work. Lab work

comes after the data gathering. Students

wouldn’t be able to experience what it’s really

like to gather material from a wetland or from

a desert area unless we went off campus. The

other benefits are students actually learn

what it’s like in the field, instead of simply

reading about it. Students find that when they

are actually out in the field they have to devel-

op slightly better interpretation skills to figure

out what something is or is not - in books in-

formation often looks very clear but when

you’re out in the real world you realize you

have much less time to make some of those

decisions …the birds don’t sit still, the fish

don’t sit still, you have to go out and actually

make your best interpretation fairly quickly

and again more practice means you get better

at it. Of course what shows up in a book

isn’t always exactly what shows up in the

field. It teaches them to have a bit more

flexibility in terms of what they may have to

expect as they progress in this discipline.

Do you see the potential for more opportu-

nities in the future for students to engage

in service learning?

Yes, I hope we are able to continue with

this kind of work. I think that working with

other groups teaches students how to

communicate better with others and learn

about other perspectives they may be face

in the actual workplace. Additionally, it can

help many community groups as they often

don’t have a great deal of money to pay for

of this kind of research. Incorporating com-

munity work into student coursework can

benefit all. Unfortunately many schools are

not able to provide students with hands on

experience anymore so having a smaller

institution where we can do this is very

beneficial to students in terms of being

able to acquire certain skills or at least to

be able to truly understand what they have

to face later on in the field. Additionally, it

does strengthen relationships between the

school and the community.

What could OC do to create more opportu-

nities for service learning?

I would actually like to see a bank or at

least a singular location where community

groups could connect with the College and

say “we are looking for students to do work

on this, this, or this”. This would make it

easier to pair community projects with

specific classes or courses rather than

individual professors having to constantly

go out and look for service learning oppor-

tunities. This would be particularly helpful

to new professors who may not have the

knowledge of what’s going on in the local

community nor who to contact to match

projects with students learning.

(continued on next page)

Field Work and Human Geography An interview with Stephanie Bunclark, Human Geography, Kelowna

Students experience the diversity

that happens in the actual field, and

they can use that information in real

world reporting. As well, a lot of

community groups simply can’t afford

to hire large groups of people to go

out and gather data for them. In the

end, all parties can benefit from

course/community field work.

I N S T I T U T E F O R L E A R N I N G A N D T E A C H I N G Winter 2015 page 5

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

What are the main advantages of service

learning?

I would say the major advantage is that the

students get hands on experience in a practi-

cal way where they actually can see the ben-

efit of their work. They’re not writing a paper

for just for themselves. There is actually a

greater world benefit. I think for a lot of stu-

dents it provides them with an understanding

that what they do is valuable. Their work is

not just for the professor, nor is it just for the

student. Many schools are not able to offer

students the opportunity of going out into the

field, yet at OC our students are able to ex-

plore skills sets and interpersonal skills out-

side the classroom, and as well, experience

work in a variety of real life environments in

Geography or Environmental Science. This

work could also help determine whether stu-

dents choose to carry on in these fields or not.

How can you strike a balance between the

need for theoretical learning and the need for

experiential learning in your programs and

what would be a good ratio?

That really depends on the course. We have

courses that are much more theoretical and

we have courses that are much more practi-

cal, so in many of our lab courses, obviously

the lab portion is very easily suitable to being

out in the field but many of our courses that

don’t have labs, again, depending on how you

organize the project, you can incorporate

many different types of learning outcomes

into them--be it learning how to write tech-

nical reports or learning how to formulate

questionnaires, how to develop a survey, how

to actually go out and acquire data. There are

many different concepts that can be incorpo-

rated depending on the type of project.

I’m not sure there would be a set ratio or a

set balance. It would really depend on what

the project is.

Field Work and Human Geography (continued from previous page)

Directed Studies, Research Assistants, Field Trips & Campus Projects Interview with Stephanie Bunclark

It’s not always through the formal struc-

ture of a course that students are involved in

service and/or experiential learning. At Oka-

nagan College a number of professors are

involved in research projects where they

have students work with them. Student re-

search assistants often help on various pro-

jects that are not related to their own

coursework, such as collecting samples or

filming an ecosystem. I’ve had students out

on trips all the way down to California filming

a variety of ecosystems and comparing them

with the ones we’ve got in BC such as the

underwater filming of the kelp forest. We

have had students working on river restora-

tion or looking at snowpack in the Penticton

area. Not only do research assistants benefit

from a real world experience when out in the

field, but they also get paid for their work! In

many institutions it is challenging for stu-

dents to access field experience, but it is

something that we manage to do here at OC.

We also have directed studies courses

where a student will suggest an interesting

project that is not necessarily related to a

course being offered at OC. In effect, a di-

rected study becomes a course just for that

student. Directed studies, which happen at the

second, third and fourth year level, allow stu-

dents to get out in the field in many cases. The

benefit of directed studies is that students can

explore a specific area of interest where a

course if not offered.

As well, the OC Geography Department en-

gages in a lot of field trips with our classes

where we go into a variety of areas throughout

the region. At the moment a new professor in

Salmon Arm is taking his classes out into the

field, while another professor in Penticton is

doing the same. I’ve done some larger field

trips down to Vancouver and over to Banff or

Jasper as well - weekend field trips rather than

necessarily big international field trips. The

goal is to have students experience the

environment they are in and see what it’s

like.

