ACIFA Conference 2005

“To Market, to Market to be a Great School”
Sarah Elaine Eaton; MRC. Workshop (60 min.):

An interactive workshop exploring the philosophies and practices of marketing in education, and how and why schools are focusing more on this business practice and how it changes educational models. The session offers an opportunity for dialogue among participants concerning the role marketing plays at educational institutions, the challenges administrators and educators face in marketing their schools, and what we can expect in the future.
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“Computer – Assisted Instruction: A WebCT Experience in the Classroom”
Kerry Rusk; GMC. Demonstration (60 min.):

This session features a demonstration of how WebCT, or Web Course Tools, has been utilized to increase student participation, motivation and self-directedness in tutorial and clinical nursing courses at Grant MacEwan College. Another goal of the session will be to increase educators’ interest in and excitement about the use of web-based technologies in the classroom.
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“Facts and Artifacts (In the Collective Memory Matrix)”
Valerie LeBlanc; ACAD. Lecture (60 min.):

The paper on which this session is based explores the process of collecting / preserving artifacts, and the value of individual input in collective (public) repositories. The goal of the session will be to stimulate conversation around the role of collections and repositories in the educational process, and a deeper appreciation and understanding of the importance of artifacts. A videotape ‘Bye Bye Three-Quarter Inch’ (7 min., 2004) will be screened.
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“Teaching Psychomotor Skills Using Guided Practice and Applying the Principles to Your Own Teaching Situation”
Shirley Devlin, Koleal Scott; NC. Lecture (60 min.):

Guided Practice is an innovative teaching approach that has the instructor coaching and guiding the student in learning new psychomotor skills. This session is designed to provide participants with a definition of Guided Practice, to describe how it works, and to explore how it can be utilized to teach psychomotor skills. Participants will learn how to apply the principles of Guided Practice to their own teaching situation.
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“Skrimp.com: Integrating Learning In and Out of the Classroom”
Milena Radzikowska, Jennifer Sutherland; MRC. Poster Session (60 min.):

This poster session describes a case study of a hands-on class project which integrated course content with real-world issues, and resulted in an increase in student self-motivation and engagement, a higher sense of ownership, as well as a complete, fully-functional electronic publication. The session explores a unique attempt to model real-life experience by having an entire class work on one group project for public release. For the past three years, this approach has been successfully integrated into the Magazine Production II Class at MRC, suggesting that a similar strategy could be integrated into other course curricula.
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“Competition in the Classroom – the ESL Experience”
Kathleen Sutton, Patty Benjamin; BVC. Lecture (60 min.):

In Alberta, competition is revered in business and reviled in education. The presenters believe that competition combined with teamwork can play a very positive role in enhancing our students’ educational experiences, by adding an element of excitement and energy to many student activities, especially communicative activities. This session will demonstrate how the presenters have developed and used 5 or 6 different types of group activities to foster a competitive yet supportive learning environment. Before you groan and say ‘Not more group work’ – the presenters are sure that you will respond as enthusiastically to group competition as the students have.
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“Aboriginal Fish-Scale Art: A Cultural Workshop”
Margaret Louise Cardinal, Lorie Bellerose; NLC. Workshop (60 min.):

Learn to work with dyed white fish scales to create art suitable for framing. The intricate arranging of these natural elements creates various artistic designs on a velvet surface. This art form was created in Grouard by a former NLC instructor, and the session, which will include historical and cultural storytelling, will introduce the cultural programming at NLC. The techniques you learn step-by-step in this one hour workshop will result in art you can take home.

Please note that there will be enough supplies for twenty-five participants.

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“Learning in Time: Perception and Diversity in Learning”
Robert Milthorp; ACAD. Lecture (60 min.):

When is your student’s mind? Time is a shared dimension, but research on ADHD and creativity suggests varying perceptions of time have significant consequences for learners. How can expectations based on time be balanced with creativity and diverse learning? The objective of this session is to present a theory of time perception in learning and connections with visual spatial learning styles, cultural diversity in learning, and other learning differences, with the aim of increasing effectiveness of the instructor in addressing diverse learners. Strategies will be discussed and shared.
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“Bringing a Global and Community Perspective into the Classroom - Conflation, Archetypes and Dichotomies”
Paul Laville, Robert Kansky; NAIT. Lecture (90 min.):

