The 2024 BC BIO conference was held in the Medical Sciences Building room 150 (MSB 150). See the campus map.
Thank you to the following groups:
UVic Faculty of Science – sponsoring lunch for all participants in person
Starbucks at Mayfair Mall – provided coffee and tea for morning
Peppers – provided breakfast for morning
| Time Block | Speaker(s) | Topic / Title / Activity |
| 8:45 – 9:00 | Aisling, Barbara, Ryan | Welcome, territorial acknowledgement, overview of day |
| 9:00 – 9:45 | David Punzalan (UVic), Amelita Kucher (High school science/biology teacher), Ana Ver (Ministry of Education), Paula Mali (UVic Biology student) | Panel: K-12 Changes and Impacts in Post-Secondary |
| 9:45 – 10:15 | Aisling Brady (NIC) | Teaching a student-engaged cell biology course |
| 10:15 – 10:30 | BREAK | BREAK |
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Marina Tourlakis (UFV) | Last Class Workshop: a tool for engaging learners in course review and revision |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Ryan Suleman (Camosun) | SNAP Presentation |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Evelyn Sun (UBC-V) | Data-driven case studies in a large second year introductory microbiology course |
| 12 – 1 | LUNCH | LUNCH |
| 1 – 2 | Gerry Gourlay (UVic) and Sylvia Richardson (SFU) | Plenary Session: Teaching Through Inclusion, Indigenization, and Support |
| 2 – 2:45 | Robin Young (UBC-O), Natasha Ramroop Singh (TRU), ZoĂ« Soon (UBC-V) | OER Texts |
| 2:45 – 3 | BREAK | BREAK |
| 3 – 3:45 | N/A | Breakout Sessions |
| 3:45 – 4:15 | N/A | Sharing Breakout Session |
BREAKOUT SESSIONS:
– A.I.
– Large Class & Lab Assessment
– Engaged Teaching & Learning
– Student Preparation for Post-Secondary Education
– Community Engaged Learning & Research in the Class or Lab
Plenary Session: Teaching Through Inclusion, Indigenization, and Support
Sylvia’s Talk, Description and Bio:
Title: Indigenization of the Academy, Living and Coexisting Well
Description: We will explore the Seven Circles of Indigenous Teachings for Living Well. Inviting a culture shift in how we perceive and understand our relationship to land, and the art of creating sacred space in our classroom.
Bio: Sylvia Richardson PhD, in Arts Education. I love teaching my students how to become immune to failure, and how to create with joy a life that is legendary. In my book: Flesh Mapping Cartography of Struggle, Renewal and Hope in Education, I offer my reader a window into my heart. My book is an offering. It reveals the wounds of war, violence, poverty and racism. Life is creation, the constant call to awake, to refuse to numb our pain and instead respond with compassion. I teach to re-member myself as we create yet-to-be-imagine-worlds. Creativity is what sustain my life. I love research and learning. My exploration include: science and the human brain, the complexity of trauma, the historical and social wounding of colonization on bodies and on the land. The experiential learning required to recover our power. The practical application of pedagogical praxis. The spiritual, mental, emotional and physical aspect of learning. It has been my privilege to present on stages in four continents on many of these topics. I have served on the Indigenous Leadership Council responsible for organizing the first Peoples Social Forum in Canada. I host an internationally syndicated radio show Latin Waves. When I am not teaching, designing course content, writing, painting, or creating radio programs you will find me deep in the forest with my dog Lilou a Caucasian Sheppard that weighs 130 pounds or belly dancing to raise funds to support shelters for women and raising awareness of the pandemic of violence against women.
Gerry’s Talk Title, Description and Bio:
Title: Supporting Student Learning – Inclusive STEM Practices
Description: Imagine with me for a moment – you come to class, the seats are arranged in rigid rows, the air in the room is chilly, and the atmosphere is stifling. For some, this might be what they think of when they reflect on a “STEM” classroom, but I disagree. If you can imagine a classroom where students are talking with one another, using the space to the best of their ability, and actively engaging with the instructor, that is what I think of as a STEM classroom. Moving away from the “sage on the stage” to “a guide on the side” or “mentor in the middle” can have huge implications in supporting our students throughout their learning journeys. Together, we will discuss a diversity of inclusive STEM practices that support both small & large classroom sizes while maintaining a manageable workload for both students & instructors. I am excited to be with you on this journey!
Bio: Gerry (she/her) is the current Program & Volunteer Manager for the Science Fair Foundation BC. She was previously the TA Coordinator in the Division of Learning and Teaching Support and Innovation at the University of Victoria (UVic). Gerry holds a PhD in biology from UVic and completed in tandem an accredited graduate certificate for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (LATHE). Gerry is also an Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) trainer and facilitator. She currently teaches in STEM and education & works as an independent consultant & educational developer supporting instructors across Canada to enhance their pedagogical skills. When not teaching, Gerry volunteers with & supports youth through the Canadian Association for Girls in Science (CAGIS) as the Coordinator for the Victoria Chapter.