Another project that is taking off is the

Kalamalka Demonstration Garden and

Patchwork Community Farm on the Vernon

Campus where a variety of community

groups and students have volunteered in

the garden, produce has been taken to the

local Farmer’s Markets, and potlucks and

seminars have been happening. I haven’t

been teaching on the Vernon Campus for

the past few years, but we are trying to

incorporate the concept of community gar-

dens into the Human Geography’s Food

and Society course. We’ve had a lot of

great feedback. The regional Community

Garden Network is an obvious connection

between the community and the College

and is the group we worked with to develop

the Food and Society course. As well, a

Seed Library (see next page) is starting to

blossom on the Vernon Campus and it

looks really quite interesting.

It’s not always through the

formal structure of a course that

students are involved in service

and/or experiential learning.

“...the major advantage is that the

students get hands-on experience in a

practical way where then can actually

see the benefit of their work.”

I N S T I T U T E F O R L E A R N I N G A N D T E A C H I N G Winter 2015 page 6

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On one hand this story begins in 1980

when the Kelowna Women’s Shelter

opened its doors, improving the security of

countless women in the community. On

the other hand, this story begins in August,

at Connections 2014, when I was inspired

by Dr. Kyleen Myrah’s presentation on the

benefits of service-learning.

When I sat down with the shelter’s exec-

utive director, Karen Mason, for our initial

brainstorming session on how, exactly, my

“Women & Politics” students could partner

with her organization, we first outlined the

challenges. The students could not work

directly with the shelter’s residents nor set

foot on the premises due to confidentiality

and security reasons. In effect, such con-

straints suited me just fine as the course is

only 13 weeks long; thus, I wanted to avoid

going through a lengthy ethics review pro-

cess. I also could not dedicate the entire

term to this one component as is the case

with many other service learning projects

that, essentially, become the course itself.

So Ms. Mason and I got creative.

We decided on a methodology project that fit

with both the course learning objectives and the

needs of the shelter. This spring, the shelter will

launch its 35 Years of Caring Campaign to show-

case its impact on the community since 1980.

My students will apply their knowledge of feminist

methodologies to design a research strategy for

measuring such impact. The shelter will then use

this “package” of student ideas as a platform for

a more experienced researcher (with ethics clear-

ance) to select the methods, collect, and present

the data.

The project worked in a multi-stage process.

First, I lectured students on the topic of intimate

partner violence, and we reviewed the most re-

cent data report (2013) from Statistics Canada.

We then welcomed two experienced counsellors

from the shelter into our class as guest speakers.

They provided a wealth of knowledge on the inner

workings of the shelter as well as quantitative

data on how many women (and children) have

used the shelter’s various programs in the past

year. Students were also given plenty of opportu-

nities to ask questions. Once we understood both

the social problem of violence against women

and the specific work-

ings of the Kelowna

Women’s shelter,

students received

readings and lecture

material on feminist methodologies within

social science.

Because this assignment is not due until

the end of February, I cannot yet comment

on the outcome; however, I am pleased to

say that the process itself has been incred-

ibly rewarding. Students are designing an

array of practical mixed-method approach-

es: research surveys, interview questions,

and focus group guides. They have a

greater appreciation for the difficulties in

designing research and the challenges

specific to research on violence against

women (for example, the quantitative data

is a crucial inclusion yet highly problemat-

ic). Most importantly, a number of stu-

dents have expressed gratitude for being

able to help a community-based organiza-

tion. In the words of one student: “This is

what I came here for.”

A budding Seed Library

on the Vernon Campus is

taking root! The original

idea of a seed library was planted in the fall of 2013 when Gil Green

and Stephanie Bunclark from Human Geography visited the Vernon

Campus with a vision and a visitor, Rupert Adams, Regional Coordi-

nator for the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security in British Columbia. The Seed Library on this campus has been germinating

ever since with the aim of preserving heirloom and native seeds. Heirloom seed saving is an integral component of sustainable gardening.

As well, the goal is to create an awareness of the importance of seed saving and provide for future generations of gardeners as we support

local food security and sustainable gardening in the North Okanagan.

The Seed Library is already fostering community connections and involvement with other interest groups such as the Okanagan Regional

Library, the Food Action Society of the North Okanagan, and of course Vernon Campus’ Kalamalka Demonstration Garden and Patchwork

Community Farm and those contributing to this initiative (generous sponsors, contracted workers, students, and community volunteers).

Our demonstration garden on the Vernon Campus is a unique feature “ripe” with educational opportunities. The Seed Library recently ap-

plied for and received a grant from the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security in support of seed preservation and resources that

will benefit future generations. We will soon be sowing and reaping the harvest thanks to this recent generous support of the Bauta Family!

A Political Science Class and the Kelowna Women’s Shelter By Kimberley Carter, Political Science, Kelowna

Sowing Community Seeds By Karen Friesen, Vernon Library

I N S T I T U T E F O R L E A R N I N G A N D T E A C H I N G Winter 2015 page 7

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

One of my most meaningful experiences

as a librarian was supporting a nursing stu-

dent at College of the Rockies who was or-

ganizing a workshop about the life experienc-

es of transgendered persons living in the

Kootenays. Supporting diversity initiatives on

campus was a priority for my library so I was

serving on the College’s Diversity committee.

