Schedule – VIU Nanaimo

June 1, 2026

• Welcome and Opening Remarks 8:30–9:00 a.m.
• Break 9:00–9:15 a.m.

  Coffee and tea will be provided.

• Rethinking Assessment in the Time of GenAI 9:15–10:15 a.m.

  Facilitated by Gwen Nguyen and Helena Prins

  Generative AI is transforming how students learn and produce work, raising urgent questions about how we design meaningful and fair assessments. This interactive workshop explores alternative approaches that move beyond simply “catching” AI use and instead focus on fostering critical, authentic, and reflective learning.

  We’ll revisit the three purposes of assessment (of, for, and as learning) to examine how each is disrupted and reimagined by GenAI. Participants will explore some practical frameworks as potential guides for creating meaningful assessments. We’ll conclude by crowdsourcing alternative assessment ideas that integrate GenAI meaningfully and equitably.

• Break 10:15–10:30 a.m.

  Please note that refreshments will not be not provided.

• Centring Student Voice & Choice in AI-Enhanced Teaching & Learning 10:30–11:15 a.m.

  Facilitated by Gwen Nguyen

  As AI becomes an integral part of teaching and learning in higher education, an important question emerges: how can we, as educators, integrate these technologies in ways that empower, instead of limit, students' voice and choice?

  This workshop begins by clarifying what student voice and student choice mean in a technology-enhanced teaching and learning context. We will then examine examples and discuss pedagogical strategies that promote and preserving students' agency throughout the learning process when teaching with AI.

  Grounded in a human-centred approach—identified among the guidelines for Technology-Enhanced Learning in B.C.’s Digital Learning Strategy—this session supports educators to critically reflect on, analyze, and redesign meaningful (and potentially problematic) uses of AI in the classroom, with a focus on student agency.

• Introduction to Digital Accessibility 11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

  Facilitated by Josie Gray

  This workshop covers the basics of accessibility as it applies to digital educational materials. We will introduce assistive technologies and explain how to design things like text, tables, images, videos, audio, links, and math equations so they are accessible to students with disabilities.

• Lunch Break 12:15–1:00 p.m.

  Please note that lunch is not provided.

  The VIU Nanaimo campus has two cafeterias open for lunch: Building 300 cafeteria and Building 185 cafeteria.

• H5P Activities: How to Create, Adopt, and Adapt 1:00–2:00 p.m.

  Facilitated by Harper Friedman

  H5P activities are interactive activities that support learning through formative assessment. With dozens of activity types available, H5P activities are a great addition to digital educational resources. This workshop will teach attendees how to reuse H5P activities as well as create their own.

• Break 2:00–2:15 p.m.

  Please note that refreshments will not be not provided.

• Designing for Neurodiversity 2:15–3:45 p.m.

  Facilitated by Britt Dzioba

  This workshop provides an overview of neurodiversity and how it impacts learning. We will discuss strategies to create learning environments that support neurodiverse learners and centres compassion.

• Closing Remarks 3:45–3:50 p.m.
• Social Event 4:00–6:00 p.m.

  Join us for a fun networking event! Appies and drinks will be provided.
  Stay tuned for more details!