Learning Systems

Purpose

Our purpose is to support essential academic technology tools in order to facilitate and enhance the teaching and learning experience of students, faculty, and staff.

Learning Systems is comprised of Canvas Support, Instructional Design, and the Center for Instructional Innovation and Assessment--while working closely with Video Services and the Digital Media Center as well as other campus partners.

As a team, the staff works to promote best practices for teaching and learning by providing:

• One-on-one instructional design consultations
• Strategies for teaching and learning
• Strategies for the integration of educational technologies into pedagogy
• Best practices for using Canvas for instructional needs
• Integration of open educational resources (OER) into course materials
• Consultation on the development of special projects

Service, Priorities, and ADEI-AR

What We Believe

We work together and across departments to expand connections and research solutions. With our combined 50 years of service working at Western Washington University, we have a long track record of empowering personnel across departments and programs to promote student success and accomplish the academic mission of the university via learning systems and relational support. We recognize our privileges and hope to use our positions to expand access, diversify our collective knowledge, and promote ease and joy in teaching and learning. We also acknowledge when we fall short, when we must be accountable, and when we have more to learn. We honor all the teachers, authors, and sages who have guided us and continue to mentor us.

We believe the following, which can be viewed with explanations and the resources we used as guidance at Learning Systems: Service, Priorities, and ADEI-AR: What We Believe.

• We are relational technologists.
• We partner with our clients.
• We aim to destress our clients’ relationship with instructional technology and design.
• We believe that accessibility, diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism (ADEI-AR) efforts should be integrated and considered in all aspects of our work.
• We believe that education is lifelong.
• We examine and test emerging trends and relay best practices, challenges, and possibilities to our faculty. 

For more information

• Canvas Help: one stop shop for help with Canvas
• Academic Learning Systems @ WWU: WWU Teaching Handbook
• Center for Instructional Innovation and Assessment (CIIA): teaching & learning center
• Teaching & Learning Cooperative (TLCo-op): Western's multi-department collection of strategies, tools, and practices for innovative teaching and learning

Staff

Justina Brown, M.Ed.

Senior Instructional Designer - CIIA/ATUS

AJ Barse

Instructional Designer

Chris Powell

Canvas Administrator