This session will present some of the unspoken and unexplored realities of the social, corporate and economic world that graduates go into. Participants will receive a deeper understanding of why modern society needs constant economic growth. A healthy community requires a connectedness to and appreciation of others. This workshop session will present issues in our community which have been widely conflated and will ask participants to analyze them. By shedding light on these issues, and allowing discussion, the workshop is designed to enable instructors to be greater educators, regardless of specific program or curriculum requirements.
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“Minimalist Materials for Your Classroom That Enhance Learning Rather Than Obscure It”
Ken McKee; NAIT. Lecture (60 min.):

Are your students learning in spite of your best efforts? Dr. John Carroll of Virginia Tech has shown that the removal of impediments to learning may include your lectures, your notes, the textbook and even the ‘teacher’. (Ouch!) Would this approach really create a classroom that stimulates and agitates students, rather than irritating them? Ginny Reddish, founder of the Document Design Center, has been working on the creation of user-centred materials that allow people to communicate clearly and thus stay in business. Does she know something that we educators should be aware of?
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“?Hoe to teech ENGlush inn none ENGlush dissiplinns?” (“How to Teach English in Non-English Disciplines?”)
David Aveline; MRC. Lecture (60 min.):

One of the more frustrating trends for educators is students’ belief that good English is the sole realm of English composition classes, and not applicable to the ‘real world’, which includes classes in the social sciences, pure sciences, etc. As a result, essays and reports are poorly written, with grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and sentences that make no sense. This session offers a discussion and recommendations on ways to improve student writing. Chief among these recommendations are to spend class time discussing writing, to give examples of bad writing, and to design handouts as guidelines and checklists for good writing.
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“Using Emotion to Stimulate Learning”
Dianne McDonald; GPRC. Demonstration (60 min.):

One of the ongoing challenges for instructors is getting students to become fully engaged with the course material. Our courses are primarily designed to solicit cognitive involvement, but students’ engagement with a subject increases when they receive emotional as well as cognitive stimulation. Activities which produce surprise, intrigue, even fear, and especially amusement, can help connect students to the subject. This workshop will demonstrate how additional emotional responses can be engaged to gain the learner’s attention more fully, and will be conducted as a class: introductions, handouts, activities, and written exercises. The session will conclude with a 15-minute roundtable discussion among the participants on how their emotional responses might have impacted their learning. Participants will be invited to apply these experiences to their particular learning environments.
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“The Community Learning Campus – A Model for Rural Alberta”
Rob Mackenzie, Dot Negropontes; OC. Demonstration (60 min.):

This session explores the Learning Plan and the Program Plan for the proposed ‘Community Learning Campus’ (CLC), developed jointly by Olds College and the Chinook’s Edge School Division, under which CLC students would see a seamless transition between high school and post-secondary education. The CLC vision involves building a facility for high school students on the Olds College campus; but beyond the facility, the emphasis is on programs and creating opportunities, while encouraging rural students to remain in rural Alberta if they wish, whether they want to pursue entry into the workforce, apprenticeship, college or university. The plan includes advantages for learners of all ages, including parents and community members, and invites partnering with public, voluntary, community, health, children’s services, and private sectors, to further enhance programming.
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“Provoking Genuine Learning in the Classroom Setting – the Universal Aspects of Learning Model”
M. Stefan Sikora; MRC. Lecture (120 min.):

This session presents (and discusses) the learning model ‘the universal aspects of learning’, successfully practiced within a variety of classroom settings, and also presents the concept of ‘learning styles’ within a developmental and ‘universal’ framework. In the presenter’s experience, the use of this model definitely increases student engagement and enhances individual motivation and the acceptance of personal responsibility in learning. It is not only student-centred but also provides what might best be described as a necessary ‘discomfort’ which serves to provoke genuine curiosity and learning.
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“Transformation Through the Academic Foundations 4 Program at Portage College”
Calvin Leckie; PC. Lecture (90 min.):

‘Academic Foundations 4’ is a program designed to assist adults to make changes in their lives and to prepare them for the regular academic stream. The presenter, who recently completed a Master’s Degree in Integrated Studies researching the effectiveness of the ‘Academic Foundations 4’ program at Portage College, will share some of his results, as well as his recommendations for making the program more effective. Participants can take ideas from this session and apply them in other adult education contexts.
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“Organization Workshop”
Mira Kosevich; Paper Tiger Consultants. Workshop (120 min.):

maximum 40 participants
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“The Millennials Come to College”
Gordon Nixon; SAIT. Lecture (60 min.):

