Learning Innovation: The Teaching & Learning Podcast

E19: How the Trades Fosters Critical Thinking and Lifelong Learning in the Community

Tune in, hit play, and get inspired as Sheldon Anderson (Dean for the Centre for Trades) and Joshua Hill (an instructor for electrical apprenticeship) discuss the connection between the trades and lifelong learning. This warm and honest conversation reveals how practical, hands-on learning and skills-building develop critical thinking, which leads to connection, innovation, sustainability, entrepreneurship and opportunities galore!

 

During the podcast, Donna mentions a news article about a recent collaboration between LC Extension and Blood Tribe Employment and Skills Training (BTEST) focused on equipping youth with real-world skills.

 

During the recording, Joshua mentions the following:

• A “garbage-can-looking item” that’s actually a residential wind turbine! A Utah-based company called Halcium is currently prototyping this revolutionary product

• The wind turbine company, Vestas

• He’s learning about health, fitness – and what his personal Functional Threshold Power (FTP) is

• He has been listening to Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion

 

During the podcast, Sheldon touches on the following:

• Women Building Futures and Lethbridge College’s Journeywoman Start program

• For those curious about the many different trades options, he recommends visiting the government of Alberta’s site: Trades Secrets

• Lethbridge College’s Wind Turbine Technician training

• Lethbridge College’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) pilot project which will integrate authentic, trades-focused learning into primary and secondary schools

• Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) which opens the door for high school students to register as apprentices

• Finally, he wishes to say… GO OILERS!

E18: How Immersive Technology is Creating More Flexible and Accessible Learning Experiences

Tune in, hit play, and get inspired as Cherie Bowker, Lethbridge College’s Chair of the School of Spatial Design Technologies expands on how Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Extended Reality programs are sparking opportunities for every type of learner. In this upbeat conversation, Cherie traces the growth of this innovative field and even drops a few fascinating hints about “The Metaverse”.

During the podcast, Donna mentions her own VR experience with the program: Traveling While Black. She also says she's a big fan of HGTV (aren't we all?)!

During the recording, Cherie touches on the following:

• Merging Realities, a virtual event where the college’s “virtual” centre core is featured
• surRENDER, an Interior Design Technology showcase (which she likens to Steven Spielberg’s film, Ready Player One)
• Virtual and Augmented Reality Certificate, Architectural Animation Technology program, Virtual Extended Reality program, and the Interior Design Technology program
• AutoCAD, a commercial computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting software application
• A big thank you to Ashcroft Homes, Diamond Schmitt, Charmed Playhouses and Charmed Resorts
• During Canada’s 150th birthday celebration, their Interior Design Technology program was listed in Canada’s top 150 schools
• Their school has been featured three years in a row in Macleans Magazine
• Cherie is passionate about sustainability, NetZero, Geothermal, Solar, etc., and she and her husband have a business called Smart Home (along with an offshoot called VArchitect) that they created in an effort to make homes more sustainable
• Cherie recommends joining in on one of her classes if you are curious about immersive technology! Reach out to her at cherie.bowker@lethbridgecollege.ca

E17: Thriving in Action – Developing Resilience in Adult Learners through Grit, Optimism, Gratitude, Mindfulness, and Self-Compassion

Tune in, hit play, and get inspired as two of our most experienced student support staff discuss student resilience, motivation, and stress management! Academic Strategists Diane Fjordbotten and Marianne Martin adapted Dr. Diana Brecher and Dr. Deena Kara Schaffer's Thriving in Action program for Lethbridge College students and tell Donna how it’s been going so far, as well as the contents and practices used in the program. This program takes a proactive, innovative, and research-based approach to student stress management and this episode discusses safe spaces, positive psychology, and the impact of student support programming on student success, health, and overall life. 

To learn more about the original Thriving in Action program, go here or here or here. 

Diane and Marianne both work in the Learning Café and recommend their open educational resource (OER) the eLearning Café. 

For more information on our Student Core Competencies, go here. 

For more information on the Coulee Walk, go here. 

Here’s more information on Mark Seligman’s “Three Good Things” and approach to positive psychology. 

Diane and Marianne both recommend Louie Schwartzberg's 2011 TED Talk Gratitude. 

Diane has loved learning about bullet journaling lately and recommends this webpage. 

