Congratulations to Maja Krzic on being the 8th recipient of the Award for Excellence in Open Education.
Dr Maja Krzic’s leadership has been instrumental in transforming provincial, national, and international post-secondary soil science education by establishing the Virtual Soil Science Learning Resources (VSSLR) group with 30 Canadian soil scientists, media developers, students, and educators focused on developing open access tools. To date, the VSSLR group has developed 18 open online tools, adopted by over 27 Canadian and 15 international post-secondary institutions, benefiting more than 3,500 students per year worldwide.
Since 2001, Dr Krzic has been key in developing innovative and open online tools for learners at the University of British Columbia and other post-secondary institutions in B.C., Canada, and internationally in the areas of soil science, agriculture, forestry, land management, and natural resources.
Dr Krzic has made a conscious effort to understand the needs of learners, to seek ways to address those needs by initiating and leading collaborative projects with colleagues from institutions worldwide and to find ongoing financial support for project developments. The VSSLR group dedicates itself to push the limits of learning technologies to improve and transform the students’ learning experience, innovate with online interactivities that engage learners, create meaningful learning experiences, and to widen access through open learning.
In 2014, Dr Krzic established and continues to lead, the Canadian Society of Soil Science Education Committee. Under her leadership, there is support and encouragement for projects in the challenging uncharted territories of digital learning technology. She appreciates the high level of teamwork and collaboration that is required to bring complex ideas from concept to working solutions.
Through her initiative and enthusiasm, the VSSLR team continues to invest substantial efforts and creativity into delivering outstanding open access education that is far more than just content, but also incorporates teaching perspectives that engage learners in interactive and meaningful learning. For her educational contributions and accomplishments she has received numerous awards from national and international organizations focused on soil science, agronomy, education, and multimedia including, Canadian Network for Innovation in Education 2014, 2012, 2011, 2009; Platinum AVA Digital Award, 2015; Quarry Life Award, 2014; Platinum MarCom Award, 2014; and one of the most prestigious Canadian awards for a university instructor – 3M National Teaching Fellowship, 2016.
Please join us in congratulating Maja on winning this award and for her incredible contributions in open education.
Learn more at BCCampus.ca.
Learn more
- Soil Lab Modules: https://labmodules.soilweb.ca/
- Virtual Soil Science Learning Resources (VSSLR) group: https://soilweb.ca/
- Soil Classification: Soil Orders of Canada: https://classification.soilweb.ca/
- SoilWeb200: http://soilweb200.landfood.ubc.ca/
- SOILx: https://www.soilx.ca/
- Soil Formation and Soil Processes: https://processes.soilweb.ca/
- Soil Formation and Parent Material: https://landscape.soilweb.ca/
- Virtual Soil Monolith Collection at UBC: https://monoliths.soilweb.ca/
- Forest Floor: http://forestfloor.soilweb.ca/
- Land Use Impacts on Soil Quality: https://luitool.soilweb.ca/
- It’s Alive!: Uncovering the Roots of Life in Forest Soils: https://biology.soilweb.ca/
- Vancouver Soil Map: https://vancouversoils.ca/
- Soil 4 Youth: https://soil4youth.soilweb.ca/
- UBC wiki for APBI 200: Introduction to Soil Science course: http://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:APBI200
- UBC wiki for APBI 402/SOIL 502: Sustainable Soil Management course: http://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:APBI402-SOIL502
- UBC wiki for APBI 403/SOIL 503: Soil Sampling, Analyses, and Data Integration course: http://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:APBI403
