Episode Forty-two

Intercollegiate relationships and the value of PD

with special guest Erica Kelly from Lambton College

We had the pleasure of chatting with the lovely, knowledgeable, and thoughtful Erica Kelly this week, and are thrilled to share our chat and lots of great information about humanizing practices, external professional development, intercollegiate relationships and more.  Erica shares some wonderful practical application tips and strategies that she uses to connect with her students in online and remote environments, and also reminds us of the importance of being context-centered in our interactions with our students by recognizing that their comfort level and ability to participate may vary week to week.  Erica and Kim met at a the virtual CALL (College Association for Language and Literacy) conference this past spring, and Erica shares what the CALL conference (and others like it) bring to her teaching practice and her passion for what she does.  We hope that you'll enjoy our chat with Erica as much a we did!

Episode Forty-three

For the love of learning (and for those who don't love it!)

with not so special guests, Kelly and Kim

Today we tackle a topic that we've danced around a little in our podcast journey, and have definitely thought about a lot in our teaching careers - the love of learning, and how we reach, connect with, and teach those who don't love learning (and why it's ok with us that they don't).  This is basically an episode about how we can connect with our students, and help them connect with the content - it's the age old question of engagement, with a twist!  Oh, and we did some research, which means there are actually some valuable tips and information that extend beyond the small pool of knowledge that we have! :)  We hope you'll take a listen!

Episode Forty-four

Northern Lights at Cambrian College & More!

with special guests Mel Young, Sarah Wendorf, and Chris Schubert

Coming soon...

Episode Forty-five

What's in a week series - part 1

with special guest Eleanor Gittens

Coming soon...

Episode Forty-six

What's in a week series - part 2

with special guest Rena Lang

Coming soon...

Episode Forty-seven

What's in a week series - part 3

with special guest Rob Harrison

Coming soon...

Episode Forty-eight

GCSA and more!

with special guest, and GCSA Barrie President - Ishaan Sachdeva

Coming soon...

Episode Forty-nine

Lifelong learning and more!

with not so special guests Kelly & Kim

Coming soon...

Episode Fifty

Academic integrity and more 

with special guests Josh Seeland and Caitlin Munn

Coming soon...

Episode Forty-one

All things Blackboard

with special guests and Blackboard Ninjas - Matt Garwood & Steve Cunningham

Chances are, at some point in your Georgian career, you've had the pleasure of connecting with either Matt or Steve (or both!) when you've run into a Blackboard issue.  To say that they are experts would not do enough to capture exactly what they do and how valuable their work and knowledge is to us.  The only logical way to describe these two is as Blackboard Ninjas.  Matt and Steve stopped by to chat with us about all of the wonderful ways they offer support to faculty, about what's new and exciting about our learning management system, and they both shared a few nuggets of information around "things you should know" about Bb that could make your work life SO much easier.  This episode is a "must listen" to ensure you are saving yourself time, and making the most of the features of our LMS.  

Episode Forty

All things Georgian

with special guest - President & CEO of Georgian College - Dr. MaryLynn West-Moynes 

This week we sat down with MaryLynn West-Moynes, who was as just as fun and easy to talk to as she was passionate about the Georgian community and team!  MaryLynn chatted with us about what "fills her cup", what brought her to the world of education, and to Georgian specifically, and she also takes a deep and meaningful dive into discussing the near and more distant future goals of the college and our community.  MaryLynn is so thoughtful and sincere in both her plans and her actions, and she isn't afraid to tackle topics like Covid protocols, vaccinations, the soon-to-be-revealed strategic plan, and what it's like to be a female college president in a field still statistically dominated by men.  We thoroughly enjoyed our chat, and left feeling confident, excited, and committed to a bright future at Georgian.  You don't want to miss this one! :) 

Episode Thirty-nine

Virtual reality in teaching (and more!)

with special guest Rob Theriault

This week we had the pleasure of chatting with the incredible Rob Theriault about all things Virtual Reality at Georgian.  Kelly was blown away by Rob's passion for these initiatives, and Kim had a lightbulb moment when considering the impact of adrenaline on our ability to make decisions in emergencies (VR can help our students experience this through simulation!).  Rob has piloted projects in many of the medical fields at the college (nursing, paramedics, veterinary tech, and more, but he has also extended VR into many other program areas at the college, including fine arts, the trades, and indigenous studies.  The possibilities appear endless, and with Rob at the helm, we're certain that VR is, and will continue to be, an important part of the Georgian student experience. 

Episode Thirty-eight

student leadership and more

with special guest Sheona Morrison

Sheona Morrison is a go-getter!  Not only is a superstar athlete (proudly representing the University of Toronto on their soccer team for all four years of her undergraduate experience), but she brings that same fierceness and passion to her role managing Student Leadership and Transition Programs here at the College.  Sheona brings a fresh and exciting energy and new perspective to the podcast, shining light on the work that our students do to enhance the Georgian experience, and sharing information about how faculty can support and be a part of student-driven initiatives across all Georgian campuses.  Buckle up for this one, it's full of so much information and energy it'll have you jumping out of your seat!  