Marianne has loved learning about doing nothing (as a wellness strategy!) and recommends Olga Mecking’s book Niksen: Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing 

E16: Striving for Reflective and Reflexive Learning Through Systems Thinking

Tune in, hit play, and get inspired as EDI Strategist, Michelle Ni Dochartaigh-Derbich and Provost and Vice President of Academic, Samantha Lenci, discuss the value of Systems Thinking. In this passionate, insightful and sobering dialogue, the pair speak candidly about when Systems Thinking excels, and what a breakdown in Systems Thinking looks like—specifically, parachuting cats!

During the podcast, Michelle references the following: 

• Operation Cat Drop 

• Rumi’s poem, Out Beyond Ideas 
• Peter Senge’s story about little kids fighting on the playground 
• The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday 

Michelle also recommends the following: 

• For those in decision-making positions interested in learning about questioning experts, look at Critical Systems Heuristics, founded by Werner Ulrich 
• For anyone interested in Systems Thinking, check out Open University for free online courses on Systems Thinking 

• Perhaps even learning to play the traditional Irish bodhrán (bow-rawn) drum! 

During the podcast, Samantha references the following: 

• David Stroh’s book, Systems Thinking for Social Change 
• Wolves in Yellowstone 

•  Less Nessman and The Infamous WKRP Thanksgiving Turkey Drop 
• The Ladder of Inference from Peter Senge’s book, The Fifth Discipline
  
• Stephen Covey’s Circle of Influence 
• The Iissksiniip (Coming to Know and Learn) Coulee Walk created by William Singer III and the college’s Indigenous Services team

 

E15: Sharing Resources and Preserving Knowledge Through Communities of Practice

Tune in, hit play, and get inspired as guests Kelsey Janzen (Production Coordinator) and Lorraine Leishman (Learning and Development Plan Team) discuss the knowledge-rich pools known as Communities of Practice (CoPs). Learn how we’re all a part of CoPs, how they facilitate team building, and how you can create your own.

During the podcast, Lorraine mentions she is reading the book, Widen the Window by Elizabeth Stanley, and Kelsey recommends two books: Radical Candor by Kim Scott and No Hard Feelings by Liz Fosslien & Mollie West Duffy. Lorraine also referred to Etienne Wegner when talking about the origins of CoPs.

Questions or comments about Communities of Practice? Reach out to Lorraine Leishman at lorraine.leishman@lethbridgecollege.ca to chat! Especially if you’re particularly jazzed about creating a CoP on Growth Mindset!

To watch the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/sw4CSLhrKpw

E14: Tech Talks – Hyflex Learning

Remember Tyler Wall from Episode 6? If somebody at the College wants to do something cool (innovative) with technology, they’ll probably end up working with Tyler. And remember Jude Bialik? He’s been LITL-Pod’s co-producer from nearly the start and works primarily in student support. Together, they’re co-hosting and co-producing episodes we’re calling “Tech Talks,” where Tyler talks about the most recent technology implemented by the College and Jude makes sure the discussion is accessible to your average educator.

So for today’s episode, tune in, hit play, and get inspired as guests Trevor Gellrich, Lexi Schaerz, and Ryan Robinson, answer Tyler and Jude’s questions about Hyflex. What is it? How and why should you use it? What should you do when a Hyflex lesson doesn’t go as planned (even great technology is still technology!)? And, most importantly, if Lexi, Ryan, and Trevor entered the Thunderdome, who would survive?

 

Watch the video version of this episode here: https://youtu.be/ND-V9VmLxoQ

E13: Sustainable, Community-Focused Approaches to Research and Education

Watch this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH7Qn519mpM

Tune in, hit play, and get inspired by a discussion on how our college collaborates with our larger community for training and research. Our guests are Megan Shapka, Associate Dean for the Centre for Applied Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship and Jason Donkersgoed, Director for Business and Development. Our discussion topics include:  

- the Sustainable Development Goals (https://sdgs.un.org/goals), 

- community focused programming (including summer camps and tiny homes),  

- systems thinking and the systems approach,  

- corporate training,

- the research and development needs of our local community,  

- Strategic doing (https://strategicdoing.net/),  

- trust triangles, and  

- living campuses.  