I helped the student with the application

process to secure funding for the event from

the Faculty Professional Development com-

mittee’s guest lecture fund. The event

reached members of both the campus and

local community and spurred the Diversity

committee to work with the College’s admin-

istration to create a gender-neutral wash-

room at the Cranbrook campus. Considering

the newsletter’s theme, I became curious to

learn about the experiences of librarians

supporting entire classes involved in service

learning projects.

Service learning is a relatively new topic in

Library and Information Science literature.

Riddle (2003) suggests three models of li-

brary support for service learning courses.

Watts (2006) discusses the element of prob-

lem solving in service learning and how “the

acquisition of information literacy skills is

necessary to making informed decisions – to

solve problems” (p. 43). Herther (2008), a

social science librarian, writes about her

involvement in several service learning

courses. While she devotes more time and

support to these courses than to traditional

courses, her experiences have been very

rewarding. She writes that librarian involve-

ment in service learning “expands and deep-

ens the librarian's role with both faculty and

students, in effect creating a new type of so-

cial contract between libraries and our us-

ers" (Herther, 2008, p. 387).

Librarians are involved with service learning

projects in both introductory level as well as

upper-year courses. Barry (2011) worked with

a first-year English composition course. The

students were connected with the campus

food bank and were required to write analysis

and persuasive papers as well as make

presentations to stakeholders. In addition to

instructing two research classes during the

course, Barry consulted with students individ-

ually and participated in reflection activities

on the class blog. She was also able to intro-

duce students to additional library resources

such as the multimedia lab and the presenta-

tion practice room.

As part of an upper-year research course, a

nursing librarian and faculty member collabo-

rated on an assignment (Janke, Pesut, & Er-

backer, 2012). The students worked in groups

to conduct literature reviews to address ques-

tions submitted by clinical partners from a

local health authority. A goal of the course was

"to assist students to engage in evidence-

based practice (EBP). An important pre-

requisite of EBP is developing information

literacy" (Janke et al., 2012, p. 920). The

librarian provided an instructional class

specific to the assignment and was availa-

ble to consult with small groups about their

specific research strategies. While the

authors described the students’ learning

experience as “at times intense,” at the

end of the project there was the sense that

“students had learned important and rele-

vant strategies for supporting evidence-

based practice” (Janke et al., 2012, p.

923).

These case studies suggest that there

are opportunities for librarians to become

involved with service learning projects in a

range of courses and that this involvement

benefits all parties. The level of librarian

participation will likely be different for each

course and project. To faculty considering

the research and information skills compo-

nent of service learning, I will echo this

encouragement "to reach out to their …

librarians in a meaningful course integrat-

ed way and I'm sure you will find a willing

and eager co-instructor" (Janke et al.,

2012, p. 922).

Where’s the Librarian in Service Learning? By Ben Harrison, Librarian, Kelowna

Librarian involvement in service

learning “expands and deepens

the librarian's role with both

faculty and students, in effect

creating a new type of social

contract between libraries and

our users.”

References

Barry, M. (2011). Librarians as partners in service-learning courses (Part I). LOEX Quarterly, 38(1). Retrieved from

http://commons.emich.edu/loexquarterly/vol38/iss1/5

Herther, N. K. (2008). Service learning and engagement in the academic library: Operating out of the box. College & Research Libraries News, 69, 386-389.

Retrieved from http://crln.acrl.org/content/69/7/386.full.pdf

Janke, R., Pesut, B., & Erbacker, L. (2012). Promoting information literacy through collaborative service learning in an undergraduate research course.

Nurse Education Today, 32, 920-923. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2011.09.016

Riddle, J. S. (2003). Where's the library in service learning?: Models for engaged library instruction. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 29, 71-81.

Watts, M. (2006). Becoming educated: Service learning as mirror. In C. Gibson (Ed.), Student engagement and information literacy (pp. 33-54). Chicago, IL:

Association of College and Research Libraries, American Library Association.

I N S T I T U T E F O R L E A R N I N G A N D T E A C H I N G Winter 2015 page 8

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

As a teacher of French as a second lan-

guage to adult learners, I have had the op-

portunity over the years to use different

methods of instruction. Interestingly, I have

found that all these methods acknowledge in

some way or other the importance of learn-

ing through experience. What is even more

interesting, though, is that long before I ever

used any of these methods, life had actually

taught me the importance of learning by

doing, or more precisely, the importance of

experiential education in the field of lan-

guage instruction. Let me explain.

I immigrated to Canada when I was ten

years old. My family settled in English-

speaking Toronto. Though I did not speak

English when I arrived, within the span of a

year, I became fluent in that language. This

was made possible thanks to experiential

learning in the purest sense! That is to say, I

experienced English in the real-life situations

of the street where I made friends with my

Canadian peers, played sports with them,

and learned to survive in and outside of

school. Indeed, so experiential was my learn-

ing that I don’t even remember learning Eng-

lish. It happened ever so naturally, my young

mind picking up from everyday situations the

language skills I needed to survive in my new

country. My life lesson did not stop there,

though. I also got to see first-hand the failed

product of traditional non-experiential lan-

guage training.

When I entered grade nine, I encountered

French teachers for the first time. To my great

surprise these teachers did not speak French.

