Festival of Teaching and Learning 2025
Envision. Celebrate. Connect. – The U of A Way
May 13—15, 2025 | Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (ECHA)
About
Hosted by the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), the Festival of Teaching and Learning (FoTL) is the University of Alberta’s annual celebration of teaching excellence and innovation. This vibrant event brings educators from across our university community to engage, connect, and collaborate.
More than just a conference, FoTL celebrates creativity, innovation, and our shared commitment to transformative learning experiences. It is an opportunity to explore bold ideas, reflect on successes and challenges, and engage in meaningful conversations that inspire us to empower students on their educational journey.
| Call for proposals The call for proposals is now open! Please submit your proposal by Monday, March 10, 2025, at 9 a.m. The Call for Proposals has more information and resources. |
Festival registration Registration for the Festival of Teaching and Learning 2025 will open on April 14. For more information, watch the U of A digests and this website. |
What to expect
FoTL 2025 will feature a blended format, combining in-person and online opportunities for learning, discussion, and multimodal engagement. This approach fosters meaningful connections and collaboration across diverse platforms.
Sessions will include a variety of formats, ranging from 10-minute Spark Talks focused on teaching and assessment strategies to 30-minute interactive papers, 60-minute workshops and panel discussions, and additional innovative options to suit varied interests, needs, and opportunities for participation.
Who should participate?
Teaching and learning take place in diverse spaces, places, and dimensions in our work at the University of Alberta. We welcome proposals and festival registrants from all who support students’ learning experiences and contribute to this important conversation.
Whether you are a seasoned instructor, teaching assistant, student, librarian, postdoctoral fellow, support staff or administrator involved in teaching and learning, we invite you to join the conversation and:
- Share your experiences and expertise.
- Learn from peers.
- Contribute to shaping exceptional student learning experiences.
Join us at FoTL 2025 as we envision new possibilities, celebrate success stories, and foster meaningful connections across the U of A community.
Festival Threads
The Festival of Teaching and Learning has evolved from an approach focused on annually changing themes to a format focused on festival threads. This shift removes thematic constraints and enables U of A’s teaching and learning community to share their stories, experiences, and expertise with greater flexibility and depth.
Rooted in the U of A Framework for Effective Teaching, the festival threads offer a robust foundation for enhancing teaching quality. Each of the five domains in the framework encourages reflection, evaluation, and the continuous improvement of teaching practices to elevate student outcomes and foster inclusive, engaging learning environments grounded within the U of A context and institutional priorities.
These threads will remain consistent year-over-year by addressing enduring issues and opportunities in postsecondary education while offering a stable framework for meaningful dialogue and collaboration.
Access, Community, and Belonging: Fostering inclusive educational spaces
Inclusive spaces elevate learning for all. Participants will explore strategies to improve accessibility, build interconnected communities, and promote a strong sense of belonging in educational environments. This thread leans on the university’s commitment to Access, Community, and Belonging, which aims to create a space where everyone feels valued, barriers to success are removed and thriving connections are nurtured.
Bridging the Gap: Integrating theory and practice
Innovation thrives at the intersection of theory and practice. These discussions connect pedagogical theories with real-world applications, emphasizing evidence-based, inclusive, and impactful approaches to enhance teaching and learning.
Building Foundations: Practical approaches to curriculum design
Transformative learning begins with strategic design. Discussions will center on practical strategies for creating innovative, research-driven curricula that engage students, ensure accessibility, and adapt to evolving educational landscapes.
Collaborating for Change: Partnerships that enhance learning
Collaboration drives transformation. Sessions will highlight the power of partnerships among educators, students, and communities to enrich learning experiences and improve teaching practices, fostering meaningful collaboration for change.
Dreaming Big: Envisioning the future of education
At the heart of innovation lies visionary thinking. This exploration focuses on forward-looking ideas that reimagine teaching and learning by addressing emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities to shape the future of education.
Indigenizing and Decolonizing Pedagogies: Pathways to reconciliation
Integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices into education is central to Truth and Reconciliation and the commitments outlined in Braiding Past, Present and Future: University of Alberta Indigenous Strategic Plan. Sessions will explore actionable strategies for embedding Indigenous perspectives, decolonizing educational practices, and fostering meaningful dialogue to advance equity and showcase Indigenous resilience, resurgence, and leadership.
Leading with Purpose: Empowering educators for transformative change
Leadership is the catalyst for transformative change in education and to the commitments the U of A has made in Shape and Education with Purpose, Braiding Past, Present and Future, Integrated Action Plan, and Student Experience Action Plan. Attendees will engage with strategies that empower educators as change agents, inspire innovative teaching practices, and drive meaningful, student-centred transformation within their institutions.
Commitment to Access and Accessibility
The Centre for Teaching and Learning is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive environment for all participants. We recognize that accessibility is essential to every individual’s full participation and success, and we strive to remove barriers to engaging fully and meaningfully. We are dedicated to providing accommodations, resources, and support that address the diverse needs of our attendees, speakers, and presenters.
We encourage participants to reach out with any specific accessibility needs or concerns, and we will work to meet your particular needs.