Meet Jillian Lang from Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Gina Bennett, E-Learning Specialist at College of the Rockies interviews  Jillian Lang from Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Tell us a bit about where you work and what you do.

I work at Kwantlen Polytechnic University teaching university level physics labs and high school level physics and math courses.
In between those responsibilities, I spend the rest of the time working on blended learning in physics. The most interesting part of this, by far, has been working with a consortium (NIC, COTR, NANSLO) to develop online physics labs that involve real measurements controlled and measured remotely. The project was spearheaded by Ron Evans out of NIC and involves the BCcampus funded RWSL (Remote Web-based Science Labs), a really innovative tool for learning. See http://rwsl.nic.bc.ca/ for details.
I used this topic for my work in my M. Ed. in Educational Technology and Learning Design at SFU (conducting a study with Kwantlen students on the RWSL) and subsequently spoke at a SOTL conference and, most recently, had my research published in the Transitional Dialogues journal.
My goal is to see the Kwantlen physics lab eventually become a node in a network of online physics labs that can be used remotely and collaboratively by students from all over. It’s a slow process, but very rewarding!

How long have you been involved in teaching and learning and educational technology?

Working in physics, there has always been a level of technology that mediates the lab work students do, it just gets more interesting and fun as time goes on!

What’s one thing you really love about the work you do?

I like re-imagining education and thinking about what may be possible for students in the future that was not possible for me. Although a big change or even a revolution in education would be most exciting, seeing even tiny increments in this direction is the thing I enjoy most. And these increments happen almost daily nowadays.

How long have you been a member of ETUG?

About a year.

What do you like best about this community and its activities?

The feeling that there are others out there like me.

Do you have a favorite ETUG memory?

The keynote at the ETUG Spring Workshop 2012 by Alexandra Samuel  was a highlight for me. She used no technology whatsoever, by the way!

What would you like ETUG to provide more of in terms of benefits/value to members? Any input or help you want to ask members to provide?

I hope the level of organization is maintained. There is so much value packed into so little a time investment. I assume the executive works very hard to pull this off!

Do you have any special interests/hobbies?

Remote camping in BC, with our cat.