BCTLC History

The British Columbia Teaching & Learning Council (BCTLC) is a community of leaders from British Columbia’s public post-secondary education system with a mission to provide local, provincial, and national leadership on issues, challenges, and directions around teaching, learning technologies, scholarly practice, student learning, and related topics to facilitate the enhancement of high-quality teaching and learning cultures across the B.C. system.

Here is an overview of our activity to date. Feel free to browse the site for more details as the Council evolves.

• • May 2024 – BCTLC AGM hosted at Camosun College, with sessions on advocating for the value of teaching and learning centres and on leadership development for BCTLC members. We acknowledged the 10th Anniversary of the founding of the BCTLC. Notable this year were the popular monthly Friday Cafes and the BCTLC participation in the BCcampus Studio23 conference. The 2024 BCTLC West Coast Teaching Excellence Awards were presented to three award recipients. We welcomed incoming Co-Chairs Brett McCollum, Thompson Rivers University and Ken Jeffery, Royal Roads University for the 2024–2026 term.
  • May 2023 – Co-Chairs Laura MacKay and Melanie Meyers facilitated the monthly Friday Cafes on hot topics of interest to teaching and learning in B.C. post-secondary. The BCTLC AGM meeting was hosted at Vancouver Community College and the 2023 BCTLC West Coast Teaching Excellence Awards were presented to five recipients. (See “How to Develop a Winning Proposal for the WCTA” co-ordinated by Theresa Southam, Selkirk College.)
  • June 2022 – We welcomed Co-Chairs Melanie Meyers, Justice Institute of B.C. and Laura MacKay, Simon Fraser University for the 2022–2024 term. It was the inaugural year of the BCTLC West Coast Teaching Excellence Awards. Five awards were given to recipients for 2022. Co-Chairs Paula Hayden and Anne Sommerfeld presented a BCTLC Position Statement on Academic Surveillance Technology. The BCTLC year-end meeting was held online.
  • June 2021 – More community connection and support was needed due to the pandemic. Co-Chairs Paula Hayden and Anne Sommerfeld founded the BCTLC Friday Cafes for members to meet and chat about any topic. This year was also the first Call for Nominations for the BCTLC West Coast Teaching Excellence Awards (see Pedagogy First: A BCTLC Update). The BCTLC year-end meeting was held online. No in-person events were held due to the pandemic.
  • June 2020 – We welcomed new co-chairs Anne Sommerfeld, University of Northern B.C. and Paula Hayden, College of New Caledonia for the 2020–2022 term. No in-person events were held due to the pandemic.
  • Fall 2019 – 2019 Symposium: Learning Transformation hosted at Coast Mountain College in Terrace.
  • June 2019 – BCTLC AGM was held at the Metropolitan Hotel, Vancouver. We welcomed Co-Chairs Sophia Palahicky, Royal Roads University and Catharine Dishke Hondzel, Thompson Rivers University for 2019–2020.
  • Fall 2018 – 2018 Symposium: Scholarly Teaching and Learning in Post-Secondary at SFU Harbour Centre.
  • June 2018 – The BCTLC AGM was held at the 2018 Festival of Learning, Pinnacle Hotel Vancouver Harbourfront. We welcomed Co-Chairs Laura MacKay, Simon Fraser University and Grant Gregson, Emily Carr University of Art and Design for 2018–2019.
  • Fall 2017 – 2017 Symposium: Improving the Learning Experience at SFU Harbour Centre.
  • June 2017 – At the Spring General Meeting, we welcomed Co-Chairs Theresa Southam, Selkirk College and Maureen Wideman, University of the Fraser Valley for the 2017–2018 term.
  • June 2016 – At the Spring General Meeting, held at the 2016 Festival of Learning, Delta Hotel Burnaby, we welcomed new chair Vivian Forssman, Royal Roads University.
  • February 2015 – Nominations for BCTLC executive officers, Chair(s) and Chair-Elect(s), were held.
  • November 2015 – Fall General Meeting of the BCTLC held in Vancouver.
  • June 2015 – Spring General Meeting of the BCTLC held in Vancouver.
  • March 2015 – Nominations for the BCTLC executive officers (Chair, Chair-Elect, Past Chair) were held. The inaugural Co-Chairs of the BCTLC were announced: Stephanie Chu, Simon Fraser University and Liesel Knaack, Vancouver Island University.
  • February 2015 – BCTLC membership was confirmed with representation from B.C. public post-secondary institutions.
  • Fall 2014 – Consultation with VPAs to appoint institutional representatives.
  • Summer/Fall 2014 – Ad Hoc Governance Committee drafts BCTLC Constitution.
  • June 2014 – Leadership Summit held at SFU Harbour Centre. See Leadership Summit June 2014 – Photos (Flickr).

Questions about BCTLC? Please contact llee@bccampus.ca (Leva Lee, BCTLC Community Liaison)