students sitting around one of our tables

discussing their assignments with other

students and with the tutor. Students fre-

quently comment that they feel welcome by

the tutors and are comfortable working with

them.

At first sight it would appear that Principle

7 “Faculty use evaluation to promote learn-

ing” would not apply to learning centres,

since the tutors there do not give tests to

students. This principle includes the role of

feedback, however, and students do receive

constructive feedback from tutors and each

other at the learning centre.

In sum, based on Maryellen Weimer’s

work, six of the seven principles of learner-

centred instruction are at work in the learn-

ing centres of Okanagan College.

(See Barnstable (2013) for an explanation

of why LCI matters.)

As the coordinator of the Student

Success Centre at the Salmon Arm

campus, I am one of the many Okana-

gan College employees who work to

support student success. Okanagan

College supports student learning in a

number of ways; such as, promoting

the use of learner-centred instruction

(LCI), and offering a Learner-Centred

Instruction Certificate program for col-

lege faculty and staff. I recently com-

pleted this program, and doing so has

lead me to a reflection of how the staff

at a learning centre can and do con-

tribute to the implementation of LCI.

Learner-centred instruction helps

learners become the main force be-

hind their own learning in an environ-

ment that promotes cooperation and

intellectual exploration. The main facil-

itators of this process are the instruc-

tors who interact with students in the

classroom; but the staff members of

learning centres also play an important

role in the use of LCI to help students

achieve their academic goals.

Weimer (2013) presents the seven

basic principles that guide the imple-

mentation of LCI. These form a list of

actions that “teachers” or “faculty” need

to take; however, in her discussion she

makes it clear that learning centres can

also play an important role. Upon exam-

ination of these principles, it appears

that six of the seven can be implement-

ed by the tutors at a learning centre (the

exception being a principle related to

instructional design).

Weimer’s Principles 1 and 2 read as

follows: “Teachers let students do more

learning tasks” and “Teachers do less

telling so that students can do more

discovering.” These processes are es-

sential components of our work at the

learning centre. A math tutor lets stu-

dents work on their problems and

guides them when they need help rather

than leading the process. An English

tutor listens carefully and asks ques-

tions in order to help the students clarify

and develop their own ideas.

Weimer’s Principle 4 states that

“Faculty do more to explicitly model how

experts learn.” At the learning centre

we can show students how a writer goes

about writing an essay or how a mathe-

matician figures out a problem. Princi-

ples 5 and 6 indicate that “Faculty en-

courage students to learn from and with

each other” and “Faculty and students

work to create climates for learning.” It

is common to see a group of science

The Student Experience: Supporting Student Success

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

The Success Centre

1

Fostering student success

2

Supporting

Students in

Second Language

Learning

2

What is

Success? 3

Importance of Faculty Involvement in Orientation

Events

3

Aboriginal Access &

Services

4

Supporting Student Suc cess: What do Students Think?

5

Disabilities Services

6

Admissions Process

6

Mindfulness in the Classroom

7

Conferences & ILT Programs

8

Contact ILT 8

V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IN THIS ISSUE

Learner-centred instruction helps

learners become the main force

behind their own learning in an

environment that promotes cooper-

ation and intellectual exploration.

The Student Success Centre By Joaquim Camps, Student Success Centre, Salmon Arm Campus

References

Barnstable, K. (2013). Does learner-

centred instruction matter? Enhancing the

Practice of Learning and Teaching, 4(2), 3.

http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/Assets/

Departments+(Administration)/ILT/

ILT+Newsletter+(4$!2c2).pdf

Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-centered

teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

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 Spring 2014 page 2

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

Defining student

success is difficult.

Apart from common

benchmarks, it is

likely that underneath

a broad definition of

success also lies a personal definition such as

uniquely formulated and deeply held goals or

ambitions. For example, a young student

might aim to achieve the dean’s list and to

minimize stuttering when public speaking in

class. She might not articulate the stuttering

goal to anyone, but will measure her success

by it. It is this individual uniqueness that

makes student success challenging to define.

