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Workshop: generative AI and foundation learning
How can we preserve the productive struggle that helps students learn while also developing their AI literacy? Join VIU professor Jerome Lesemann with the Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning (CIEL) for a hands-on, guided activity and facilitated discussion on pedagogical strategies and assessment redesign in foundational university courses in response to generative AI.
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Generative AI: citation and disclosure
How should students acknowledge their use of generative AI? This post shares options such as formal citations, disclosure statements, and process notes. The goal is to help students be transparent about their AI use while making their thinking, decision-making, and learning more visible.
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Early feedback service
Looking for a practical way to hear from your students? CIEL’s Early Feedback Service provides confidential, anonymous midterm feedback that can help instructors make meaningful improvements while a course is still underway. The service supports a variety of teaching formats and provides results directly to you.
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2027 CIEL SoTL Fellowship Applications Due October 1st, 2026
We have been thrilled at the level of interest in the 2027 CIEL SoTL Fellowship initiative so far. The project ideas coming forward through initial discussions have been timely, innovative, and very VIU-centric. These ideas demonstrate a thoughtful commitment to advancing teaching excellence and enriching student learning across VIU, and it is exciting to see…
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VIULearn Student Orientation and other learning tools – Fall 2026
The Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning supports students and faculty with the learning technologies available at VIU, especially our online course platform VIULearn. You can review this orientation information whenever is convenient, and contact us for further support! Note for Instructors: Resources to share Please direct your students to this blog post and…
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Developing an AI statement for your course
As you prepare for the semester, consider how you will guide students in the appropriate use of AI. This blog introduces the Stoplight Model and AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) as frameworks for communicating course expectations, along with example AI-use statements that align with specific teaching and learning goals.
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Important changes: VIULearn and time zones
British Columbia adopted permanent Daylight Savings time in March 2026. This means no more setting the clocks back each fall. While this is great news for our sleep, not all systems have been updated to reflect this change. That includes the VIULearn time zone labelled for Vancouver. What do you need to do? When you…
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Guidelines for faculty: protecting student personal information
Protecting student information is everyone’s responsibility at VIU. By minimizing data collection, using secure communication, and choosing VIU-approved technologies, faculty help protect student privacy and safety.
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Zero Textbook Cost at VIU
The VIU Students’ Union (VIUSU), the Office of the Registrar, the Library, the CIEL and institutional stakeholders are partnering on a collaborative effort known as the Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) project. Share your feedback and thoughts in a survey!
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Changes to VIULearn student email communication
Starting August 1, 2026, Vancouver Island University (VIU) is streamlining how we communicate with students. Email sent to currently VIU students will now be sent exclusively to their MyVIU email address.
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Transform Your Classroom Curiosity into Research: Announcing the 2027 CIEL SoTL Fellowship
Have you ever tried a new teaching strategy in your classroom and wondered exactly how it impacted your students’ learning? Do you have a burning pedagogical question you’ve been dying to investigate, if only you had the time? The Center for Innovation and Excellence in Learning (CIEL) is thrilled to announce a unique, time-limited opportunity…
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Adding links in the New Content Experience
The New Content Experience (NCE) in VIULearn makes it easier to see places where content may not be well contextualized or accessible. One of the content types where this is most obvious are direct links to external resources. In this blog post I am going to look at best practices to make your links clear…