Each spring the UBC Alma Mater Society identifies individuals who make significant contributions to the use of open educational resources (OER) and in turn equitable access to education at the university. According to the AMS, seventy percent of students reported going without a textbook or other course resource at least once due to cost in the past academic year.
Dr. Siobhán Wittig McPhee (she/her) has been named a 2025 AMS UBC OER Champion for her outstanding commitment to advancing affordable access through developing and utilizing OERs core to her innovative teaching practice. Dr. Wittig McPhee actively involves her students in the creation of open educational resources such as wikis, digital stories, interactive media and location-based walking tours in her classes.
“I believe open educational resources are about more than just providing accessible materials, they are about transforming how students engage with knowledge creation itself. My development of location-based walking tours using the Echoes app, which guides students through Vancouver’s political economic history, exemplifies this approach. By converting this experience into a virtual format during the pandemic, we maintained accessibility while expanding reach,” Dr. Wittig McPhee explains.
Dr. Wittig McPhee’s approach not only provides dynamic, flexible, and cost-effective learning materials but also fosters critical thinking, research, and collaboration skills for students throughout her courses. By involving the students on this level in their assignments, they develop a strong sense of autonomy and pride in contributing to accessible public knowledge.
“Siobhán seamlessly integrated OER materials into our curriculum which enriched the learning experience. This made the course more interactive and engaging, and also more accessible to all students. Alongside meaningful peer engagement, the inclusion of self-guided materials was empowering for me. I was able to independently investigate new ideas, moving at a pace that best suited my learning, with the freedom to explore my avenues of interest.”
Leveraging the increased reach these OERs and associated assignments have, both future students in the courses and the broader UBC community benefit in the long term.
“By involving students as active co-creators rather than mere consumers of content, whether through developing wiki entries or building these immersive geographical experiences, we empower them to contribute meaningfully to public scholarship. This collaborative approach not only develops their technological literacy and geographical understanding but fosters a sense of ownership and pride in their learning journey. My greatest satisfaction comes from seeing students realize that their work has value beyond the classroom, such as the wikis they create on aspects of Vancouver urban living,” say Dr. Wittig McPhee
The AMS UBC Teaching and Learning Champions Gala was held on April 1st to honour all 2025 recipients. President Bacon and Provost Averill were in attendance to congratulate all awardees and present the awards.
Dr. Wittig McPhee’s dedication to OER ensures that all students, regardless of financial background, have access to the materials they need to succeed. Her innovative approach is transforming teaching and learning at UBC. We are thrilled to see her hard work acknowledged in this way and are grateful to have such forward thinking educators in our midst here at UBC Geography.
Quick links:
- Learn more about Dr. Siobhán Wittig McPhee’s innovative teaching and research
- Read about the Arts recipients awarded for teaching excellence
- Learn more about the AMS UBC OER Champions
