黄色直播

 

Studio Courses in Teaching and Learning

Upcoming Studio Course

Teaching with Universal Design for Learning in Mind

Course Description

Universal Design for Learning or UDL is a learner-centred framework that honours the variability among students and provides them flexible, meaningful, and accessible learning opportunities. This Studio Course introduces you to the UDL framework and how it can guide course design and teaching to optimize learning for all your students. By the end of the course, you will be able to implement the UDL guidelines as you create learning outcomes, assessments, activities, and other learning materials for your courses.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this Studio Course, you will be able to:

  • Describe the UDL framework, its three main principles, and its nine guidelines
  • Critically examine existing course design elements and identify possible barriers to student learning
  • Implement UDL principles and guidelines in your course design and teaching

Course Length, Schedule, and Organization

Schedule

The course starts on October 7, 2024, and ends November 15, 2024. The learning will be primarily asynchronous through Brightspace, with new content opening each week. Optional synchronous sessions will be held in Teams on the following dates and times:

  • Wednesday, October 9, 12-1 p.m. 
  • Friday, October 18, 11:30 am-12:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 23, 12-1 p.m.
  • Friday, November 1, 11:30 am-12:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, November 6, 12-1 p.m.

Participation and Expectations

Learners are expected to complete asynchronous work independently, which will include participation in activities and/or submission of short assignments weekly, per the course schedule. Participants should anticipate spending an average of two hours per week on course preparation and assignments.

For learners taking the course for credit in the Faculty Certificate program, you will be highly encouraged鈥攊n the spirit of UDL鈥攖o share the work you do in this course (in whole or in part) at CLT鈥檚 UDL Showcase, to be held during 黄色直播鈥檚 Accessibility Week (see below for more details). This would count as your final course project and be evaluated to receive 鈥渃redit鈥 for the course. (There is also the standard option of curating your short assignments and a final reflection and assembling them into a portfolio.)

Participants not taking the course for credit in the Faculty Certificate program are also encouraged to share their work at the UDL Showcase (more details below).

CLT鈥檚 UDL Showcase

This is a new event for the CLT, akin to a conference poster session, but broader in scope and more fun. Think of it as a super flexible and supportive way to share with colleagues your efforts in implementing UDL. The event will be held during 黄色直播鈥檚 Accessibility Week, tentatively scheduled for November 25-29, 2024. The UDL Showcase will include opportunities to share materials asynchronously in a Teams site and/or synchronously in person in Killam B400 or online via a Teams session. More details on dates and times will be shared as we move closer to the date. 

This course has a limit of 30 people with about half the seats reserved for participants in CLT鈥檚 Faculty Certificate program.

Instructor

Les T. Johnson, PhD
Educational Developer (Online and Blended Pedagogies), Centre for Learning and Teaching
lestjohnson@dal.ca

 

Fundamentals and Current Issues in Student Assessment

Course Overview

鈥淓verybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.鈥 鈥 Einstein

Student assessments are a crucial method to measure student learning, progress, and growth. With this purpose in mind, effective student assessments should be fair, flexible, reliable, and valid. In this 6-week studio course, you will complete readings, discussions, and reflections on the fundamentals of student assessment: the underlying principles, how to set guidelines and expectations for assessments, how to construct effective assessments (e.g., rubrics, multiple-choice questions, essays), and alternate modes of assessment (e.g., podcasts, infographics, e-portfolios). Each week, the fundamental to be covered will be paired with a related current issue/trend to ensure you are developing assessments for today鈥檚 students. The course will culminate in a final project that showcases customized assessment methods that are in line with your teaching goals and values.

Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of this studio course, you will be able to:

  • Explain the principles underlying student assessment.
  • Align learning outcomes with appropriate assessments.
  • Discuss the merits of different grading policies (e.g., dropping lowest grades, tracking attendance).
  • Write clear assessment instructions and provide relevant feedback on graded work.
  • Construct effective rubrics, multiple choice questions, and essay/assignment prompts.
  • Describe alternate modes of assessment (e.g., podcasts, infographics) and current issues/trends in student assessment (e.g., assessing Generation Z students, ungrading, labour-based grading).

Course Structure and Participant Expectations

This course will be delivered over six weeks, from Wednesday October 2 to Wednesday November 6, with an extended deadline of Wednesday December 11 for submission of the final project. Weekly 1.5-hour classroom sessions will be held every Wednesday at 10:30am-12pm in Killam Library, room B400 (basement).

In addition, learners should expect to complete approximately 2 hours per week of independent work (readings/activities), and a total of approximately 3-5 hours working on a final project. Attendance at all classroom sessions and satisfactory completion of the final project are required for successful course completion.

Registration

This course has a limit of 15 participants, with priority given to those enrolled in the Faculty Certificate in Teaching and Learning.

Please complete the  to be considered for enrollment in the course. When the registration period closes, we will assess the list of interested individuals and follow up with you on whether we were able to accommodate your registration for this iteration of the course. 

Instructor Information

Daniella Sieukaran
Senior Educational Developer (Curriculum)
daniella@dal.ca

Past Courses

2024

Decolonizing Pedagogy: Nourishing our Minds, Bodies, Hearts, and Spirits

Instructor Information

Rachelle McKay, Anishinaabekwe, MA Indigenous Governance
Educational Developer, Indigenous Knowledges & Ways of Knowing
Rachelle.McKay@dal.ca

Course Philosophy

Decolonization starts with the self and extends outward. Understanding who you are (your positionality) and where you are (the Indigenous territory you鈥檙e occupying) are key first steps in awakening your decolonial consciousness. Only after you鈥檝e engaged in this sort of 鈥渟elf-location鈥 work can you begin your journey of embedding decolonization into the teaching & learning work that you do. This course aims to aid university teaching staff along that journey, offering a supportive environment for learning and reflection on decolonial strategies and approaches to teaching that aim to support student learning and wellbeing.

While individual Indigenous nations have individual beliefs and philosophies that are distinct to their own histories and experiences, there is a shared notion among many Indigenous groups that wellbeing must be achieved wholistically with consideration for one鈥檚 body, mind, heart, and spirit. Centring that philosophy, this course prioritizes the nourishment of the hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits of participants through offering a selection of in-person and virtual activities meant to encourage emotional, intellectual, physical, and spiritual growth.

Along with offering various land and art-based activities, this course will prompt participants to reflect on the following questions:

  • How can we integrate Indigenous pedagogies into teaching respectfully and authentically?
  • How can we prioritize the wholistic wellbeing of students and better consider their physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs?
  • What does it mean to be trauma-informed in the context of teaching and learning, and how can this understanding inform pedagogical approaches to support the wellbeing of all students?

Learning Outcomes

  • Develop a nuanced understanding of decolonization that starts with self-awareness and extends outward to teaching & learning practices.
  • Identify and articulate personal and professional connections to Indigenous territories and communities, fostering a deeper understanding of the significance of land and place in decolonial consciousness.
  • Consider how to integrate Indigenous pedagogies respectfully and authentically into teaching practices to foster inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of Indigenous perspectives on wholistic education, encompassing the nourishment of body, mind, heart, and spirit.
  • Reflect critically on one's own teaching practices and consider ways to embed decolonial principles and Indigenous perspectives into curriculum design, assessment, and instructional strategies.

Synchronous Requirements

This course includes two virtual synchronous talking circles on June 27 & Aug 1 from 1-3 p.m. Attendance at both sessions is required for course completion.

Accessibility

This course includes an in-person land-based session to be held in Bedford, NS on July 16, 17 or 18 (exact time & day to be determined based on participant availability.) The trails leading to the site are not paved and may pose accessibility issues to some participants. Additionally, a beginner-level outdoor yoga class is included as part of this course. Please reach out to the course instructor if you have concerns about accessibility for either of these activities or any other elements of the course.

Course Schedule

June 20, 1-3pm 鈥 Meeting & Greet and Visit to

On the day preceding National Aboriginal Day, let鈥檚 meet and greet each other in the Ko鈥檍ua Okuom (Killam Library) before visiting the DAG 鈥淎lan Syliboy: The Journey So Far鈥 Exhibit together.

If you are unavailable to attend this session, you can visit the Exhibit (running from May 9 鈥 Aug. 11) on your own time to inform your Exhibit reflection.

June 27, 1-3pm 鈥 Virtual Circle Discussion - participation required for course completion.

