Meet Terri Bateman from Royal Roads University

Brent McIntosh, Instructor at North Island College and a member of SCETUG contributed this post on ETUG member Terri Bateman.
Tell us a bit about where you work and what you do.
I have been working as an Instructional Designer in the Centre for Teaching and Educational Technologies (CTET) at Royal Roads University (RRU) for 7 years. I started on campus and for the past two years have been working on contract, at a distance, from my home in Courtenay. I’m involved with faculty development both one on one and in workshops as well as the creation of training and orientation materials. In addition to instructional design work I facilitate Blackboard Collaborate Training and the Instructional Skills Workshop Online (ISWO.  I recently converted the RRU Open Educational Resource Moodle version of ISWO to Blackboard Learn for North Island College; just last week we completed the inaugural offering of ISWO at NIC.
How long been involved in teaching and Learning and ed technology?
I started taking undergraduate courses at North Island College, Campbell River campus in the 1990s. Some of my early courses were distance offerings (mostly paper based), but I had to commute to Victoria to complete my degree in Sociology.  Learning at a distance was attractive before, but after two years of commuting 3 hours each way a couple of times a week it became a near obsession. I knew that there had to be more people like me out there – those who couldn’t just pick up and move to get an education. After my first degree, I completed the Digital Media Technology Diploma at Malaspina University College, now Vancouver Island University, and worked there for a while with the Online Development Team.  I also started my Masters in Educational Technology through UBC at that time; this degree was conducted entirely online.  I was so happy to find this option as I couldn’t imagine taking another 2 years off of my life to complete another degree. After two years of contract work at Malaspina and a couple of contract jobs building courses at NIC, I got an interview with Royal Roads (in a castle!) and discovered a place that believed as I did; distance should not be a barrier to education… to make a short answer long, around 12 years.
What’s one thing you really love about the work you do?
I get real satisfaction when I feel like I have helped an instructor solve an educational problem. And I love knowing that I’ve made a contribution to the success of courses and programs.
How long have you been a member of ETUG?
Membership is pretty informal, so an exact start date is hard to come up with.  I started coming to ETUG events 11 or 12 years ago when I was doing some html coding for History 112, an opdf contract from the earliest days of BCCampus.  It was that first ETUG event that made me aware that there was such a role as Instructional Designer and that that was what I wanted to do.  Since then I have attended as many events as possible and I volunteer when I am able to.
What do you like best about this community and its activities?
Sharing; everyone is so open about what they do. I like the social aspect that is tied to the sharing and learning from each other too. I always come away from an ETUG event both tired and energized at the same time. It’s an inclusive community and we get to see what we do from many different perspectives. It’s been great to see more students in the field showing up.
Do you have a favorite ETUG memory?
It’s hard to pick one but travelling through wine country on our way to TRU where we shared a fabulous view of the Thompson Rivers (and maybe a glass or two) with colleagues was a bit of a stand out. That and Paul Stacey as Jeopardy host.
What would you like to ETUG provide more of in terms of benefits/value to members? Any input or help you want to ask members to provide?
I get value as a member just knowing that I am connected in some way to so many interested, committed individuals. I think ETUG does a fabulous job.  Volunteers creating two events a year, monthly TELL sessions in between and regular email and website contact is an awesome commitment as it stands.
Do you have any special interests/hobbies?
I have enough hobbies to not get very good at any of them, but it’s fun trying. I like to walk in the woods, preferably collecting Chanterelle Mushrooms, take pictures, fish, boat, garden, paint, cook and dance.  Of course I work full time so I enjoy these things in far more moderation than I would like.
Anything special you what to ask or share with members?
Nothing special, I’m just happy to be part of this community and look forward to seeing everyone again in the fall.