Brief Overview of the Vantage One Curriculum

The Vantage One Program at UBC Vantage College offers an 11-month International Program for exceptional graduates from school systems that are very different from North America’s, and where students are taught in languages other than English.

Students are required to take courses designed to prepare them for entry to participating undergraduate degree programs and UBC Vantage College reserves the right to limit student enrolment accordingly. UBC Vantage College worked with the Faculties of Arts, Education, Science and Departments in each of these Faculties to identify courses that would create a cohesive International Program with particular resonance for international students. Specific course requirements will be set out by the College from time to time and will be adjusted to synchronize with undergraduate degree program first-year curricula. The courses in the Vantage One Program will each have dedicated sections restricted to UBC Vantage College students. With permission of the College, students may take up to 6 credits of 100-level UBC coursework not included in the 11-month International Program.

The curriculum has a clear mandate to adopt new approaches to teaching that generate high levels of engagement in support of learning. The Vantage curriculum uses a lightly-flipped model for all courses, meaning targeted online resources (e.g. instructional videos, content materials, video annotation, discussion boards, journals, group areas) will be incorporated into courses to support and extend the learning that occurs in the face-to-face classroom (see Delivery Model for further information). All courses incorporate a baseline student experience within the UBC Learning Management System so that students can expect a common look, feel and functionality in all courses. However, individual courses will vary from this as necessary to meet the particular needs of the course.

We have adopted a multiliteracies pedagogy informed by functional approaches to language (notably Systemic Functional Linguistics), within the general goal of developing communicative ability in academic contexts, we emphasize “the development of learners’ ability to analyze, interpret and transform discourse and their ability to think critically about how discourse is constructed and used toward various ends in social contexts.” (Kern, 2000, p. 303)

In terms of instructional methodology, a slightly modified Task-based Learning model is being developed (see Delivery Model for further information) to facilitate the blending of online and face-to-face components and provide opportunities for embedding language support. We favour casting individual course syllabi in a task-based model, with a pre-task phase to activate field knowledge, schema, assess knowledge and motivation; a task phase that is process-based and team-based and addresses content and language challenges; and a post-task phase involving focus on reflection with analysis and awareness of achievements and challenges, and planning for further learning. Thus, in developing the instructional materials, it has been important to keep in mind where the materials will be deployed and how they will integrate with the online and face-to-face components.

Vantage College Mandate

Diversify UBC’s international student population by focusing on students from under-represented curricula, countries, and cultures
Increase the number of international students at UBC.
Serve as a laboratory for innovative curriculum, pedagogy, student life, intercultural understanding, and administration; expand new best practices to the rest of the university in time.

As a program fully committed to excellence in teaching and learning, we engage in systematic, ongoing research-based evaluation to further improve our practice and the overall student learning experience. Our goal is to share our successes and lessons learned with members of the UBC community and beyond.

For other key facts about Vantage College, please go to: http://vantagecollege.ubc.ca/key-facts