Learning Innovation: The Teaching & Learning Podcast

E75: Research and Reconciliation — Fostering Healing and Community through Public Safety Applied Research

“Ultimately, my focus is on making space for perspectives that have historically been excluded and ensuring our work contributes to the systemic change.” ~ Dr. Kirsten Fantazir, Research Chair at Lethbridge Polytechnic 

Dr. Kirsten Fantazir (Instructor and Research Chair at Lethbridge Polytechnic), and Dr. Jami Albright-Tolman (Instructor and Researcher), share about public safety applied research projects that are fostering connection with Blackfoot communities, and preparing students for careers in public safety. 

Kirsten and Jami expand on Community Integration Through Art Pissatsinaskssini (CITAP), and how its Creative Circles can foster healing, trust, and reconciliation.  

CITAP brings together Indigenous elders, students, and community partners to share meals, art, and cultural practices—and challenge stereotypes about houseless and vulnerable populations. Kirsten and Jami highlight early results, ethical practices, and the importance of authentic relationships and Indigenous ways of knowing. 

During the show, guests and Donna (host) mention:

• CPSAR – Centre for Public Safety Applied Research 
• CITAP – Community Integration Through Art - Pissatsinaskssini
• Ninastako Cultural Centre 
• E05: Gamifying Grammar with Murray Bartley and Kirsten Fantazir
• E56: The positionality effect – Building empathy through reflection and transparency about your place in the world 
• Dude’s Club 
• Sir Robert Peel’s Policing Principles 
• Niitsitapi Eats and Treats 
• RAs (resident assistants)
• Tsimshian
• Haida
• RINSA 
• CI-CAN National Indigenous Education Symposium 
• First Thunder Wellness
• Criminal Justice at Lethbridge Polytechnic
• VR Core
• York Regional Police, Ontario 
• Bill C48 
• Social Determinants of Health

E74: Lethbridge City Scholars — Building Stronger Bridges Between Campus and Community

"We know WIL has this really magical ability to create a stronger connection between students and this community." ~ Perry Stein, City of Lethbridge Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships Manager

Dr. Natalie Barfuss (business instructor at Lethbridge Polytechnic) and Perry Stein (Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships Manager at the City of Lethbridge) share the overwhelming benefits of WIL for students and their communities.

Work-integrated learning (WIL) helps students develop skills like teamwork, collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking. These real-world skills help students step out more confidently into their careers. Because WIL allows students a glimpse into the community, these experiences can even kindle an interest in staying around Lethbridge after graduation.

Natalie also shares how instructors can dip their toes in WIL experiences. Hint—it's easier than you think!

During the show, Perry, Natalie, and Donna (host) mention:

• ☀️SUMMER BONUS☀️ E58: LITL-Pod LIVE – Preparing learners and shaping community through Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) 
• Lethbridge Polytechnic
  • REB 
  • Bachelor of Nursing
  • Trades & Technologies
  • School of Business 
• University of Lethbridge
  • Mitacs
• University of Calgary 
• NorQuest College WIL Symposium
• CASA 
• Downtown BRZ 
• Universal Design for Learning
• Goal-setting theory
• City Scholars
• CEWIL
• Southgrow

 

E73: 🤖 AI literacy and Critical Awareness — Helping Students Stay Human on their Learning Journey

"Teaching is not only about giving information, right? It's not about giving facts or explaining concepts or putting things together. It's creating a certain environment where learning is happening and I still think that humans are better at this than AI.” ~ Dr. Olga Klymenko 

A recent study from MIT shows that over-reliance on LLMs for writing accumulates cognitive debt (weaker brain connectivity, less ownership over the finished product).  

Dr. Olga Klymenko, instructor and language expert, is grappling with how to address over-reliance on AI writing in her classroom. 

Olga doesn't believe in banning or even policing the use of AI. Instead, she believes the answer lies in choosing to engage—that is, aiming to be collaborators in the process of knowledge building. 

Olga shares her insights, including: 

• Cultural mismatch and underrepresentation of voices for Indigenous languages
• Cognitive costs of AI shortcuts and the fallibility of AI-plagiarism checkers
• Winning trust with students about AI-use (showing limitations; creating learner agency) 

During the show, Olga and host (Donna) mention:

• MIT Study: Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task 
• The small island state of Seychelles (Link lands you on Google Maps) 
• Seychelles Creole (Kreol Seselwa) 
• ChatGPT 
• University of Seychelles
• University of London 
• National University of Donetsk 
• Lethbridge Polytechnic 
• Navigating academic writing in the AI era: Lethbridge Polytechnic instructor offers insight 
• E49: Generative AI and instructional design: Emphasizing the process of learning over the product of learning 

E72: Architecting Our Future — Lethbridge Polytechnic's Strategy Amid National Shifts

Dr. Brad Donaldson, President and CEO of Lethbridge Polytechnic, unpacks how the institution is navigating national shifts in post-secondary funding, and what it means to take control of our collective future as a PSI in Alberta.

