Author Archives: Carmen Larsen

Making Sense of Changes to Program Review

Posted on November 1, 2019 by Carmen Larsen

The fall semester is underway as are big changes to the program review process at Langara. So, what does this change mean for departments, faculty, TCDC and all the great program review work we’ve been doing around the snack-covered TCDC … Continue reading →

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Using Your Course Outline as a Learning Tool

Posted on April 5, 2019 by Carmen Larsen

Written by Carmen Larsen, TCDC Curriculum Consultant Some students are used to taking a passive role in their learning, expecting that instructors will transfer their knowledge and wisdom to them through lectures and photocopied PowerPoint slides. These students are likely … Continue reading →

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Who are the CDCs and how can they help?

Posted on April 5, 2019 by Carmen Larsen

The Teaching and Curriculum Development Centre (TCDC) has grown over the past year, and we now have more curriculum development consultants (CDCs) who can support faculty and departments with their curriculum projects. So, who are the CDCs and what do … Continue reading →

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Growing Open at Langara

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Carmen Larsen

On March 6th, colleagues from departments across campus came together in the T Gallery to learn more about open pedagogy and resources and celebrate Langara’s open education champions. The room hummed as colleagues mingled and chatted and explored the open … Continue reading →

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Classroom Management: A Balancing Act

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Carmen Larsen

By Shawna Williams, TCDC Curriculum Consultant Classroom management “refers to the procedures, strategies, and instructional techniques teachers use to manage student behavior and learning activities. Effective classroom management creates an environment that is conducive to teaching and learning. Ineffective classroom … Continue reading →

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7 Tips For Using Group Work Effectively in a Diverse Classroom

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Carmen Larsen

Written by Jessica Kalra, TCDC Curriculum Consultant & Biology and Health Sciences Instructor Many faculty/departments at Langara have identified communication and collaboration skills as important learning goals for their students. In order to help our students achieve these goals, we … Continue reading →

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Langara Book Club: Indigenous Storywork

Posted on January 25, 2019 by Carmen Larsen

Leading up to this year’s APAG conference, join the Langara Book Club to explore keynote speaker Jo-Ann Archibald’s Indigenous Storywork: Educating the Heart, Mind, Body and Spirit. Dr. Archibald, also known by her Stó:lō name Q’um Q’um Xiiem, is a … Continue reading →

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TCDC Book Club: Make It Stick

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Carmen Larsen

Would you like to find out how to help your students (and yourself) learn more effectively and increase knowledge retention? Would you like to discover some new learning and practice strategies that can be applied right away in your class? … Continue reading →

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Maximizing Student Engagement through Classroom Configuration

Posted on December 3, 2018 by Carmen Larsen

Whenever I walk into a classroom to deliver a class or a workshop, I contemplate what I want the students or participants to do, and as such, will I need to reconfigure the classroom space to be conducive for the … Continue reading →

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TCDC Workshop: The Expert Blind Spot

Posted on November 28, 2018 by Carmen Larsen

“Knowing something and teaching something are two different somethings” – Kevin Tumlinson Following a term of what felt like a teaching rut, I started to examine what was behind this change, and I realized I was falling into the same … Continue reading →

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TCDC Book Club: How Learning Works

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Carmen Larsen

Ever wondered how students’ prior knowledge (or misunderstandings) and the ways they organize new information impact their learning? Curious about what factors motivate students to learn? Want to know more about which types of practice and feedback actually enhance learning, … Continue reading →

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Rethinking Assessment Practices

Posted on August 30, 2017 by Carmen Larsen

With the new semester beginning, many of us are thinking about how we will assess our students’ progress over the next 14 weeks. What information will we include on our midterms and final exams? What types of assignments and projects … Continue reading →

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A Brief History of Learning Outcomes (or is it learning objectives?)

Posted on March 6, 2017 by Carmen Larsen

Educational objectives, instructional objectives, behavioural objectives, teaching objectives, learning objectives, learning outcomes, subject-specific outcomes…no wonder there is so much confusion! Although some suggest that the terms learning objectives and learning outcomes are synonymous, when we look at the history of … Continue reading →

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Teaching Critical Thinking: Some Practical Points

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Carmen Larsen

In a recent Faculty Focus article, Linda B. Nilson discusses strategies to help students develop critical thinking skills. She lists a number of open-ended questions and teaching methods that instructors can use to encourage students to question, analyze and assess course content and their … Continue reading →

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Five Ways to Teach Students to Be Learning Centered, Too

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Carmen Larsen

As instructors, we put a lot of time and effort into ensuring our courses, lessons and assignments are learning-centred. But what about our students? How much do they think about and take charge of their own learning? Do they even … Continue reading →

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