Join participants and the course instructor in holding a virtual talking circle to share about your pedagogical approach and consider questions such as: What do you do to create safer and more accessible learning spaces? How do you nourish your own body, mind, heart, and spirit as you teach? How can the wellbeing of students be better supported and fostered through teaching and learning practices, assessment design, and instructional strategies?

Circle discussion protocols will be explained at the beginning of this session.

July 4, 2:30-4:00 鈥 Art Therapy Workshop in the Ko鈥檍ua Okuom (Killam Library)

Engaging in artistic practices and art therapy can significantly improve mental health and emotional wellbeing. For educators, this can lead to reduced stress, enhanced mood, and a greater sense of fulfillment. Art therapy can also provide a constructive outlet for processing complex emotions, reducing anxiety, and preventing burnout.

If you are unable to attend this session, make some time to engage in artistic practice on your own, or with friends and family.

July 11 - Language Lesson with Mi鈥檏maq Language Teacher, 1 hr (virtual)

Learning Mi鈥檏maq language is an enriching process that can foster a deeper understanding of Mi鈥檏maq culture and spirituality. Additionally, educators who learn Mi鈥檏maq (even just a few words and/or place names) can integrate those words into their teaching and learning practice to create learning environments that are more culturally inclusive, linguistically diverse, and respectful of Indigenous peoples and their knowledges.

If you鈥檙e unable to attend this virtual synchronous session you can watch the recording after it鈥檚 been posted to inform your reflection on using Mi鈥檏maq language within your teaching.

July 16, 17, or 18, time TBD 鈥 Bedford Barrens Petroglyphs Site Visit, 2 hours (to be scheduled based on participant availability.)

The land and the natural world support all forms of life. Join us in this land-based outing to the historical Mi鈥檏maq petroglyph site in Bedford, 鈥渢he Bedford Barrens鈥 with a Mi鈥檏maq Knowledge Holder as our guide. Participants from the past CLT studio course 鈥淭reaty-Informed Teaching鈥 will be invited to join us for this session.

July 23, 24, or 25, time TBD 鈥 Introductory Outdoor Yoga Class, 1 hour (to be scheduled based on participant availability.)

Yoga can be used to engage the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of wellbeing. Physically, yoga can improve flexibility, strength, and help to alleviate chronic pain. Mentally, yoga helps reduces stress. Emotionally, it promotes mindfulness and can be used to cultivate inner peace. Spiritually, yoga provides a path to deeper self-awareness and encourages a sense of connection with the broader universe.

This activity does not require prior yoga experience or high physical skill. Instructions can be adapted to fit different physical abilities and chairs can be used for those with limited mobility.

August 1, 1-3pm 鈥 Virtual Circle Discussion - participation required for course completion

This virtual circle discussion concludes the course. In circle, share how you plan on integrating take-aways from the course into your teaching and learning practice.

Course Readings

Each person in this course is on their own individual learning and decolonization journey. There are no assigned readings for this course. However, there is a section on the Brightspace site that contains a broad range of readings grouped thematically. Read what appears to be relevant and meaningful to you and your context, when you鈥檙e able to. This course is not meant to increase stress but help reduce it.

In-Person & Virtual Visiting Hours

Did you read an interesting article you want to discuss? Do you want to talk about something curriculum, assessment, or pedagogy related? Drop into one of the weekly in person or virtual visiting hours to chat with the instructor and other participants in the course. A list of visiting hours will be provided to course participants once the course begins.

Assessed Components (pass/fail)

  • Participation in both virtual circle discussions (June 27 & Aug. 1, 1-3pm)
  • Reflection on DAG: 鈥淎lan Syliboy: The Journey so Far鈥 Exhibit visit
  • Reflection on using Mi鈥檏maq language in your teaching
  • Reflection on Bedford Barrens visit or Indigenous wholistic views of wellness
  • Medicine Wheel Wholistic Pedagogy Final Project

Reflection & Medicine Wheel Wholistic Pedagogy Final Project guidelines will be provided to course participants once the course begins.

Registration

This course is limited to 14 participants. There are 3 spaces in the course reserved for individuals working towards completion of the Faculty Certificate in Teaching & Learning. The other 11 spots can be filled by any 黄色直播 & King鈥檚 faculty or teaching staff members.

Design for Teamwork: Creating Group Work Assessments

Though a perennial challenge for both instructors and students, group work, when designed thoughtfully, can facilitate the development of interpersonal and work-place related skills, peer-to-peer teaching and learning, and collaborative integration of individual members鈥 work.

In this 6-week studio course, we will reflect on how groups work, why group assessments can be a challenge, and how group projects can be strengthened to ensure that students have the guidance and tools to work effectively as a team. Facilitators will lead participants through readings, discussion, and reflection, culminating in a group work assessment design project that participants might use in their next teaching engagement.

Participants will complete coursework asynchronously with three opportunities to meet synchronously鈥2 of these 3 meetings are required (see below for details). The course will be facilitated via Microsoft Teams. Participants can expect to work 8-10 hours, total, exclusive of synchronous sessions.

Learning Outcomes

Through full participation of this course, participants will be able to:

  1. Discern learning tasks and course learning outcomes for which group work is an appropriate strategy
  2. Critically reflect upon group work attempts made in previous courses, and bring that reflection to bear on new design
  3. Identify the typical challenges students face in groups and approaches to helping students navigate them
  4. Employ strategies for group development, organization, and conflict management in their designs to support students in becoming a team
  5. Employ strategies for fair assessment of group assignments

Course Dates

Start date: Tuesday, May 21, 2024
End date: Friday, June 28, 2024

Project due date is July 8, 2024

Synchronous meeting dates

We will determine together whether we want these sessions to be online, or hybrid (no in-person required for this course).

Tuesday, May 21, 10-11:20 a.m.
Wednesday, June 19 (optional)
Thursday, July 4, 10-11:20 a.m.

Registrants should plan to be able to attend the two required meetings on May 21 and July 4; though, there can be an opportunity to collectively re-set those days and times (if there is no consensus, the dates and times above will stand).

Registration Cap: 15

Seats in the studio course are prioritized for people taking the faculty certificate program. If you are not in the program, you will automatically be added to a waitlist for the course. You will be contacted at a later date to confirm participation in the course.

Facilitators
Kate Crane (CLT, Educational Developer, Online Pedagogies)
Lindsay McNiff (黄色直播 Libraries, Learning & Instruction Librarian)

Teaching & Learning for Global Impact: Internationalization 鈥慖ntersecting with Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (Truro)

This course will focus on pedagogy for intercultural competency and internationalization through frameworks of Intercultural Teaching Competence (Dimitrov & Haque, 2016) and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (Gloria Ladson-Billings, 1994). The course is intended for interested faculty members, as they discover these frameworks through discussions and meaningful interactions. The course aims to help the faculty start planning the implementation of practical strategies to internationalize and to make their pedagogy culturally responsive for their courses, including COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) projects.

The course will run for 6 weeks from February 5鈥揗arch 22, 2024.

  • Session 1: Week 1-In person in Truro (Friday, February 9)
  • Session 2: Week 3-Online (Tuesday, February 20)
  • Session 3: Week 5-Online Drop-in/Individual consultation on syllabus, etc. (Tuesday, March 5)
  • Session 4: Week 6-In person in Truro (Friday, March 22)

In person sessions: Fridays at 11:30 a.m.鈥1:30 p.m. (Truro Campus, McRae Library, Student Learning Commons)

Online sessions: Tuesdays at 2:30鈥4:30 p.m.  (MS Teams)

Gamification and Game-Based Learning

Winter 2024

Instructor: Dr. Kate Thompson, Educational Developer (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) | thompskm@dal.ca

February 20th - April 5th, 2024

 

Gamification and Game-Based Learning

This studio course will explore the use of gamification and game-based learning in the higher education context. Topics include exploring how play can enhance student learning, what gamification and game-based learning are, and how they are similar and distinct from one another. We will explore different types of games, some key game mechanics and characteristics, and how these can be applied to learning activities. We will also explore how to design meaningful and educational learning experiences by incorporating existing games into your course. Participants will gain practical experience with gamification and game-based learning by experiencing those concepts as they are applied in the design of the course, and will have opportunities to discuss and develop their own implementations of gamification and/or game-based learning in their own courses.

 

The course design is blended, and participation is very flexible. Many activities will be asynchronous online activities. There will be a weekly synchronous session (sometimes virtual, sometimes in-person, and sometimes hybrid). Synchronous session times will be determined within the course in consultation with the participants. Participation in the synchronous/in-person sessions is not mandatory, but it鈥檚 highly recommended you make it to as many as you can! Successful completion of this course should not require more than about 2 hours/week. The final project is to design a gamification or game-based learning implementation for one of your courses.