Episode Thirty-seven

Professional development, passion in teaching, woodworking, and more

with special guest, lifelong learner, and super fun dude Jarrod Otterman

Jarrod is a good guy, like a really good guy.  He's humble, he's kind, he works incredibly hard, he is so skilled and intelligent, and he's a great friend to CTL (and we're sure SO many more) at Georgian.  Jarrod stops by to talk about his commitment to PD, what inspires him about teaching (hint - Greg Rogrido shout out that you don't want to miss!), he talks about teaching that doesn't feel like teaching, advice his offers his students as they prepare to enter the field, and more.  You don't want to miss this one with the awesome Jarrod Otterman!

Episode Thirty-six

MICROCREDENTIALS, LIfe at Georgian, and more

with special guest, VP Academic, and super knowledgeable and passionate guy, Kevin Weaver

It was a bright and sunny Thursday morning the day we sat down to chat with Kevin Weaver, and the sun wasn't the only thing warming our hearts that morning.  Kevin was an absolute joy to chat with and listen to.  In this episode Kevin shares a whole load of important information about digital innovation, new learning modalities, micro credentials, current and future plans for Georgian, and more.  But what got us so excited, and really and truly "filled our cups" during our chat was the tangible passion and excitement that you can feel when Kevin talks about Georgian, his work within and outside of it, and of course, when he talks about the Leafs.  You do not want to miss this episode.  Really.  It's full of important information about Georgian, but also just presents such a refreshing and exciting look at the college, the faculty, staff, and students within it, and the incredibly future that Kevin, the Senior Leadership Team, and the whole Georgian community are working so hard towards.  You do not want to miss this one! :)  

Episode Thirty-five

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire" ~ Yeats - How to reignite the fire

With not so special guests Kelly & Kim

It's been a year (and a half!)....gosh has it ever been a year (and a half).  Many of us have found ourselves experiencing cognitive overload, emotional overload, and just general life overload.  This can leave us feeling like work is a lot, in some cases, too much.  And sometimes, it's hard to find joy in things that feel like really hard work.  However, it's important to remember that many of us also got into this career because we love teaching, we love learning, and if we're lucky enough, we love our jobs and what we do.  Our goal today is to pause, reflect, and remind ourselves what we love about our work and our jobs and how we can do more of that and find more joy, or find joy again in our work.  This episode presents some tips and ideas around finding ways to love your job.  Please join us for this important episode that we hope will help all of us feel energized, excited, and prepared for the upcoming fall term. 

Episode Thirty-four

student-led clinics, outreach programs, and more

with special guest, professional comedienne, doggy foster-mom, and super fun friend Erin Gilchrist

We adore Erin.  She is kind, thoughtful, authentic, talented, and so giving (in her life, in her work, and everywhere!).  We thoroughly enjoyed our chat with Erin and are already looking forward to having her back on the podcast again.  Erin shared information about Speech and Language learning at Georgian and the Harmonize for Speech, Hearing, and Language Clinic, which is a student-led community clinic for folks in Simcoe County and beyond.  Erin's passion for her students and all that they do is admirable and tangible.  We hope you enjoy this heart-warming chat with Erin Gilchrist.    

Episode Thirty-three

LIbrary services, the importance of collegiality and more

with special guest, kind soul, EDI trailblazer, and all around amazing friend Gail Hussey

We laughed, we reminisced, we laughed some more, we chatted, and somewhere in there the hilarious and fun Gail Hussey shared some of her amazing knowledge and experience regarding library services, life at Georgian, and more.  Gail is a firecracker, and we had a blast chatting and goofing around with her!  We hope you enjoy this lively chat with Gail! :)

Episode Thirty-two

Digital innovation at Georgian

with special guest, total go-getter, super brave and kind gal - Kelly Duggan

Kelly Duggan joins us this week to chat about bravery in our teaching, work, and lives, about what digital innovation means to us and our students here at Georgian, about a passion for life and travel, and so much more.  This was an incredibly inspiring interview, and we hope that you'll enjoy listening to Kelly D as much as we enjoyed chatting with her. 

Kelly mentioned a few awesome resources in her episode.  Links to these can be found below:

• Kelly's GEDTalk

• Trapeze image - The Catch

• Kelly's favourite quote about change - "This river I step in is not the river I stand in"

Episode Thirty-one

Thank you, and what we've learned (and loved!) so far!

With not so special guests - Kelly & Kim

We are continually blown away by the support and encouragement we receive for this podcast.  We have also had felt like our cups overfloweth with guests who have touched our hearts, fed our minds, and have stoked the fire for learning, growth, and appreciation for Georgian and all of the amazing faculty and staff who make it an incredible place to work and be.  In this (short and sweet!) episode, we say thanks, we reflect, and we make plans for the future of this little podcast that could. Thank you so much for being a part of this journey with us, and we look forward to many more laughs, lots more learning, and most importantly, sharing space with and stories from incredible colleagues doing incredible things.  

