College hosts presentation on open pedagogy

> Tearing down barriers in education

Colten Kamlade
Staff Reporter

 

he presentation What’s Open

about Open Pedagogy was held
in the Aboriginal Gathering Place
at the New Westminster campus
of Douglas College October 26.

Christina Hendricks, a philosophy
professor at UBC, spoke at the event.
Snacks and refreshments were offered,
and at least a dozen people attended.
Though open pedagogy might not be
a phrase you hear every day, within
academic circles it has been a hot topic of
conversation in the last couple of years.

Hendricks said a number of bloggers
have been posting about the subject.

“There was this huge explosion of
blog posts, from April to May of 2017,
lots and lots of people saying ‘here’s what
I think open pedagogy is,” she said.

Though there has been plenty of
discourse, Hendricks said it is still unclear
what exactly is meant by the term.

“Still even now I’m not sure I
have a good handle on it,” she said.

Despite the difficulties of creating
a precise definition, Hendricks said
she believes she has found common
themes amongst the different ideas.

“T pulled some things out to try
to present to you and say ‘here’s what
it seems to be what mostly people
think open pedagogy is,” she said.

Douglas College
to host Global
Engagement Days

> Week of events being held

for first time at college

Jake Wray
News Editor

 

ouglas College will hold a series of
multicultural events from November
6 to November 10 in their first-ever Global
Engagement Days celebration, according
to a Facebook page for the event.
On Monday, November 6, there
will bea panel discussion called
Internationalization of Higher Education
in the Anvil Centre, a presentation
about research on study-abroad
programs, the screening of an excerpt of
a French film in the New Westminster
campus Aboriginal Gathering Place,
and the New Westminster cafeteria
will serve Aloo Gobi, an Indian dish.
On Tuesday, November 7, there will be
a presentation at the New Westminster
campus by Paul Wright, head of cultural
studies at the University of Wales Trinity
St. David, booths in the New Westminster
campus concourse showcasing art, food,
and other cultural assets from around the

Hendricks said she believes
it is mostly about traditional
barriers in education.
“[Open pedagogy is about] breaking
down walls,” she said, adding that
there are multiple ways to accomplish
that. “Giving students the ability to
be creative in coming up with new
ways of doing the course [is key.]”
Hendricks gave the example of using
open textbooks when teaching a class.
“Open textbooks are like regular
textbooks that you would assign in
a course, but it has an open license,
meaning, usually it doesn’t cost
anything unless you want to print it,
and then it’s just a small amount to
print. It has the ability for people to
repost it, to revise it, to change it, to
send it to other websites,” she said.
With open textbooks students
have the opportunity to contribute to
textbooks, whether through added
biographies or annotations, and to
actually spend time on an assignment
that will not just be thrown in the
recycling bin after it has been marked.
Hendricks also expressed concern
with the use of the term open pedagogy,
due to its vague definition. “Does it help
to call such things open pedagogy ... [or]
is it just confusing things?” she asked.
“Because here are a number of other
words that talk about similar things.
Self-directed learning ... connected
learning, student as a producer.”

CONVERSATIONS

WORKSHOPS

world, an interactive survey
about interculturalization
led by students from
Communications 1104
classes, an international café space in
the DSU building, a workshop called
World of Dance, a screening of a
Mexican film in the New Westminster
campus Aboriginal Gathering Space,

a language workshop for travelers,

and the New Westminster cafeteria

will service Paella, a Spanish dish.

On Wednesday, November 8, there

will be a workshop called Academic
Integrity: Plagiarism and Culture at the
New Westminster campus, booths in the
Coquitlam campus atrium showcasing
art, food, and other cultural assets from
around the world, an international
opportunities fair at the New Westminster
campus with information about studying
abroad, a presentation at the Coquitlam
campus about the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights, a workshop called
Internationalizing the Curriculum at the

AESEARCHY
ae hyp

 

Photo of Christina Hendricks via bccampus.ca

 
 

Event Poster via Douglas College

€¢ Douglas College will hold a series of multicultural
events from November 6 to November 10 in their
first-ever Global Engagement Days celebration,
according to a Facebook page for the event.”

 

New Westminster campus, information
sessions about field school programs

in Italy and Scotland, a screening of a
French film at the New Westminster
campus, and the New Westminster
cafeteria will serve Italian penne.

On Thursday, November g, there will
be an international opportunities fair at
the Coquitlam campus with information
about studying abroad, a workshop

at the New Westminster campus

called Migrant Justice, a presentation

about internationalization of higher
education from the perspective of post-
secondary institution staff members,
and the New Westminster cafeteria
will serve Paella, a Spanish dish.

On Friday, November 10, the Douglas
Royals basketball home opener will
“recognize and celebrate cultural
diversity” in the athletics department,
according to the Douglas College website,
and the New Westminster cafeteria will
serve ginger beef on steamed rice.