 

No prior gaming experience is required to participate in this course, but participation will certainly involve play!

 

Enrolment spaces in the course are limited. Please do not register at this time if you have already completed two Studio Courses. If more spaces become available, another Announcement to that effect will be posted.

2023

Implementing Universal Design for Learning in Your Course Design and Teaching


Course Description
Universal Design for Learning or UDL is a learner-centred framework that honours the variability among students and provides them flexible, meaningful, and accessible learning opportunities. This Studio Course introduces you to the UDL framework and how it can guide course design and teaching to optimize learning for all your students. By the end of the course, you will be able to implement the UDL guidelines as you create learning outcomes, assessments, activities, and other learning materials for your courses.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this Studio Course, you will be able to:

  • Describe the UDL framework, its three main principles, and its nine guidelines
  • Critically examine existing course design elements and identify possible barriers to student learning
  • Implement UDL principles and guidelines in your course design and teaching

Course Length, Schedule, and Organization

Schedule:
The course starts on January 16, 2023, and the first four modules are each two weeks long. The learning will be primarily asynchronous through Brightspace, with optional (except where indicated) synchronous sessions held in Teams on the following dates and times (AST):

  • January 23, 12:30 鈥 1:00 pm
  • January 30, 12:30 鈥 1:00 pm
  • February 13, 12:30 鈥 1:00 pm
  • February 28, 12:30 鈥 1:00 pm
  • March 13, 11:30 鈥 1:00 pm (required, participant presentations)

The course outline is:

  • January 16 鈥 29, 2023
    Module 1: Intro to Universal Design for Learning
  • January 30 鈥 February 12, 2023
    Module 2: Motivating students to persist in their learning
  • February 13 鈥 26, 2023
    Module 3: Enabling students to express what they know in different ways
  • February 27 鈥 March 12, 2023
    Module 4: Providing information and content in different ways
  • March 13 鈥 17, 2023
    Module 5: Participant presentations (synchronous) and wrap-up
  • March 27, 2023
    Final projects due

Participation and Expectations
Learners will submit short weekly assignments and a longer portfolio as their final project. Learners are expected to complete asynchronous work independently, which will include participation in activities and/or submission of short assignments, per the course schedule. Participants should anticipate spending an average of two hours per week on course preparation and assignments.

Treaty鈥慖nformed Teaching: A Starting Point for Reciprocal Relations


Start Date: Oct. 2, 2023
End Date: Nov. 24, 2023

Course Description

鈥淸A]s the commissioners of the Truth and Reconciliations Commission have offered to Canada, everyone is now responsible for forging a better relationship with Aboriginal people in the present and in the future. To do this, they must begin to understand the meaning, significance, and the need for implementing the treaties of peace and friendship from the Mi鈥檏maw perspective.鈥 鈥 Marie Battiste, Living Treaties, p. 9

This course will focus on understanding Mi鈥檏maw treaty perspectives and the history of treaty making and implementation in Mi鈥檏ma鈥檏i, to assist faculty members in reflecting on what it means to be a treaty person within the context of their work at 黄色直播. This course is designed for educators including faculty members who are new to Mi鈥檏ma鈥檏i and for those who want to deepen their understanding of Mi鈥檏maw-settler treaty relations.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this 8-week course, participants should be able to:

  • Describe and contextualize central events surrounding the history of treaty making and implementation in the province of Nova Scotia
  • Understand Mi鈥檏maw treaty perspectives and the need for treaty education
  • Reflect on one鈥檚 role and responsibilities as a treaty person in Mi鈥檏ma鈥檏i
  • Apply the 鈥渟pirit and intent鈥 of the peace and friendship treaties of peace to their teaching & learning approach

Course Length, Schedule, and Organization

This course will be delivered over eight weeks. Bi-weekly synchronous gatherings will be held via MS Teams on Wednesdays from 10:35am-12:00pm with additional readings and activities completed asynchronously. This course is primarily discussion based, though learners will be required to submit several short assignments and a final project. 

Synchronous Online Meeting Times:

Wed. Oct. 11
10:35am-12:00pm

Wed. Oct. 25
10:35am-12:00pm

Wed. Nov. 8
10:35am-12:00pm

Wed. Nov. 22
10:35am-12:00pm


Participation and Expectations

This course requires participants to read and watch materials provided via Brightspace.

Participants are expected to attend a minimum of 3 out of 4 synchronous online meetings and complete independent work to obtain credit for this course. Synchronous activities and discussions will be most useful when participants review assigned course materials ahead of the session. Participants should anticipate spending an average of 1-2 hours per week on course preparation and assignments.

Registration

This course has a limit of 12 participants. Preference will be given to faculty who are enrolled in the faculty certificate program. Please contact the course instructor with any questions or concerns.

Instructor

Rachelle McKay
Education Developer, Indigenous Knowledges & Ways of Knowing | Centre for Learning and Teaching | 黄色直播

rachelle.mckay@dal.ca

Science of Learning: Research鈥態ased Principles for Teaching


Course Description
As educators, we are tasked with designing learning experiences that are effective and meaningful for student learning. This is not a trivial task and requires that we investigate the factors that influence how people learn, the mechanisms and conditions that promote student learning, and the ways educators can tailor instructional approaches to meet the diverse needs of learners.

This 8-week course draws from research in cognitive psychology and educational research to examine the underlying cognitive processes that influence learning outcomes. The course is intended to support participants in developing the knowledge and skills that will help them effectively create engaging and inclusive learning experiences, implement evidence-based strategies in their teaching, and improve student success in meeting learning outcomes. Participants will complete self-study through a selection of readings, following by weekly interactive sessions and discussion. They will reflect on the implications of research findings on their own educational contexts.

Learning outcomes
By the end of this course, you are able to broadly:

  • Describe factors (e.g., student identity, prior knowledge, feedback, memory, metacognition) that impact student learning and identify practices that improve learning.
  • Gain insight into relevant research in cognitive and educational psychology and its practical implications.
  • Apply evidence-based strategies to enhance teaching and learning in your courses.

Who Should Attend
This course is designed for educators, including faculty, experienced teaching assistants, and instructional designers as well as anyone interested in exploring key principles of effective learning.

Course Length, Schedule, and Organization
This course will be delivered over eight weeks. Weekly gatherings will be in-person with additional readings and activities completed asynchronously. This course is primarily discussion based, though learners will be required to submit several short assignments and a final project.

Dates: The course will run from Sept 19 鈥 Nov 7, 2023 with an extended deadline for the final project submission of Nov 14, 2023. Weekly, 1-hr synchronous sessions will be held every Tuesday at 11:00 AM.

Tentative Topic List  
1

Intro + Student Identity and Stages of Development

 
2

Prior Knowledge

 
3

Knowledge Organization

 
4

Motivation

 
5

Mastery and Deliberate Practice

 
6

Practice and Feedback

 
7

Memory and Retention

 
8

Metacognition

 

Participation and Expectations
This course requires that participants read excerpts from the book:

2nd Ed. The newest edition of the book was released in 2023. Previous editions of this text are available through the library. Participants are responsible for obtaining access to the book for this course.

Participants are expected to attend a minimum of 6 out of 8 weekly in-person sessions and complete independent work to obtain credit for this course. In-person activities and discussion will be most useful when participants complete all readings ahead of the session. In addition to the in-person session, participants should anticipate spending an average of 2 hrs per week on course preparation and assignments.

Registration is full.

Note: Graduate students in CUTL program will gain a maximum of 5-credit hours of professional development for completing this course.

Instructors
Elizabeth Gillis
Educational Developer, Curriculum
Centre for Learning and Teaching
黄色直播
elizabeth.gillis@dal.ca

Nasim Tavassoli
Educational Developer
Student Development 
Centre for Learning and Teaching 
黄色直播
nasim.tavassoli@dal.ca

2022

Open Education and Pedagogy


Course Description

In recent years, a growing number of practices in academia have been focussed on openness. A goal of this movement has been to lower barriers to knowledge by making the products and processes of scholarship more accessible and transparent. Open scholarship may include the application of any number of open practices and includes open access, open research, and open data. From a teaching and learning lens, it also includes open education and pedagogy 鈥 both of which are explored in more detail in this course. Creating and adapting open educational resources in your courses, engaging in pedagogical practices where learners are the creators of knowledge, and using open copyright licenses on your work that give permission to others to freely reuse and build upon your scholarly work are all examples of open educational practices.