Regardless of its definition, certain steps can

be taken to help create a classroom environ-

ment that fosters its achievement. Yes—

student success is the sole responsibility of

the student, as any goal is to its owner. How-

ever, a classroom culture with the right ingredi-

ents can help equip and motivate students in

its pursuit. A few ideas to help create a suc-

cess-infused culture are listed below.

Encourage Students to Set Goals

Before success can be obtained, it must

first be defined. This provides a great oppor-

tunity for faculty to create an atmosphere that

stimulates discussion and thought on this

topic. Whether at the beginning of a term or

occasionally throughout, such discussions

could benefit a classroom in a number of

ways. First, conversation centered on success

and goal setting could potentially help stu-

dents—for the first time—discover and articu-

late what they want to achieve. Second, it

could be a source of inspiration for students

to hear other students, and even faculty,

share their insights. Lastly, it could simply be

a reminder of the importance of goal setting.

Encourage Students to Discover Learning

Styles

To be successful in an education context, it

is very helpful to be aware of learning styles.

Akin to goal setting, this provides a great op-

portunity for faculty to intentionally create an

environment of discussion and awareness

around learning styles. It also provides faculty

the opportunity to practically equip students

by pointing them to various resources and

methods, such as the VAK model (visual,

auditory, kinesthetic). For example, if a

student struggles with grasping a concept

via a lecture (auditory), but discovers that

he can understand the concept by reading

the textbook (visual), he has not only won a

momentary battle but is also potentially

better equipped for future classroom suc-

cess.

Encourage Communication

In terms of student success, an open

and question-friendly classroom culture

can make it easier for students to ask po-

tentially difficult questions, to express ide-

as that would otherwise be left unspoken,

or to encourage the offering of positive

feedback to peers. Faculty can help build

and promote this type of culture by provid-

ing space for students to talk or intention-

ally asking students to speak up and facili-

tating dialogue around their comments.

Fostering Student Success By Matthew Knegt, BUAD Student, Kelowna Campus

Student success is hard to

define, but steps can be taken to

build a success-infused classroom

and encourage its probability.

The paramount goal of educators every-

where is that their students succeed and

that their skills as teachers play a signifi-

cant part in supporting that success. Stu-

dent success, therefore, is intimately relat-

ed to teacher success. Indeed it can be

said that student success and teacher

success are to each other like the faces of

a coin. They exist together, the one inform-

ing the other.

The most important contribution of

teachers in support of student success is

the curriculum they create. In the field of

adult second-language education—which is

the field in which I work—this has meant

the development of different teaching

methods on the one hand, and different

views of the teacher-student relationship

on the other.

For example, if we rolled back time to

the 19th century, we would find a situation

where the teacher was at the center of

things and the student was subordinate to

the teacher. The Grammar Translation

Method prevailed then and the focus was

on the written word. Through this method,

Supporting Student Success in Second Language Learning By Fred Van Winckel, General Interest French Language Courses for Continuing Studies

students learned grammatical structures and

practiced manipulating them in translations

into and from the mother tongue. Supporting

student success as we

know it today did not exist.

To succeed a student did as

directed by the teacher.

Today a more liberal and

democratic approach is

widely used in language

training; namely, the Communicative Approach.

Its distinguishing characteristics are that it is

learner-centered and very much concerned with

the needs of the student. It does not propose a

specific methodology but draws on different

currents of thought thereby encouraging experi-

mentation and creativity on the part of the

teacher. It allows the student to take full re-

sponsibility for learning, and it encourages the

teacher to facilitate rather than direct the learn-

ing process. It favours an implicit and non-

analytical approach to grammar and does not

require perfection of the student in using the

target language. What matters is that the stu-

dent be able to get his or her message across

in the second language.

Given the above, it is obvious that

there has been a considerable shift to-

ward supporting student success since

the heyday of the Grammar Translation

Method. This shift is entirely consistent

with the changes that

have occurred in the

broader context of edu-

cation since then. For

example, the notion

that knowledge is the

product of an active

process of inquiry and problem-solving

(John Dewey) combined with the idea that

true education is the development of

learning abilities, such as the capacity to

think clearly and creatively (Lev Vygotsky),

has led, along with other notions, to the

development of curricula that promotes

critical thinking, independence of mind,

and collaborative learning. With respect

to second-language learning, this has led

to programs such as the Communicative

Approach where students learn to manip-

ulate language structures, both in group

and individual activities, thus gradually

developing the ability to use the lan-

guage.