Episode Thirty

hybrid teaching, FLEXCDP, and MORE

with special guest, CTL superstar, instructional design innovator, and the greenest green thumb that we know - Amy Goruk

The incredible, fun, supportive, knowledgeable, and kind Amy Goruk stopped by this week to share some insight on instructional design in general, to expand our understanding of some of the new learning modalities coming to Georgian, and to help us make sense of the collection of acronyms (in the form of many new and exciting courses!) coming out of the Centre for Teaching and Learning this fall.  We hope you enjoy this informative, important, and fun chat with the wonderful and awesome, Amy! 

Episode Twenty-nine

Physical Health and Well-being (in general and with regards to online/remote teaching)

with special guest, yogi, former phys. ed teacher, health enthusiast, and all around interesting gal, Katie Albisser.

This week we are joined by the lovely and knowledgeable Katie Albisser who was kind enough to stop by and share (from her experience as a yogi, phys ed. teacher, and more!) some information about sedentary work, and how to fight back against the negative impact that sitting can have on our health.  Katie provides some amazing (realistic and manageable!) tips and strategies to help keep our bodies and our brains sharp during this unusual time (and beyond!)

Here are links to some of the resources Katie mentions in this episode:

• Do Yoga With Me 

• Yoga Journal 

• The Art of Yoga

• Vimeo Videos - TheArtofYogaSquamish

• Ahimsa 

Episode Twenty-eight

Hy-Flex Learning, OERs, and more

with special guest, teaching, facilitating, and ed-tech ninja Alissa Bigelow

This week the incredible Alissa Bigelow joins us to talk about new learning modalities at Georgian, OERs, and much more! We hope you'll take a listen to the incredible Alissa share important information about a more flexible and "open" post-secondary learning experience. 

Episode Twenty-seven

Satellite campuses, work in the trades, and loving what you do

with special guest, manager of Midland and Muskoka campuses, total firecracker, and fellow that reminds us how lucky we are to be able to edit these episodes before we post them - Mac Greaves

Anyone who's ever met Mac knows that he is a total firecracker.  Quick wit, great sense of humour, huge wealth of knowledge, and a heck of a time.  We mustered up the courage to ask him to join us for a chat (mostly because we knew Kelly could edit the episode before we posted it, hopefully ensuring none of our jobs would be in jeopardy), and Mac did not disappoint.  He speaks with so much passion about what he and his team do, and shares his thoughts on the value and importance of satellite campuses, the future of the trades (we think he and Adam may have been colluding on this as they both had incredibly polished and amazing answers), and Mac also shares information about some exciting new opportunities at Georgian for students in the trades.  To learn more, and to be entertained by the comedic stylings of Mac, we invite you to take a listen!

Episode Twenty-six

EAP, Internationalization, languauge help centre, and more!

with special guest, self-proclaimed cat lady, and super interesting gal Corinne Whitney.

When Corinne isn't sharing her gifts in the worlds of teaching, learning, and managing you can often find her loving on her cats, travelling the world, or gigging with her band (we hear she's a fabulous singer!).  We had the pleasure of sitting down to chat with Corinne about her involvement in international student experiences and teaching (mostly through EAP - English for Academic Purposes program), what the Language Help Centre is and who it supports, and also the importance of faculty appreciating and understanding the challenges that our incredible international students face when they come to Ontario to study at Georgian.  Corinne is friendly, warm, kind, knowledgeable, inclusive, patient, and all around a real blast to share space with.  We hope you enjoy our chat with Corinne!

• For more information about English Language Studies at Georgian, please click on the following link ----> English Language Studies @ Georgian.

• If you're interested in learning more about the EAP (English for Academic Purposes) program specifically, please take a minute to check out their website ----> EAP @ Georgian

• For more information about the Language Help Centre, please visit their website accessible via the following link ----> Language Help Centre

Episodes Twenty-four & Twenty-five

Ed tech, online teaching, microcredentials, the future of learning, & more (like, lots more!)

with CEO of eCampus Ontario, Dr. Robert Luke - Part 1 (May 17th) & Part 2 (May 24th)

Dr. Robert Luke is smart, like really, really smart.  But beyond that, he's also kind, well-spoken, passionate about education and people, and overall, he was an absolute delight to work with.  We had a blast chatting with Robert about what we agreed were important topics to/for our audience, and gosh, did he ever deliver.  In these episodes Dr. Luke confidently and easily navigates our giggles and nerves, and shares helpful, meaningful, and well-developed ideas and information about topics ranging from microcredentials, to the future of online teaching and learning, to equity, diversity, and inclusion in online learning, and more.  This one is definitely worth a listen. 

Oh, and please note: this was recorded "live" and on a different video conferencing platform than we typically record on, and unfortunately the sound quality is not great, ugh.  But the content is SO good that we couldn't even fathom the idea of not posting/sharing these episodes.  Please forgive the sound quality and we hope you'll enjoy our "fireside chat" with Dr. Robert Luke.  