In this six-week course, we will explore the landscape of open educational practices and how you may apply it in your teaching and learning. We will review the basics of creative commons and the 5Rs, learn when, why, and how we may want to create or use open educational resources (OERs), and explore the various ways of engaging students in open practice by integrating open pedagogy into our classrooms. By the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • Explain what we mean by open educational practices and describe the advantages and challenges of practicing open education and pedagogy in our courses
  • Develop strategies to address potential risks when planning to engage in open educational practices
  • Create and design course materials and teaching and learning activities that are rooted in openness

Course Length, Schedule, and Organization

This course will be delivered in a blended format as three modules over six weeks. The three main topics include (1) The spectrum of open and creative commons licenses, (2) open educational resources, and (3) open pedagogy. Learners will submit short weekly assignments and a longer portfolio as their final project.

Most synchronous sessions are expected to occur in-person in Halifax (room TBA). In special cases, online participation may be accommodated. Please contact the instructor if you have additional questions about the format of this course or about specific requirements regarding your participation. 

Dates: The course will run from Oct 3 鈥 Nov 11, 2022 with an extended deadline for the final project submission of Nov 18, 2022. Weekly, 1-hr synchronous sessions will be held every Monday at 9 AM (tentative).

Participation and Expectations

Participants are expected to attend weekly synchronous sessions and complete independent asynchronous work for this course. In addition to the synchronous session, participants should anticipate spending an average of 2 hrs per week on course preparation and assignments. Details on synchronous session date/time will be made available at a later date.

This course has a limit of 12 participants. Registration for non-Faculty Certificate Members will open Monday, September 19. If registration is full, please email clt@dal.ca to be added to the waitlist.

Faculty Certificate Members will automatically be enrolled in the Studio Course, until the course is full. Then you would be put on a waiting list. Visit the Faculty Certificate Brightspace site for details on how to register for this Studio Course. 

Non-Faculty Certificate Members will be placed on a waiting list. If seats become available, The Centre for Learning and Teaching will contact those on waiting lists beginning 2-weeks prior to the start of the course and until the course begins.

Instructor

Elizabeth Gillis
Educational Developer, Curriculum | Centre for Learning and Teaching | 黄色直播
elizabeth.gillis@dal.ca

Students as Partners in Online and Blended Teaching (June 6 - July 15)

Course Description

The 鈥淕reat Disengagement鈥 might be the term future social historians ascribe to the large number of students who flicked off those mics and cameras during our years of pandemic online teaching and learning. The reasons for this are complex and many, most having little to do with how instructors delivered and taught online courses, effectively or otherwise. Seismic social events make unsteady ground and throw up new terrain. They disturb the peace of our fundamental 鈥渨hys鈥 and 鈥渨hat fors,鈥 making us, teachers and learners alike, unsure of what knowledge and which skills to bring forward into the future. Shouldn鈥檛 the classroom, especially the virtual one, be just the place to chart鈥攁nd create鈥攖he map of who we will be called to be, what we will be called to do, in the 鈥減ost鈥-pandemic world?

We鈥檒l need an alternative paradigm for the classroom, one in which the lines between teacher and learners, expert and novice, designer and user are blurred. A 鈥淪tudent as Partners鈥 (SaP) paradigm offers this, placing the student in an empowered position to participate in the design and implementation of teaching and learning. In this studio course, we will explore benefits, challenges, and examples of partnering with students in learning, teaching and assessment, and its potential to encourage self-motivation, responsiveness and responsibility within students; and, for instructors, self-reflection, enhanced practice and renewed joy and enthusiasm for teaching.

Learning Outcomes

By the conclusion of this studio course, you will:

  • Become familiar with opportunities presented in the SaP literature to overcome challenges that seem particularly intractable in the online environment, such as student participation, academic integrity, and lack of relationship and connection.
  • Experience what 鈥減artnership鈥 might look and feel like in the co-production of the virtual classroom environment (either Teams or Collaborate and within Brightspace) which will, in turn, provide participants with a large buffet of ideas to apply in your own online and blended classes. Co-production work takes place within our weekly hour together; no extra meetings necessary.
  • Form reflective habits for the process of teaching in uncertain and uncharted territory by turning uncomfortable and negative feelings and attitudes鈥攗ncertainty, resistance, tension, disagreement, skepticism鈥攊nto fruitful resources to inform your practice in partnering with students.
  • Apply some of the major SaP pedagogical, ethical and practical concepts to the design of an aspect of teaching, learning or assessment, such as: content creation, active learning activities, reflective/metacognitive activities or assignments, classroom discussion, text and material selection, assessments and rubrics, etc., with the hopes that it can be of practical use for upcoming teaching engagements.

Participation & Expectations for Attendance

We will meet once a week in the virtual classroom (variously Teams and Collaborate)鈥攐ur SaP 鈥渓aboratory鈥濃攖rying out practical ways to plan and run synchronous sessions informed by principles of SaP. The topics of discussion within these sessions will be ideas and concepts from the SaP literature. Synchronous session times will be determined within the course in consultation with the participants.

Participants will also spend time in the asynchronous classroom (Brightspace discussion boards). Like the virtual classroom time, engagement in Brightspace will be facilitated to demonstrate ways to employ SaP ideas and frameworks in the asynchronous environment.

Participants should plan to attend all synchronous sessions in addition to completing reflective and project components. Participants should anticipate devoting 1.5-2 hours per week to the course.

Course length

The course will run for 6-weeks from Monday, June 6, 2022 to Friday, July 15, 2022.  More details about the course schedule will be shared on Brightspace and on the course outline.

Registration cap

The capacity of this studio course is a maximum 12.

Instructor

Kate Crane, MA
Educational Developer (eLearning)
kate.crane@dal.ca

Teaching International Students (TIS): Making learning experience relevant and inclusive (May 9 - June 30)

Course Description

24% of 黄色直播 students are identified as international students. You may see these students in your classrooms at the intersection of learning domains (cognitive, affective, behavioural) from linguistic, cultural, and individually unique perspectives . As an academic who embeds their pedagogy in the principles of EDIA, you might want to know how learning experience can be made inclusive and relevant for all students, including international students who are looking for opportunities to feel they BELONG!

In today鈥檚 classrooms, by way of being global citizens, ALL students are international students, and they deserve an education focused on their needs and aspirations as well - an education that connects them with communities and world outside their classrooms. How can the class environment and learning experience be made relevant and inclusive for all students? Research indicates that one way to do this is to make the intended course and lesson learning outcomes global. In this studio course, we鈥檒l explore how global learning outcomes can be embedded within the core course outcomes and encourage students to experience intercultural spaces and develop intercultural competency. If you are an educator who wishes or intends to explore possibilities of addressing the needs of international students in your classrooms and making your classroom environment inclusive for all students, this studio course will help you discover these possibilities and help you start planning the implementation of practical strategies to internationalize your curriculum.

Instructor

Shazia Nawaz Awan, Ed.D., Educational Developer (Internationalization & Intercultural Competency), Center for Learning & Teaching

Schedule

The course will run for 8-weeks from May 9 鈥 June 30, 2022 , and is mostly asynchronous with synchronous components on Tuesday, May 10 & 24 and June 7 & 21 at 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

More details about the course schedule will be shared on Brightspace and on the course outline.

Learning Outcomes

Through a full engagement with the course, participants should be able to:

  • Recognize the importance of adapting pedagogy for TIS as a timely necessity
  • Aimed at TIS, design and add inclusive elements to an existing course
  • Plan and apply strategies explored during the course to an existing/ongoing course
  • Demonstrate a shift in making a move to adapt your pedagogy more relevant for TIS

Course Organization

The 8-week course is organized into three modules, one task-week of working on the presentation for the panel and one panel-discussion-week. Bi-weekly module tasks include:

  • Collaborative e-social reading on Perusall (one-article)
  • Personalized reflections and relevance submissions (3 in total)
  • Use of Educational technology (EdTech) to develop a Community of Practice (CoP) through engagement on Teams for flexible interaction
  • Course feedback surveys (two in total/one in week 5 and one post course)

Course Registration

Registration for this course is now closed.

Note: The capacity of this studio course is a maximum 15, and priority will be given to those who are registered in the Faculty Certificate in Teaching and Learning.  If you are not a member of the Faculty Certificate Program, you will be placed on a waiting list. If seats become available, the Centre for Learning and Teaching will contact those on waiting lists beginning 2-weeks prior to the start of the course and until the course begins.

