CIEL is dedicated to supporting high quality teaching and student-centered learning. Our team work with VIU instructors to enhance teaching and foster student engagement. From refining assessments to exploring new approaches, our support is tailored to your needs. CIEL also helps instructors and students using VIU learning technologies.
We can support you through one on one consultations or answer questions by phone or email.
Email: LearnSupport@viu.ca
Phone: 250.740.6179
Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm excluding statutory holidays and university closures.
Location: Building 305, Room 512, Nanaimo Campus
Meet our team
The Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning consists of staff from a wide range of professional backgrounds. We are an interdisciplinary group with a broad range of pedagogical and technical skills. We work together to research and advise on teaching and learning issues.
Technology support

Jacqueline Kirkham
Learning Technologies Application Developer

Jenna Auringer
Learning Technologies Support Specialist
Jenna began her post-secondary career at VIU in 2013 with a goal of being able to use the skills and knowledge that she learned in her post-secondary studies to help members of her community. After some experimentation, Jenna found a passion for media production, web design, and programming which led her to graduating from VIU with a Major in Digital Media Studies.
Since then, Jenna has had a number of different jobs including being a Library Assistant and an Audio Technician before settling down into her current position at VIU as a Learning Technologies Support Specialist.
Jenna has a strong passion for education and learning and hopes to use the technical skills and knowledge that she has gained over the years to help VIU staff and students achieve new heights in their learning.

Meara Kimball
Learning Technologies Support Specialist
Meara began her academic career at VIU with no clear goal beyond a minor in math. She discovered that she greatly enjoyed her requisite computer science courses, and this inspired her transfer to UVIC to pursue a BSc with a combined major in Computer Science and Mathematics.
Career-wise, Meara’s early dream was to work at her childhood summer camp, a dream she was able to realize for 3 glorious summers. Around the same time, she began working in libraries and decided to continue in that field while progressing through university. Moving to Nanaimo, to Victoria, and back to Nanaimo again, she has worked as both a page and a library assistant at Vancouver Island Regional Library, Greater Victoria Public Library, and even VIU’s own academic library.
Between summer camp and library service, it soon became clear that she was too much of a people-person for a strictly tech career and she began looking for a job that called on all of her strengths. As you may have guessed, this search led her the Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning, where she is excited to bridge the gap between educators, learners, and learning technologies!
Meara leads the VIULearn Student Orientation Project.

Raul Campos
Learning Technology Support Specialist
Curriculum support

Anwen Burk
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Specialist

Dr. Kathleen Bortolin
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Specialist

Elodie Button
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Specialist

Jessica Gemella
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Specialist