U of A Wide Programming
CTL offers workshops and webinars on a range of teaching and learning topics to serve the diverse needs of our faculty and instructional community. Upon request, we can also offer unit-specific workshops on topics within our current portfolio.
To request faculty or unit-specific workshops, please contact CTL at ctl@ualberta.ca.
Pathways to Effective Teaching Workshop Series
Whether you are an experienced instructor or are new to teaching, Pathways to Effective Teaching supports your teaching journey at the University of Alberta. Grounded in scholarly approaches to teaching and learning, Pathways moves beyond the abstract and theoretical, offering practical, actionable strategies that can be applied to your teaching.
Each of the workshops in Pathways is twice, offering you multiple opportunities to engage. All sessions are offered online and run on Tuesdays (11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.) and Thursdays (2 - 3:15 p.m.) from Sept. 25 - Nov. 7, 2024.
Workshops
Sessions offered in-person, virtually, or hybridly focused on structured active and experiential learning activities that 1) are relevant to instructors' individual teaching, and 2) develop self-awareness and personal goal setting to enhance teaching practice. The intended outcome of a workshop is for instructors to be able to consider and implement new ideas and skills in their teaching. A workshop may be standalone (i.e., one time) or a series of several standalone workshops linked by topic in an interconnected sequence.
For more information on upcoming workshops, please see our events page.
CTL Talks
Sessions focused on the sharing of information and ideas on topics related to teaching and learning. Talks are offered in-person, virtually, or hybridly and include interactions such as discussion, reflection, and Q & A. Unlike workshops, talks do not focus on skill building and application. The intended outcome of a talk is for instructors to be able to consider the potential and impact of the topics in their teaching. A talk may be standalone (i.e., one time) or be part of a series linked in an interconnected sequence.
For more information on upcoming talks, please see our events page.
Cohort Learning Groups:
Semester-long, interdisciplinary learning cohorts, including:
- Communities of Practice and Care (CoPC) bring learners together as whole people and across social locations and academic communities to explore pedagogical themes in a supportive environment. These communities aim to prioritize pedagogies of care through justice-oriented, accessible, and equitable practices. Together and in low-stakes ways, we will try to nurture and embody accountable, relational, and transparent approaches to teaching and learning and consider how to move these forward in our teaching and learning spaces. CoPCs are open to educators across campus, including instructors, graduate students, and other educators (e.g., librarians, lab instructors, tutors) engaged in teaching and learning.
- Reading Circles that unite community members in accountable and brave ways to engage with published pedagogical theories and practice, including the scholarship of teaching and learning, public scholarship, and grassroots and advocacy works. Through individual and collective reading, reflection, and analysis, participants consider how concepts in the readings connect to their own teaching experiences, communities, and decision-making processes. Reading circles are open to educators across campus, including instructors, graduate students, and other educators (e.g., librarians, lab instructors, tutors) engaged in teaching and learning.
Learning cohorts for CoPCs and Reading Circles meet approximately biweekly for (online) 50 minutes throughout the semester.
For more information on upcoming Communities of Practice and Care (CoPC) and Reading Circles, please see our events page.
Makerspace:
A collaborative workspace offering opportunities for instructors to engage with various tools, resources, and methods, allowing them to play, tinker, design, and build their own learning experiences. Emphasizing learner agency, makerspaces are ideal environments for reflecting on and refining teaching practices. Consequently, a makerspace is a flexible learning environment, adaptable to suit the needs of individual instructors, collaborative groups, or specific faculty development requests. Depending on the focus of the making activity, the nature of the activities within a makerspace can vary widely, ranging from high-tech applications to simple, no-tech approaches.
For more information on upcoming Makerspace, please see our events page.
Consultations:
One-on-one or group solution-focused discussion with a CTL team member on topics related to pedagogy and course/program design and delivery.
New to the U: Faculty Teaching Orientation
Teaching excellence begins here
Aug. 13, 2024 | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. | ECHA 2-131
Whether you are an experienced faculty member who has just joined the U of A or are new to teaching, New to the U: Faculty Teaching Orientation is designed to welcome you to the university as a valued faculty member and set you on the path to success in your teaching journey.
Launching into Fall: Academic Teaching Staff (ATS) Orientation
Empowering your teaching success
Aug. 20, 2024 | 2 - 4 p.m. | CAB 281
or Sept. 4, 2024 | 6 - 8 p.m. | Online via Zoom
At the U of A, we know how important Academic Teaching Staff (sessional instructors) are to the university’s teaching mission. Launching into Fall: Academic Teaching Staff (ATS) Orientation empowers you with practical support as you take your teaching role.
August Teaching Institute
Active learning in action
Aug. 14 - 15, 2024 | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. | ECHA 2-131
The August Teaching Institute (ATI) is a practical, skills-based program that helps instructors design engaging, inclusive learning experiences that prepare students for tomorrow. You will explore classroom-ready activities and strategies that facilitate maximum student engagement and transformative learning experiences, leaving you feeling confident and prepared for the academic year.