He shares practical strategies for ethical domestic recruitment, applied learning and research, and fostering a “critically kind” campus culture that empowers educators, supports students, and strengthens community impact.

During the episode, Brad and Donna (host) mention:

• E35: Interview with the President ☎
• Expert Panel on Post-Secondary Institution Funding and Alberta’s Competitiveness
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
  • New International Student Program regulations take effect
• Alex Usher’s Higher Education Strategy Associates Blog (One Thought to Start Your Day)
  • That Alberta Post-Secondary Review, Again
• The President's View
• Alberta Labour Market Information
• Polytechnics Canada
• WIL: Work-integrated Learning
  • WIL at Future Skills Centre
• Lethbridge Polytechnic programs and courses

 

E71: 📚 Accidental scholars — Responding to teaching and learning gaps in the Trades

Ryan Mann, Faculty Development Facilitator at SAIT’s Centre for Academic Development and Innovation, and Eric Mitchell, an Automotive Services Instructor at Lethbridge Polytechnic, are actively responding to teaching and learning gaps in the Trades through innovative—and technically scholarly—work.

Despite the improvements they're making, Ryan and Eric don't really consider their work as scholarly—but framing it differently could amplify the impact.

Ryan and Eric are joined by the polytechnic's Jaddon Park (Academic Services Manager) and Craig McCarthy (Learning Experience Designer). The four discuss the value of reframing work as scholarly, the power of integrating student feedback, and the joy in discovering creative ways to pass along knowledge. 

During the show, guests and host (Donna) mention:

• SAIT: Southern Alberta Institute of Technology 
  • Centre for Teaching and Learning 
  • Academic Development and Innovation 
  • Automotive programs
  • Apprenticeship and Trades 
• Lethbridge Polytechnic 
  • CTLI: Centre for Teaching, Learning, And Innovation
  • ICP: Instructor Certification Program
  • NIOP: New Instructor Orientation Program
  • SoTL: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
  • LC Extension
  • Community of Practice
  • OER: Open Educational Resources
    • Making the switch from textbooks to OERs: How (and why) one instructor made the change
  • Automotive Services Technician Apprenticeship 
  • Automotive Systems certificate 
  • Introduction to the Trades 
  • Electrician Apprenticeship  
• UDL: Universal Design for Learning 
• EAL: English as an Additional Language 
• ChatGPT
• Alberta Minister of Advanced Education 
• AIT: Apprenticeship and Industry Training 
  • Registered Apprenticeship Program 
• STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics 
• The Fast and the Furious 
• Gone in 60 Seconds 
• Calgary Corrections Centre 
• Integration of Trades-Based STEM Education in Canadian K-12 Schools by Josh Hill 
• Kahoot 
• Bright Space (learning management system)
• LITL-Pod episodes: 
  • E69: How to make online learning feel like in-person community – A creative course revision at Lethbridge Polytechnic 
  • E66: 👍 Researcher’s Guide to the Galaxy – How to practically (and painlessly) share your research project, create meaningful impact, and find your community as a Networked Scholar 
  • E55: Environmental Psychology and Conservation – An instructor's creative course-build through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 
  • E47: Updates in STEM – Sparking real-world connections between K-12 and the Trades to foster early career passions 
  • E29: How to Develop, Validate, and Disseminate Your Teaching and Learning Research Project through The Scholarship for Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

Download Ryan's AI guidebook here: A Guide to Generative AI for Educators

E70: 🧠 Exercise cognition research — Examining how physical activity shapes the brain

Beyond the obvious benefits exercise has on your body, research shows that it has powerful benefits on your brain, too—like improved memory, attention, and processing speed.

Simon Schaerz (Exercise Science instructor at Lethbridge Polytechnic), David Selles (Physical Education student from the University of Lethbridge), and Tyler Duffy (Exercise Science student at Lethbridge Polytechnic) discuss exercise cognition and its profound impacts on the brain—specifically, on executive functioning.