Who are the ‘Millennials’ and why are they coming to college now? This session will describe the unique characteristics of the demographic group known as the “Millennials’ (born 1982 and after, and now beginning to enter the post-secondary system), and provide useful strategies for faculty members and colleges to understand and engage these learners. The presenter will share his research in this area, and, through interaction with the audience and the sharing of ideas, participants will gain a better understanding of how and why this generation of new college students act and think the way that they do. For those audience members from the Baby Boom generation, the presentation will be a time to reflect on the past and to remember the good old days, while providing participants with a framework for understanding the learning styles and demands of a very different generation of students.
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“Retirement Planning”
Esther Hagerman; Clarica. Workshop (90 min.):

A broad overview of retirement planning. The thought of retirement planning can be daunting. When can I afford to retire? How much is enough? The session will address some of the primary concerns for Canadians planning for retirement. These include: What income will you need in retirement and what savings are required now to ensure it?; How pension, personal savings and government benefits fit together; How RRSPs work, why you should have one, and how to make the rules work for you; What is a spousal RRSP?; Should I consolidate my RRSPs with one company?; Making investment choices. Clarifying your plan will give you peace of mind.
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“Tips for Computer Users – Going Paperless”
Marty Boogaart; LCC. Demonstration (120 min.):

Twenty-five computer tips for college instructors. Get the most out of your campus network, MS Office, and WebCT. The computer provides new tools to produce better presentations, and many of these tools are free or low-cost. Networking enables a paperless environment (banish the copier!). Simple techniques can allow us to mark accurately, consistently, and quickly. This session will present a modified version of LCCTips, which was produced for a brown-bag session at LCC last November.
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“CSI (Crash Scene Investigation): An Inquiry-Based Learning Project Incorporated into a Traditional Classroom Setting”
Janice Miller-Young; MRC. Lecture (60 min.):

This session details how a real-life forensic engineering problem, technical report writing, and inquiry-based learning concepts are incorporated into the weekly activities and term project for an engineering mechanics class. Students analyze a car accident and occupants’ injuries, and write a report on which car was at fault and whether the passengers were wearing their seatbelts. The project teaches students research and writing skills, and that real-life problems are complex and normally do not have a unique answer, and ultimately engages them in the course material. With the development of an appropriate problem, the project structure could be incorporated into any science or arts class.
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“Increasing Student Engagement and Self-motivation Through Streching, Relaxation and Meditation”
John Reeves; NAIT. Workshop (90 min.):

Often we forget about the soft skills that can be used to stimulate thinking and the inner-self. This session will try to create a natural link between stretching, relaxation, and meditation, realizing that we must try to elongate our muscles so that we can relax and then stretch our minds. We will quiet the mind so we can hear and feel what is going on inside us. If we can start to learn these life skills ourselves, perhaps we can pass them on to our students. This is a ‘doing’ workshop, so bring a mat to lie on, and a pillow or cushion to sit on.
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***CANCELLATION*** “Teaching English and Communication Using ESL Techniques and Mnemonic Devices in an Active Classroom”
Lynn Clark-Jones; NAIT. Workshop (90 min.):

Canadian technical students have changed. Many are ESL, and conventional English classes and materials, including preparatory English classes in Pre-Technology and Pre-Business, no longer meet their basic needs. By structuring programs with active components of speaking and writing, students learn grammar, syntax and punctuation as they are ‘put on the spot’ in a non-threatening environment. Mnemonic devices help them master the rules of grammar. The active learning that this involves creates a classroom where students must be engaged in order to succeed, and this helps prepare them for later report writing, technical writing, and research components of their technological studies.

***REPLACEMENT*** "Building a Financial Roadmap"
Esther Hagerman; Clarica. Workshop (90 min.):

What is financial planning? No matter what stage of life you are in, chances are you wish you were doing a better job of planning for a more stable financial future. It's never to early or too late to take some steps towards making your goals attainable. In this seminar we'll take a look a number of concepts which will help you get your financial life on track. Topics include: Mistakes people make managing their money; Tools you need to build a solid plan; saving for your child's education; how to minimize taxes; wills and power of attorney. A good plan is only useful when you put it into action - start today!
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“Faculty and Administration: Career Paths of Community College Administrators in Alberta”
Robin Goates; LCC. Lecture (60 min.):