• Want to learn more about eCampus and the fabulous support, information, resources, and more that eCampus shares and provides?  Click here ---> eCampusOntario to check our their website

• To learn more about Microcredentials and their value and importance here at Georgian, please click here ----> Microcredentials 

Episode Twenty-four

Episode Twenty-five

Episode Twenty-three

MEntal health, well-being, and wellness at Georgian 

with special guest Greg Taylor

We had the pleasure of chatting with Greg Taylor about all things mental health, and are so thrilled to share his insightful, helpful, and thorough list of resources (below), as well as to chat with him about being proactive in our own mental health and how to support students during these trying times.  Greg's extensive experience in the field is evident, as is his big heart, and genuine concern and care for the entire Georgian community.  We hope you'll take a minute to check out our chat with the wonderful Greg Taylor.  

• Mental Health and Well-being Portal @Georgian - Resources for students

• Good2Talk - 24 hour mental health and well-being support hotline for post-secondary students.

• Keep me safe- for international students- 30 different languages 

• Mindfulness community of practice:  GC@3- meditation - WebEx link available through the CTL website (near the bottom of the page under GC@3)

• Georgian Athletics - virtual yoga and fitness 

• AbilitiCBT and Bounce Back or counselling through extended health benefits (resources for students and for faculty)

Episodes Twenty-one & Twenty-two

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and general bad-assery 

with special guest and total badass Jill Esmonde - PART 1 & 2

Jill Esmonde is a badass.  In every sense of the word.  She is bold, brave, intelligent, real, kind, caring, and she doesn’t take shit from anyone.  And gosh do we ever love and admire her for that (and so many other things!).  Jill joins us for a discussion about Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Georgian College and beyond, how there are no "sidelines" when it comes to racism and discrimination, and what we as faculty and people can do to act, and to be a part of positive change.  Jill tackles our discussion, and her work, and life with a passion that sparks, motivates, inspires, and challenges.  She creates space for pause and reflection, she leans into discomfort and painful conversations, and has the guts to say the things that others won't.  We hope that you'll take a ride with us, and with the incredible Jill Esmonde, and that her words will spark action, change perspectives, and force us to consider our role in making the world a place that's safe, welcoming, and fair for all.  

• In this episode, Jill mentioned Resmaa Menakem's book My Grandmother's Hands 

• Jill also mentioned the Anti-black racism resources available through the Georgian website. 

• Indigenous Services, in partnership with the Centre for Teaching and Learning, will be hosting the Decolonization Café, a 2 hour weekly drop-in session to support the decolonization and Indigenization of teaching practices. The café style sessions will model decolonized formats, frameworks, and interactions.  Together, we will deconstruct our assumptions about ourselves, our assumptions about our students, and our assumptions about the teaching and learning process, and in doing so, open up the possibility for real human connection across difference. If you would like to explore some strategies for engaging students within a compassionate, supportive community, consider joining us!  Please watch for emails from CTL regarding upcoming Cafe dates and times.

• Layla F. Saad has created a 28 day challenge for folks who hold white privilege to do deep introspection with accompanying daily journaling on themes listed in the schedule below. This is deep, intense, work requiring unflinching honesty- but in this work is the possibility for transformation. In this work, we can find hope. Using the “Circle Way”, we will together shine a light on how white supremacy and white privilege manifest in our daily thoughts and actions, so we can begin to dismantle it and be a part of building a better, more just world.  Who can join? This learning circle is open to all faculty and staff who hold white privilege. There is no requirement of previous training, but there is a requirement that you be willing to honestly and humbly engage in the work.  What will be required of me? As Layla F. Saad writes, this work will require your truth, your love, and your commitment. This work will be hard, it will be accompanied by feelings of shame, it will at times be painful. You need to commit to stick through hard times, to sit with discomfort, and to do the work of getting it right, letting go of the need to be right. It is humbling work, but together, using the structure and norms of the ‘Circle Way’, we will support each other through this challenging process. We will hold each other accountable, but at all times we will center kindness, compassion, and the love that compels each of us to be a part of necessary change.  We will follow Saad’s daily journaling process, and meet once a week for two hours.  The current session is full, please stay tuned for new dates for the Spring semester.

Episode Twenty-one

Episode Twenty-two

Episode Twenty

Community integration through cooperative education (CICE) - what, why, and how (as in, how awesome is this program?!)

with special guest Molly Zariwny

Our chat with Molly Zariwny began with a story from Molly about what led her to teaching and how lucky she feels to work in a role where she gets paid to learn everyday.  Sounds like an absolute dream, and we couldn't agree more.  The amazing thing about Molly's role is that it also allows Molly and her team in CICE the chance to make dreams come true for our students as well.  In this episode Molly shares information about the CICE program, shares heartwarming success stories about wonderful student experiences within the program, and shares information about the ways that faculty can best support CICE students and the amazing team of learning facilitators who support them.  Oh, and Kelly makes Kim cry (shocker!).  You don't want to miss this one. Please join us for a fabulous chat with the lovely Molly Zariwny.  