Gamification and Game-Based Learning (March 1 - April 14)

Instructor

Kate Thompson, PhD
Educational Developer (eLearning)
Email: thompskm@dal.ca

This studio course will explore the use of gamification and game-based learning in the higher education context. Topics include exploring how play can enhance student learning, what gamification and game-based learning are, and how they are similar and distinct from one another. We will explore different types of games, some key game mechanics and characteristics, and how these can be applied to learning activities. We will also explore how to design meaningful and educational learning experiences by incorporating existing games into your course. Participants will gain practical experience with gamification and game-based learning by experiencing those concepts as they are applied in the design of the course, and will have opportunities to discuss and develop their own implementations of gamification and/or game-based learning in their own courses.

The course design is blended, and participation is very flexible. Many activities will be asynchronous online activities. There will be a weekly synchronous session which will usually be held virtually, and there will be at least one in-person session (regulations permitting). Synchronous session times will be determined within the course in consultation with the participants. Participation in the synchronous/in-person sessions is not mandatory, but it鈥檚 highly recommended you make it to as many as you can! Successful completion of this course should not require more than about 2 hours/week.

No prior gaming experience is required to participate in this course, but participation will certainly involve play!


2021

A Perfect Blend (Fall Term)

After a long year of teaching online you might be wondering, 鈥 How will I use everything I鈥檝e learned and designed in my in-person classes?鈥 Regardless of the rapid (and stressful) transition to online, both faculty and students have identified aspects of online instruction that they either benefitted from or even enjoyed. There are several options for designing an on-campus course that incorporates the elements of online teaching that worked for you and the students. This studio course explores the potential for more blended teaching and learning in the post-pandemic world. Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about blended course instruction and apply blended strategies to their own courses.

Learning outcomes

Through full engagement with the course, participants should be able to:

  • Design a course that is adaptable.
  • Apply learner-centered principles of curriculum alignment to blended course design.
  • Recognize a variety of opportunities for blended engagement in an in-person course.
  • Transition online courses to blended instruction by making evidence-informed choices about course design.

Instructors

  • Susan Joudrey, Associate Director, Centre for Learning & Teaching
  • Jill McSweeney-Flaherty, Educational Developer (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Classroom Spaces), Centre for Learning & Teaching

Schedule

The course will run for 6-weeks from 18 Oct 鈥 26 November 2021, and is mostly asynchronous with synchronous components on:

  • Tuesday, Oct 19, 9:00 鈥 10:30am
  • Tuesday, Nov 2, 9:00 鈥 10:30am, and
  • Tuesday, Nov 23, 9:00 鈥 10:00am. 

More details regarding the course schedule will be available soon.

Capacity

Max enrollment 20 participants with priority those enrolled in the Faculty Certificate Program and who taught online during the 2020-21 year.

*Those not enrolled in the program or have not taught online during the 2020-21 term may still register and will be notified on Wednesday, October 6, on a first-come-first-served basis, if a seat becomes available.

A Perfect Blend (Summer)

After a long year of teaching online you might be wondering, 鈥淲ill I be able to use everything I鈥檝e learned and designed once we return to in-person classes?鈥 Regardless of the rapid (and stressful) transition to online, both faculty and students have identified aspects of online instruction that they either benefitted from or even enjoyed. There are several options for designing an on-campus course that incorporates the elements of online teaching that worked for you and the students. This studio course explores the potential for more blended teaching and learning in the post-pandemic world. Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about blended course instruction and apply blended strategies to their own courses.

Learning outcomes

Through full engagement with the course, participants should be able to:

  • Design a course that is adaptable.
  • Apply learner-centered principles of curriculum alignment to blended course design.
  • Recognize a variety of opportunities for blended engagement in an in-person course.
  • Transition online courses to blended instruction by making evidence-informed choices about course design.

Instructors

Susan Joudrey, Senior Educational Developer (Curriculum), Centre for Learning & Teaching  
Jill McSweeney-Flaherty, Educational Developer (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Classroom Spaces), Centre for Learning & Teaching

Schedule

The course will run for 5-weeks from 5 July - 6 August 2021, and is mostly asynchronous with synchronous components on:

  • 8 July, 2:00-3:30pm 
  • 22 July, 2:00-3:30pm, and 
  • participant presentations on 3 August, 2:00-3:30pm and 5 August, 2:00-3:30pm.  

More details regarding the course schedule will be available soon.

Capacity

Max enrolment 20 participants, with priority to those enrolled in the Faculty Certificate Program who also taught online during the 2020-21 term. 

*Those not enrolled in the program or have not taught online during the 2020-21 term may still register and will be notified on Monday, June 28, on a first-come-first-served basis, if a seat becomes available.

What is Anti-racist/Anti-oppressive Education? An Introductory Course for White Faculty Wanting to Effect Change

Tragically, it took the murder of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer, to awaken many white people (especially within the United States and Canada), to anti-Black and anti-Indigenous violence and systemic racism.鈥 Although Floyd鈥檚 murder was what finally drew the attention of folks who had previously been unaware, there are countless individuals who have died or been brutalized, both before this event and afterward, and in both the United States and Canada. The news has erupted with those individuals鈥 stories, and once-silenced survivors are stepping forward at a time when it seems that the 鈥榙ominant鈥 culture might actually be listening, and that there is the possibility of reform. And in all of this, social media is rife with many white people asking, 鈥淲hat can I do?鈥

Taking this course can be one small, first step, by assuming the responsibility of educating ourselves to address systemic racism and oppression within our own institution. As white teachers and academics, we will take on this work under Kayla Reed鈥檚 (Executive Director, Action St. Louis), 鈥淎.L.L.Y鈥 framework*:

  • Always centre the impacted
  • Listen and learn from those who live in oppression 
  • Leverage your privilege
  • Yield the floor

Through anti-racist and anti-oppressive theory and voices, we will learn how to position ourselves, our disciplines, and our institution in relation to the systemic racism and oppression in which they are embedded, and that they reinforce and reproduce those systems. We will simultaneously determine how to put into practice what we have learned. Anti-racist and anti-oppressive education are relevant in every discipline, and folks from every Faculty are encouraged to engage in this critical work.

While open to anyone, this course is designed for those who are just beginning their anti-racist and anti-oppressive education learning journey.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Uncover and discuss how racism and oppression are replicated and reinforced in all institutional spaces  
  • Identify and plan how you will apply each component of the ALLY framework in your teaching, research, and academic (and personal) lives
  • Begin to connect anti-racist/anti-oppressive education to Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
  • Through a scaffolded process, create a final project (as required for the Faculty Certificate Program)
  • Embrace these first developmental steps as part of lifelong learning

This course is primarily asynchronous (through Brightspace and Microsoft Teams, with opportunities (but no requirement) to meet synchronously one-on-one with the instructor, and/or with your peers (via Teams). Course modules, assignments, and opportunities for engagement will be released every two weeks (five modules for 10 weeks, from May 17 to July 12, 2021.)  Opportunities for synchronous discussion or other connections--dates and times-- will be determined by participants.

This studio course can be completed as part of the Faculty Certificate Program, offered through the CLT.

Facilitator

Tereigh Ewert
Senior Educational Developer (Diversity and Inclusivity)
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Designing Learning for Students鈥 Futures

Post-secondary institutions often focus on the first-year transition into university and retaining students once they arrive. Faculty members and staff are regularly called upon to redesign their teaching and learning practices to help address these concerns. However, little attention is paid to helping students transition out of university. How do our programs prepare students for their futures beyond academia?

This studio course provides an opportunity for faculty to consider supporting student success in鈥痶heir role as educators and disciplinary experts. We will tackle questions such as: What should a course incorporate to foster student success beyond the university? How can program design support students鈥 post-university aspirations? What is the role of teaching and learning in promoting students鈥 future successes? Who defines success? Participants will have an opportunity to reflect on their courses and program, and鈥痵hare some of the ways they use their teaching opportunities to support student success.

Instructors

Susan Joudrey, Senior Educational Developer (Curriculum), Centre for Learning & Teaching 
Karen McCrank, Director of Advising & Career Services

Schedule

The 6 week asynchronous course will run from 15 March 鈥 23 April 2021.  More details regarding the course schedule will be available soon.

Enrolment

To participate in the course, please complete the . There is an enrollment cap of 20 participants, with priority to those enrolled in the Faculty Certificate Program. Those not enrolled in the program may still register and will be notified on a first-come-first-served basis if a seat becomes available.