Today a more liberal and

democratic approach is widely

used in language training;

namely, the Communicative

Approach.

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 Spring 2014 page 3

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

What is success?

Success is a slippery thing—it is very hard to

define or pick one definition because success

means different things to different people. For

example, success might mean making a lot of

money and having a big house for one person,

or it might be as simple as putting food on the

table. It might mean working up the courage

to walk in the college door for the first time or

simply asking for help or knowing when help is

needed. For others success might mean get-

ting the almighty “A.”

How can the word success be applied to

students?

My role is to help students be successful in

whatever way I can. For some it might be to

encourage students in a writing style that is

already fairly polished. Or to help them deter-

mine the best word choice or best punctua-

tion. Or to read over an assignment sheet so

they can actually put together an assignment

that meets the requirements laid out on that

assignment sheet. Sometimes helping a stu-

dent be successful is just sitting and listening

and letting the student talk about whatever is

preventing them from feeling successful. For

many of our students it is getting good grades.

Some students are not satisfied with 88% they

want over 90% on that essay.

What are the pros and cons of helping

students be successful?

A definite pro is when a student says, “Oh My

God, that makes so much more sense now!”

For me, I have been successful in helping that

student when they have that “Ah Ha” moment

(I don’t like that expression—but that’s what it

is!). Also when students come back on a regu-

lar basis and tell me they feel more confident,

they are getting better marks, they feel better

equipped to work on assignments, and they

understand the requirements for the assign-

ments.

A downside is when a student forms a de-

pendency on me. I then have to work quite

hard to persuade them that the skills they

have learned or perfected will stand in good

stead in the future, and they can be independ-

ent—that they don’t need my help on a regular

basis. Some students don’t seem able to be

independent, and that can create a bit of an

issue. I then have to approach helping them

from a different perspective. Another chal-

lenge is when it’s obvious a student cannot be

successful if they stay on a particular pathway.

Having the courage to say, “If you carry on this

way you will

not be suc-

cessful.

But I can

help you

find re-

sources

that will

give you the

foundation-

al skills you

need to be successful if you move over to a

different path.” That can be very difficult

sometimes.

Success and Learner Centeredness…

What is that?

At OC we adhere to a learner-centered

philosophy. A colleague shared the follow-

ing: He regularly alters course material and

adjusts it to help students understand

more clearly. Sometimes he changes the

point not only partway through the semes-

ter, but partway through a lesson so that

he can help the students understand more

easily simply by being flexible.

Success rests on a certain degree of

flexibility, and if we can be flexible in our

approach to the students then the stu-

dents will have a more successful learner-

centred experience.

(Interview transcribed by Karen Friesen,

Vernon Campus Library)

What is Success? An Interview with Mag Evans

Student Success Centre Coordinator for Writing and English, Vernon Campus

Success means different things to

different people.

The Importance of Faculty Involvement in Orientation Events

By Carlyn Young, Student Information As-

Orientation week at Okanagan College is a

period of transition for first-year college stu-

dents. For many, this will be their first time

away from home, family, and friends. Orienta-

tion events help ease that transition and are

critical for students in making friends, learn-

ing about resources available to them at

school and in their community, and helping

make the college their home for the next two

to four years.

In addition to academic and professional

growth, college is a time for social growth.

Fun campus activities, such as orientation,

enhance their college experience and leave

them with positive memories which will in-

crease the odds of them returning the follow-

ing year and continuing to complete their

education at Okanagan College.

The goal of the orientation week organizing

committee at the Kelowna campus is to cre-

ate a welcoming and positive space for stu-

dents entering the college and provide infor-

mation that will help prepare them for a

successful college career. Faculty interac-

tion on this first day through program orien-

tation sessions provides students with infor-

mation about their disciplines, the careers

related to that discipline, and also gives

them a sense of what to expect during their

time at the college. Research shows that

faculty involvement is critical to helping

students establish and maintain a connec-

tion with the college and ultimately increas-

es student retention.