They could spell words, construct sentences,

and conjugate verbs alright, but they could not

speak French. They lacked the fluency and

second-nature spontaneity of the native

speaker. They were the product of the tradi-

tional grammatical approach which empha-

sized writing over speaking and studied

French as if it were a dead language instead

of a living one. Consequently and most unfor-

tunately for my classmates, that was also the

way they taught French in their own classes.

The end result was that the study of French

had little relevance for many students and

nobody, whether teacher or student, believed

that the public school French program

would make students fluent in French.

I think most experienced teachers, be they

traditionalists or innovators, know that any

teaching requires an experiential compo-

nent if students are to learn in a deep and

meaningful way. It has taken time, howev-

er, for experiential education to become

widespread. I suspect that the reason for

this lies in the many implications that expe-

riential education carries with it. For exam-

ple, experiential education is education for

and by the student, which relegates the

role of the teacher to that of a facilitator or

worse to that of an assistant. This trans-

formation of teacher into facilitator has

required a philosophical reorientation.

Therefore, teachers as facilitators have

only today found their place, namely in our

liberal societies where authority figures are

no longer adulated.

Experiential Education: Some Personal Comments By Fred Van Winckel, French Instructor, Continuing Studies, Penticton

“‘Experiential [learning] is a philosophy and methodology in which educators purposefully engage with students in direct

experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills, and clarify values.’ (Association for

Experiential Education, n.d.). Experiential learning is also referred to as learning through action, learning by doing, learning

through experience, and learning through discovery and exploration, all which are clearly defined by these well-known max-

ims:

● I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand. ~ Confucius, 450 BC

●Tell me and I forget, Teach me and I remember, Involve me and I will learn. Benjamin Franklin, 1750

●There is an intimate and necessary relation between the process of actual experience and education. John Dewey,

1938”

(Northern Illinois University, n.d.) Association for Experiential Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.aee.org/

Furco, A. (1996). Service-learning: A balanced approach to experiential education. In Taylor, B. and Corporation for National Service (Eds.),

Expanding Boundaries: Serving and Learning (2-6). Washington, DC: Corporation for National Service.

I think most experienced

teachers, be they traditional-

ists or innovators, know that

any teaching requires an

experiential component if

students are to learn in a

deep and meaningful way.

Experiential Learning: A Definition

I N S T I T U T E F O R L E A R N I N G A N D T E A C H I N G Winter 2015 page 9

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

As a social constructivist educator, I value

making learning engaging and meaningful to

the individual learner and the community in

which they live. However, how to create

meaningful language learning activities and

experiences for adult immigrant English as a

Second or Additional Language (ESL/EAL)

learners is a question I pondered each time I

planned a lesson. To this end, I would

schedule guest speakers and field trips.

Then one day as I was fulfilling my admin-

istrative duties as a coordinator for the

ESLSAP (English as a Second Language Set-

tlement Assistance Program) tutoring pro-

gram at the Salmon Arm campus, in which I

would match ESL/EAL learners with tutors, it

occurred to me that I should turn the volun-

teer tutor premise around. I imagined having

learners volunteering in their community

rather than having volunteers come to them.

Hence, the search for a service learning

opportunity began.

Serendipitously, as I was looking for a ser-

vice learning opportunity, Okanagan College’s

Salmon Arm campus was in desperate need of

a food service provider after a year solely rely-

ing on vending food. I jumped at the chance

to fill this authentic need in the community

where the learners would have the opportunity

to be reciprocally valued. Okanagan College,

particularly Salmon Arm’s campus staff and

fellow learners along with Deb Peterson and

Brad Pointek from Ancillary and Business Ser-

vices, were immeasurably supportive of

this service learning venture.

During this time I was also working on

my Master of Arts degree at UBC, and thus,

ceased this opportunity to research the

lived experiences of the learners who vol-

unteered at the Multicultural Café. The tag

line for the Multicultural Café was an ex-

tension of Okanagan College’s mission

which was “Transforming lives and com-

munities one cup at time.” This research

project not only transformed many of those

involved, but it also transformed me

through the writing of my Master’s thesis

one word at a time.

The Multicultural Café: The Perceived Impacts of Volunteering in a Service

Learning Platform from the Perspectives of Adult Learners of English as a Second or

Additional Language (Thesis Summary and Abstract) By Tracy Riley, Adult Literacy Fundamental Instructor, Salmon Arm

This study investigates how adult

immigrant English Language

Learners (ELLs) invested in a

service learning experience of

volunteering for a small non-profit

food service business at a local

community college can facilitate

a connection to the community

whereby increasing perceived

language skills and confidence.

Multicultural Café—Thesis Abstract

This qualitative study explores the perceived impacts of volunteering in a service learning platform from the

perspective of immigrants, who are also adult learners of English as an Additional Language (EAL), or English as

a Second Language (ESL). This study recognizes that the goal of learning English for immigrants is to be able to

converse, connect, and contribute as a valued community member.

The hegemonic practice of sequestering newcomers and immigrants into language training classes can

further their linguistic and social isolation and marginalization by restricting their access to authentically engage

with English speakers in their community. This study investigates how adult immigrant English Language Learn-

ers (ELLs) invested in a service learning experience of volunteering for a small non-profit food service business at a local community

college can facilitate a connection to the community whereby increasing perceived language skills and confidence.

