Collaborative Education Lab (Co-LAB)

Innovations in Student Centred Learning and Community Development

What is Co-LAB?

A dedicated space, resources, and support to launch multi-disciplinary projects that: 1) explore new approaches to student-centered learning and 2) empower students, instructors, staff, and alumni to take leadership roles advancing place-based solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges.

Project Categories

A space and resources for staff, instructors, and students to explore new approaches to student-centred learning*.  

For who?

College Instructors, Staff, and Students working together.

EXAMPLES – Possible Innovation in Learning Projects

  • Working with students to explore new approaches to incorporate cultural exhibits into a course.

  • Work with students to experiment with new pedagogical approaches.

  • Identify and test the implementation of new digital tools to support student learning.

*Student Centred Learning is characterised by innovative methods of teaching which aim to promote learning in communication with teachers and other learners and which take students seriously as active participants in their own learning, fostering transferable skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking and reflective thinking. (Ref: 2015 Overview on Student-Centred Learning in Higher Education.)

A multidisciplinary research setting designed to give instructors the space and resources to design, plan, and execute research projects in collaboration with students. 

For Who?  

College Instructors, Students and/or Alumni working together. May include community partners.

EXAMPLES – Possible Research Projects

Research projects that replicate research done elsewhere on an international student body 

Research to identify new approaches to wrap-around supports that enable student learning

A project to create, implement, research, and evaluate innovative community based curricula

The purpose of the OER Fund is to support affordable and inclusive access to learning materials through the adaptation, adoption, and integration of open educational resources in Columbia College credit courses.  

2022-2023 OER Fund Guidelines – FINAL

Applications for both Incentive Grants and Implementation Grants will be accepted beginning in January 2022. 

Apply Here – Incentive Grants

Questions about the OER Fund can be directed to Zenith Bose: [email protected]  

Empower college students and alumni to assume leadership roles in addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges in their communities. 

For Who? 

College staff, instructors, students, alumni, and community partners. 

EXAMPLES – Project Ideas 

Social development or innovation projects such as: Community Clothing Swap, Neighborhood Library, Local Food Program, Bridging Digital Divide among Elders, and more. 

Collaborative projects to examine the feasibility of, or launch, social enterprises. 

Collaborative projects that focus on goals from the City of Vancouver False Creek Flats Plan. 

Place-making initiatives such as: Setting up a Community Garden, Creating a Mural, and more. 

If you are interested in leading or participating in any Co-LAB project, please sign-up by joining the Co-LAB Community Network.

Deadline for FALL 2023: October 02, 2023

Co-LAB Review Panel

We invite local community leaders and students to join the Co-LAB Review Panel at Columbia College. The Review Panel plays a crucial role in selecting grant recipients for various projects, such as Innovations in Learning, Faculty-Student Research Projects, and the Community Development Accelerator.

The Co-LAB Review Panel adopts a participatory approach in its selection process, ensuring that individuals impacted by the decisions are included.

Primary objectives of the review panel are:

  1. Assist in making funding decisions by bringing together community representatives and project applicants.
  2. Provide support and guidance to funded projects.
  3. Share insights and learnings on participatory grantmaking to advance this form of grantmaking.
  4. Document the processes, recommendations, and outcomes of the Panel for stakeholders’ reference.

The panel will convene to listen to presentations from the applicants, followed by a roundtable discussion facilitated by the Executive Director. Based on the panel’s discussion and support, projects will be recommended for funding .

If you are interested in joining the Co-LAB Review Panel, please fill out the form here. Once your name is added to the roster, students will be selected for our inaugural Co-LAB reviewers for a 12 month term via lottery. Community member participants will be selected based on experience studying, volunteering, or working in community development in a lower mainland community. 

*Financial support is available for reviewers.

 

Sign-up to Join the Co-LAB Review Panel