In grade 4, I had an epiphany, I would be a teacher. Despite other interest and ideas, I always came back to my first passion, teaching. Upon graduation from high school, I spent a year in England working in a boarding school. It was there that my interest in Earth Sciences was generated. In my office at VIU I still have the rock that first made me say “Huh, how did this come to be?”
I studied Earth Science at the University of Victoria. My four year degree took slightly longer than planned as my daughter was born in third year. After obtaining my degree, I moved to Nanaimo and met my husband. I applied to the PDPP at UVIC and was accepted. The program was being offered in Cranbrook so the whole family moved.
It was in Cranbrook that I first experienced distance learning. Some of our instructors were in Victoria. Thus, we some courses were taught by teleconference. It was my first experience with a non-traditional classroom.
After moving back to the island, I was a substitute teacher in the school district. I had the opportunity to teach at Vancouver Island University in Adult and Career Preparation. At VIU I found my true calling, teaching adults.
In the four to five years I have been working at VIU, I have been exploring blended learning. Teaching adults has different challenges then in the K to 12 system. Many of my students have jobs, some full time, families, and other commitments. Often, they need to miss class. If a flipped or blended option was available it would make it easier for my students to meet their education goals.
I studied Earth Science at the University of Victoria. My four year degree took slightly longer than planned as my daughter was born in third year. After obtaining my degree, I moved to Nanaimo and met my husband. I applied to the PDPP at UVIC and was accepted. The program was being offered in Cranbrook so the whole family moved.
It was in Cranbrook that I first experienced distance learning. Some of our instructors were in Victoria. Thus, we some courses were taught by teleconference. It was my first experience with a non-traditional classroom.
After moving back to the island, I was a substitute teacher in the school district. I had the opportunity to teach at Vancouver Island University in Adult and Career Preparation. At VIU I found my true calling, teaching adults.
In the four to five years I have been working at VIU, I have been exploring blended learning. Teaching adults has different challenges then in the K to 12 system. Many of my students have jobs, some full time, families, and other commitments. Often, they need to miss class. If a flipped or blended option was available it would make it easier for my students to meet their education goals.