For this study, ten adult immigrants who speak ESL or EAL participated. The data was collected from a questionnaire, an individual

interview, and a focus group. The results revealed three themes pertaining to the social, personal, and transformational realms of learn-

ing. The social realm aligned with a sociocultural perspective in which social and cultural capital, bridging and bonding capital, communi-

ties of practice, and communities of contribution are highlighted. The personal realm reveals the significance of the affective-emotional

aspects of language learning alongside agency and positive identity construction.

Finally, this study reveals a connection between service learning and transformational learning. The overall conclusion of this study

determines that service learning can be a meaningful endeavour for adult immigrants because it has the potential to transform marginal-

ized voices into valued voices as they connect and contribute community. Online PDF http://circle.ubc.ca/bitstream/

handle/2429/51588/ubc_2015_february_Riley_Tracy.pdf?sequence=1

I N S T I T U T E F O R L E A R N I N G A N D T E A C H I N G Winter 2015 page 10

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

Case-based

learning (CBL)

has been a

predominant

pedagogical

method of

teaching in

the health

care professions, and there are many claims

for the effectiveness of this teaching strate-

gy. Some educational institutions, such as

McMaster University and others, have em-

braced CBL as a primary method of delivering

education. I recently began to wonder, “What

evidence is there to support these beliefs?”

Fortunately, an excellent peer-reviewed sys-

tematic review was published recently, aimed

at trying to help answer this question

(Thistlethwaite et al., 2012).

The authors of this article independently

reviewed and graded 176 publications from

1965 to 2010 for their scientific rigor and

quality. The authors were unable to do a

meta-analysis due to varying methodologies.

From the 104 articles that qualified, the au-

thors then examined and discussed the defi-

nition of CBL, methods of practice, learning

outcomes, and the effectiveness of CBL.

Further, the authors also described best-

practice guidelines for incorporating CBL in

the classroom. The results of the study indi-

cated that students enjoy CBL, and felt it en-

hanced their learning. Case-based learning

appeared to foster effective learning in small

groups the most, but whether this is due to

the method of delivery or the positive effects

of group work was unclear. Overall, the data

examined was inconclusive as to the effective-

ness of case-based learning compared with

other learning strategies.

As an instructor in the Therapist Assistant

program, I frequently incorporate case-based

learning. In a recent lab I

used clinical simulations to

help students learn and

contrast the role of the

physical therapist and the

physical therapist assistant

in private practice. At the

end of class, I asked stu-

dents for written feedback on their learning

experience. Some notable student comments

included the following: “makes it more real-

istic and much more applicable to the real

world” “makes sense by putting in context,

i.e., the big picture” “easier to remember”

“helped further my understanding” and

“makes me feel well prepared for real life

situations.” The overall impression from the

students is there is good face validity for case-

based learning in the classroom and the stu-

dents saw CBL as relevant to the real world

and their future work. The students ap-

peared visibly more engaged by active

discussion and questions. These com-

ments and observations appeared con-

sistent with the results of the study in

terms of increasing motivation for learning

and student engagement.

The results of the systematic review

were inconclusive in terms of the learning

outcomes of CBL; however, many of the

measures used in these studies may be

related only to

recall and reten-

tion, rather than

development of

critical thinking

and problem

solving skills,

which is where I

think case-based learning really excels.

Another important variable in CBL is the

student’s individual learning style, with

some students responding better to this

method of learning than others. The au-

thors of this article recognize in their sum-

mary that rather than comparing outcomes

for didactic style of teaching to CBL, it may

be more important to better understand

the underlying mechanism by which stu-

dents learn through case-based learning.

Reflections on the Effectiveness of Case-based Learning in the Health Professions An Article Review By Darrell Skinner, Instructor, Therapist Assistant Program, Kelowna

Case-based learning (CBL) has been

a predominant pedagogical method of

teaching in the health care professions,

and there are many claims for the

effectiveness of this teaching strategy.

Some educational institutions, such as

McMaster University and others, have

embraced CBL as a primary method of

delivering education.

Thistlethwaite, J.E., Davies, D., Ekeocha, S., Kidd, J.M., MacDougall, C., Matthews, P., Perkis, J., Clay, D. (2012). The effectiveness of

case-based learning in health professional education. A BEME systematic review: BEME Guide No 23. Medical Teacher. Retrieved

from http://informahealthcare.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/0142159X.2012.680939

Service Learning : A Definition

"Service-learning has been used to characterize a wide array of experiential education endeavours, from volunteer and community service

projects to field studies and internship programs.” (Furco, 1996).

Association for Experiential Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.aee.org/

Furco, A. (1996). Service-learning: A balanced approach to experiential education. In Taylor, B. and Corporation for National Service (Eds.),

Expanding Boundaries: Serving and Learning (2-6). Washington, DC: Corporation for National Service.

Northern Illinois University, Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center. (n.d.). Experiential learning. Retrieved from

http://www.niu.edu/facdev/resources/guide/strategies/experiential_learning.pdf

I N S T I T U T E F O R L E A R N I N G A N D T E A C H I N G Winter 2015 page 11

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

In the first year of

the BSN Program,

students engage in an

entrance-level family

“Health and Healing”

class initiative with a

focus on chronic ill-

ness. Members of a

host family are inter-

viewed twice to gain a

basic understanding of family functioning

when a member has a chronic disease or

disability. Theoretically-based class instruc-

tion is combined with an experiential learning

component. The learning outcomes of this

course include exploring theoretical concep-

tual frameworks in relation to health assess-

ment; understanding family development

stages; experience of interviewing, develop-

ing relationships and collaborating with fami-

lies; and a beginning practical knowledge of

accessing community resources to support a

host family (NSGU 121 Syllabus, 2015).