Contact

clt@dal.ca

The First Fifteen Minutes

Registration is limited to those enrolled in the Faculty Certificate.  Spots will open up to the public on December 2.

Course Description

What a joy to start each class on the edge of your seat.  Those first few minutes really matter: they set the stage for our collective learning experiences.  They send signals about who belongs, what is expected, and most importantly, what is possible in your class or course. 

Our time matters.  In this studio course, we focus on how you can make the first fifteen minutes of your class meaningful for you and your students.  We鈥檒l work on building a toolkit of engagement hooks and focusing activities and we鈥檒l develop your confidence in getting your classes started.

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, my expectation is that you will be able to:

  • skillfully use at least two different structures for designing the first fifteen minutes of class;
  • demonstrate competence in facilitating at least three focusing activities;
  • harness and convey your enthusiasm for your course subject material and students by designing opening exercises around an engagement hook;
  • plan braver classes that are more responsive to the students in them; and
  • effectively give and receive feedback about your teaching and learning experience.

Schedule

The course will be offered online and synchronously.  It has been designed to support your (likely online) teaching.  Put another way, participation in the course should help you prepare for the classes you are teaching:  it should not create (entirely) new work.

The course will be highly interactive.  The instructor will offer an overview of some of the scholarship of teaching and learning that supports our activities, but most of the course will be spent designing, delivering, and receiving and providing feedback on teaching and classroom experience. 

Class Date & Time Activity
1 December 14,
5鈥7 p.m.
introduction to the course; introduction of participants; discussion of focusing students鈥 attention and generating enthusiasm, the 鈥榟ook鈥, and diverse students and learners
2 January 11
5鈥7 p.m.
full class practices 鈥 3 or 4 volunteers; group discussions
3 January 18
5鈥7 p.m.
everyone prepares and practices a 15 minute introduction for a class they are teaching (or will teach)
4 January 25
5鈥7 p.m.
everyone prepares and practices a 15 minute introduction for a class they are teaching (or will teach)
5 February 1
5鈥7 p.m.
everyone prepares and practices a 15 minute introduction for a class they are teaching (or will teach)
6 February 8
5鈥7 p.m.
reflective class discussion; social

Enrollment

The course will be capped at 16 students. It is expected that students attend all sessions.

Evaluation

Preparation of at least three, and possibly four or five, 鈥渇irst 15 minute鈥 teaching and learning sessions. Submission of a maximum three page reflection essay, due February 8.

2020

Peer Instruction with Clickers: Increasing Student Engagement, Learning, and Success

This course is open to 黄色直播 faculty only

 

Course Description

Peer instruction is a powerful, evidence-based instructional strategy that provides opportunities for students to engage and interact during synchronous online and in-person classes. In a typical episode of peer instruction,

  1. the instructor poses a conceptually-challenging question
  2. each student thinks about the question submit their answer using a physical or virtual 鈥渃licker鈥
  3. students discuss the question and their answers in small groups
  4. students may vote a second time, depending on the nature of the question
  5. the instructor leads a class-wide discussion where students share their thinking
  6. the instructor models expert-like thinking and confirms why the right answers are right and the wrong answers are wrong

What to Expect

In this series of six, 90-minute, online sessions, we鈥檒l explore the element of peer instruction and you鈥檒l have opportunities to discuss (and experience) it. Before each session, you can expect 30-60 minutes of reading, writing, and responding as you integrate the elements of peer instruction into the context of your course. By the end of this course, you should be able to

  • distinguish between the transmission, constructivist, and social constructivist models of learning and identify which are better supported by peer instruction
  • create conceptually challenging 鈥渃licker鈥 questions that spark discussion
  • build time into your lesson for peer instruction by adopting a flipped learning model for the class
  • facilitate an inclusive 鈥渃horeography鈥 in online synchronous and in-person classes so every student is able to engage in peer instruction
  • draft a slide deck for one topic or lesson that includes episodes of peer instruction
  • revise your course syllabus and grading scheme to integrate peer instruction
  • select a student response system compatible with your learning technologies agility to poll students, gather and analyze their responses, and record their participation

Schedule

We鈥檒l be running the 90-minute sessions twice each week: Tuesdays at 11:00 am 鈥 12:30 pm Atlantic and Wednesdays at 2:30 pm 鈥 4:00 pm Atlantic. Participants can attend the session that best fits their schedule.

  • Session 1: October 20 and 21
  • Session 2: October 27 and 28
  • Session 3: November 3 and 4
  • (skip a week for Fall Study Week, November 9 鈥 13)
  • Session 4: November 17 and 18
  • Session 5: November 24 and 25
  • Session 6: December 1 and 2

Enrolment

To participate in the course, please complete . There is an enrollment cap of 24 participants, with priority to those enrolled in the Faculty Certificate Program. Those not enrolled in the program may still register and will be notified on a first-come-first-served basis if a seat becomes available.

Assessment

As part of the Faculty Certificate in Teaching and Learning program, your work will be assessed and at the end of the course, you will receive a pass/fail grade. During the course, your worked will be assessed using a 鈥渕astery grading鈥 scheme where you receive

  • S 鈥 successful: Great work!
  • G 鈥 growing: Your work shows growth towards success, however it鈥檚 incomplete. You can revise and resubmit if you want.
  • N 鈥 not yet: No response or your work is not yet assessable. You should seriously consider revising and resubmitting.

Contact

If you have questions about the course, please contact the instructor:

Peter Newbury, PhD
Educational Developer, CLT | Faculty of Engineering
Email: peter.newbury@dal.ca
Twitter:

Accessibility in Online Teaching

Course Description

We have a commitment as faculty to provide students with learning opportunities that are inclusive, safe, and innovative. As part of this commitment, online courses need to be accessible鈥攂oth in terms of their design, as well as in pedagogical strategies employed by the instructor. This means, as examples, supplying content accessible with assistive technologies such as screen readers or choosing video media with captions. It also includes writing learning outcomes that are flexible and achievable for all learners. Further, we can provide multiple ways for learners to express what they have learned. 

In this course, you will begin exploring accessibility in its various forms, relevant campus policies and legislation around accessibility, how-tos in creating accessible content, the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), components of student accessibility plans, commonly used assistive technologies, (dis)ability etiquette, and the characteristics and nature of specific reasons (including disabilities) students may require accommodations. 

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of this studio course, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the characteristics and nature of specific categories of (dis)ability, including any related etiquette (e.g., language, confidentiality, behaviour, etc.) 
  • Create accessible course materials (webpages, PDFs, videos, images, etc.)
  • Implement the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into their course design
  • Read, interpret, and implement a student鈥檚 accessibility plan as provided by the Student Accessibility Centre
  • Assess their online or blended course for its overall accessibility
  • Evaluate, use, and recommend a range of assistive technologies (specifically those made available to students through the Student Accessibility Centre)

Schedule

This course is held 100% online and is accessible through Brightspace. The course occurs asynchronously, although there are opportunities to meet synchronously online or in person throughout the term.

Modules start on the following Mondays and run for 2-3 weeks each:

  • January 20
  • February 3
  • February 24
  • March 9
  • March 23

Enrolment

There is an enrollment cap of 15 participants, with priority to those enrolled in the Faculty Certificate Program.  Those not enrolled in the program may still register and will be notified on a first-come-first-served basis if a seat becomes available.

Contact

Les T. Johnson, PhD | Educational Developer (eLearning)
Pronouns: he/him/his
Centre for Learning and Teaching
DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY
(902) 494-6828
lestjohnson@dal.ca

Beyond Content

Anne Marie Ryan, University Teaching Fellow

Details: Online offering
Dates: June 15-July 3, 2020

Synchronous meetings tentatively: June 15, 18, 22, 25, and 29 (1 hour: suggested 9:30-10:30, or as works for the group 鈥 contact Anne Marie Ryan if this time is a problem (amryan@dal.ca))

Course Description: June 15- July 3 2020

This course is offered as a mix of synchronous and asynchronous online learning. Participants must have access to a computer and be able to actively participate in a minimum of 4 of the 5 synchronous sessions of approximately 1 hour. Participants can expect to spend 3-4 hours a week in addition, and then complete a project of relevance to their own context.

