Down the Hall

Two of the major aspects of Education that are becoming more prominent in recent times are internationalization and technology. It’s also usually quite sunny in Vancouver in July. So why not have a conference in Vancouver in July? This week’s episode is almost entirely devoted to the upcoming IPTEL conference (International Perspectives on Technology-Enhanced Learning) conference, being held on the UBC campus July 11-13, 2013. First, Dave interviews Dr. Tom Sork about how the conference came about, what kinds of presentations there will be, and what organizers are looking for. Also, please note that the Call for Proposal deadline has been extended to March 30 since the episode was recorded (Tom and your hosts both say March 15 on the episode). Then, Dave interviews Connie Baird and Belva Collins from the University of Kentucky, who were heavily involved in the idea for doing the IPTEL conference. They provide information on how it came about from their perspective, as well as some insigh

This week we take a bit of a spiritual turn in part two of our interview with Dr. Michael Marker. We continue our discussion of ETEC 521 (Indigeneity, Technology, and Education) and talk about the difficulties in bringing good education to remote indigenous communities. We also address life and death in these communities and the clash of cultures when traditional teachers are brought into native communities. It’s also the last episode before Valentine’s Day, so your hosts have something special for you. Why just have love in your heart when you can have it in your DNA? Shakespeare’s sonnets have been encoded onto DNA strings, bridging the gap between emotion and genetics in his own unique way. Newly discovered English royalty and strange parallels round out the episode. We’d love your feedback on anything. Email us at podcast.pdce@ubc.ca Find us on iTunes, (or just search for PDCE or Down the Hall in the podcast section of iTunes) And we are now on Stitcher and Blac

It’s the Year of Indigenous Education here at UBC, and we thought we’d add to the celebration by having an in-depth interview with Dr. Michael Marker, in a return engagement (he was interviewed in Episode 37). There was just so much stuff to talk about that we’ve had to split the interview into two parts! In this week’s episode, Michael talks about Indigenous knowledge and engagement (especially in schools), how Education is seen within the Inuit Studies community (and how that affects conferences related to the field), how schools are a springboard for transformation, and the great work that ETEC 521 (Indigeneity, Technology, and Education) students have been doing since the course’s inception in the MET program. Be with us next time as well for part 2 of this fascinating interview. And of course there’s music! Your hosts also discuss culturally responsive education. How students respond to their teachers and instruction in the classroom is often affected by their cul

Welcome to 2013! It’s a time of renewal, but also for reflection, and this episode is chock full of reflection. It’s our fiftieth episode (no gifts, please send cash) and we’re celebrating that fact by looking to the past before we go into the future. Fiona interviews Dr. Marv Westwood, head of the Veterans Transition Program, a wonderful program that helps veterans in their transition back to civilian life. It helps those who have been traumatized by their experiences to get back to a healthy life once they have returned home. It’s a valuable service and has been very helpful to those veterans who have gone through the program. Marv talks about how the program came about, the goals of it, and how it has helped so many veterans as they return. The Royal Canadian Legion has helped fund the project. Speaking of the Legion, your hosts talk about this Canadian institution, it’s history, what it does in the community both in service of veterans, their families, and even currently

For the last episode of 2012, we bring you an episode full of holiday cheer. There’s a lot of great stuff in this week’s episode to tide you over through the cold, dark month of December. Dave speaks to Leanna Johnson, a teacher in Missouri who is spearheading her school’s move to a paperless classroom. E-textbooks, assignments submitted online, using tablet and laptop computers, it can be tremendously effective for both students and teachers. She talks about the implementation of the project, how well it’s working, and whether it’s something that larger schools can use as well.  Plus, she discusses her class’s participation in the Global Virtual Classroom project. On top of the interview, your hosts discuss all of the December holidays that you may be celebrating this year, as well as our favourite Christmas traditions and carols. We even provide you with a bit of a carol ourselves (Alpha Lam, producer extraordinaire, heard the mirth and merriment from the studio and

The importance of literacy cannot be overstated. While we can learn in many ways, reading can play a fundamental part of that learning. This can be difficult in areas of the world where literacy rates are very low. That’s why many organizations and educational institutions are working to improve conditions in these places. In this week’s episode, Fiona interviews Dr. Marlene Asselin, Associate Professor and Teacher Librarianship Coordinator in the department of Language & Literacy Education here at UBC. Marlene has been deeply involved in efforts by CODE (Canadian Organization for Development through Education) Canada and CODE Ethiopia to train teacher-librarians in Ethiopia. She discusses the challenges involved, the successes they’ve had, and future plans for the program. It’s a wide-ranging interview with lots of great information on the project. In addition to Marlene, it’s the Year of Indigenous Education here in the Faculty of Education, and there are some great wa