The Calgary Family Assessment Model is

the theoretical approach to family assess-

ment; this model provides guidance, for an

approach to and a process to follow, for a

family interview (Wright & Leahey, 2013).

Theories that underlie the model include

Postmodernism, Systems, Communication,

Change, and Biology of Cognition, which pro-

vide the evidence-informed basis for effec-

tive family interaction (Wright & Leahey,

2013); the model includes the theoretical and

practical knowledge to carry out effective fam-

ily assessments and interventions. The stu-

dents learn how to ask “key” questions to

obtain relevant information; to develop

“healthy” relationships; to apply course con-

cepts such as informed consent, confidentiali-

ty, and empathy principles (samples); to locate

community resources that may assist their

host family; and finally, how to appropriately

terminate a relationship with members of their

host family. The students had previously en-

gaged in a “relational nursing practice” class

(NSGU 113, 2014) whereby “relational prac-

tice principles” such as caring, empathizing,

and presencing were learned as foundational

to the family interview sessions (Doane &

Varcoe, 2015).

The experiential learning component in-

volves interviewing family members to obtain

“structural” data about the family unit, includ-

ing the “subsystems” of the family

(composition, gender, rank order, boundaries,

etc.), together with the “functional” aspects

including communication between family

members, power and influence of mem-

bers, and problem-solving abilities as ex-

amples (Wright & Leahey, 2013). Follow-

ing the interviews, the students then ac-

tively source community resources that

could be of assistance to their host family.

Upon the completion of the family inter-

view project, the students are to offer the

family a Genogram” (Duhamel & Campa-

gna, 2000) that was constructed for them

(based on the structural interview infor-

mation) in addition to presenting them with

relevant community resources.

From an anecdotal standpoint, the stu-

dents have expressed that applying the

learned theory to a real family assists the

students to assimilate the knowledge bet-

ter and feel more comfortable in this role.

According to nursing researchers Benner,

Sutphen, Leonard, and Day, (2010), stu-

dents will synthesize the knowledge more

effectively if the classroom and clinical

teaching are more integrated. These same

authors have found evidence to show that

when nursing educators assist students to

bring forth the theoretical knowledge with-

in the practical application of their experi-

ences, the learning is better synthesized

(2010).

Family “Health and Healing” and Experiential Learning

By Carolyn Hawes, BSc Nursing, Kelowna

Students have expressed

that applying the learned

theory to a real family assists

the students to assimilate the

knowledge better and feel

more comfortable in this role.

References

Benner, P. Sutphen,M., Leonard, D., & Day, L.. (2010). Educating nurses: A call for radical transformation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Doane, G. H., & Varcoe, C. (2015). How to nurse: Relational inquiry with individuals and families in changing health and health care

contexts. PA.: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

Duhamel,F. & Campagna, F.(2000).Family genograph. Montreal: Universite de Montreal, Faculty of Nursing. Retrieved from

www.familynursingresources.com

Wright, L. M., & Leahey, M. (2013). Nurses and families: A guide to family assessment and intervention. (6th ed.) PA: F.A. Davis Company.

I N S T I T U T E F O R L E A R N I N G A N D T E A C H I N G Winter 2015 page 12

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

“Service learning is a form of experiential

education in which students engage in activi-

ties that address human and community

needs together with structured opportunities

intentionally designed to promote student

learning and development” (Jacoby, 1996,

p.5). I first incorporated service learning

widely into my teaching practice in the sum-

mer of 2007 when I piloted a brand new

course in the Okanagan School of Business

called Social Entrepreneurship. It was also a

teaching approach I felt addressed common

critiques of business and management edu-

cation such as isolationism, functionalism, a-

theoretical and transactionally focused, and

a preoccupation with shareholder wealth

(see Godfrey, Illes & Berry, 2005; Papa-

marcos, 2005; and Steiner & Watson, 2006).

Godfrey, Illes & Berry’s (2005) framework

for effective service learning was adopted for

the social entrepreneurship course:

●Reality(real issues in a community setting)

●Responsibility (student management of a

30-hour community project with a nonprofit,

charity, or social enterprise partner)

●Reflection (opportunities for continuous

and meaningful contemplation)

●Reciprocity(reciprocal learning relationship)

Since 1997, over 190 projects with ap-

proximately 100 community partners have

been completed in the Social Entrepreneur-

ship course (with assistance from Professors

Laura Thurnheer and Dr. Sheilagh Seaton).

The benefits of service learning are multiple

and include the following:

● Addresses real-life issues and challenges

● Provides opportunities for students to grow

professionally and personally

● Engages multiple learning styles

● Broadens students’ perspectives of work-

place and community

● Encourages students to become socially

responsible and engage in moral actions

● Enhances student career opportunities

● Allows for meaningful contributions to or-

ganizations often challenged with limited re-

sources

Here is one comment from a past student :

I have incorporated service learning into

other courses I teach, and it is deeply embed-

ded in the extensive community outreach

which the Enactus students conduct and

which so profoundly has addressed critical

needs in our own region. The richness of

student experience, significant outcomes, and

deep relationships that have developed

through this pedagogical approach have

been the highlight of my academic career.

