students sitting around one of our tables discussing their assignments with other students and with the tutor. Students fre- quently comment that they feel welcome by the tutors and are comfortable working with them. At first sight it would appear that Principle 7 “Faculty use evaluation to promote learn- ing” would not apply to learning centres, since the tutors there do not give tests to students. This principle includes the role of feedback, however, and students do receive constructive feedback from tutors and each other at the learning centre. In sum, based on Maryellen Weimer’s work, six of the seven principles of learner- centred instruction are at work in the learn- ing centres of Okanagan College. (See Barnstable (2013) for an explanation of why LCI matters.) As the coordinator of the Student Success Centre at the Salmon Arm campus, I am one of the many Okana- gan College employees who work to support student success. Okanagan College supports student learning in a number of ways; such as, promoting the use of learner-centred instruction (LCI), and offering a Learner-Centred Instruction Certificate program for col- lege faculty and staff. I recently com- pleted this program, and doing so has lead me to a reflection of how the staff at a learning centre can and do con- tribute to the implementation of LCI. Learner-centred instruction helps learners become the main force be- hind their own learning in an environ- ment that promotes cooperation and intellectual exploration. The main facil- itators of this process are the instruc- tors who interact with students in the classroom; but the staff members of learning centres also play an important role in the use of LCI to help students achieve their academic goals. Weimer (2013) presents the seven basic principles that guide the imple- mentation of LCI. These form a list of actions that “teachers” or “faculty” need to take; however, in her discussion she makes it clear that learning centres can also play an important role. Upon exam- ination of these principles, it appears that six of the seven can be implement- ed by the tutors at a learning centre (the exception being a principle related to instructional design). Weimer’s Principles 1 and 2 read as follows: “Teachers let students do more learning tasks” and “Teachers do less telling so that students can do more discovering.” These processes are es- sential components of our work at the learning centre. A math tutor lets stu- dents work on their problems and guides them when they need help rather than leading the process. An English tutor listens carefully and asks ques- tions in order to help the students clarify and develop their own ideas. Weimer’s Principle 4 states that “Faculty do more to explicitly model how experts learn.” At the learning centre we can show students how a writer goes about writing an essay or how a mathe- matician figures out a problem. Princi- ples 5 and 6 indicate that “Faculty en- courage students to learn from and with each other” and “Faculty and students work to create climates for learning.” It is common to see a group of science The Student Experience: Supporting Student Success www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt The Success Centre 1 Fostering student success 2 Supporting Students in Second Language Learning 2 What is Success? 3 Importance of Faculty Involvement in Orientation Events 3 Aboriginal Access & Services 4 Supporting Student Suc cess: What do Students Think? 5 Disabilities Services 6 Admissions Process 6 Mindfulness in the Classroom 7 Conferences & ILT Programs 8 Contact ILT 8 VOLUME 5 ISSUE 2 SPRING 2014 IN THIS ISSUE Learner-centred instruction helps learners become the main force behind their own learning in an environment that promotes cooper- ation and intellectual exploration. The Student Success Centre By Joaquim Camps, Student Success Centre, Salmon Arm Campus References Barnstable, K. (2013). Does learner- centred instruction matter? Enhancing the Practice of Learning and Teaching, 4(2), 3. http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/Assets/ Departments+(Administration)/ILT/ ILT+Newsletter+(4$!2c2).pdf Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-centered teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
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students sitting around one of our tables
discussing their assignments with other
students and with the tutor. Students fre-
quently comment that they feel welcome by
the tutors and are comfortable working with
them.
At first sight it would appear that Principle
7 “Faculty use evaluation to promote learn-
ing” would not apply to learning centres,
since the tutors there do not give tests to
students. This principle includes the role of
feedback, however, and students do receive
constructive feedback from tutors and each
other at the learning centre.
In sum, based on Maryellen Weimer’s
work, six of the seven principles of learner-
centred instruction are at work in the learn-
ing centres of Okanagan College.
(See Barnstable (2013) for an explanation
of why LCI matters.)
As the coordinator of the Student
Success Centre at the Salmon Arm
campus, I am one of the many Okana-
gan College employees who work to
support student success. Okanagan
College supports student learning in a
number of ways; such as, promoting
the use of learner-centred instruction
(LCI), and offering a Learner-Centred
Instruction Certificate program for col-
lege faculty and staff. I recently com-
pleted this program, and doing so has
lead me to a reflection of how the staff
at a learning centre can and do con-
tribute to the implementation of LCI.
