Using Student Questions To Improve Learning

By Christine Goedhart There’s something special that happens when students start asking questions, and it shows up in their body language. They perk up, lean in, look intently, and you can almost see the wheels turning in their heads as they struggle to make sense of what is eluding them. They’re ripe for learning. Humans …

Peer Tutor Spotlight – Angela Mathews

My name is Angela Mathews, and I am currently in my fifth year of the Microbiology & Immunology program. I’ve just finished up a year of co-op terms working as a Research Assistant at the Division of Gastroenterology here at UBC studying esophageal cancer and at the BC Cancer Agency studying COVID-19 in the cancer …

Access Needs: Centering Students and Disrupting Ableist Norms in STEM

Talking about access needs creates a more inclusive space and ensures that all individuals have access to a given learning environment. This month’s Interesting Read introduces the concept of ‘access talk’ and provides concrete strategies that STEM educators can use to normalize the use of access needs, improving accessibility and disrupting ableism in academic spaces. …

TA Spotlight – Amy Liu

Hi, I’m Amy, a big fan of genetics, conservation, and fishy science! I graduated from University of Victoria with a B.Sc. in Biology in 2019. Currently, I’m a master’s student with Dr. Eric B. Taylor, working with the great team at the Taylor Lab. My research is on “Species and Speciation in Western North American …

Teaching Spotlight – It Starts With A Pencil: Getting Students To Ask Questions

What question do you have about this pencil? This simple question serves as a powerful prompt that Celeste Leander uses to get students to start asking and exploring different types of questions in her course. “I originally developed this activity for use in a large lecture experience during Jump Start and I’ve since modified it …

Instructor Talk: Small Talk That Makes a Big Impact

By Christine Goedhart When teaching, have you ever welcomed students at the beginning of class, provided instructions for doing an activity, shared a personal story, offered study tips, or explained the ‘why’ behind your teaching decision? If so, then you were using Instructor Talk. Instructor Talk is the term used to describe the things you …

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