But I must finish with a caveat. I believe

there are critical success factors for effec-

tive service learning execution. Three key

aspects include positive and developed

community connections, significant and

consistent administrative support, and a

willingness and capability to “manage the

triangle” of client, student and professor

inter-

actions. I truly believe students in the

social entrepreneurship course have

learned to embrace a new “lens” which

has brought curiosity, motivation, aware-

ness, and relevance and has contributed

to a more informed and community-

centred student. And this would not be

possible without the integration of service

learning.

How Service Learning Has Enhanced My Teaching Practice By Kyleen Myrah, Business, Kelowna

Service learning is a form of

experiential education in which

students engage in activities that

address human and community

needs together with structured

opportunities intentionally

designed to promote student

learning and development.

(Jacoby, 1996).

References:

Godfrey, P.C., Illes, L.M., & Berry, G.R. (2005). Creating breadth in business education through service-learning. Academy of Management Learning &

Education, 4(3), 309-323.

Jacoby, B. (1996). Service-learning in today's higher education. In B. Jacoby (Ed.), Service-learning in higher education,3(25). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Papamarcos, S.D.(2005). Giving traction to management theory: Today’s service-learning. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 4(3), 323-335.

Steiner, S. & Watson, M.A. (2006, December). The service learning component in business education. Academy of Management Learning & Education,

5(4), 422-434.

NB. Myrah’s article in this issue of Enhancing Learning and Teaching was adapted in part from: Myrah, K. (2009). Using a service learning approach to teach

students about social entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurial Practice Review, 1(1), Autumn, 4-23.

Social Entrepreneurship students Kelly Stone

and Arianne Summach (winter 2014) partner

with Inn From the Cold to raises awareness of

the experience and personal face of homeless-

ness. To view the video please go to:

http://vimeo.com/88684460

“The opportunity to learn about Social Entrepre-

neurship in BUAD 309, was very inspiring and

motivating. The course allowed me to bridge the

divide between business and the nonprofit/public

arena. The need for business skills in the nonprofit

sector is so great; this course highlighted that for

me and ultimately moved me to pursue a career in

the nonprofit sector. In addition to impacting my

career, this course also encouraged me to get

more involved in the community as a volunteer. I

am now very involved in Junior Chamber Interna-

tional which is building momentum to ignite volun-

teerism and giving in the next generation of young

professionals.” Lindsay Phillips, Training & Men-

toring Coordinator, Women’s Enterprise Centre.

I N S T I T U T E F O R L E A R N I N G A N D T E A C H I N G Winter 2015 page 13

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

I contend that we teachers can structure

“real world” experiences to advance student

learning within the seemingly narrow con-

fines of our classrooms. Whereas experien-

tial education (a.k.a. trial and error, learning

by doing, experienced-based learning, and

service-based learning) tends to concentrate

on actual experience ranging from field trips

to internships, I believe that encouraging

discussion and critical reflection on news

events, personages, and issues constitutes a

valuable “real-world-like” alternative.

How can teachers become experience

providers inside the four walls? In my regu-

lar “In the News” segments at the top of

most classes, I emphasize the core compo-

nents of experiential learning; namely, stu-

dents’ contact with the environment, partici-

pation and varied forms of interaction be-

tween student, and teacher/other students/

environment. Selecting news stories analo-

gous to the real-life situations students might

face is complementary to other experiential

learning techniques (e.g., role plays and sim-

ulations, generating scenarios, reporting on

case studies, reflections journals, and invit-

ing guest speakers).

The Teacher’s Role

David Kolb’s (1984) Learning Cycle model

of experiential learning, reveals the repeata-

ble steps to learning defined as the process

of developing knowledge through the

“transformation of experience” (p. 38), mean-

ing the translation of new conceptual under-

standings into “actionable” knowledge applied

to new experiences. (Kolb’s Learning Cycle)

Central to successful experiential learning, of

course, is the teacher’s role in structuring,

monitoring, and evaluating whether the

“experience” we’re stimulating in class meets

our pre-established learning outcomes. My

general learning outcomes include increasing

knowledge, developing skills, clarifying values,

and applying disciplinary knowledge to real-life

problems. More specifically, I use the “In the

News” discussions to attain the following

learning outcomes.

1 - Instilling a Sense of Civic Duty and

Democracy in Action:

Critically reflecting upon others’ “real-life”

actions or problems can develop good, active

citizens who are aware of local, national, and

global issues. Student dialogue helps stu-

dents to develop their own voice, to build re-

spect for other opinions, and to practice

“democracy in the classroom” (Brookfield and

Preskill, 2005).

2 - Critical Thinking: Students should be

encouraged to critically reflect on real-world

situations both in terms of the outcome

(e.g., finding solutions) and the processes

of attaining an outcome (e.g., collaboration,

sharing ideas, building consensus, ques-

tioning assumptions, and understanding

contexts). That students might come to

realize the reality of complexity, uncertain-

ty, ambiguity (i.e., differential interpreta-

tions or representations of events) consti-

tutes a core learning outcome.

3 - Exposing Privilege and Power Relations:

Students can be taught that they can use

their acquired post-secondary skills,

knowledge, and attitudes to help others

who may have less privilege than them-

selves, while becoming aware of the power

relations inherent to helping others.