We’re into November now, and it’s getting mighty cold out there! And in here, too, as your hosts Fiona & Dave have both been suffering from the dreaded virus. But as they say, the show must go on! It does make for some interesting moments, though. However, that doesn’t stop us from having a great interview. Fiona spoke to John Yamamoto, Program Coordinator: Secondary Practicum in the Teacher Education Office. He is also a member of the REA3 Master of Education cohort, an M.Ed in Educational Administration and Leadership. He’s close to finishing his degree, and he has a lot of experience to pass on to others who may be considering entering a Master’s cohort program. If you’re looking for a student’s perspective, John’s your man. It’s a great interview packed full of great information. In addition, Fiona and Dave talk about teachers and blogging, and just how blogging can help a teacher’s professional development. We promise: all coughs have been e

Halloween is coming up, and we have a frightfully good episode for our loyal listeners. (Yes, despite what Dave says in the episode, we do know that Halloween is on Wednesday. Fiona was right). Dave speaks to two graduates from the MET program who live in Jamaica. Denise Stoney-James and Keisha Edwards-Hamilton give their insights into what the program was like for them as international students, how the coming together of different cultures in the program enriched their experiences, and what they have taken from the program to further their teaching careers. In addition, your hosts discuss some Halloween history and traditions and try to avoid waking the creatures of the night that haunt this holiday. They are marginally successful. We’d love your feedback on anything. Email us at podcast.pdce@ubc.ca Find us on iTunes, (or just search for PDCE or Down the Hall in the podcast section of iTunes) And we are now on Stitcher and Blackberry Podcasts too! So you can take us with you no mat

It’s Thanksgiving, and in the spirit of giving, we’re giving you an early episode! Not a full episode, with interview and everything, but a micro-episode (did we just come up with a word?) We just wanted to thank you, our listeners, for all of your support over the last two years. Rather than miss next week’s episode because of the holiday, we decided to give you a little something this week. Even though there’s no interview, that doesn’t mean there isn’t good stuff this week. We talk about Thanksgiving traditions, V-Con last weekend (spoiler alert: Dave had a blast), as well as some upcoming courses and programs brought to you through Professional Development & Community Engagement. We wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving! And  from all of us here at Down the Hall, thank you. We’d love your feedback on anything. Email us at podcast.pdce@ubc.ca Find us on iTunes, (or just search for PDCE or Down the Hall in the podcast section of iTunes) And we ar

Education doesn’t just start when a child enters Kindergarten. There are a variety of educational opportunities available to parents and caregivers even before “official” schooling starts. Educators of all sorts are developing their practice and striving to ensure that children make the most of these options available. In this week’s episode, Dave speaks to Dr. Mari Pighini, Graduate Advisor to two current and one upcoming Master of Education programs in Early Childhood Education. Mari talks about what the Master’s degree can do for students who take it as well as discussing how the field of Early Childhood Education has changed in the many years she’s been involved in it.  They also chat about the new ECO3 online MED cohort which is currently taking applications, as well as the two cohorts that have just started. In addition to Mari, Fiona and Dave talk about their Art Education experiences, both formal and informal, including a rather unique and colorful ex

Big changes are in store for the entity formerly known as External Programs & Learning Technologies. We’re changing our name and adjusting our role in the Faculty of Education to meet the faculty’s strategic plan and goals. We are now Professional Development & Community Engagement (PDCE). In this week’s episode, the faculty’s new Assistant Dean, Dr. Mark Edwards, explains what changes are in store for our unit, enhancing our engagement with communities local, provincial, and even global. We will be offering the same great service we always have, but now even more so. Mark  also talks about his new role as Assistant Dean (he was formerly Director of EPLT) and how that will facilitate all of these changes. Great things are in store for the unit, so take a listen and see just how you can be part of this new direction. In addition to the interview, your hosts talk about the recently completed Paralympic Games, as well as educational games. Just how can Angry Birds be a metaph

“Online learning” can mean a lot of things nowadays. While before it mainly consisted of course web sites that contained the entire course, it is now expanding down many different avenues. In this week’s episode, Dave talks to Dr. Laura Gibbs, who has taught online at the University of Oklahoma for over ten years. Laura talks about the strengths of online learning, how she runs her courses (hint: it’s not in the former way), and they discuss just what online learning can bring to a student’s ability to learn. In addition, they discuss MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), the new wave in online learning. Open to thousands of people, are they the next big thing in university learning? Or a flash in the pan? As usual, it’s in between both extremes. Finally, they extol the virtues of Google+, a social media platform that has not been discussed on Down the Hall before. They rectify that problem. In addition to Laura, your hosts (Fiona and Dave this week) discuss great things to

Education in urban settings has its own unique challenges. What does that mean for teachers who teach in city schools? What situations do they have to be ready for, and how do they learn how to make the school environment rich for students who may bring many personal, cultural, or other issues to the school with them? What skills do these teachers need? This week, Fiona talks with Dr. Karen Meyer, who has been involved with the Urban Learn Master of Education cohorts (officially titled an M.Ed in Cross-Faculty Inquiry in Education) since their inception more than ten years ago. Karen talks about her own experiences both as graduate advisor and coordinator for these programs, including what she has learned from her students. She talks about the history of the program and just what those who are interested in Urban Learner 10 (the 10th iteration of this cohort) can expect. Karen also talks about one of the Faculty of Education’s initiatives in Dadaab, Africa. She touches on the importance of the project a

