Meeting one was with Roy Amore from Religious and Political Studies. Roy is currently on sabbatical and writing textbooks. So we had interesting discussions about how to make textbooks more useful to students - isn't it strange how things keep connecting? (see my post for Saturday!) Roy was only looking for a sounding board for his thoughts and any helpful suggestions I might have - but it was really a refinement of his thoughts - so no take away work. (I like meetings like that.)
Secondly was a luncheon appointment with Wansoo Park from Social Work. At Alan's request, we are working together to provide a particular welcome to overseas delegates to the STLHE conference here at Windsor in June. I had drafted a letter and a list of useful bits and pieces of information (thanks to Hilary for our conversations on the train between Windsor and Niagara Falls) and we were reviewing these. I learnt a lot about Korean eating customs as I was eating for the first time ever in a Korean restaurant. I also learnt about assumptions and writing simply. We have done some editing and rethinking and so there is a little take away work but not too much. And it is fun getting to know Wansoo.
The third meeting was with Jennie Atkins, Director of the Academic Writing Centre and the English Language Improvement Programme and Izabella Kojic-Sabo who is the ESL Programme Manager. The comparable unit at Canterbury (the Learning Skills Centre) has just joined UCTL so I am on a steep learning curve about their operation and what they can and do do for students. It was interesting listening to what they do here at Windsor, the challenges they face and how they are tackling them. Could have been in New Zealand as the issues and ideas are all very similar. I was very impressed with what they manage to achieve with such a small staff and also at the tenacity with which they pursue faculty to help them help their students achieve their learning outcomes which are centred on writing. This support service is so valuable. Its benefit is evident when the AWC staff get the opportunity to work in partnership with faculty to help students achieve and develop their independence. It makes me wonder once again, how we reinforce the message that faculty and support staff are all at the university to help the students in their learning - a collaboration not a conflict between faculty and administrators. Take aways from this meeting are good ideas to take back to Canterbury, and a promise to turn my scrappy notes into something I will understand in three months when I get back to New Zealand.
The caption that goes with this photo is "If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would get done!" Have to say I am beginning to feel deadline looming so things are getting done slowly.
No comments:
Post a Comment