4 - Affective Learning and Instilling a Sense

of Responsibility: Discussion of news

events should be made personal or rele-

vant to the students and activate both cog-

nitive-based problem solving skills and

affective learning people skills. Ask ques-

tions like “How does this situation (e.g.,

police harassment, income inequality, hu-

man rights abuse, or environmental disas-

ter) make you feel?” “What would you do

in this situation?” “Are you responsible for

the poverty/oppression/inequality that

exists today?” Experience is inextricably

linked to the notion of personal responsibil-

ity, which in turn might motivate some of

our students to become involved in their

communities.

Experiencing the “Real World” within the Classroom By Linda Elmose, Political Science , Vernon, Kelowna, Salmon Arm

References Brookfield, S.D. & Preskill, S. (2005). Discussion as a way of teaching: Tools and techniques for democratic classrooms. San Francisc, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Kolb, D.A.(1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Cartoon Image: “Frank and Earnest” by Bob Thaves & Tom Thaves. Oct.10, 2013. Image No. 103405.

I N S T I T U T E F O R L E A R N I N G A N D T E A C H I N G

I L T I N F O L I N K S

Winter 2015 page 14

As part of its mandate to support dialogue amongst peers and to enhance the practice of learning and teaching the ILT publishes three

issues of its newsletter a year (Winter, Spring, and Fall). All employees of Okanagan College are encouraged to contribute.

Thank you to each of the authors for your valuable contribution to this issue of Enhancing the Practice of Learning and Teaching.

The thought, expertise, and time that has gone into creating the end product is appreciated.

ILT Newsletter Production Team Publication Date: 18/02/15

Managing Editor: Darrell Skinner dskinner@okanagan.bc.ca

Copy Editor + Distribution: Michael Orwick MOrwick@okanagan.bc.ca (Articles are submitted to Michael Orwick for editing)

Design/Layout Editor: Jennifer Sigalet Jsigalet@okanagan.bc.ca

ILT Newsletter Committee Chair: Jennifer Sigalet Jsigalet@okanagan.bc.ca

For more information about the ILT Newsletter: http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/about/Institute_for_Learning_and_Teaching/Newsletters.html

ILT Educational Programs http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/about/Institute_for_Learning_and_Teaching/Educational_Programs.html

ILT Events Page http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/about/Institute_for_Learning_and_Teaching/Events.html

ILT Events Registration http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt/events

ILT Fellows http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/about/Institute_for_Learning_and_Teaching/Meet_the_Fellows.html

ILT Mission Statement http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/about/Institute_for_Learning_and_Teaching/Mission_Statement.html

ILT Newsletter http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/about/Institute_for_Learning_and_Teaching/Newsletters.html

ILT Resources LibGuide http://libguides.okanagan.bc.ca/ILT

ILT Website http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

I L T N E W S L E T T E R C O N T A C T S

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

TOPIC SPEAKER LOCATION DATE

The Library and Moodle Roen Janyk All Campuses January 2015

Teacher as Leader in the Classroom Roberta Sawatzky Kelowna January 2015

Effective Workplace Communication Kim Pflieger Kelowna Thursday, February 12th

12 pm – 1 pm

Invest a lunch break to advance

your career in Education

Royal Roads

University Kelowna

Tuesday, February 24th

12 pm – 1 pm

Cancer Prevention Karen Barnstable Kelowna Thursday, March 5th

12 pm – 1 pm

Sustainable Living –

What’s in it for you? Rob St. Onge Kelowna

Monday, March 9th

12 pm – 1 pm

Sustainable Living –

What’s in it for you? Rob St. Onge Vernon

Tuesday, March 10th

12 pm – 1 pm

Sustainable Living –

What’s in it for you? Rob St. Onge Salmon Arm

Thursday, March 12th

12 pm – 1 pm

Sustainable Living –

What’s in it for you? Rob St. Onge Penticton

Friday, March 13th

12 pm – 1 pm

Results from the

Student Satisfaction Survey Jan O’Brien Kelowna

Tuesday, March 17th

12 pm – 1 pm

I L T L U N C H A N D L E A R N S - W I N T E R 2 0 1 5

N E W F O R M O O D L E ! A V O I D I N G P L A G I A R I S M T U T O R I A L & O P T I O N A L Q U I Z

To address concerns that many students don’t adequately understand what constitutes plagiarism, the Library has developed a tutorial to

help students learn about completing their work honestly. The tutorial incorporates videos, scenarios and short practice questions and takes

around 35-40 minutes to work through. It is openly accessible from the library’s website. http://libguides.okanagan.bc.ca/avoidingplagiarism

The Library has developed a short quiz to assess students’ knowledge after viewing the tutorial. Instructors may import the quiz into

their Moodle courses.

To add the quiz to your course, please contact Lindsay Willson, Business Liaison Librarian and Ben Harrison, Librarian, Kelowna

After they have enabled you to select the quiz in Moodle, complete the following steps:

1 - Open your course Moodle page 4 - Click Continue

2 - In the Settings block at the left click Import 5 - Include only Activities and click Next

3 - Click on the OC Plagiarism Quiz as the course you 6 - Check only the quiz that you would like to import and

would like to import from 7- Click Perform import (may take a few minutes)

ONLINE Registration for ILT Events: http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt/events