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Peer Tutor Tuesdays with Nicole Lieu

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Name:       Thanh Ngoc (Nicole) Lieu

Program:  B-Tech (Accounting Degree)

What attracted you to becoming a Peer tutor?

I love helping friends try to understand the information better. I feel happy when my friends or tutees are able to solve problems on their own after my help.

How has tutoring helped you?

I would tend to forget a majority of what I have learned the year before. Tutoring helps me recall information that I learned. From tutoring, I am able to learn different ways to solve the problems from tutees. My teamwork skills has improved.

If you could give one piece of advice to a BCIT student what would it be?

My advice is that students should try to stay ahead of their classes and work hard until the end.

What would your dream job be when you leave BCIT?

I want to be an accountant in the hospitality industry.

If you had a free day, how would you spend it?

If I had a free day, and if I had no school, I would spend my day watching Korean shows which helps me relax.

If I had a free day and there was school, I would spend my day at a bubble tea store and study there. I could enjoy the music, enjoy my drink and study at the same time.

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Peer Tutor Tuesdays with Mae Whyte

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Name:        Mae Whyte

Program:   Fish, Wildlife and Recreation

 

 

 

 

 

What attracted you to becoming a Peer tutor?

I wanted to give back to the BCIT community. Getting paid to give back is even better.

How has tutoring helped you?

Working as a Writing Centre tutor has helped me improve my own writing skills. Be concise! Be specific!

If you could give one piece of advice to a BCIT student what would it be?

Don’t stress it.  That may sound glib, but I’m serious. Stress can make you sick.  You’re too busy to be sick.
Invest time in meditation and exercise so you don’t miss out on your education. Take care of yourself.

What would your dream job be when you leave BCIT?

I’d love to work in invasive species management or habitat restoration. Something involving fish, wildlife, and/or recreation. I have many dream jobs, and most of them involve spending my day in the woods.

If you had a free day, how would you spend it?

In the woods! Okay, realistically half in the woods adventuring and half on the couch with a novel.

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Open Publishing and Student Journals at BCIT Library

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There are opportunities for open publishing of student work at BCIT that have benefits for both students and the institution. Please join us at the Burnaby Campus Library to hear our guest speakers discuss their firsthand experience with student publishing.

When:  Wednesday, November 30, 12:30pm – 1:30pm

Where:  Burnaby Campus Library, room 303

Kevin Stranack

Associate Director for Community Engagement & Learning at the Public Knowledge Project (PKP) at Simon Fraser University and adjunct faculty member at the iSchool at UBC

 

 

 

Elizabeth Padilla

Institution Repository Coordinator and Business Liaison Librarian at BCIT

 

 

 

 

Suzanne Jay

Graduate student at the iSchool@UBC: School of Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS). She is the Managing Editor of See Also, a student run, open access journal publishing the scholarly work of SLAIS students.

 

 

 

Bobby Sidhu

BCIT faculty member with the Department of Occupational Health and Safety with a background in computer science and public health.

 

 

 

For more information, visit our website at http://circuit.bcit.ca/repository.

Celebrate Science Literacy Week in the Library, September 19 – 25

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Science Literacy Week highlights Canada’s outstanding scientists and science communicators from coast-to-coast. The goals are to showcase the excellence and diversity of Canadian science and to show how exciting science is.

During the week of September 19 – 25, the BCIT Burnaby Campus Library will be showcasing various events, games and student displays.

 

Periodic Table Writer

All week | Library, main floor

Write your own text using the chemical elements of the periodic table and enter for a chance to win some great prizes.

 

“Geeky” Photo Booth

Monday, September 19 | 1:00—3:00 | Library, main floor

Kick off SLW by taking a selfie and sharing it on social media with the tags #scilitweek and #bcitlib for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to the BCIT Bookstore.

 

 

Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon

Wednesday, Sept. 21 | 1:00 – 3:00 | Library, room 312

The theme is local women in science, and our plan is to create entries for some of the notable scientists at BCIT. A special treat will be handed out for participation.

Energy OASIS – BCIT’s SMART MicroGrid Tour

Wednesday, Sept. 21 | 1:30 – 2:00 | meet in the lobby of the Library

Ever wonder what the covered parkway is all about? Take a guided tour of BCIT’s SMART MicroGrid project in the P7 parking lot.