This year the committee hopes to expand

orientation to include other activities during

that first week to two weeks students are

being welcomed to our campus.

Faculty involvement and support for these

initiatives are imperative in achieving the

four goals of orientation at the Kelowna

campus:

● Provide students with a great first expe-

rience on campus.

● Assist with increasing retention

rates at Okanagan College.

● Familiarize students with their cam-

pus and the resources available to help

them become a successful student.

● Help students make a new friend.

Proven positive outcomes of a success-

ful orientation include student retention,

academic achievement, critical thinking,

satisfaction with faculty, and overall

satisfaction with the college.

We would welcome your input and in-

volvement in orientation events in Ke-

lowna for this coming September 2014.

If you are interested in learning how you

can get involved, please email Carlyn

Young at cyoung@okanagan.bc.ca.

Research shows that faculty involve-

ment is critical to helping students

establish and maintain a connection

with the college and ultimately in-

creases student retention.

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 Spring 2014 page 4

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

Okanagan College’s Aboriginal Access and

Services Department supports Aboriginal

learners interested in applying to and study-

ing at Okanagan College. Aboriginal Access

and Services strives to enhance students’

educational experiences at Okanagan Col-

lege by providing culturally relevant support

including the following: Aboriginal Services

Coordinator, Aboriginal Transitions Planners

at each of the regional campuses, and Abo-

riginal Peer Mentors. Also we provide host-

ing for cultural events; course planning; con-

necting students with employment, commu-

nity, and awards information; and student

services referrals. There are Aboriginal Stu-

dent Centres at each regional campus that

offer students a place to study, relax, con-

verse with other Aboriginal students, use a

computer, or receive support from Aboriginal

Access and Services staff members. The

department strives to help students over-

come any hurdles they are experiencing in

reaching their educational goals.

Over this past year, the Aboriginal Access

and Services Department has collaborated

with faculty and students on a variety of cul-

tural events. The department has incorpo-

rated student-centered learning through

supporting and implementing events that

students have initiated and led. A few of the

recent events the department has been in-

volved in are as follows:

● On January 16, Chief Joe Alphonse, Chief

Roger William, and Chief Percy Guichon of the

Tsilhqot’in Nation Government spoke at Oka-

nagan College about the Tsilhqot’in fight to

protect Teztan Biny.

● On January 28, Aboriginal Access and Ser-

vices' Gail Smith and Aboriginal Peer Mentor

Tina Miller collaborated with Okanagan Col-

lege Faculty Association’s Norah Bowman-

Broz to organize an Idle No More Teach-In.

The Idle No More movement called upon its

supporters to organize local teach-ins to dis-

cuss the movement, the First Nation Educa-

tion Act, and the broader Termination Plan

that it represents.

● On February 14, in collaboration with Oka-

nagan College’s Golden Day of Service, Aborig-

inal Access and Services, faculty, students,

and community members organized an event

honouring the Missing and Murdered Indige-

nous Women in Canada.

● The fifth annual Aboriginal Student Recogni-

tion Celebration took place on March 22 in the

Lecture Theatre at the Kelowna campus. Ap-

proximately 130 people attended the event.

The afternoon program opened with a pray-

er and welcome from Elder Grouse Barnes

from Westbank First Nation.

Jim Barmby, Okanagan College Regional

Dean of the Shuswap-Revelstoke region,

spoke to the students about the importance of

getting an education and congratulated them

on their achievements.

The program included a performance by the

award-winning Akachuk family hoop dancers

and the keynote speaker was author and

Chief of the Soda Creek Indian Band, Bev

Sellars.

Sellars recently won the 2014 George Ryga

Award for her book They Called Me Number

One about her experiences in the residential

school system. Sellars has served as advisor

for the B.C. Treaty Commission and spo-

ken out on behalf of her community on

racism, residential schools, and on the

environmental and social threats of miner-

al resources exploitation in her region.

