The VCC Teaching, Learning, and Research Symposium is designed to inspire, connect, celebrate, and deepen learning among educators, staff, students, researchers, administrators, and others in post-secondary education. Our theme this year is Teaching and Learning with Heads, Hands and Hearts. As a community college dedicated to inclusivity and accessibility, our symposium is free of cost to participants and fully online.

Theme: Teaching and Learning with Heads, Hands, and Hearts

Indigenous pedagogy practiced since time immemorial centers holistic learning through attending to the mind, body, spirit and heart, and fosters learning in relationship with connection to community and to land (First Peoples Principles of Learning). Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, a Swiss educator (1746-1827), advocated for a pedagogy of holistic, integrated and experiential learning through heads, hands and hearts. Universal design for learning emphasizes providing multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression to accommodate diverse learners’ needs. All these approaches share a common goal of creating inclusive, holistic, and student-centered learning environments.

“Effective learning environments pay attention to the whole learner, including the physical, mental, social/emotional, and spiritual aspects of the person. Understanding the holistic nature of life- the interrelationships among all parts of who we are and how we are connected to everything around us – is foundational to Indigenous knowledge about effective teaching.”
- Jo Chrona, Wayi Wah! Indigenous Pedagogies: An Act for Reconciliation and Anti-Racist Education, pg 127.

In this symposium, we have invited proposals related to the topics/them below on how we can create inclusive and holistic experiences that honor diverse ways of knowing and learning. Expect a variety of sessions from presenters from diverse post-secondary institutions, as well as student research presentations.

Key topics related to this theme:

Indigenous pedagogies
Inclusive learning, accessibility, and universal design for learning
Student and educator well-being
Experiential learning
Land-based and place-based learning
Authentic assessment
Preparing students for emerging needs and opportunities
Students as partners in teaching and learning
Ethics of technology; educational technology in teaching and learning (including but not limited to generative AI)

Keynote Speakers:

We are honored and excited to announce your keynote speakers this year: Dr. Awneet Sivia and Carey Newman.

March 3: Dr. Awneet Sivia

Dr. Sivia is the Associate Vice President, Teaching and Learning, University of the Fraser Valley. Dr. Sivia's research and scholarship spans the areas of science teacher education, diversity leadership, social justice education, humanizing pedagogies and leadership in online education. Her latest research studies focus on Indigenizing self-study research, humanizing approaches to curriculum, practices of online school leaders and equity in university program admissions.

Engaging the Head, Hands, and Heart: Teaching through “First Touch” Pedagogy
In today’s dynamic world, the questions of how we educate and what we teach future generations are paramount. Higher education plays a crucial role in these processes, and as instructors, we are compelled to look deeply at our pedagogies, curricula, and assessment practices and respond innovatively. How can we cultivate a generation of learners who can transform, engage, and be present in ways that decolonize and reconcile with Indigenous peoples? What pedagogies call on their hearts as learners? How do instructors create connections between the content and competencies in ways that make learning meaningful, relevant, and practical? These questions drive my passion for a pedagogy of “First Touch”. We will explore what the barriers are to this kind of pedagogy, how to reframe them, and examples of how this kind of pedagogy can inspire truly innovative and heart/mind/hands-centered teaching.

March 4: Carey Newman

Carey, whose traditional name is Hayalthkin’geme, is a multi-disciplinary Indigenous artist, master carver, filmmaker, author and public speaker. He holds the position of Impact Chair in Indigenous Art Practices at the University of Victoria. Through his father he is Kwakwak’awakw from the Kukwekum, Giiksam, and WaWalaby’ie clans of northern Vancouver Island, and Coast Salish from Cheam of the Sto:lo Nation along the upper Fraser Valley. Through his mother he is a Settler of English, Irish, and Scottish heritage. In his artistic practice he strives to highlight Indigenous, social, and environmental issues as he examines the impacts of colonialism and capitalism, harnessing the power of material truth to unearth memory and trigger the necessary emotion to drive positive change. He is also interested in engaging with community and incorporating innovative methods derived from traditional teachings and Indigenous worldviews into his process. His most influential work, The Witness Blanket, is made of items collected from residential schools, government buildings and churches across Canada and deals with the subject of Truth and Reconciliation. It is now part of the collection at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Keynote synopsis: From the community engaged and collaborative process of making the Witness Blanket to the Oakland’s Totem, an art project carried out with students at an elementary school, and other art projects along the way, Carey will share how his head, heart, hands, and culture affect his work as an artist, teacher and scholar.