 

Much of our teaching traditionally focusses on content, the knowledge and skills we deem important within our discipline. This content is embedded in a context that we often leave untapped, so the richness of our disciplines can fail to be meaningfully exposed. What is this context beyond the content? In terms of our teaching, this might include such aspects as the relevance of the discipline to society, globally and locally, and the impact of society on our discipline; helping students unpack their own learning so they learn more deeply (metacognition); exploring the issues that have ethical implications and helping them develop decision-making tools; information literacy in all its guises; and what are often referred to as the 鈥4Cs鈥 of 21st Century learning, critical thinking, communication, creativity, and collaboration. While we may be engaging students in many of these perspectives, we can also fail to be explicit around this broader context of our disciplines, so students fail to make the connections or see the relevance.

Integrating active learning where reasonable throughout these online sessions, this studio course explores a number of these and other aspects of context beyond content, and how, through being more deliberate in our teaching, we can enrich the learning opportunities for our students without compromising the content. Participants can expect to have some reading to do before and between sessions, contribute to the online discussion board and group interaction, and to complete a project in which they integrate the ideas from the course into a framework for one of their own courses.

2019

Beyond Content

Facilitator: Dr. Anne Marie Ryan, University Teaching Fellow

Date/Time 

Tuesday   August 6 and 13, 9 am 鈥 12 pm
Thursday August 8 and 15, 9 am 鈥 11 am

Location

Wallace McCain Learning Commons, Room 271
Studley Campus only (not available for remote locations)

Course Description

Much of our teaching traditionally focusses on content, the knowledge and skills we deem important within our discipline. This content is embedded in a context that we often leave untapped, so the richness of our disciplines can fail to be meaningfully exposed. What is this context beyond the content? In terms of our teaching, this might include such aspects as the relevance of the discipline to society, globally and locally, and the impact of society on our discipline; helping students unpack their own learning so they learn more deeply (metacognition); exploring the issues that have ethical implications and helping them develop decision-making tools; information literacy in all its guises; and what are often referred to as the 鈥4Cs鈥 of 21stCentury learning, critical thinking, communication, creativity, and collaboration. While we may be engaging students in many of these perspectives, we can also fail to be explicit around this broader context of our disciplines, so students fail to make the connections or see the relevance. 

Using active learning throughout the sessions, this studio course explores a number of these and other aspects of context beyond content, and how, through being more deliberate in our teaching, we can enrich the learning opportunities for our students without compromising the content. Participants can expect to do some reading before and between sessions and to complete a project, in which they integrate the ideas from the course into a framework for one of their own courses.

If you have questions about the course, please contact the instructor, Anne.Marie.Ryan@Dal.ca

Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This studio course is designed to introduce faculty members and instructors to the field of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL).  In this course, we will reflect on the value of SOTL and explore researching teaching and learning across the disciplines through a facilitated research development process to design a SoTL research project. Drawing from our own disciplinary backgrounds, and often working collaboratively, we will define a research question and place that question in the context of the relevant literatures, determine appropriate research methodologies, and explore the ethical implications of your research design.  Throughout the course, we will draw on some foundational writings in the field of SoTL, and engage in practical exercises that will result in a SoTL project that can be undertaken upon completion of the course.

Course Details: Wednesdays from 11am to 1pm
February 6, 13, 27, and March 5, 2019: inclusive 
Killam Library, room B-400. 

Participants will attend all four sessions and should plan time between sessions for working on projects.

Inclusive Teaching Approaches and Practices

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Embracing student-centred pedagogy, as well as engaging in critical self-reflection, studio course participants will examine ways in which their classes may inadvertently create barriers for marginalized students. We will uncover, consider, and apply inclusive approaches and practices that will help mitigate these barriers and support all students鈥 learning. The four-week course culminates in a final project.  Participants should complete the course with practical skills and knowledge that can be immediately applied in their next classes and courses. Topics include: barriers to student learning and an introduction to inclusive teaching; practical and applied strategies including active and group learning; inclusive teaching online; and inclusive assessment.

Course Details: Tuesdays, 9-11 AM on February 5, 12, 26, and March 5, 2019: inclusive
Participants will attend all four sessions.

Participants will attend all four sessions and should plan time between sessions for working on projects.

Integrating Technology in Your Teaching Practice

Facilitator: Chad O'Brien, B.A., B.Sc., B.Ed., MEd
Educational Developer

Technology impacts teaching practice, and this course will help faculty members with strategies to increase the benefits of that impact.  This studio course will begin by addressing foundational decisions regarding when to use technology in one鈥檚 teaching practice and for what reasons. 

By the end of the studio course, participants will be able to:

  • Evaluate any educational technology through hands-on experience;
  • Apply any technology in the design of a course activity, module, or other related part of teaching practice;
  • Explain choice of educational technology based on considerations of purpose of activity, learning outcomes, and learner characteristics in selection process;
  • Identify the rationale and benefits attributed to integrating technology with learning activities;
  • Identify challenges and risks associated with implementing technologies in learning activities.

Participants will choose a project that applies to their practice.  The idea is to appropriately select a technology that will benefit an element of one鈥檚 practice.  Participants will submit their rationale for the project in an online repository and then present the results of their work.  There will be options to present either face to face in the last week, or to submit a video presentation via Brightspace for review.  This will be a blended delivery (at least 3 classes are face-to-face/video-conference). The course will take 4 weeks to complete. 

The capacity of this studio course will be 16 participants.  Participants are expected to bring a browser enabled device.  Those participating in the Faculty Certificate Program will be expected to attend all sessions and complete all mandatory online activities.  All weeks will have online components. Participants may spend more time beyond what is in the expected time column depending on their project topic and digital competency. 

If you have questions about the course, please contact the instructor, Chad O'Brien.  

Tel: (902) 494-6792
Email: chad.obrien@dal.ca

Week

Date

Format and Location

Topic

Expected Time Commitment

Time

1

July 3

Online

Introduction to Educational Technology

2hrs

Flexible

2

July 10

Face to Face 

Killam Library (B400)

or

Video-Conference in

MacRae Library Boardroom (208)

 

Making Informed Choices

2hrs

11:00am 鈥 1:00pm

3

July 17

Face to Face 

Killam Library (B400)

or

Video-Conference in

MacRae Library Boardroom (208)

Lab Session

2hrs

11:00am 鈥 1:00pm

3

July 19

Online

Repository Submission

2hrs

Flexible

4

July 24

Face to Face 

Killam Library (B400)

or

Video-Conference in

MacRae Library Boardroom (208)

Presentations

2hrs

 

11:00am 鈥 1:00pm

4

July 25

Face to Face 

Killam Library (B400)

or

Video-Conference in

MacRae Library Boardroom (208)

Presentations

(Only if needed)

2hrs

11:00am-1:00pm

 

鈥淪cholarly鈥 Teaching & the 鈥淪cholarship of鈥 Teaching

We are often asked to engage in both scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching, but can forget to acknowledge that while closely related, their intentions and outcomes are different. Scholarly teaching involves the use of evidence-based practices in our teaching, which includes actively reading and critically reflecting on new pedagogical approaches to understand how, why, and when our students are learning. While intertwined with scholarly teaching, the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) involves a systematic approach into studying student learning, through asking questions, gathering evidence, and applying frameworks of inquiry.

Many of us move between scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching, but without reflecting on how both overlap, compliment, and are a part of a larger practice of our teaching development. This studio course will explore both concepts and focus on how you can be both a scholarly teacher and produce scholarship about your teaching at the same time.

Please note: This is a face-to-face course on the Halifax campus only.

Course Times
10:00 am - 12:00 pm, Thursdays, B400 of the Killam

  • Class 1: Oct 24, 2019
  • Class 2: Oct 31, 2019
  • Class 3: Nov 7, 2019
  • Class 4: Nov 14, 2019 (Not mandatory, work time and opportunity for feedback)
  • Class 5: Nov 21, 2019
  • Class 6: Nov 28, 2019

Learning outcomes

  • Engage in collaborative conversations with colleagues across disciplines to explore foundational principles of scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching and learning.
  • Identify and explore an area of curiosity related to student learning, through critically reflecting on your teaching practice.  
  • Develop a research question grounded in the principles of good SoTL practice and supported by appropriate literature on teaching and learning.
  • Provide peer feedback and support to enhance the scholarly practices of others in the studio course.

Facilitator

Jill Marie McSweeney-Flaherty, PhD
Educational Developer (Graduate Students)
Tel: (902) 494-4300 | Email: jill.mcsweeney@dal.ca

This course has a max capacity of 18 students.