 

IEEE Xplore Digital Library

Wednesday, Sept. 21 | 2:30—3:30 | Library, main floor

Attention all students and faculty!

Find all the information you need – IEEE standards, articles, conference proceedings – in less time. Michael Shapiro from IEEE will be here to demo advanced use of the IEEE Explore Digital Library. Light refreshments will be provided.

Open Education Sprint Grants

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Sponsored by the AVP, Educational Support and Innovation, the BCIT Open Education Working Group, the BCIT Library, and the Learning and Teaching Centre are providing small grants (up to $5,000) this fiscal year to fund “sprints” to develop open ancillary resources (test banks, case studies, slide decks, etc.) or to redesign courses to incorporate open educational practices and open course materials. The Open Education Working Group, the Library, and the LTC offers additional support to apply for the grants, set up and run the sprints, find and adapt high-quality open educational resources, apply a Creative Commons licence (CC BY or CC BY-SA), and add newly created OER to the BCIT Open Repository.

What is an open education sprint? It is when a group of people get together for one or more days to develop something that will be given a Creative Commons License like the Great Psychology Test Bank Sprint.

There is a possibility of receiving matching funding from BCcampus.

BCcampus is also offering $250 honorariums to faculty who review open textbooks from the BCcampus collection.

How to apply for an Open Educational Resources Grant

  1. Review the information below, if you need more information, contact open@bcit.ca
  2. Submit the completed application form to open@bcit.ca (or click the submit button on the form)

Eligibility

Full and part-time instructors at BCIT may receive an open education grant. The sprint can include colleagues from other post-secondary institutions.

Deadline

Apply anytime before December 31, 2016, complete the sprint by March 31, 2017

Application

Three grants of up to $5,000 will be provided in the 2016/17 fiscal year. The intent of the grants is to enable instructors teaching courses at BCIT to receive support to participate in a sprint to create open ancillary resources (test banks, case studies, slide decks, etc.), or to redesign a course to incorporate open educational resources and open educational practices. Institutional support will be provided by the Open Education Working Group, the Library, and the LTC.

Open Education Sprint Grant Application Form

 

Peer Tutor Tuesdays with Clark Friesen

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Name:       Clark Friesen

Program:  Mechanical Engineering Technology

What attracted you to becoming a Peer tutor? 

Being able to contribute to the academic success of those around me brings me great joy. Plus it’s a great resume item.

How has tutoring helped you?

Teaching others’ in the classes I took last year has helped to reinforce the concepts I’ve already learned and has made me aware of any gaps in my knowledge.

If you could give one piece of advice to a BCIT student what would it be?

Get consistent sleep and exercise and make time in your schedule to have some fun.

What would your dream job be when you leave BCIT?

Being self-employed, doing freelance/contract based engineering work. I can’t stand the idea of being constrained to working hours someone else sets for me for the rest of my life.

If you had a free day, how would you spend it?

In the mountains.

We wish Clark all the best in pursuing his dream job!

Peer Tutor Tuesdays with Regina Lara Yunes

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Regina Lara Yunes

Name:       Regina Lara Yunes

Program:  Accounting Diploma

What attracted you to becoming a Peer tutor?

I wanted to help students succeed and reassure them that even though it feels impossible, it’s not.

How has tutoring helped you?

It has allowed me to see how everyone learns differently and has helped me not forget things I previously learned.

If you could give one piece of advice to a BCIT student what would it be?

Take it one day, one week at a time, but do not procrastinate.

What would your dream job be when you leave BCIT?

A Public Accountant in an accounting firm.

If you had a free day, how would you spend it?

Watching movies and playing sports.

You can find Regina on Wednesdays’ between 2:30-4:30 and Thursdays’ between 5:30-7:30 at the Learning Commons.

Peer Tutor Tuesdays with Christine Shea

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Christine Shea hiking in the Yorkshire Dales England.

Name:       Christine Shea

Program:  Technical Writing

What attracted you to becoming a Peer tutor?