If you’d like to get in touch with Megan or anybody at our Centre for Applied Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, use the contact information on their webpage here: https://lethbridgecollege.ca/departments/centre-for-applied-research-and-innovation  

If you’d like to register for, or learn more about, our Continuing Education Program, go here: https://lethbridgecollege.ca/departments/corporate-and-continuing-education/continuing-education  

If you’d like to know more about Lethbridge College’s Integrated Agriculture Technology Centre, take a look at their website: https://iatc.ca/  
 
Jason references Dr. Frances Frei’s TEDTalk “How to Build (and rebuild) Trust.” Here’s the link: https://www.ted.com/talks/frances_frei_how_to_build_and_rebuild_trust?language=en  

Megan references Dawson College’s Living Campus. Here’s a link: https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/sustainable/living-campus/ 

E12: Bonus episode – 16 Hours more Innovative but 40% Wrong

Tune in, hit play and buckle up because we’ve got even more nerds – I mean experts – than usual in this episode. Our CTLI leadership team is friends with the academic leadership team from Collarts in Australia and Donna bravely agreed to host a panel discussion with all 5 of them. Topics include: frameworks for innovative educational support, cross-institutional collaboration, the connection between innovation and grassroots initiatives, and the potential future of education considering the rapid change triggered by the pandemic.

The video version of this episode can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QJLg45dR1k

The Collarts website is https://www.collarts.edu.au/

The podcast episode Jackie mentioned where she discusses Complexity Leadership Theory is Episode 3 - https://learninginnovation.podbean.com/e/podcast-3-with-jaclyn-doherty/

The CTLI framework created by Lethbridge College and “not” photocopied by Collarts can be found at https://learninginnovation.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/CTLIStrategicInnovationModel.pdf

Ben mentions that futurist predictions tend to be 40% wrong, a statistic he got from a Paul Higgins presentation. Higgins’ website is https://www.emergentfutures.com/consultants/paul-higgins/

E11: Workplace Integrated Learning (WIL), Virtual and Augmented Reality, and creating environments to thrive in.

Tune in, hit play, and get inspired as Lethbridge College Multimedia Production Instructor, Kris Hodgson-Bright and CTLI Interns turned Contract Media Specialists, Eric Reger and Spencer Nelson, chat with Donna about Workplace Integrated Learning (WIL) and the value of pursuing internship opportunities. The group also talks about virtual and augmented reality’s potential as learning and training tools, and about an interesting VR project Eric and Spencer worked for Dematic, a leading supplier of automated supply chain technology, during their internship. Kris also facilitated a workshop on using Riipen during Lethbridge College's Spring CanvasCon. The recording for this session can be accessed here: https://lethbridgecol.instructuremedia.com/embed/36813919-e835-471a-a268-b112e461942eSdio (instructuremedia.com)

Centre for Teaching, Learning and Innovation (CTLI):   Learning Innovation | Centre for Teaching, Learning and Innovation | Lethbridge College  

Dematic:  https://www.dematic.com/en-us/  

Altspace VR:  https://altvr.com/  

Discord:  https://discord.com/  

Skills Canada Alberta:  https://skillsalberta.com 

 

Host: Donna McLaughlin    

Guests: Kris Hodgson-Bright, Eric Reger, Spencer Nelson 

Producer: Mike Smith   

Sound Technician: Ryan Robinson    

Production Team: Darel Bennedbaek, Kelsey Janzen, Joel Godri, Jude Bialik, & Tyler Wall   

E10: International Student Miniseries #3--Thriving Abroad in the New Normal: An international student’s perspective on learning in Canada.

Tune in, hit play, and get inspired as EdnnaStobshinski, incoming Lethbridge College Students’ Association President and previous LCSA Vice President of Student Life, talks with Donna about the choice to follow her passion for biology and the environment to Lethbridge College’s Renewable Resource Management diploma program, being an international student during the pandemic, and the projects she’s spearheaded and is piloting in her leadership roles within the LCSA.

Centre for Teaching, Learning and Innovation (CTLI):  

https://learninginnovation.ca/ 

 

Lethbridge College Students’ Association (LCSA):

https://mylcsa.com/

 

LCSA (Facebook):

https://www.facebook.com/MYLCSA

 

Lethbridge College AgENTProgram:

https://lethbridgecollege.ca/departments/centre-for-applied-research-and-innovation/agent

 

Lethbridge College Aquaculture Centre of Excellence (ACE):

https://lethbridgecollege.ca/departments/aquaculture-centre-of-excellence