UBC Vantage College is a living laboratory: a catalyst for pedagogical innovations, curricular design, and multidisciplinary collaborations, especially in the area of international first-year undergraduate education. Vantage College faculty try out pedagogical and curricular innovations in their classes and some of these also become the basis of more systematic scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), made public via conference presentations and/or publications. On these pages you will find profiles of Vantage faculty discussing the educational innovations in their classrooms, a selection of recent conference presentations and publications of SoTL work by Vantage faculty, and the Vantage College Educational Innovation Webinars.
Digital Technology in the Classroom
As a living laboratory, UBC Vantage College creates the space for faculty members to implement the latest pedagogical methods. In this section of the website, you will find abstracts from professors currently teaching in the program. In their short descriptions, they outline the pedagogical approach as well as early indicators on outcomes from using these approaches. This space is meant to share those early outcomes and also create the potential for collaborations with other faculty members across UBC.
Experiential Learning in Geography with Siobhán McPhee
"My approach to developing field experiences beyond the classroom using a geolocation-aware technology has enabled me to engage beyond Vantage. Faculty at the UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems and UBC First Nations Studies department are now actively using the framework I have developed with their students."
Katherine Lyon on the advantages of teaching Sociology at UBC Vantage
"Teaching sociology in the Vantage context allows me to identify and reflect on classroom needs, research educational possibilities, and cultivate partnerships to develop innovative learning opportunities for an increasingly diverse student body."
How Vantage College brings innovation to teaching international students
Through innovative instruction, small classes, and a collaborative atmosphere, Vantage College is creating a unique and comprehensive first-year experience for international students.