Intercultural Symposium 2018

The Intercultural Symposium is co-hosted by BCCIE and Langara College.

With the ever-changing student population, it is important to look at how our classrooms, institutions and faculty can adapt to create a welcoming environment for everyone. Each session will allow attendees to reflect on the 4 I’s: indigenization, inclusivity, interculturalization and internationalization, and encourage registrants to understand how they intertwine. The activities of the day will challenge participants to reflect on their own ideas and to engage in meaningful dialogue with colleagues and presenters. The day’s activities are intended to be stand alone sessions that allow you to choose the sessions that best fit your area of expertise and learning.

Register

The registration for the event is now closed. If you have any questions, please email events@bccie.bc.ca.

Agenda

*For a detailed agenda and session descriptions, please click here.

Presenters

Aurelia Kinslow

Aurelia is the Indigenization Consultant at Langara College and a PhD Candidate in Curriulum Studies at the University of British Columbia, focusing on Indigenous Education and Performing Arts. Before coming to unceded Coast Salish Territory, Aurelia earned her M.A. in Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and move on to create and teach Indigenous-focused curricula for predominantly Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities in Hawaii. Aurelia’s research passions include cultural revitalization, social justice, and building capacity for improved education in Indigenous communities.

Daryl Smith

Daryl brings a range of international experience from living and working in Australia, Japan, and most recently in Belize where he volunteered as a visiting researcher. He currently serves as the Intercultural Initiatives Coordinator at Langara College working closely with the Teaching and Curriculum Development Centre and the International Education Department. In his current role, he fosters intercultural understanding with faculty and staff through various initiatives. Prior to this, he taught in the Biology Department and served as an Advisor in the Educational Technology Department. His international experience and roles as instructor and advisor help inform his understanding of the importance of culture in the classroom. Daryl holds a B.Sc. with Honours from Dalhousie University and a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of British Columbia.

Heather Tobe

Heather is currently a faculty member in the Communications Department at Douglas College. In addition to teaching courses on interpersonal and intercultural communication at Douglas, she presents at conferences and facilitates workshops on intercultural awareness and sensitivity. She has taught in the education sector for over 30 years. Heather holds an MA in Intercultural Relations from Antioch University and the Intercultural Communication Institute. Additionally, she has a Certificate in Workplace Conflict from the Justice Institute of BC. Heather is also a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory, the International Conflict Style Inventory, and the Global Competencies Inventory. Heather's research areas include international education, intercultural communication, teacher education and the scholarship of teaching and learning. She has also founded or co-founded communities of practice in education and intercultural awareness. Heather has had numerous roles on the executive of the Society of Intercultural Education, Training, and Research (SIETAR BC).

Heather Williams

Heather works as a Special Project Advisor on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for the Vice Provost Students and International at Simon Fraser University.  In her previous work as Language and Culture Curriculum Coordinator with at SFU she combined her knowledge of intercultural education and student preparation to create curricula designed specifically to meet students “at the place where they are”. In 2017 Heather was the recipient of the Canadian Bureau for International Education's Excellence Award.  Heather earned the certificate in Intercultural Studies from University of British Columbia and is finishing her Masters in Equity Studies in Education through SFU. In her work you will find traces of her passion for life-long learning, the understanding and advocacy for experiential education and some sneaky undertones of non-dualistic philosophy.

Leeva Chung

Leeva C. Chung, Ph.D., is currently a faculty member at the University of San Diego. Leeva has developed a unique and innovative style of teaching recognized with numerous awards on campus. For 20 years, her research has focused on the intersection of identity development, pop culture and intercultural communication. She has published the popular intercultural textbook Understanding Intercultural Communication with Dr. Stella Ting- Toomey, as well as many other contributed book chapters and research articles. Leeva has delivered keynote speeches and conducted a variety of workshops for corporations, universities, and conferences across the U.S.

Todd Odgers

Todd Odgers is the Associate Dean International at BCIT and the former Principal of NorQuest Centre for Excellence in Intercultural Education (CEIE) in Edmonton Canada. Todd has spent his career working in many intercultural intersections through his work in Canada and abroad as a consultant, teacher, faculty developer, and applied researcher. While working in international education at Vancouver Island University and as the Principal of the Center for Intercultural Education at NorQuest College he contributed to the practice of the interculturalization of higher education in Canada and the US. In his new role at BCIT, he brings the experience and resources learned and earned from his work with students, faculty, leaders and service staff to move the Institutes Interculturalization initiative forward.

Todd facilitates and speaks widely to groups wanting to improve their effectiveness engaging international and culturally diverse populations. Todd has taught management to undergraduate students, English for the Workplace and Intercultural Communication in Canada and abroad. For ten of the years between 1988 and 2002 he worked in Japan teaching and training nationally to develop intercultural competence with the management and staff of many of the country’s best-known corporations.