Session Schedule:

Day 1 - March 3, 2025

Time	Session Title	Presenter(s)
9:00 – 9:20	Welcome, Land Acknowledgement and Opening	Elder John Sam, David Wells, Vice President Academic & Applied Research – Vancouver Community College
9:20 – 10:20	Keynote Address: Engaging the Head, Hands, and Heart: Teaching through “First Touch” Pedagogy	Dr. Awneet Sivia (University of the Fraser Valley)
10:20 – 10:30	Break
10:30 – 11:00	Shared experiences and experiments - teaching and designing courses in a more open, student-centered and holistic way	Kimberley Sutherland (Douglas College)
11:00 – 12:00	Student Showcase	Facilitator: Alicia Copp
12:00 – 12:30	Lunch
12:30 – 1:30	Student Wellness Panel Discussion In this dynamic panel discussion, leaders from Vancouver Community College and George Brown College will explore innovative approaches to embedding health and wellbeing across post-secondary institutions, examining both policy frameworks and pedagogical practices that support a whole-campus wellness model. The conversation will highlight collaborative initiatives including stepped care implementation, faculty development, and integrated support systems, while discussing how cross-institutional partnerships can enhance these efforts through shared learning and joint program delivery.	Facilitator: Jonathon Morris, CEO, Canadian Mental Health Association Panelists: Susan Toews, Dean – Centre for Preparatory and Liberal Studies (George Brown College); Alex Irwin, Director, Student Well-Being and Support (George Brown College); Clayton Munro – Associate Vice President, Student and Enrolment Services (Vancouver Community College); Isabella Cheung (VCC student- Business & Project Management)
1:30 – 2:00	Forest literacies: Developing place-based knowledge through a sensory, embodied walking methodology	Jennifer Cummins (Vancouver Community College)
2:00 – 2:10	Break
2:10 – 2:55	Teaching with AI: Ethics, Creativity, and Student-Centered Innovation	Alice Scheuerman (Kwantlen Polytechnic University)
2:55 – 3:05	Generative Artificial Intelligence in Post-Secondary Education: Paving the Way Forward	Adam Vanzell (Conference Board of Canada)
3:05 – 3:15	Learning together: How relationships shape pedagogical experience and support well-being for immigrant women participating in training	Kristin Vandegriend (Vancouver Community College)
3:15 - 3:25	A Scan of Post-Secondary Learning Supports for Neurodiverse Students	Sara Yuen (Vancouver Community College)
3:25 – 3:30	Wrap Up

Day 2 - March 4, 2025

Time	Session Title	Presenter(s)
9:00 – 10:00	Keynote Address: From the community engaged and collaborative process of making the Witness Blanket to the Oakland’s Totem, an art project carried out with students at an elementary school, and other art projects along the way, Carey will share how his head, heart, hands, and culture affect his work as an artist, teacher and scholar.	Carey Newman (University of Victoria)
10:00 – 10:45	Strengthening Resilience through Indigenous Land Based Education	Laura Grizzlypaws (Thompson Rivers University)
10:45 – 10:55	Break
10:55 – 11:05	VR Interactive Activities and Immersive Video Technology for Culinary Arts	Ysabel Sukic and Michael Knie (Vancouver Community College)
11:05 – 12:00	Student Showcase	Facilitator: Alicia Copp
12:00 – 12:30	Lunch
12:30 – 1:15	Explication of the accommodation apparatus: Critical hope for change	Mary DeMarinia (Justice Institute of BC) with co-presenters Brianna Higgins, Sheri Wiwchar, Heidi Parisotto, Venecia Williams (Vancouver Community College)
1:15 - 1:45	Towards a Compassionate Classroom: Focusing on our Students, our Colleagues, and Ourselves	Lydia Watson (Capilano University)
1:45 – 2:00	Break
2:00 – 2:30	2SLGBTQIA+ Student Experiences at Post-Secondary Institutions in the Lower Mainland	Emily Simpson (Vancouver Community College), Camille Bédard, Liam Ruel, and Dr. Tara Lyons (Kwantlen Polytechnic University).
2:30 – 3:00	Conceptualizing Living Curriculum: A Pedagogy of Connection to Land, People, and Stories through an Arts-Based Approach	Vicki MacKenzie-Denis with co-presenter Jing Mao(Coast Mountain College)
3:00 – 3:10	Vancouver Community College’s Technical and Vocational Education: Strategies for Enhanced Engagement and Collaboration	Jennifer Adachi (Vancouver Community College)
3:10 – 3:20	EAT, CARE, and GROW: Cultivating Intercultural and Inclusive Teaching Practices	Jing Mao (Coast Mountain College)
3:20 – 3:30	Wrap Up

Accessibility: As part of our commitment to accessibility, ASL interpreters will be available for both days. The sessions will take place on Zoom webinar which will also allow for automated captioning.

Registration is required. The program will be available here and on our website in January.

We look forward to seeing you there! 

Contact the host of 2025 Vancouver Community College Teaching, Learning, and Research Symposium