Share Paper: From the Union Hall to the Virtual Classroom: The British Columbia Nurses’ Union Journey to E-Learning

  1. Kate Milberry, University of AlbertaBritish Columbia Nurses' Union, Canada
Tuesday, June 28 2:45 PM-3:05 PM Junior Ballroom B

Abstract: Education is a key way that trade unions fulfill their obligations to their members and meet their strategic needs. Historically, the labour movement has taken a popular approach to adult education, rooted in Freire’s (1993) critical pedagogy. The British Columbia Nurses’ Union has a longstanding commitment to the education of its members. Since 2013, the Education Department has sought to incorporate web-based technologies to support traditional face-to-face workshops and to increase outreach to members. The Leadership and Labour Relations (LLR) steward education program, launched in 2014, included an online component. This paper examines the BCNU’s shift to blended learning that ...