In this episode Molly shares a wealth of helpful information about the CICE program, some of which is summarized in the documents below.  If you have any other questions or would like to be a part of the CICE program (as a program, faculty, or student) please find Molly's contact information in the documents below:

• CICE Flyer

• CICE Brochure

• CICE Faculty Guide

Episode Nineteen

Electrical techniques and apprenticeship, the future of the trades (and the education behind iT), and MORE...

With special guest, super nice (and super tall!) guy - Adam Zubczyk

We had the chance to sit down and chat with Adam Zubczyk (zoob-chick), and after our time together we are completely certain that he could do a much better job hosting this podcast than we do. No joke, the guy is a complete pro.  Adam is passionate about what he does, about the people he works with, about the students he supports, and about the future of the trades and Georgian's place within it.  In this episode, Adam shares with us how he and his colleagues have adjusted and innovated to accommodate their students in the electrical techniques and apprenticeship programs in this new world, shares his thoughts about why the electrical program is so popular, and introduces us to the phrase "earn while you learn" which is just as cool as it sounds.  We hope you'll take a little time to listen to our chat with the guy who might be stealing our jobs someday soon - the super professional, friendly, well-spoken, and fun Adam Zubczyk.

Episode Eighteen

Redefining the coop experience, hyflex learning, and more

with special guest, innovator, and super interesting dude Joshua Barath

Josh Barath is a self-proclaimed "talker", so needless to say, he fit in REAL well with us, and we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him and learning about all of the amazing things that he and his team are working on here at Georgian.  The (gulp, ew.) pivot (ugh) to remote learning presented challenges for Josh, as an integral part of his program area is co-op placement.  But what many of us saw as a challenge, or barrier to historical (read - comfortable) practice, Josh saw as an opportunity to innovate, adapt, and update.  The new foundation for learning that he and his team have developed, and continue to build upon is nothing short of awesome.  Like, really really awesome. And not only does it help his students meet the same learning outcomes they met in traditional co-ops, it also gives them a peek behind the curtain (of the "real world" that lies ahead in their field), and an opportunity for networking and connection with the professionals and companies who will be employing these students in the future.  Josh, and his commitment to growth, passion for student success, and bravery in the face of challenge are what post-secondary teaching is (and darn well should be) all about.  We hope that you enjoy our enlightening and fun chat with Josh!

Episode Seventeen

Coaching and motivation in education

with special guest, and total legend Jimmy Orange

Jimmy Orange is great guy, like really, really great.  

Oh, and he's a highly skilled, well-respected, and wildly successful educator, coach, and human.  Jimmy combines well-defined, clear, and purposeful expectations and boundaries with humanizing strategies that Michelle Pacansky-Brock herself could be proud of.  In doing so, Jimmy has cultivated an environment where he can be a "warm demander" of excellence for his students and athletes, resulting in admirable (and almost unparalleled) levels of student motivation, engagement, commitment, and retention.  We credit part of his success to his personality and the fact that he is like super duper likeable and fun to be around, but he backs this up with knowledge about and execution of educational and learning methods and techniques and a sincere and heartfelt commitment to his students and athletes and their success.  

Jimmy also shares his connection to his history, culture and roots, hailing from New Zealand, and being a part of the Māori culture.  Our discussion left us feeling so inspired by how seemingly seamlessly synthesized (say that 5 times without stopping!) the Kiwi and Māori culture are, and how knowledge and learning about their shared history is deeply woven into the fabric of the school system and teachings.  It gives us something to strive for, something to work towards, and something to be excited about.  It feels a bit like a preview of what real and meaningful truth and reconciliation can look and feel like if we all commit to being a part of positive and real action and change.  

Oh, and we also talk about rugby, Aussie rules football, drinking beer, and trips to Dubai.  This one is SO worth a listen. 

In our discussions with Jimmy we mentioned some Māori cultural resources and films that we are very happy to share, and hope that you'll enjoy as much as we do:

• One of Kim's favourite movies of all time (and a definite tear-jerker!) - Whale Rider - Plllllease watch this, and please email Kim to let her know how much you loved it! Keisha Castle-Hughes is so incredibly talented, and she's amazing in this film! :) 

• Jimmy also mentioned Boy from writer and director Taika Waititi (who also had a hand in the super successful Mandalorian series as well as Thor: Ragnarok)

• River Queen is another great film that provides insight in early European colonization in NZ.

• And last but not least, another Waititi film Hunt for the Wilderpeople gets high praise from Jimmy and from critics!

Episode Sixteen

No good answers, but lots of questions about the "new normal"

A wise person once said "No [person] ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and [they] not the same [person]."  We've danced around this idea for a while, and finally took the time to think a little more deeply on the idea of the "new normal".  I think most of us would agree that there is no going "back" to normal (we think at this point, it's more likely that you'd accompany Marty McFly back to the future), so it's time to start considering the exciting possibilities and opportunities that await us in the "new normal" and the future of post-secondary education here at Georgian.  

Cards on the table, we don't have any answers to, well, anything really.  But we do have some questions, some hopes, and some ideas about what we think would be pretty cool when we consider the future of teaching and learning at Georgian.  