“Sellars was inspiring and delivered a

powerful message to students,” said Gail

Smith, Aboriginal Transitions Planner.

“She said that while you may face hard-

ships when you are obtaining your educa-

tion, it’s by overcoming obstacles that you

become real winners.”

Three graduating students addressed

the group about their journeys at Okana-

gan College: Courtney Campbell, Bachelor

of Business Administration, Ashley Maas,

Bachelor of Business Administration, and

Terrena Buck, Associate of Arts degree.

Coralee Miller and Tina Miller were rec-

ognized for the support they give students

and their participation in the Idle No More

Teach In that was held at the Kelowna

Campus on January 28. Coralee designed

the artwork and Tina was instrumental in

getting staff, students, faculty, and com-

munity members involved in the event.

Both students have been invited to the

2014 President’s Dinner for Student Am-

bassadors on March 27.

After the ceremony, attendees enjoyed a

reception with light refreshments and Indi-

an Tacos.

A total of 30 students were recognized

at the event.

Aboriginal Access and Services: Supporting Aboriginal Learners By Gail Smith, Aboriginal Transitions Planner, Central Okanagan Region

To keep informed of future events, please

visit our Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/

Okanagan-College-Aboriginal-Access-

Services-Kelowna/208452309305506

or

talk to an Aboriginal Access and Services

staff member at one of our campuses in

Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon or Salmon.

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 Spring 2014 page 5

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

In a recent

article entitled

“In Defense of

Teaching” in

The Teaching

Professor, Cox

and Yearwood

(2013) make

the case that college teachers are more than

just instructional designers and choreogra-

phers of learning experiences. Their article is

in response to the current educational dogma

which asserts that the classroom (or online)

experience should be exclusively about stu-

dents learning and not about teachers teach-

ing. Cox and Yearwood acknowledge the im-

portance of research-based best practice and

that student-centered approaches are integral

to student success. But they also warn that

the exclusive focus of the educator as a “guide

on the side” diminishes some of the other

important roles a teacher may have. To sup-

port student learning, they contend, a college

teacher’s role is multifaceted: at times a

teacher will need to be the sage and at other

times the motivator, the role model, the story

teller, and the mentor.

While I fully support any attempt to improve

instructional approaches, to create lessons

which are more engaging, to aspire to be bet-

ter facilitators of learning, Cox and Yearwood’s

article prompted me to wonder if sometimes

our pursuit of best practice in a technical

sense, may result in us losing sight of the core

to being a supportive teacher.

Given the theme of this issue of the ILT

newsletter, I thought it would be helpful to

gather data from my own first-year students

concerning their view on how a teacher can

support student success. Based on an infor-

mal but anonymous survey, the students’ re-

sponses can essentially be summarized in

four lines. A teacher can support student

success by:

●Being available in and out of class to answer

questions in a non-judgmental and supportive

way.

●Structuring multiple opportunities for stu-

dents to receive feedback on their learning

through low-stakes assignments,

online practice, and through the availability of

practice tests.

●Encouraging students to be self-reflective, to

do their best, and to seek help when required.

●Designing lessons that are clear and under-

standable.

In reading the student comments, I found

myself opening to a simple clarity about the

practice of learning and teaching. While some

of their feedback was about how an in-

structor designs learning opportunities,

most of it was related to how a teacher

relates to them at a personal level. As in

any human interaction, the students are

looking to have their struggles validated

and supported by a caring and friendly

fellow human being. In evaluating whether

they felt supported, the students seemed

less concerned about whether an instruc-

tor uses the latest educational tools and

more about whether the teacher smiles

and is genuinely happy to assist them with

their questions. As one student wrote: “I

think an instructor is supporting success if

they are always available to help you when

they can and (if they) greet you with a

smile”.

May we all find ways to promote best

practice and support the needs of our stu-

dents so that ultimately they may be suc-

cessful in their endeavors.

To support student learning, [Cox and

Yearwood] contend, a college teach-

er’s role is multifaceted: at times a

teacher will need to be the sage and

at other times the motivator, the role

model, the story teller and the mentor.