What do the career paths of current academic leaders in community colleges tell us about preparing future academic leaders? This issue is of particular interest because of the number of senior administrators in the Alberta community college system who will likely be retiring in the next few years. There will be a challenge in filling those positions with administrators who have the necessary skills and knowledge to lead the academic side of institutions effectively. This presentation is designed to document career paths and individual preparation of current administrators, to identify leadership succession patterns, and to recommend possible strategies for developing future community college leaders.
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“Keynote Workshop – Ideals Illumination”
David C. Jones; University of Calgary. Lecture (60 min.):

The “Ideals Illumination” is a beautiful means of crystallizing our highest ideals of teaching excellence and inspired leadership. It uses brief but powerful children’s classics to highlight crucial essences simply and compellingly. Each participant will receive one of David C. Jones’s best-selling sayings books to help clarify these rich essences in a memorable way.

maximum 30 participants
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“Medicine Wheel Workshop”

In this workshop the participant will learn the importance of the teachings of the Medicine Wheel to the Aboriginal people. Representation and symbolism will be discussed.

Participants will also make a Medicine Wheel (approximately 6-8 inches) using commercial deer hide. The Medicine Wheel will be decorated with feathers, beads, and a pouch.

About the Artist

Trudie Allen is a member of the Blood Tribe (near Lethbridge, AB) which is part of the Blackfoot Confederacy and Treaty #7. She now resides in Lac La Biche, AB, where she is an instructor at Portage College in the Native Arts and Culture Program. Trudie has a wealth of knowledge on many aspects of aboriginal art and its relationship to aboriginal culture and tradition.

2 hour session
Cost of materials $10

This session will be run twice, maximum of 18 participants each.
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“Get Agitated in the Real Environment”
Eric Hoogstraten; BVC. Workshop (180 min.):

Discover the geomorphology, flora, fauna, and climatology of the East slope region of the Rocky Mountain Cordillera by partaking in an interpretative hike in Kananaskis Country. By exploring the area first hand on a ‘field trip’, educators can experience an environment that certainly stimulates and agitates. During the hike/walk there will be discussion on logistics, risk management, hazard assessment, liability, and common sense concerns in undertaking a field trip. The hike will be of moderate duration and designed for individuals with average fitness and ability.

[The locale will either be the Grassi Lakes Trail, Heart Creek Trail, Grotto Canyon, Haling Peak or TBD. Session participants will need to register in advance and be responsible for travel to and from the trailhead.]
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“One Book, One Community: Putting “Community” Back into Community Colleges”
Lesley Clement, Sheila Drummond; MHC. Lecture (60 min.):

This session describes a successful collaboration between various college and community organizations which enhanced student learning by profiling the joys of reading and the potential for rewarding dialogue among a variety of readers. The session will cover the principles of ‘One Book, One Community projects’; the collaboration of Medicine Hat College, Medicine Hat Public Library, Medicine Hat Cultural Alliance, and local school boards; and the planning process (including selection of a book, finding funding and sponsorship, developing a web page, activities, and promotion); giving consideration to why the ‘One Book, One Community 2005’ events were so successful, and proposals for improvements.
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“Open Learning at Medicine Hat College – Our Low-tech Blended Learning Solution”
Vivian Archibald, Cathy Linowski; MHC. Lecture followed by group discussion (90 min.):

‘Blended learning’ has been defined as ‘learning that employs multiple strategies, methods, and delivery systems’. Before employing new types of learning modes, we need to be sure that we know the advantages and disadvantages of different strategies, and whether student learning styles and characteristics mesh well with instructor personalities and teaching styles to create the best possible learning environment. MHC’s Open Learning Centre, which has been operating for seven years, combines small group instruction with individual tutoring and self-paced learning. What have we learned? What works/does not work well? Group discussion about ‘blended learning’ will follow presentation.
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“Take a Hike”
George Haeckel, Judy Grattan; SAIT. Workshop (240 min.):

Take a hike! Join us on a half day excursion in the outdoors to find out about life outside our institutes! Our session will involve a hike in the Canmore area. The exact location of the hike will depend on the weather conditions but will involve an elevation gain of around 800 meters. Participants should be reasonably fit and will need proper footwear (good runners or light hiking boots). As well, participants should dress for the changeable mountain weather! Participants will be expected to car pool to the trail head. We will meet at the registration desk and proceed from there.
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“Stress Reduction Full-day Workshop”

Carolyn Miller; Trainer and Consultant. Workshop (full-day):

Stress is not caused by the circumstances in your life. It is a consequence of resistance to the circumstances of your life. What is resistance? It is when you don't like what you see and you wish in that moment you were not experiencing it. Resistance is the loss of energy that results when you attempt - with thoughts and feelings - to change a person, event or circumstance. Resistance to your life is lack of trust in the Universe. The amount of stress in your life is determined by how much energy you expend resisting your life. Relief from stress is accepting the river as it flows. Once you accept your situation, you see clearly what needs to be changed in order to create the circumstances and experiences you desire.