Episode Fifteen

Authentic assessment in adult education 

with special guest, and scratch (OK, maybe not, but still REALLY GOOD) golfer - Alyssa Hall :) 

This week we had the pleasure of chatting with the knowledgeable, passionate, and innovative Alyssa Hall.  Alyssa shares a passion for golf with Kelly, a passion for hiking, boating, and outdoor adventures with Kim, and shares her thoughts on authentic assessment in the teaching and learning process with our audience.  Alyssa is doing some great things in her classes, like really great.  She's mastered lesson planning, course design, and assessment and so much more, and is now placing great focus on authentic assessment which is not only authentic to students and their experiences, but also focuses on mirroring what life, work, and tasks will look like for our students beyond the realm of Georgian.  We had a blast chatting with Alyssa, and really believe that there are some fabulous takeaways and application ideas for other Georgian faculty to apply in their classes. We hope you enjoy!

Episode Fourteen

Greg is awesome.

with special guest, and all around amazing human being - Greg Rodrigo

Everybody at Georgian knows Greg.  And more than this, everybody at Georgian has had an experience working with Greg, and has felt seen, heard, appreciated, and special.  Greg is a wealth of knowledge, he is as friendly and kind as all get-out, he is an innovative thinker AND Greg is an active do-er - he talks the talk, AND he walks the walk, and we are forever grateful for all of the knowledge, joy, excitement, humour, innovation, and fun that Greg brings to Georgian, and the whole world around him. 

In this episode we chat with Greg about the future of teaching and learning, some of his favourite experiences in the world of education, and we learn a little more about what makes the amazing Greg Rodrigo tick! 

Episode Thirteen

Changemaking @ Georgian College

with special guests Tracy Mitchell-Ashley & Laura Koza (pictured below #AccidentalTwinDays)

In this episode, Laura Koza and Tracy Mitchell-Ashley take us on a journey of understanding what it means to be an Ashoka Changemaking Campus (the only one in Canada!), what Ashoka Changemakers do on campus and beyond, and how others in the Georgian community can integrate Changemaking strategies and themes into teaching and learning at Georgian College. These two are a powerhouse of knowledge, motivation, enthusiasm, and fun and we had a blast chatting with them.  

Tracy and Laura mentioned a few important resources for folks who are looking to learn more. Please click on the links below to view these resources:

• Georgian's Changemaker Profile Page

• Georgian's Centre for Changemaking and Innovation Website

• Change the Now Event 

• Georgian's Changemaker in Residency Week - Staff News Article 

• Georgian's MS Team - Changemaking and Social Innovation Team

• Georgian's CTL Changemaking Resources 

• Ashoka Canada Website

Episode Twelve

Indigenizing your curriculum

with special guest Emma Greenfield

To say Emma Greenfield is fun to be around would be the understatement of the year.  We had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Emma about her history and culture, what drives and motivates her, her passion for and calling to social equity and justice, and her role as Indigenization Specialist here at Georgian, and were completely in awe of how she communicates and "is" in the space around her.  Emma shares stories, knowledge, and invitations to share, connect, and learn, and does it all with a giant smile, a warm heart, a strong voice, and a laugh as contagious as Kelly's. 

In this episode Emma shares information about resources that can help folks start, or take more important steps on, their own journey towards truth, reconciliation, and decolonization, and invites the Georgian community to reach out with questions, for more information, for tips, strategies, and ideas, or to learn more about Indigenous Culture, services, resources and more at Georgian and beyond.   

This episode is SO worth a listen, and we hope you feel as inspired to learn more, and to act, as we do.  Please enjoy a chat with Emma Greenfield. 

In this episode, Emma mentioned a number of resources that we wanted to share. Some of which are available through the Georgian library, and others can be found wherever you find your books.  We've provided AMAZON links below in case you'd like to learn more (or to purchase, not because we get anything out of it, but because...well pandemic...free shipping...you get it).

• Indigenous Services @ Georgian (many great resources and lots of wonderful information here!)

• Indigenous Books available through the Georgian library - Indigenous Books @ the Georgian Library. 

• Indigenous Videos available through the Georgian library - Indigenous Videos @ the Georgian Library. 

• Keeper'n Me - Richard Wagamese

• Wagamese has a number of other books available, and his author profile on Amazon can be found here - Richard Wagamese. 

• Emma's Grandmother's book (written in 1998) in case you'd like to learn more about it -  Toronto Public Library listing - Sing the Brave Song.

• Adam Gaudry & Danielle Lorenz - Indigenization as inclusion, reconciliation, and decolonization: navigating the different visions for indigenizing the Canadian Academy.  What do people really mean when they say 'indigenization'?

• Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada - Calls to Action

• Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada - Summary Report

• Seven Fallen Feathers - Tanya Talaga

• Thunderbay - Ryan McMann - Podcast

• Follow CBC Indigenous  - a great source for reputable news and information about Indigenous Culture, 

• Four Seasons of Reconciliation - Georgian's Professional Development Workshop (free, asynchronous workshop - this is so well done, and so important - PLEASE CHECK THIS OUT!)