Agriculture, and the food we eat, is a very important part of our lives. How much do we think about what we put in our bodies? Do we think about where our food comes from? The Agriculture in the Classroom foundation (AitC) has been providing educators and students with resources and programs to help them understand the role of agriculture (especially local agriculture) in both our lives and our economy. We suggest going to their site to explore just what they can offer you as a teacher, or even as a student, who is interested in what you eat and how it gets there, as well as your nutritional choices. Each Summer, the foundation offers a summer institute (administered by EPLT) where teachers can get together and get some hands-on experience in the agricultural world. In this week’s episode, your hosts (Dave and Heather McGregor, who graciously stepped in while our other two hosts are on vacation) discuss the foundation and the summer institute, which Heather visited on the third day. Heather a

Learning a language can be a difficult thing, whether it’s children learning their native language for the first time, or somebody learning their second (or even more) language. Learning technologies can greatly aid this process and there are many new methods available to do this. In addition, university exchange programs allow students who are learning English as a second language, or who want to teach it, wonderful opportunities to broaden both linguistic and cultural awareness. In this week’s episode, Dave talks to Dr. Ken Reeder from the Language & Literacy Education (LLED) department in the Faculty of Education. Ken talks about language learning technologies as well as the academic exchange agreement between UBC and Ritsumeikan University in Japan, that allows students from that country to come to UBC to study. It’s a wide-ranging interview that we’re sure you’ll love. In addition, your hosts (Jenny & Dave this week) talk about exploration, quiet space, and solar phe

Museums are fascinating places, even more so when seen through a child’s eyes. Field trips to museums always carry some special memories that take us back to our childhood. What many of us didn’t realize back then is that museums and museum education programs can play a vital role in our educational background. How do those in charge of these programs get trained, though? This week, Dave talks to Dr. David Anderson about the new Master of Museum Education program here in the Faculty of Education. David addresses the difference between this program and a typical Master of Education, and how important it is to have teachers who are trained in this field. He also talks about the ever-growing state of museum education, both in Canada and internationally. It’s a wide-ranging discussion that you won’t want to miss. In addition, your hosts (Dave & Fiona this week) talk about their favourite educational field trips, and we officially welcome Summer and wonder why it has just peeked its hea

What effect has the increasing use of technology had on Indigenous education and the passing on of knowledge from one generation to the next? Technological advances in education can often cut both ways, especially when we move beyond pedagogical issues and think about the cultural issues that they bring up. In this week’s episode, Dave talks to Dr. Michael Marker about this subject. Michael talks about exploring the ethnohistory of Aboriginal Education, his long path toward helping to bring these issues forward and address them, as well as the importance of media engagement for Indigenous peoples. He also discusses his course in the MET program, ETEC 521 (Indigeneity, Technology, and Education) and the importance of cross-cultural inquiry. It’s a fascinating interview that we hope you’ll enjoy. We know you’ll get a lot out of it. In addition to that, your hosts discuss this week’s death of noted science fiction author Ray Bradbury and the deep meaning of his classic novel, F

With the increased prominence of social media and technology, professional development for teachers has become even more important in order to stay on the right side of the curve. It used to be that we improved our practice by commiserating with our immediate colleagues and maybe went to a conference or a seminar. Now it’s vastly different, where “colleagues” can live half-way around the world and can contribute ideas to our own development. In this week’s episode, Dave talks to Sandy Kendell, who helps teachers in her school district with their own professional development. She talks about the role social media has played in her work and in her own development as well. She also talks about how the use of more varied educational technologies over the last 10-20 years has enabled teachers to enhance their teaching practices. She’s a wonderful person to follow on Twitter if you’re interested in keeping up with all of this. In addition to Sandy, there are many other great thin

Virtual learning commons are one way that we can facilitate student learning by giving them the tools that they need to succeed in their studies. Many of them are set up by teachers for students in their classrooms, but why can’t an institute set one up to help all of its students? That’s a question that Michele Brannon-Hamilton, a graduate of the Master of Educational Technology program, asked herself as she worked her way through it. Using what she learned in the program, she is now working on developing just such a commons for her college. Michele joins us this week to give some insight into what she’s doing, as well as to give a student’s perspective to life in the MET program. What should you expect going into it? What can you do with it? And just how much time you should plan to spend on your studies. While the deadline for September applications may be almost past, this will be very useful for those of you who are thinking of applying to the program in the future and j

We live in a culture saturated by media and technology. Living in that culture, it becomes imperative to learn to how to critically examine various media and technologies to decide which is proper and useful for each individual. It’s imperative that children learn this skill quickly before they become overrun. In this week’s episode of Down the Hall, Dave interviews Dr. Stuart Poyntz, Assistant Professor in the School of Communications at Simon Fraser University. Stuart talks about the importance of media literacy in children and how to integrate critical media literacy into their lives at a young age. He also talks about the interaction between youth and technology and what they need to learn in order to be able to discern what’s important for them and what’s not. Stuart will be addressing these subjects in his portion of the Recurring Questions of Technology summer institute being held here at UBC July 9-13. In addition to Stuart’s interview, we welcome Fiona Czeschel