Learner-centred instruction helps
learners become the main force be-
hind their own learning in an environ-
ment that promotes cooperation and
intellectual exploration. The main facil-
itators of this process are the instruc-
tors who interact with students in the
classroom; but the staff members of
learning centres also play an important
role in the use of LCI to help students
achieve their academic goals.
Weimer (2013) presents the seven
basic principles that guide the imple-
mentation of LCI. These form a list of
actions that “teachers” or “faculty” need
to take; however, in her discussion she
makes it clear that learning centres can
also play an important role. Upon exam-
ination of these principles, it appears
that six of the seven can be implement-
ed by the tutors at a learning centre (the
exception being a principle related to
instructional design).
Weimer’s Principles 1 and 2 read as
follows: “Teachers let students do more
learning tasks” and “Teachers do less
telling so that students can do more
discovering.” These processes are es-
sential components of our work at the
learning centre. A math tutor lets stu-
dents work on their problems and
guides them when they need help rather
than leading the process. An English
tutor listens carefully and asks ques-
tions in order to help the students clarify
and develop their own ideas.
Weimer’s Principle 4 states that
“Faculty do more to explicitly model how
experts learn.” At the learning centre
we can show students how a writer goes
about writing an essay or how a mathe-
matician figures out a problem. Princi-
ples 5 and 6 indicate that “Faculty en-
courage students to learn from and with
each other” and “Faculty and students
work to create climates for learning.” It
is common to see a group of science
The Student Experience: Supporting Student Success
www.okanagan.bc.ca/ilt
The Success Centre
1
Fostering student success
2
Supporting
Students in
Second Language
Learning
2
What is
Success? 3
Importance of Faculty Involvement in Orientation
Events
3
Aboriginal Access &
Services
4
Supporting Student Suc cess: What do Students Think?
5
Disabilities Services
6
Admissions Process
6
Mindfulness in the Classroom
7
Conferences & ILT Programs
8
Contact ILT 8
V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4
IN THIS ISSUE
Learner-centred instruction helps
learners become the main force
behind their own learning in an
environment that promotes cooper-
ation and intellectual exploration.
The Student Success Centre By Joaquim Camps, Student Success Centre, Salmon Arm Campus
Mindfulness in the classroom begins with you By Derrick Doige, M.Ed , CCC, Counselling Services, Vernon Campus
References
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. Hyperion.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Coming to our senses: Healing ourselves and the world through mindfulness. Hyperion.
Meiklejohn, J., Phillips, C., Freedman, M. L., Griffin, M. L., Biegel, G., et al. (2012). Integrating mindfulness training into K-12 education: Fostering the
resilience of teachers and students. Mindfulness. doi:10.1007/s12671-012-0094-5.
Shapiro, S. L., Brown, K. W., & Astin, J. (2011). Toward the integration of meditation into higher education: A review of research evidence. Teachers College
Record, 113(3), 493-528.
Paul, G., Elam, B., & Verhulst, S. J. (2007). A longitudinal study of students' perceptions of using deep breathing meditation to reduce testing stresses.
Teaching and learning in medicine, 19(3), 287-292.
to them. Please note: If an applicant does
not pay the required application fee within
a week of applying, their application(s) will
be cancelled.
Once your application (and application
fee) is received in the admission office,
one of our knowledgeable staff will assess
the application and send you a letter to
inform you of the next step in the admis-
sion process. If you are concerned that
you do not meet the academic require-
ments of the program you have applied to,
please contact the admission staff mem-
ber responsible for that program in order
to discuss what options may be available
to you to ensure you register and complete
the required pre-requisite courses within a
specific timeframe.
The key to ensuring that your application is
processed seamlessly is to pay close attention
to all deadlines. If you are unable to meet a
specific deadline, please contact the admis-
sion staff member responsible for that program
to discuss alternate arrangements.
Remember, the staff in the admissions office
is here to support you as you proceed through
the admission process at Okanagan College.
Admissions http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/
BecomeaStudent/Admissions.html
Supporting Students through the Admissions Process (continued from previous page)