Episode Eleven

Virtual reality in teaching (& more!)

with special guest Andrew Oster

Andrew Oster, Veteriarian, Teacher, and all around hilarious and fun guy (not to be confused with fungi!) joins us for a discussion of the value of Virtual Reality in his teaching and classes.  This also sparks a discussion about the need to "try something out" before jumping in with both feet (especially with regards to new tech).  We also discuss Andrew's love of bio-intensive gardening, his incredible ability to connect with patients (and pet parents), and his (exciting, but sometimes challenging - we're looking at you, Zebras!) experiences with exotic animals.   We'd love if you'd take a listen, and we're sure you'll find Andrew just as well-spoken, inspiring, and fun as we do! 

Episodes Nine & Ten

Anti-Racism @ Georgian

with special guests Clement Bamikole & Lynn MacKinlay

In this episode we have the pleasure of chatting with the inspirational team behind the Anti-Racism forums and initiatives at Georgian, Clem Bamikole and Lynn MacKinlay.  Clem humbly introduces his rich history in advocacy and human rights, and Lynn passionately discusses some of the reasons why she is a part of movements like this one.  The pair provide history, context, and valuable commentary on anti-black racism and what allyship looks like.  They also provide information about how to start, next steps, and the great importance of raising your voice against the inequities that people from the BIPOC (Black, indigenous, people of colour) folks continue to face.  

A great journey starts with a single step, and although these two advocates and leaders are well into their journey, they gracefully and patiently share what we can do to help contribute to the solution, instead of being a part of the problem of racial injustice. 

We invite you to listen to this two part episode, and to please reach out for information or resources, or to contact us with feedback, questions, comments, or more. 

To learn more about how you can be a part of positive change within and beyond the Georgian community, please click on the following link - Anti-Racism Resources

Episode Eight 

Writing in teaching & Learning

with special guest Jesse Wilkinson

Please note, this was one of the first episodes that we recorded and we ran into some audio issues which we have since remedied.  We loved the interview with Jesse so much, we didn't want to re-record, and we're hopeful that the tiny audio blips will be overshadowed by the content :)

In this episode we chat with the super cool, interesting, intelligent, well-spoken, and wonderfully talented, Jesse Wilkinson about his book, Europe: A novel (linked below), about the joy of writing, and about how Jesse infuses creative writing into his teaching practice.  We wonder if writing acts as a creative outlet for Jesse, and Jesse shares some great practical application strategies for using writing as a learning tool, and a method of assessment in his communications and general education classes.

To check out or buy Jesse's book, please click on the following link Europe: A Novel by Jesse Wilkinson

Episode Seven 

emergency/Bonus Episode - Start-up Survival Kit

A last minute addition to the podcast lineup. We hope that you'll find a "nugget" of helpful info to make this Winter '21 startup as painless (and enjoyable!) as possible!

We sat down together this week and started chatting about goals for the podcast in 2021 and realized that we were overlooking something super important.   We are all returning from holidays, still relatively fresh off of completing the Fall '20 term, and there are some amazing supports and resources that CTL is sharing, but not everyone has a schedule that allows them to attend or participate synchronously at the moment. 

So...we put our heads together, reminded ourselves of one of our main goals for this podcast (making PD and connection accessible for all Georgian faculty) and decided to do an "emergency" episode to share ideas, and/or to reassure folks that what you are doing is wonderful and "enough".   Because as Kelly shares in this episode, sometimes learning is about new concepts and ideas, and sometimes it's about the recognition/reassurance that you're already doing amazing things.   

Our prep for this episode led us to considering the feedback, questions, and ideas shared by Georgian's incredible faculty and from that we've compiled what we hope is an easy to share, digest, and hopefully easy to use list of strategies to help faculty prepare for the upcoming term. 

We're calling it Start-Up Strategies, and we hope that you can use it in complement to all of the amazing work that you already do to help ensure a fabulous term for both you and your students.  

Start Up Strategy List (a summary of the 10 items discussed in this episode)

1. We really believe that the prep, development, and learning that is being done will still have great value once we return to face to face teaching. So know that the work you are putting into developing your remote teaching will not be a waste.

2.  Lean (hard!) on your course outline.  Use it a foundation/structure/touchpoints, but just make sure you use it! An alignment document (sample below) can be really helpful with this.

3. Be mindful in your planning - consider the impact on the content and assessment schedule for both you and your students. 

4. Create an inclusive learning environment, and invite students to collaborate and be a part of it.

5. Talk openly and honestly about Academic Intregrity, Refer students to some or all of the amazing resources available on this, "open the door" - invite questions and let students know your shared learning space is a safe space to share.  

6. Humanize your course as much as possible.  Consider the impact that bedside manner has on your experience within the world of medicine, and remember that humanizing your course can have the same impact on the teaching and learning experience for your students. 

7. Put some thought into who you are and want to be this term, and what your goals are for this class, this term, and this group of students. 

8. Be as proactive as possible (if you know students will struggle to understand the expectations for an assignment if they're reading an assignment sheet, provide a screencasted walk-through of it instead), but also know that we are human, we are not perfect, and not every lesson will be a "home run" and that's OK!