Gary Zukav, Heart of the Soul

This one-day workshop aims to :

increase awareness and understanding of how stress and resistance affects our lives
provide tools and resources on how to work with and through this resistance
help increase clarity of participant's individual needs (and what needs to be changed)
help participants determine and develop plans so that they can create the experiences they so value for ourselves.

This workshop would be of interest to staff who want to enjoy life more, reduce stress and increase mastery of their habits, emotions and thoughts.

Carolyn Miller has twelve years of experience in the human side of work as a employee assistant program counselor, a training and development coordinator and college instructor. She brings her work a unique blend of sensitivity, understanding of human nature and skill in behavioral sciences. She is also the author of Expressing Our Natural Gifts – Accessing and Honouring our Genius (1997). In addition to this workshop, Carolyn also provides training and consulting services in empathetic/non-violent communications and employee retention.

General Course Outline:

Stress Reduction by dancing with resistance*

Understand the NOW: The Spirit. Goal: to determine and describe your symptoms of stress – the Physical (body), Behavioral (habits), and Emotional (particularly the negative feelings).

Learn how to:

Map out and read building blocks of change (loops and gaps)
Describe observations and separate them from perceptions
Step back and review current agreements/thought forms that are bringing you stress
Understand negative energetic stress patterns
Watch for co-dependent characteristics
Assess points of influence

See the WOW. The Mind. Goal: to understand the components of attitude and learn how to develop a more positive and optimistic one. Note: A healthy attitude is our most cherished and important characteristic.

Learn how to:

Change current agreements/thought forms that are bringing your stress
Understand and change the roots of negative attitude
Quiet the mind with simple relaxation techniques

Create the HOW: Connecting. Goal: to increase the ability to work with and through your own resistance. The Heart.

Learn how to:

Process negative emotions, particularly those you tend to avoid or suppress
Work with creative tension and emotional tension
Use language and questions that encourage effective empathetic communication

Create the HOW: Strategy and Alignment. The Body. Goal: to create a plan.

Learn how to:

Make a plan using responsible choice techniques
Engage in and track the ongoing cycle of watch, asses, learn, choose, do
Understand your relationship between stress and personal power/authenticity

Create the HOW: Fine-tuning. Goal: to put in place a process on ongoing improvement. The All.

Learn how to:

Create self-directed learning plans
Watch for inertia and assumptions
Nurture individual flow (high skill/high challenge)

* workshop may focus on some parts more and others less depending on needs of participants

Carolyn Miller M.A./ABS

Empathetic/Non-violent Communication
Stress Reduction
Employee Retention

Carolyn Miller's Bio:

Twelve years of experience in the human side of work as a college instructor, employee assistance program counselor/trauma debriefer (specializing in work matters) and training and development co-ordinator
Master of Arts Degree in Applied Behavioral Sciences; Focus: Leading and Consulting in Groups and Organizations; Leadership Institute of Seattle; City University, Seattle, WA
With audiences as diverse as government staff, teaching assistant students, and Chinese immigrants has instructed 45+ courses across 14 years in topics such as BC's SuperHost program, team building, anger management with kids, and stress management. Has spoke at several conferences, in Canada and in the U.S.
Author of Expressing Our Natural Gifts – Accessing & Honoring our Genius 1997
Strong facilitation, communication and organizational skills. Others often describe her as intelligent, gentle, and someone who can be very funny.

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“LAPP: Where are We?”
Doug Short; NAIT. Lecture (60 min.):

This session will review recent Stakeholder (advisory body to Trustees) consultation meetings that have examined the deficit, the risks inherent in the plan and the impact of changing demographics on the Plan's efficiency. Challenges to the Plan's funding, such as 'phased-in' retirement, will be discussed. Your comments and questions will be welcomed.
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“Top Ten Reasons to join the Bargaining Team
Top Ten Reasons NOT to join the Bargaining Team”
Terry Sway; ACIFA. Lecture (60 min.):

Everybody wants the association to elect a bargaining team. Not everybody wants to participate and there are those that step forward for the wrong reasons. This session explores the “whys” and “why nots” to participate in collective bargaining. This is an informal session with plenty of time for audience discussion.

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