Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

Focus on Teaching – December 2017

Thank you to everyone who has participated in CELT activities this year. It has been wonderful meeting and working together with individuals and groups from all across campus in 2017. We thought we would share with you some of what we have been up to in this December edition of Focus on Teaching.

Plus, get your 2018 calendar ready, because we have lots planned for the new year!

The Year in Numbers

3 new faces joined CELT. Karen Densky started in January as Coordinator, Nav Aulakh joined the team in April as our Administrative Assistant, and Catharine Dishke Hondzel arrived in August to lead the team as Director.

Our thanks to Sandra Vermeulen for her work as Acting Director of CELT for the first part of the year.

1 faculty member and 2 students supported for 3M Award nominations

3 three-day Instructional Skills Workshops 

4 Orientation Sessions for Faculty & Teaching Assistants

10 CELTalks 

24 Faculty Development Workshops & Events 

27 Ed Tech Workshops

30 Moodle Drop-in Sessions

160+ TRU Community members who have connected with CELT!

If you have an idea for a workshop, critical inquiry group, SoTL reseach project, teaching award or simply want to chat about teaching, we look forward to seeing you in the new year!

Sincerely,

The CELT Team

CELTalks

The Fall CELTalks series was a huge success!  Thank you to the speakers:

Tony Bell, Accounting & Finance
John Churchley, Education
Brian Lamb, Open Learning
Jenna Goddard, Writing Centre
Franzi Ng, Open Learning
Brad Harasymchuk, Student Services
Lian Dumouchel, Tourism Management
Brenda Smith, Library
Kyra Garson, Student Development
Susan Forseille, Career Education

If you missed any of the talks, don't worry! You can watch all of our previous CELTalks on TRU's Livestream. Winter CELTalks will begin on Friday, Jan. 26 at 12:30 in OL127.

SoTL Accelerator Grants

The CELT SoTL Accelerator Award (CSAA) is provided to support research related to the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). It is designed to enhance and support applications to other internal and external funding competitions, including but not limited to the TRU Internal Research Fund, BC Campus Funding, EDC Grants, SSHRC, or other relevant agencies. Those who receive Accelerator Awards are expected to become a part of the CELT SoTL community of practice, and to share, when relevant, the outcome of their projects with colleagues at TRU.

Awards will be a minimum of $300 and a maximum of $1500. For projects that have co- or multiple applicants, each applicant must detail his or her role and level of contribution. The CSAA is a small seed fund which is not intended to provide funding for major projects.

Full-time TRU faculty are eligible to apply. Eligibility includes all faculty members with ongoing or tenure-track appointments, and term-certain faculty holding appointments of more than one year and not in the final year of those appointments. Those holding sessional or one-year term-certain appointments may contribute to and receive funding from an approved project, but they are not eligible to apply directly for funding from the CSAA.

Submission instructions: applications are accepted on an ongoing basis until funds are depleted. Email completed application in one file to celt@tru.ca.

Workshops

SMART Board Workshop

December 7, 12:30-1:30  AE366

Do you have an interactive white board in your classroom? You know that it's "smart", but you're not sure what to do with it?

Join a group of Bachelor of Education students and faculty for an introduction to using SMART Boards.

Critical Inquiry Groups

Critical Inquiry Groups (CIGs) are small communities of practice that meet regularly to discuss, share, and implement strategies related to a common theme.

The following themes have been established:

• sustainability across the curriculum

• inquiry-based learning in first- and second-year courses

• learning through simulations

• team-based learning

If you have an interest in any of these areas, contact Karen Densky, Coordinator, Teaching & Learning to join or to learn more.

Moodle Drop-in Sessions

December 2017,  OL 346

Bring your questions about Moodle! Drop-in sessions run every Wednesday and Thursday morning from 10 to 12 until Dec. 21. Sessions are open to all users from beginners to advanced.

If these times are not convenient, contact moodlesupport@tru.ca to book an appointment at time that works for you.

Awards

D2L Innovation Award

The Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) and Desire2Learn (D2L) are pleased to invite submissions for the 2018 D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning. This award recognizes innovative approaches that promote student-centered teaching and learning.

The award is open to instructors, both nationally and internationally, who are currently teaching at a post-secondary institution, regardless of discipline, level, or term of appointment; however applications will only be accepted in English or French. Candidates need not be members of STLHE to apply.

Award winners (up to five per year) receive the following:

1. Up to $2,200.00 to offset the registration and travel costs to attend the Annual STLHE conference and an Award Recipients retreat the day before the conference
2. Two year membership in STLHE
3. Certificate of Recognition

Submission Deadline

The deadline for applications is Feb. 18, 2018.

For detailed information about the application process, including the application dossiers, examples of innovation in teaching and learning and the selection process, please visit the STLHE website.

CELT is here to help. If you would like to nominate someone or would like support preparing your application, please email Catharine to book a planning meeting.

3M National Student Fellowship

Do you work with outstanding students? Nominate them for a 3M National Student Fellowship.

For many years, 3M Canada has funded scholarships and awards for undergraduates in colleges and universities across Canada. In 2012, 3M added a student fellowship using the long-standing 3M National Teaching Fellowship Program for university professors as a model. The 3M National Student Fellowship Program arose out of consultations and collaboration with the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) Board of Directors and the Council of 3M National Teaching Fellows Executive.

The nomination process is demanding, but CELT is here to support you in preparing the application.

Save the Date 2018

January 8: BC Campus Teaching Fellows Application Deadline

January 15: TRU Internal Research Fund Deadline

January 31: 3M National Student Fellowship Application Deadline

February 14-16: Educational Developers Caucus Annual Conference Victoria

February 20-22: Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) TRU Kamloops

February 18: D2L Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award Deadline

February 19: TRU Teaching Practices Colloquium

April 30-May 2: Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) TRU Williams Lake

May 7-18: Instructional Development Weeks at TRU

May 14 & 15: Sustainability Course Design Workshop

May 16-18: Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) TRU Kamloops

May 28-30: Festival of Learning: Celebrating Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, Vancouver

June 19-22: Society for Teaching & Learning In Higher Education (STLHE) Annual Conference Sherbrooke, Quebec

CELT activities at a glance

For an overview of all upcoming CELT workshops, speakers and other events, view the monthly calendar hosted by the TRU Library. Workshops are intended to support teaching faculty at TRU and are open to faculty, staff and graduate students unless otherwise noted.

Focus on Teaching is the monthly newsletter of the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT). We showcase instructional development opportunities for TRU faculty and staff, and up-to-date information on our current projects, initiatives and learning opportunities. Questions about learning and teaching? Contact CELT.