Exercise cognition research could also be pivotal in helping prioritize physical education (PE) programs—especially in K-12, where PE's importance can often be minimized.

During the show, guests and host (Craig) mention:

• Lethbridge Polytechnic 
  • Exercise Science Program 
    • Exercise-physiology class 
    • Research Methods in Kinesiology class 
  • DCM Program 
• University of Lethbridge 
  • Physical Education Program 
• Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey 
• Embodied Cognition Theory 
• Central Governor Model and Fatigue 
• Cerebral hemodynamics 
• Synaptogenesis 
• Physical Activity and the Development of Executive Function in Healthy Children: A Bioecological Perspective by Simon Schaerz 
• Pedagogical knowledge model: 
  • Content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and curricular knowledge 
• Progressive overload 
• Executive Function
• Zone of Proximal Development
• HPEC: Health & Physical Education Council 
• SSHRC: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council 
• ECSS: European College of Sports Science
• Tyler's games to promote executive functioning:
  • Tic-Tac-Toe
  • Pattern Pursuit
  • Red Light, Green Light

 

E69: How to make online learning feel like in-person community – A creative course revision at Lethbridge Polytechnic

Instructor Kathie Ervin and Instructional Designer Craig McCarthy collaborated to revamp Kathie's Distance Learning (DL) course in the Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Therapeutic Recreation Gerontology program. 

The goal? Create a more hands-on learning experience for DL students. 

Kathie and Craig outline their revision strategy, share stories about student creativity and community, and explain why they think the project was so successful. The pair also share tips on how other instructors can revamp their DL courses. 

During the episode, Donna (host) and guests mentioned:

• Therapeutic Recreational Gerontology 
• CTLI – Centre for Teaching and Learning 
• UDL – Universal Design for Learning 
• WIL – Work-Integrated Learning 
  • E68: WIL-Power – Connecting classroom theory with hands-on, Work-Integrated Learning 
• Student feedback audio on Kathie's TRG course

E68: WIL-Power – Connecting classroom theory with hands-on, Work-Integrated Learning

Students Cory, Adam, Lenae, and Maddie share all about their Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) experiences at Lethbridge Polytechnic. 

No matter the program, classroom theory comes to life when students are paired with real-world scenarios – and the lessons are invaluable.

Students discuss favourite moments and key insights from their WIL experiences. They also exchange strategies for navigating challenges like imposter syndrome – sometimes it helps to don a "suit"!

During the show, guests and Donna (host) mention:

• Acronyms/definitions:
  • WIL: Work-Integrated Learning 
  • RN: Registered Nurse 
  • NESA: Nursing Education in Southwestern Alberta
  • Imposter syndrome
• Lethbridge Polytechnic
  • Wellness Services
  • Programs: 
    • Ecosystem Management 
    • Nursing (NESA)
    • Criminal Justice – Corrections 
    • Child and Youth Care 
  • Wildlife Analytics Lab
    • E63: Wildlife Analytics Lab – Lethbridge Polytechnic's hub of innovation and collaborative conservation
• WIL community connections:
  • Alberta Chapter of The Wildlife Society  
  • Galbraith Elementary School 
  • Family Ties 

E67: Celebrate Stone Pipe Days – Sharing knowledge to preserve culture

Stone Pipe Days is a four-day event recognizing the pride, history, and culture of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) community here at Lethbridge Polytechnic. Jordan Head, Indigenous Cultural Advisor, is a key organizer for this year's Stone Pipe Days, and he joins us to share all about this special event.

Jordan outlines the agenda (opening ceremonies, meals, guest speakers, films, a traditional powwow), and he expands on the meaningful partnership Stone Pipe Days represents between the Blackfoot people and the polytechnic. He also shares a piece of his personal journey, including how his family inspired and guided him toward education – which eventually led him full circle back to Lethbridge Polytechnic.

