CLT: DCUTL: Keynote Speakers

Dalhousie Conference on University Teaching and Learning

Keynote Speakers


Dr. Gary Poole Gary Poole is the Director of the Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth and the Institute for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at UBC. He is President-Elect for the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. He is the co-author of "Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education," and "The Psychology of Health and Health Care: A Canadian Perspective." Dr. Poole is also a member of the School of Population and Public Health in UBC's Faculty of Medicine.
presenting *When Students "Move In": Turning learning spaces into learning homes* Well-designed learning spaces, both real and virtual, take on the properties of a "learning home." A key defining characteristic of "home" is its capacity to affect identity. Home is a place where others know who we are. In a similar vein, home is where we go to confirm who we are. In the education context, to create a learning home, we must know who our students are as learners and we must provide opportunities for them to shape learning spaces so that they may find identity within those spaces—the way they will do with their dorm rooms or personal online environments. In this session, we will look at long-standing theory and research in social psychology to help understand the kinds of learning activities our students practice within the spaces we provide. We will then apply the notion of learning home to learning space design.
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Dr. Angie Thompson Angie Thompson has been teaching "outside the classroom" since joining the Human Kinetics Department at St. Francis Xavier University in 2001 and for 13 years prior to that as a sessional lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan. An Outstanding Teacher Award recipient in 2005 (StFX) and Distinguished Teaching Award Winner (AAU) in 2007, Angie practices what she preaches. She is a frequent presenter at "teaching" conferences and seminars (at StFX as well as provincially, nationally, and internationally), sharing her approach, enthusiasm, and style for teaching regarding interactive pedagogical techniques and service learning.
presenting *Recognizing and Embracing Teaching and Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom* Learning outside the classroom? Teaching outside the classroom? Yes, yes, yes! "Outside the classroom" provides many unique venues to enrich students' and faculties' educational experiences. In fact, interacting with students in settings outside the classroom provides opportunities for potentially deeper and more fulfilling teaching and learning experiences. These include (but are not limited to) dyadic conversations in the hall, office, grocery store, wellness centre, ice rink, gym, etc. as well as more formalized interactions in settings such as service learning experiences and student research days. This closing address will provide a light-hearted and engaging overview (along with significant encouragement) of the various opportunities available outside the classroom to enhance the teaching and learning experience for faculty and students.
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Dr. Margaret Dechman, Sociology and Social Anthropology and a panel of Dalhousie students Margaret Dechman's career stretches across public-sector, community, and academic environments. Through her research, teaching, and extensive inter-disciplinary work, Margaret strives to bridge the divides that may hinder the pursuit of social justice. It is with this passion that she approaches her facilitation of an applied course in Sociology and Social Anthropology at Dalhousie.
presenting *Seeing Yourself Through Your Contributions to Others: Building talent and teamwork through experiential learning* The most apt description of the Majors Seminar in the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology is that it is a team effort, in the very best sense of the word. The primary goal of the class is to offer students the support, guidance, and the skills required to successfully negotiate the challenging transition from undergraduate studies to graduate school and/or ventures into the work world. Prior university learning is linked together and brought to life through a combination of community placements, relevant theoretical and conceptual instruction, and considerable classroom discussion. As students grapple with the complex issues confronted in their placements, they develop an enhanced appreciation for the sharing of insights and talents. This panel provides a glimpse into the dynamics of this applied class from the perspectives of students, sponsors, and the instructor.
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