Supporting Student Success -

What do Students Think? By Carl Doige, Chemistry Department

Reference

Cox, J.R and Yearwood, D. (2013) In Defense of

Teaching, The Teaching Professor, 27 (1), 4.

http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/

The Student Experience:

Supporting Student Success

Okanagan College Student Services

http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/

Student_Services.html

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 Spring 2014 page 6

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

Having just attend-

ed a seminar on the

topic of the “Duty to

Accommodate” with-

in the post-

secondary sector, it

is timely to write about supporting student

success from a Disability Services perspec-

tive. Human Rights Lawyer Patrick Gilligan-

Hackett eloquently outlined some important

reminders in the daylong seminar. I will

share three key points that I took away from

the presentation.

The first point is that not only do we ac-

commodate students who have disabilities

because we are an inclusive organization, it

is also a legal obligation. All students includ-

ing those who have disabilities have the right

to equal access to services under the BC

Human Rights Code (Section 8[1]). This

means, that a student with a disability who

meets the entrance requirements of a pro-

gram has the right to equal access to full

participation in that program as would any

other student. It is then the responsibility of

the college, in collaboration with the student,

to provide accommodation to allow for this

full participation. This is where Disability

Services comes in. Disability Services coordi-

nators are the key contacts in the process of

implementing accommodations. They help

students to gain access to grant funding to

support the students’ required accommoda-

tions, they approve appropriate accommoda-

tions in the classroom, and they liaise with

instructors/professors to support the imple-

mentation of those accommodations.

The second point worthy of note is that all

students must meet the same academic

standard regardless of any disability that they

may have. This is a very important piece be-

cause the goal of disability accommodation is

to give a student equal access to demonstrate

that they have met the required outcome, but

not to change the outcome. This can, in some

situations, be a complicated distinction. It is

important that the essential outcomes of a

particular course or program are clearly identi-

fied in writing so that a determination can be

made about what can be accommodated and

what cannot based on the academic integrity

of the course/program. An example of this is

when a student must demonstrate a skill dur-

ing a time-limited assessment. It is important

to know whether the time limit is a part of the

essential outcome of the course. If the time

limit it is not essential to show mastery of the

skill, then an accommodation for extra time

can be implemented. If it is an essential out-

come, then extra time could not be granted.

The third point I would like to share from

the presentation was Mr. Gilligan-Hackett’s

response to the common concern that if a

student is accommodated during their

education they may be ill-prepared to work

in their chosen field after graduation. He

reminds us that there is also a duty to ac-

commodate in the workplace. Employers

are required to provide accommodations to

employees who have disabilities. I would

also add that not all students have a goal

of employment at the end of their educa-

tion. As we know, many people pursue

education for personal interest and fulfill-

ment. Years ago, in a different role, I pro-

vided accommodations for a student who

had a terminal illness so that he could

complete training to be a professional pho-

tographer. He was well aware that he

would likely never be employed in the field,

but it was a goal of his to complete a post-

secondary diploma.

In closing I’ll share one last message

from Mr. Gilligan-Hackett. He suggested

that when faced with a request from a

student for accommodation that post-

secondary organizations should approach

the request from the perspective of “How

can we accommodate this?” This paves

the way for an open-minded discourse that

is solution focused.

The Student Experience: Supporting Student

Success from a Disability Services Perspective By Amanda Pope, Disabilities Services, Vernon Campus

Whether you are enrolled in your final year

of high school, already enrolled in a post-

secondary program, or currently employed in

the workforce if you are contemplating apply-

ing to one of the many exciting programs of-

fered at Okanagan College, this will be of

interest to you. We all know that there can be

a certain level of anxiety and apprehension

associated with taking on a new endeavor in

our lives. I am hopeful that the following in-

formation will give you peace of mind as you

navigate through the application and admis-

sion process.

First and foremost, and to establish a

preference, review the programs that inter-

est you most in our online calendar http://

webapps-5.okanagan.bc.ca/ok/calendar/

search.aspx. If you have questions relating

to these programs, please make an ap-

pointment with an Okanagan College Pro-

gram Advisor who will be able to guide you

through the program pre-requisites and

application process.