BCIT is actually my alma mater! I graduated from the Broadcast Communications – Television program, class of 2002, so I’m really excited to be able to work here in some capacity. Also, I might have a genetic predisposition to becoming a tutor, as both of my parents were teachers.

How has tutoring helped you?

Because I’m primarily working with the ISEP students, I am forever being reminded of what a messy, irrational language English can be and I am very grateful that I learned it as my first language. I am constantly in awe of anyone who attempts to learn English as an additional language, so each tutoring session truly inspires me.

If you could give one piece of advice to a BCIT student what would it be?

BCIT will push you to your limits, but you’ll be amazed at what you’re capable of. Apply this determination to all aspects of your life and the sky will be the limit! Unless, of course, you end up being an astronaut; then your limit will be well beyond the sky. 🙂

What would your dream job be when you leave BCIT?

To be the world’s most eminent technical writer, if that can be a thing. I chose technical writing because I believe it is a career that will offer endless challenges and learning opportunities, both of which I crave.

Christine Shea at La Tomatina tomato throwing festival in Bunol Spain.

If you had a free day, how would you spend it?

I grew up cross-country skiing, and I’ve always wanted to try biathlon (cross-country skiing + shooting targets), which I’ve heard you can try in Whistler. So I’d probably take a lesson in that, followed by some hot chocolate someplace. 🙂

We’re glad Christine has decided to continue her studies at BCIT as well as helping others in the Writing Centre.

Peer Tutor Tuesdays with Rylan Kaliel

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Rylan Kaliel

Name:      Rylan Kaliel

Program:  Bachelor of Technology – Accounting

What attracted you to becoming a Peer tutor?

Tutoring to me seemed like an excellent opportunity to work with students and be able to share some of my skills and abilities that allowed me to succeed. Over the last two years of tutoring I have gotten plenty of opportunities to meet new people and see them excel at the courses we discuss. What keeps me tutoring is this opportunity to teach and watch students grow.

How has tutoring helped you?

Tutoring has been an excellent outlet for me to relearn material and thrive in my chosen field. I relearn material often and always have the foundation that I need to do well in my courses. Without tutoring I would not have achieved the marks I did in my second and third year of studies and would not know half of what I do now.

If you could give one piece of advice to a BCIT student what would it be?

One of the most beneficial things you can do for your studies is learn how to be a better learner. Understand your own study style and what works best for you. For myself it is to read ahead, connect information in the lecture with what I read, do homework throughout the week (as opposed to on just one day), and then finally discuss the material with friends to ensure I really know it. This has worked very well for me and is one of the major things I attribute to succeeding in my studies.

What would your dream job be when you leave BCIT?

I would love to work in anything creative or innovative. I love the thought of working in technology or arts and being on the side of creating something. Using my skills as an accountant I’d love the opportunity to help make dreams come true and be a part of the creative process.

If you had a free day, how would you spend it?

Sometimes its hard to remember what a free day is like! I would love to be able to be lazy and do nothing for a day. Probably put on something to watch, or play some video games, and just relax. Let my body and mind do what it wants and take a break.

We wish Rylan all the best in pursuing his dream job. To book an appointment with Rylan, check out the Peer Tutoring schedule online.

Peer Tutor Tuesdays with Clarice Fojas

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Clarice Fojas

Name:        Clarice Fojas

Program:   2nd Year Accounting Diploma

What attracted you to becoming a Peer tutor?

I wanted to help other students succeed with their studies and make a difference in their learning here at BCIT.

How has tutoring helped you?

Meeting a diverse group of people has taught me a lot of things. From tutoring others I’ve noticed that people learn differently and see certain things in different perspectives. It has been a learning experience for me too!

If you could give one piece of advice to a BCIT student what would it be?

To manage your time well and stay organized! I think that is the key to success here at BCIT.

What would your dream job be when you leave BCIT?

My dream job is to be a CPA!

If you had a free day, how would you spend it?

I would spend it looking for a new place to eat or if it’s a nice day out I’ll be looking for a new place to hike.

If you’re looking for help in Accounting, Business Information Systems, Business Math or Business Statistics stop by the Learning Commons on Mondays between 5:30 – 7:30 and say hi to Clarice.