Directory

Biography

Dr. Valia Spiliotopoulos is a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Teaching in the Department of Language and Literacy Education, and Academic Coordinator of the French specialization in the Bachelor of Education program in the Faculty of Education at UBC. Her research examines how content-based language learning approaches, language assessment, intercultural education, and language policy can impact bi/multilingualism and academic success. Her teaching and program development in the Bachelor of Education program and at the graduate level focus on both French and English language learning methodology and theory. Valia also has extensive experience in leading projects related to the assessment of learning for accreditation, curriculum redesign, and faculty development in educational technology at the university level.

Valia completed a B.A. and B.Ed. at UBC, an M.A. at Laval University, and a PhD at UBC. Prior to her current role, she was an Associate Professor of Professional Practice at Simon Fraser University where she assumed a variety of educational leadership roles; she was the Coordinator of the graduate, in-service teacher education program, and Director of the former Centre for English Language Learning, Teaching, and Research. She has also served as the Associate Director of the Learning and Teaching Support and Innovation unit at the University of Victoria, and was a Lecturer at the University of Toronto’s Graduate Centre for Academic Communication (formerly the Office of English Language and Writing Support).

Projects

Identifying Requirements and Gaps in French as a Second Language (FSL) Teacher Education
2020 – 2023

Applicant: Drs. Stephanie Arnott, Mimi Masson (U of Ottawa)
Co-investigator(s): Dr. Meike Wernicke (LLED), Dr. Valia Spiliotopoulos (LLED), Drs. Paula Kristmanson, Joseph Dicks, Karla Culligan, Josée LeBouthillier (U of New Brunswick)
Project objective(s): Examine present practices and standards in Canadian K-12 French as a second language (FSL) education with a focus on initial teacher education and identifying strengths, challenges and opportunities regarding FSL teacher preparation, mentorship and retention.

Developing a “Community of Inquiry”: Interdisciplinary collaborations for multilingual student success
2017 – 2019

Granting Agency: SFU CELLTR, $11,200
Principal Investigator. Roumi Ilieva; Co-investigator: V. Spiliotopoulos

Research in Language Education Policy for French as a Second Language Education programs in B.C.
2015 – 2017

Granting Agency: BC Ministry of Education, $30,000 granted
Co-Principal Investigators: Cecile Sabatier and Valia Spiliotopoulos

Ethics in Business Education
2013 – 2014

Granting Agency & Amount: UBC Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund Grant, $34,500 granted
Co-Principal Investigators: Valia Spiliotopoulos & David Silver

Direct Learning Assessment for Curriculum Improvement in Business Education
2012 – 2013

Granting Agency & Amount: UBC Teaching and Learning Enhancement Grant, $22, 000 granted
Principal Investigator: Valia Spiliotopoulos; Co-Investigators: Kirk Kristofferson, Carson Woo, David Silver, Thomas Allard

Case-Studies in Innovative Educational Technology Use
2009 – 2011

Granting Agency & Amount: BC Campus Program Development Fund, $12,000 granted
Principal Investigator: Valia Spiliotopoulos; Co-Investigator: Scott Gerrity

Teaching Assistant Consultants: Impact and Implications
2009 – 2011

Granting Agency & Amount: UVic Learning & Teaching Development Grant, $14,000 granted
Principal Investigator – Gweneth Doane; Co-Investigators: Teresa Dawson, Cynthia Korpan, Valia Spiliotopoulos

Selected Publications

Journal Articles and Chapters

Bong-gi, S. & Spiliotopoulos, V. (in press).
Scaffolding Peer Interaction within a Language and Content-Integrated Business Curriculum: A case-study in a Western Canadian University. In Dippold, D & Heron, M. (Eds.). Meaningful Interaction at the Internationalised University: Moving from Research to Impact. London, UK. Taylor and Francis.

Spiliotopoulos, V., Wallace, A., & Fazel, I. (2020)
Opportunities and challenges in Assessing Multilingual Adult Learners in University Settings. Proceedings of Adult Education in Global Times, pp. 637 – 643.

Wallace, A., Spiliotopoulos, V. & Ilieva, R. (2020)
CLIL Collaborations in Higher Education: A Critical Perspective. English Teaching & Learning 44, 127–148.

Ilieva, R., Wallace, A., & Spiliotopoulos, V. (2019).
Institutional Roles and Identity Construction of Applied Linguistics Faculty Involved in Interdisciplinary Collaborations for Multilingual Student Success. TESL Canada Journal, 36(1), 71–96.

Spiliotopoulos, V. (2018).
Lessons learned from immersion in western Canada’s multilingual and multicultural post-secondary context across the disciplines. Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute Working Papers. https://uottawa.scholarsportal.info/ottawa/index.php/ILOB-OLBI/article/view/2340

Bournot-Trites, M., Zappa-Hollman, S. & Spiliotopoulos, V. (2018).
Foreign language teachers’ intercultural competence and legitimacy during an international teaching experience. Study Abroad, Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education, 3 (2), 275-309. doi: 10.1075/sar.16022.bou

Spiliotopoulos, V. (2011). Towards a technology-enhanced university education. In A. Kitchenham (Ed.). Blended Learning across Disciplines: Models for Implementation. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

Abraham, N. & Spiliotopoulos, V. (2009). From periphery to participation: Examining Post-secondary students’ online communication in a collaborative writing project using wikis. Readings in Education and Technology, pp. 152 – 164.

Bournot-Trites, M., Belliveau, G., Spiliotopoulos, V. Seror, J. (2007). The role of drama on cultural sensitivity, motivation, and literacy in a second language context. Journal of Learning through the Arts. 3.1, 35 pages.

Spiliotopoulos, V. & Carey, S. (2005). Investigating the role of identity in L2 writing using electronic discussion boards. Canadian Modern Language Review, 62 (1), 87 – 109.

Spiliotopoulos, V. (2003). Developing multiliteracy in adult ESL learners using on-line forums. International Journal of Humanities, 1, 1 – 15.

Spiliotopoulos, V. (2003), Fostering interactive academic writing using electronic bulletin boards. Contact: Special Research Symposium Issue, 29 (2), 48 – 68.

Research Reports

Sabatier, C., Spiliotopoulos, V, Léger, R. & Pajot, D. (2017). French as a second language and British Columbia’s second language education policy. Research report submitted to B.C. Ministry of Education.

Sabatier, C., Spiliotopoulos, V. & Pajot, D. (2016). Programmes de Français langue seconde: Examen des politiques linguistiques éducatives pan-canadiennes. Research report submitted to the BC Ministry of Education.

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