When applying to any of the programs at

Okanagan College, applicants are required

to submit a $30 non-refundable application

fee. This

application

fee allows an

applicant to

apply to a

maximum of

three programs without further cost. Sev-

eral programs offered at Okanagan Col-

lege have a limited capacity. By applying

early you can increase your chances of

being accepted. We encourage applicants

to apply to the program(s) of most interest

(continued on bottom of next page…)

All students including those who have

disabilities have the right to equal ac-

cess to services under the BC Human

Rights Code (Section 8[1]).

Supporting Students through the Admissions Process

By Heather Brown, M.A., ILT Fellow for Employees with a Non-Instructional Focus

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 Spring 2014 page 7

www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt

Mindfulness,

perhaps best de-

fined by Jon Kabat-

Zinn (1994)

“means paying

attention in a particular way; on purpose, in

the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.”

Several recent studies have found that stu-

dents who meditate or have a regular mindful-

ness practice are better able to focus, have

improved cognitive functioning, and retain

more information than students who do not

(Paul, Elam & Verhulst 2007; Ramsburg &

Youmans 2013, Shapiro, Brown & Astin

2011). This should not be a surprise consider-

ing the reported benefits of a mindfulness

practice for people in other areas of their life

(reduced stress and pain, improved self-

regulation, health and relationships, Kabat-

Zinn 2005). What better way to promote

mindfulness for students than to have profes-

sors incorporate mindfulness-based activities

in their classes and model the benefits of their

own practice. Meiklejohn, et al., (2012) who

highlight the suggested benefits of mindfulness

training in K-12 education, provide research-

based evidence that a mindfulness practice

can foster resilience in educators as well as

students.

While just about everyone knows that medi-

tating or practicing mindfulness is good for

you, many people, not withstanding students,

find it difficult to incorporate a regular practice

into their busy schedules. Perhaps this is

because there are many

misconceptions about how to

practice mindfulness. Or may-

be we just simply forget or

feel too tired. After many

years of an on and off again

sitting meditation practice, I

finally discovered yoga

(which is a moving meditation), and I rarely

miss a day of practice now. In addition to the

benefits of stretching muscles that were

abused from too many years of playing goalie,

yoga has helped me reconnect to my entire

body. It has also helped me learn how to

come back to my breath whenever I feel

stressed, and many friends have told me that I

appear more relaxed and happier than ever

before. If yoga isn’t your thing, there are nu-

merous other ways to practice mindful

and even ten minutes a day can produce

noticeable changes.

While it can definitely be helpful to join a

weekly meditation or yoga group at the

beginning, there are numerous online re-

sources for students and educators alike

that make establishing a regular mindful-

ness practice much easier than ever be-

fore. For mindfulness practice, google

anything by Jon

Kabat-Zinn or Jack

Kornfield to get

started. For yoga,

www.doyogawithme.com has hundreds of

free high quality videos. Even

smartphones can be mindful (does that

sound like an oxymoron?) and two of my

favorite apps are Mindshift from

www.anxietybc.com and Stop, Breathe &

Think from www.toolsforpeace.org. If you

have some favorite “mindfulness” sites or

apps, please let me know at

ddoige@okanagan.bc.ca . Namaste.

What better way to promote

mindfulness for students than

to have professors incorporate

mindfulness-based activities in

their classes and model the

benefits of their own practice.

Mindfulness in the classroom begins with you By Derrick Doige, M.Ed , CCC, Counselling Services, Vernon Campus

References

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. Hyperion.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Coming to our senses: Healing ourselves and the world through mindfulness. Hyperion.

Meiklejohn, J., Phillips, C., Freedman, M. L., Griffin, M. L., Biegel, G., et al. (2012). Integrating mindfulness training into K-12 education: Fostering the

resilience of teachers and students. Mindfulness. doi:10.1007/s12671-012-0094-5.

Shapiro, S. L., Brown, K. W., & Astin, J. (2011). Toward the integration of meditation into higher education: A review of research evidence. Teachers College

Record, 113(3), 493-528.