During the show, Jordan and Donna (host) mention:

• Stone Pipe Days (March 24 – March 28, 2025): 
  • Event schedule: Ohkotoki’aahkkoiyiiniimaan (Stone Pipe Days) 
• Movies/media:
  • 500 Days in the Wild 
  • Bones of Crows 
  • E65: A'paitsitapisksinimaattsaa (Weasel People Education) – Revitalizing Blackfoot language and culture through land-based learning 
• Blackfoot Confederacy (Niitsitapi peoples): 
  • Siksika (Blackfoot) 
  • Kainai (Blood) 
    • Kana (and A'kana) – Many chiefs or many leaders 
  • Piikani (Peigan) 
  • South Peigan 
• Notable works and how-tos: 
  • A Contemporary Winter Count by Kerry M. Scott 
  • Powwow Dances 
  • How to take part in a round dance 
• Organizations/institutions: 
  • National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation 
  • Alberta Health Services 
  • Treaty 7 Tribal Council 
  • Assembly of First Nations 
  • Indigenous and Northern Affairs 
  • U of L (University of Lethbridge) 
  • U of A (University of Alberta) 
  • Lethbridge Polytechnic: 
    • Val Matteotti Gym 
    • The Cave 
    • Business Administration Program 
• People, history, locations: 
  • United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act 
  • Indian Agents in Canada 
  • Indian Act 
  • Treaty 7 
  • Dunbow Residential School
  • Old Man River 
  • St. Mary’s Reservoir 
  • Trans Canada Trail 
  • Jim Bennett 
  • Troy Knowlton 
  • Travis Plaited Hair 

 

E66: 👍 Researcher’s Guide to the Galaxy – How to practically (and painlessly) share your research project, create meaningful impact, and find your community as a Networked Scholar

Dr. Erika Smith (Educational Development Consultant at the University of Calgary), Richard Hayman (Associate Professor and Digital Initiatives Librarian at Mount Royal University), and Constance Sheriff (Research Services Librarian at Lethbridge Polytechnic) explore the daunting task researchers face in sharing their work with their audiences. 

Erika, Richard, and Constance explain how using strategies like Knowledge Mobilization and Knowledge Translation, and finding support through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning can help dismantle barriers in dissemination–especially when researchers strive to become Networked Scholars.

Even if you don't want your work to be published, there are so many benefits from engaging in scholarly research, like improved:

• student learning outcomes (because you've removed roadblocks and increased accessibility in the classroom)
• research sharing strategies (because you've sharpened your communication skills and learned which formats work best for you)
• network connections (because you've been showing up as an active, contributing expert in your field)

And there's more where that came from.

During the show, guests and host (Donna) mention:

• KM, KT, and SoTL article:
  • Connecting the dots between knowledge mobilization, knowledge translation and the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning: A conversation with Erika Smith, PhD, and Richard Hayman, MA & MLIS 
• Ebook:
  • The Impactful Academic: Building a Research Career That Makes a Difference 
    • Erika and Richard's chapter: Strategic Digital Engagement for Impact: Building Your Academic Presence Online
• LITL-Pod episodes:
  • E63: Wildlife Analytics Lab – Lethbridge Polytechnic's hub of innovation and collaborative conservation
  • E49: Generative AI and instructional design: Emphasizing the process of learning over the product of learning
• Acronym definitions:
  • OERs: Open Educational Resources
    • OER Commons
  • (San Francisco) DORA: Declaration on Research Assessment
• Post-secondary institutions:
  • Mount Royal University
  • University of Alberta
  • University of Calgary
• Resources for researchers:
  • Orcid
  • Google Scholar
  • Github 
  • osf.io
  • Thinkshare 
  • LinkedIn

Guest bios

Constance Sheriff (she/her) is a Research Services Librarian who has been at Lethbridge Polytechnic for nearly 20 years. Her focuses include the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Integrated Librarianship, Research Ethics, and Research Data Management. 

Dr. Erika Smith (she/her) is an Educational Development Consultant specializing in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning at the University of Calgary. She has an interdisciplinary background in digital humanities and completed her PhD in Adult, Community and Higher Education at the University of Alberta. She has 20 years of professional experience in diverse learning environments. Erika supports curriculum, pedagogy, and technology innovations and initiatives under the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning umbrella. She is Senior Associate Editor and a founding member of Imagining SoTL, a peer-reviewed open-access journal, and co-PI on a SSHRC-funded Scholarship of Teaching and Learning initiative that integrates students as partners in knowledge co-creation. She has written for The Conversation and widely shares and translates knowledge via videos, infographics, and social media. Her research interests include educational development, digital literacies, and emerging technologies in higher education. 

Richard Hayman (he/him) is an Associate Professor and Digital Initiatives Librarian at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. As a researcher-practitioner interested in open access and scholarly communications, educational technologies, and evidence-based practice in academic (library) settings, his expertise engages multidisciplinary modes of knowledge exploration, creation, mobilization, and translation. He is committed to open practices in research ensuring his publications are available via open access and supporting others seeking to do the same. Richard is currently co-PI on a SoTL-focused scoping review project.