School
Learning has the potential to be a lifelong, exploratory practice and I work to create classrooms where this potential can grow. I see my role in the classroom as a facilitator of learning, in particular, a facilitator of creation and discovery. I encourage self-directed learning. In my classes, students have the opportunity to discover and adapt tools that allow them to succeed in their chosen careers.
In my classes, I stress activities that foster independent thinking, discipline, and self-knowledge. These activities include brainstorming, free-writing, workshopping, idea development sessions, revision, discussion, and research. These activities are planned to ensure that students exercise analysis and creativity. In an effort to encourage self-directed learning, I also: explain my teaching philosophy, make my expectations clear, ask students to make their expectations clear, invite students to consider the traditions and/or experiences that inform ideas about learning and the role of the student, help students set course goals, and encourage students to monitor and assess their own progress.
In the Writing for New Media and Poetry and Pop Culture courses, I help students adapt their use of cultural products such as games, social networks, and action movies—which they may consume as a matter of course—so that these become sites of engagement, analysis, communication, and personal reflection. This is achieved through the use of role-playing, journaling, keeping a culture log, and applying discourse analysis to a cultural product.
I have completed a 24-hour Instructional Skills Workshop and have attended the 2009 UBC Education Conference. Currently, I am enrolled in UBC’s year-long Graduate Student Certificate Program in Teaching in Higher Education. This training has allowed me to grow as a teacher, facilitator, negotiator, and researcher—all of which enhance my ability to create inclusive and exploration-rich learning environments.
Writing for New Media (current)
University of British Columbia
2008 | Co-teacher & TA
2009 | Co-developer & TA
This lecture-based course is an introduction to writing for new media. The lectures that make up this course go into the intricacies of various forms of new media (blog, video game, hypertext, podcast, webisode, virtual reality, etc.) . In-class exercises and take-home assignments allow students to explore working within various forms and create original writing. Guest speakers will also come in to share their expertise on various topics.
Fiction in Second Life (current)
University of British Columbia
2009 | Classroom design & TA
In this pilot course the popular online world Second Life is used to recreate the real-time experience of a writing workshop online, but also to explore and exploit the Metaverse’s “sandbox ethos” and opportunity to role-play through discussion and the works created for the class. Students are expected to submit fiction and immerse themselves in the virtual reality through Second Life-specific coursework.
Dancing With Words Poetry Workshop
Langara College Continuing Studies
2008 | Instructor
Poetry & Pop Culture
Langara College Continuing Studies
2009 | Course Developer
Ekphrastic Poetry
The Summer Dream Festival
2009 | Course Developer
Web Design (HTML & CSS)
Langara College Continuing Studies
2008 | Instructor and Course Developer