The Centre’s mission is to develop and enhance teaching excellence at VIU, supporting inclusive, innovative, and engaging student-centered learning.
- Respect – we listen actively to the needs of the University community, recognizing the diversity within our faculty and student bodies
- Accessibility – we provide multiple routes in to the support we offer, and encourage the development of teaching practices that ensure that students can fully access the curriculum
- Flexibility – we meet faculty where they are in their practice to help them accomplish their teaching goals, and we support a suite of tools that can expand teaching and learning opportunities for faculty and students
- Collaboration – we seek to build meaningful and reciprocal relationships based on trust and shared goals within our VIU community, and to help members of our community share their accomplishments with one another
- Innovation – we bring a forward thinking and creative approach to exploring teaching and learning challenges, and we lead by example in engaging with new tools and practices
- Engage the VIU community in discussion, development, and scholarship of effective learning and teaching practices
- Recognize and respond to the teaching and learning needs of individuals and the wider institution
- Promote evidence-based teaching practices to ensure high quality learning experiences for all
- Provide access to innovative and accessible learning technologies to support teaching and learning, where appropriate
- Celebrate and share successes in teaching and learning practices, whether in the classroom or beyond
Engagement with faculty to help enhance courses and programs for optimal student learning through:
- Intensive Learning Institutes
- Course and Program Redesign Sessions
- Program Mapping and Gap Analysis Activities
- Learning Outcomes Development
- Program Review Self-Study Support
- Learning Series
- 1:1 Consultations
Institutional-wide events and resources on teaching, learning and pedagogies for post-secondary learning such as:
Management of the following learning technologies for students and faculty:
- VIULearn - Integrated Learning System for Blended, Fully Online and Web-enhanced Courses
- VIUBlogs- Blogging, ePortfolio and Website Platform
- VIUTube - Streaming Video Platform
- Online Rooms- Synchronous / Virtual Classrooms
- Web Help Desk - Support / Request System
Support and knowledge for faculty on:
- Blended and Online Learning Consultations
- Finding, Using, Adapting and Creating Open Educational Resources
- Functions and Operations of VIULearn Online Course for Open Learning
- Classroom Response Systems (Clickers)
- 1:1 Consultations
- Resources: Videos, Handouts and Instructions for VIULearn and Other Technologies
Scholarly Teaching + Inquiry into Practice
- Council on Teaching and Learning Excellence Action Groups
- Teaching Excellence Video Series
- Faculty Fast Start Institute
- Support in Research Ethics and Grants
- 1:1 Consultations
- Lending Library Resources
- Learning Series
Student Learning + Engagement
- Digital Learning Commons (Learning Matters.viu.ca) - learning tips and help
- Ready, Set Go! - VIU Open Learning Course
- Metacognitive Teaching Practices for Faculty
- Student Orientations to VIULearn
- New to VIULearn Student Orientation Course
- VIUTube Streaming Video Site for Student Videos
- VIUBlogs Blogging, ePortfolio and Website Platform for Students