9. Consider how, when, and why you're asking students to collaborate with you, the content, and eachother, and be deliberate and mindful in planning this.  Participation and engagement look different in a remote environment, so sometimes we just need to adjust our expectations in order to ensure we're not disappointed. 

10. Be kind to yourself and others....or better yet, be as kind to yourself as you are to others.  Sometimes we just need a reminder that if we're doing our best, that is enough.  Important for us as educators, and important to model and share with our students as well. 

In this episode we discussed a number of different resources and wanted to share links/methods of access to each of these below.  Please reach out to us with any questions!

• Alignment document (help with aligning course content to course outline and learning outcomes)

• Getting to know you survey (this is a link to a template that you are welcome to use "as is" or cater to you and your students.

• Academic Integrity Resources (there are so many, but this a good place to start) or you can reach out to our Academic Integrity Specialist, Kelly Fox.

• Armchair Expert Episode (we LOVE Dax!) with Brad Grossman - totally worth a listen!

• Another fabulous Humanizing resource from Michelle Pacansky-Brock - Humanizing Infographic 2.0

• Sample mission statement mentioned in the episode - " I endeavor to create brave spaces in this classroom in which students feel supported and safe so that ALL students may equally participate in the conversation.  “ 

• Kelvin Thompson quote mentioned from the podcast TOPCAST -  “telling is not teaching and listening is not learning”

Episode Six 

Educational technology, workflow, & More

with special guest Kate Quinn

Kate Quinn (Educational technology expert, Blackboard ninja, and all around heck of a good time) joins us for this episode of the Time for Teaching Podcast.  Kate discusses the journey that brought her from "Canada's Ocean Playground", Nova Scotia  to Georgian's beautiful Barrie campus, she chats about her experience as an online student, and shares tips for streamlining the use of technology in online and remote teaching experiences.  

Kate's "5 Tips for Streamlining Your Online Course" (<--- click on the link to download the PDF file) are timely as we prepare to enter the Winter term, we hope that you'll find a few great take-aways to apply to your prep for the upcoming term. 

Episode Five 

Unplugging and Recharging

In this episode we discuss the importance of down time, and the value of unplugging, recharging, and taking time for ourselves.  We discuss strategies for relaxation, and also setting the stage for a positive and painless transition back into work once the holidays are over.  Our focus for this podcast is on the teaching and learning experience, but as someone very wise once suggested, "you can't pour from an empty cup" so please take a listen, and remember to fill your cup first!

In this episode we mentioned Ana White's free project plan collection.  If you're interested in trying some woodworking projects of her own, check her out

Episode Four 

Humanizing the remote teaching experience

This episode is close to our hearts as we're both such advocates for the importance of humanizing the teaching and learning experience (and even more particularly, the remote teaching and learning experience). Humanizing is about connection, collaboration, and bringing pieces of ourselves into our teaching and learning experiences.  It's about creating inclusive, welcoming, and inviting spaces for students to learn and to interact, and about acknowledging and appreciating all of the knowledge, culture, personalities, and experiences that we enter into these shared learning spaces.  The data supports it.  Like a lot of data, so we're here to discuss it, and speak from experience about the value of being human in our classes. 

We spoke in this episode about Michelle Pacansky-Brock, and her work on Humanizing in the world of post-secondary education.  If you'd like to check out any of Michelle's resources, please visit her fabulous website (link above).

Episode Three 

Managing workload & Avoiding burnout

This episode is near and dear to our hearts.  Burnout is a real thing, and now more than ever faculty face the reality of burning out when responsibilities from life within and outside of work collide, and when boundaries between the two are blurred (so damn blurry). 

Having both experienced burnout at times in our lives, we want to shed light upon what led us to burning out, and more importantly, share some strategies (from like, actual experts - woohoo!) on how to avoid and/or recover from burnout when it happens. 

In this episode we mentioned Brene Brown's podcast Unlocking Us, and in particular the episode titled "How to Complete the Stress Cycle", and also Emily and Amelia Nagoski's book titled "Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle".  Emily also has another book that we've read (and when we say read, we mean listened to on a free Audible trial), called "Come As You Are".  

Episode Two 

The challenge of remote teaching

or, Why Remote Teaching Sucks (sometimes)

In this episode we discuss the challenges of remote teaching and learning.  It's a real, raw look at what we fear is missing from remote teaching, what makes it so difficult, and a recognition of the guilt that comes along with not loving teaching right now.  

We may all be battling the same storm, but no one is in the same boat.  Some folks are thriving, while other are barely staying afloat, and we think it's important to talk about it.  

Episode One

What are we doing here...?

So this is our first episode, and short of forgetting to introduce ourselves (we rebounded later in the episode), we think it went alright.  This is basically an introduction to the podcast, to who we are, and to what some of our goals are for the time we spend together.  We hope that you might take some time to listen.  Also, if it makes it any more appealing, this episode is a cool, clean 17 minutes. Dig it.