Three days at Langara’s Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) can alter teaching philosophy, inspire a new instructional style and create positive impactful results in the classroom. In this testimonial, Manuela Klick, Instructor, Co-Op & Career Development Centre, describes her ISW experience.
“Attending the ISW has been significant for me…
…I have been implementing major changes to the way I relate to students and how I see myself as an instructor. Now it feels more like the role of a “Facilitator of Learning” vs. an “Instructor”. I was very impressed by the group of ISW instructors. They were so open to share their wealth of knowledge, pass on so many ‘little’ tips to the participants and at the same time create a very engaging learning environment. One of the most important learnings for me: The higher the level of student engagement, the higher the chances of learning and application of knowledge. When I first heard about the concept of 30/70 (30% of classroom time is for instructor / 70% for students) I questioned it as I was used to (a lot!) more time for instructions.
After 3 months of practicing this model (and not always achieving it yet) I realize how much more learning and engagement happens and that there is always a way to turn a ‘lecture-style’ into an engaging session that actively involves students doing something. Now that the semester is coming to an end, I think this is the best teaching experience I have had in my teaching career (20+ years Germany/Canada combined) as well as student feedback/ratings higher than before. Teaching has become more rewarding and easier. This semester students submitted assignments with a higher level of quality than previously.
My hesitation for using technology in the classroom has turned into curiosity. This has opened more opportunities to instruct in different ways. This semester I used Kahoot (!) and wordclouds for the first time. My goal is to learn more about technology in the classroom by attending TCDC [EdTech] workshops, connect with faculty from different disciplines across the college as well as self-educate.
The ISW is offered once every semester at Langara College where instructors are encouraged to review core ideas about teaching and learning, reflect on current pedagogical practices and try new instructional techniques. Please visit the ISW registration page for more information on upcoming sessions.