Paul, G., Elam, B., & Verhulst, S. J. (2007). A longitudinal study of students' perceptions of using deep breathing meditation to reduce testing stresses.

Teaching and learning in medicine, 19(3), 287-292.

to them. Please note: If an applicant does

not pay the required application fee within

a week of applying, their application(s) will

be cancelled.

Once your application (and application

fee) is received in the admission office,

one of our knowledgeable staff will assess

the application and send you a letter to

inform you of the next step in the admis-

sion process. If you are concerned that

you do not meet the academic require-

ments of the program you have applied to,

please contact the admission staff mem-

ber responsible for that program in order

to discuss what options may be available

to you to ensure you register and complete

the required pre-requisite courses within a

specific timeframe.

The key to ensuring that your application is

processed seamlessly is to pay close attention

to all deadlines. If you are unable to meet a

specific deadline, please contact the admis-

sion staff member responsible for that program

to discuss alternate arrangements.

Remember, the staff in the admissions office

is here to support you as you proceed through

the admission process at Okanagan College.

Admissions http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/

BecomeaStudent/Admissions.html

Supporting Students through the Admissions Process (continued from previous page)

We all know that there can be

a certain level of anxiety and

apprehension associated with

taking on a new endeavor in

our lives...

Remember, the staff in the

Admissions Office is all here

to support you as you proceed

through the admission

process at Okanagan College.

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 2014 page 8

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. Theme topics for the fall newsletter are under

consideration. We will keep you posted!

ILT Newsletter production team:

Managing Editors: Darrell Skinner dskinner@okanagan.bc.ca and Carl Doige Cdoige@okanagan.bc.ca

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

Design/Layout Editor and Newsletter Committee Chair: Jennifer Sigalet Jsigalet@okanagan.bc.ca

For more information please see the ILT newsletter website below:

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

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

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

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

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

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

ILT Resource LibGuide http://libguides.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

LEARNNG AND TEACHING CONFERENCES

May 7-8, 2014 10th Annual Learning Conference Reflecting on Scholarly Approaches

Kelowna, British Columbia UBC Okanagan Campus http://www.ubc.ca/okanagan/ctl/conference/register

June 19 -20, 2014 CanFlip14 http://www.canflip.ca/

The goal of CanFlip14 is to bring passionate educators together to discuss 21st century teaching and learning techniques including, but

not limited to, the Flipped Classroom. CanFlip14 is co-sponsored by the Institute for Learning and Teaching, and will be held at the

Kelowna campus of Okanagan College. If you are interested in registering, please contact Rosalind Warner at rowarner@okanagan.bc.ca.

June 27-28, 2014 ASCD Conference on Teaching Excellence

Dallas, Texas http://ascd.org/conference-on-teaching-excellence.aspx?gclid=CK2HjOeItr0CFQqCfgodFb8ACw

Founded in 1943, ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) is the global leader in developing and

delivering innovative programs, products, and services that empower educators to support the success of each learner. Comprising

140,000 members—superintendents, principals, teachers, professors, and advocates from more than 138 countries—the ASCD

community also includes 56 affiliate organizations. The nonprofit's diverse, nonpartisan membership is its greatest strength, projecting a

powerful, unified voice to decision makers around the world.

The association provides expert and innovative solutions in professional development, capacity building, and educational leadership

essential to the way educators learn, teach, and lead.

LEARNING AND TEACHING CONFERENCE DIRECTORIES

CETL maintains one of the most comprehensive directories of teaching conferences and their sponsor

ing organizations. Upcoming conferences are listed chronologically. Click on the links to visit the home

page for the conference or its sponsoring organization. Each conference listing also includes links to

similar conferences based on Discipline or Topic in Higher Education.

Kennesaw University. Teaching Conferences Directory http://cetl.kennesaw.edu/teaching-conferences-directory

For more information on other learning and teaching conferences please go to the ILT Events page at the ILT Website :

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

ILT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS (LCIC, SLCO)

For information on the ILT education programs (Learner Centred Instructor Certificate (LCIC) program and Service & Support in a Learner

Centred Organization (SLCO) please go to:

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

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

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