2018

Inclusivity: Awakening and Enacting Change

COURSE DESCRIPTION: 鈥淒iversity and inclusivity鈥 has become a commonly used phrase, but how deeply do we understand these words?  In this course, through active, peer, and reflective learning activities, we will awaken our own interpretations of 鈥渄iversity鈥 and 鈥渋nclusivity鈥 and begin to apply our understandings to our life and work at Dal. Setting goals and keeping an 鈥渋nclusivity journal鈥 are significant course components. This course is an excellent pre-cursor to a second studio course being offered in another term, wherein we will dig deeply into applying inclusivity to our teaching practices.

Course Details: The course will take place on five consecutive Wednesdays (September 19, 26, October 3, 10, and 17) from 1:00-3:00pm in the Killam Library, room B-400. 

Introducing Students to Research Paper Writing

Studio Course Description:
In this studio course you will have time to rethink the use of research papers for university students (especially first-year or inexperienced students). The course includes four class sessions in which we will discuss student preparedness for writing, learning outcomes, activities that sequence learning, appropriate feedback, and rubrics for papers. The course will culminate in the presentation of research a paper assignment project for one of your classes. The intent is to develop a deeper understanding of and new approaches to research paper assignments.

Integrating Technology into Your Teaching Practice

Technology impacts teaching practice and this course will help faculty with strategies to increase the benefits of that impact.  This studio course will begin by addressing foundational decisions regarding when to use technology and for what reasons in one鈥檚 teaching practice. 

By the end of the studio course, participants will be able to:

  • Evaluate any educational technology through hands-on experience;
  • Apply any technology in the design of a course activity, module, or other related part of teaching practice;
  • Explain choice of educational technology based on considerations of purpose of activity, learning outcomes, and learner characteristics in selection process;
  • Identify the rationale and benefits attributed to integrating technology with learning activities;
  • Identify challenges and risks associated with implementing technologies in learning activities.

Participants will choose a project that applies to their practice.  The idea is to appropriately select a technology that will benefit an element of one鈥檚 practice.  Participants will submit their rationale for the project in an online repository and then present the results of their work to the other course attendees during the last session.  This will be a blended delivery and take approximately 6 weeks to complete.  Participants are welcome to attend from all campus locations remotely. 

Faculty who are not a part of the certificate program at this time are welcome to attend any of the sessions in any way they see beneficial.  Only faculty who need this course to count towards their certificate are required to complete all elements outlined in the schedule.

The capacity of this studio course will be 20 participants.  Participants are expected to bring a browser enabled device.  Those participating in the faculty certificate program will be expected to attend all sessions and complete all mandatory online activates.  All weeks will have online components.  Participants may spend more time beyond what is in the expected time column depending on their project topic and digital competency.  Week 6 will only occur if registration is higher than 10, otherwise everyone is expected to present on April 16.  Here is a summary of the course calendar:

Week

Date

Format and Location

Topic

Expected Time Commitment

Time

1

March 19

Online

Introduction to Educational Technology

2hrs

Flexible

2

March 26

Face to Face (B400)

Making Informed Choices

2hrs

11:00am 鈥 1:00pm

3

April 2

Face to Face (B400)

Lab Session

2hrs

11:00am 鈥 1:00pm

4

April 9

Online

Repository Submission

2hrs

Flexible

5

April 16

Face to Face (B400)

Presentations

2hrs

11:00am 鈥 1:00pm

6

April 23

Face to Face (B400)

Presentations (Pending Enrollment)

2hrs

11:00am 鈥 1:00pm

Facilitator

Chad O'Brien, MEd
Instructional Designer
Tel: (902) 494-6792
Email: chad.obrien@dal.ca

Topics in Science Teaching: Through the Visualization Lens (Halifax)

In this studio course, we explore a number of key questions in science teaching and learning through the lens of visual representations (such as graphs, maps, symbols, diagrams, and photographs) used in science.

The sessions will run on June 8, 11, 12, 13, and 14 from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm, in the Academic Resource Centre, Wallace McCain Learning Commons.

The Studio Course is project based. Completing the project will require certificate participants to submit two pieces of writing:

  1. A course module or detailed lesson plan incorporating the use of visual representations particular to that scientific discipline, designed through consideration of some of the key questions and issues discussed in the course.
  2. A reflection that comments on the participant鈥檚 thinking about science teaching in general and key questions/issues arising in the course, in particular how the module or lesson plan is designed to improve students鈥 learning and understanding of the course material, and how the module or lesson plan will fit into the course as a whole.
  • Attendance at the first four days of the course is required, and the final day will be project working time and an opportunity for questions and further discussion.
  • Those participating for credit towards the Faculty Certificate Program are expected to attend all sessions and complete all Studio Course activities.

Learning Outcomes鈥 Successful Studio Course participants will:

  • Start asking questions about the nature of science and what it means to be a chemist, biologist, earth scientist, etc., in the 21st century
  • Investigate the use of visuals as a means to think about, do, and communicate science
  • Identify and describe key principles of learning and development and their implications for teaching and learning in the university sciences
  • Examine such considerations as uncertainty and randomness, scale and patterns, rates of change and quantitative reasoning, bias and multiple perspectives, etc., and explore how we might address these to support students鈥 scientific understanding
  • Evaluate possibilities for teaching problem-solving, as well as critical and creative thinking to enhance students鈥 learning in the sciences

 For more information on this Studio Course, please contact the instructors:

Anne Marie Ryan, PhD
Department of Earth Sciences
University Teaching Fellow
(902) 494-3184
amryan@dal.ca

Gillian Gass, PhD
Department of Biology
Senior Instructor
(902) 494-8445
gillian.gass@dal.ca

Topics in Science Teaching: Through the Visualization Lens (Truro)

In this studio course, we explore a number of key questions in science teaching and learning through the lens of visual representations (such as graphs, maps, symbols, diagrams, and photographs) used in science. 


 

This Studio Course will take place on the Truro campus and will run on June 29 and July 6, from 10:30 鈥 3:30, in Haley 254, on the Agricultural Campus.

The course is open to 黄色直播 faculty members including part-time academics. Post-doctoral fellows or staff members who teach may also attend.

The Studio Course is project based. Completing the project will require certificate participants to submit two pieces of writing:

  1. A course module or detailed lesson plan incorporating the use of visual representations particular to that scientific discipline, designed through consideration of some of the key questions and issues discussed in the course.
  2. A reflection that comments on the participant鈥檚 thinking about science teaching in general and key questions/issues arising in the course, in particular how the module or lesson plan is designed to improve students鈥 learning and understanding of the course material, and how the module or lesson plan will fit into the course as a whole.
  • Attendance both days of the course is required, and the second day will be project working time and an opportunity for questions and further discussion.
  • Those participating for credit towards the Faculty Certificate Program are expected to attend all sessions and complete all Studio Course activities.

Learning Outcomes鈥 Successful Studio Course participants will:

  • Start asking questions about the nature of science and what it means to be a chemist, biologist, earth scientist, etc., in the 21st century
  • Investigate the use of visuals as a means to think about, do, and communicate science
  • Identify and describe key principles of learning and development and their implications for teaching and learning in the university sciences
  • Examine such considerations as uncertainty and randomness, scale and patterns, rates of change and quantitative reasoning, bias and multiple perspectives, etc., and explore how we might address these to support students鈥 scientific understanding
  • Evaluate possibilities for teaching problem-solving, as well as critical and creative thinking to enhance students鈥 learning in the sciences

For more information on this Studio Course, please contact the instructors:

Anne Marie Ryan, PhD
Department of Earth Sciences
University Teaching Fellow
(902) 494-3184
amryan@dal.ca
Gillian Gass, PhD
Department of Biology
Senior Instructor
(902) 494-8445
gillian.gass@dal.ca


 

2017

Researching Teaching and Learning Across the Disciplines

This short course is designed to introduce faculty members to the field of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL).  In this course, our aim is to explore researching teaching and learning across the disciplines through a facilitated research development process to design a SoTL research project 鈥 from defining a research question and placing that question in the context of the relevant literatures, to determining appropriate research methodologies and exploring the ethical implications of your research design.  Throughout the course, you will be introduced to some foundational writings in the field of SoTL, while engaging in practical exercises that will result in a SoTL project that can be undertaken upon completion of the course.

We will meet on Fridays from 2:00 to 4:00 pm, in the Killam Library, Room B400, on the following dates:

  • October 6 
  • October 20
  • November 3
  • November 17

Facilitator

Brad Wuetherick
Executive Director
Centre for Learning and Teaching
Tel: 902-494-6646
Email: Brad.Wuetherick@dal.ca