As the Fall Term picks up speed, many students begin to feel the weight of academic and personal responsibilities. Whether you’re navigating your first year or returning with new goals, October is the perfect time to pause, reflect, and recharge with the support of UM’s Academic Learning Centre (ALC) and campus-wide resources.

Dr. Monique Dumontet, Director of the ALC, shares her excitement on the month ahead.

“Student Success Month is a celebration of learning, growth, and community. We’re thrilled to offer workshops and events that empower students to take charge of their academic journey and well-being,” she says. “We want every student to feel confident and supported.”

Throughout October, students can attend in-person and online workshops on topics such as:

• Academic writing and study strategies
• Research skills and library services
• Coping with stress and building resilience
• Career planning and professional development
• Navigating transitions and building community

Whether you’re a first-year student or finishing your final term, Student Success Month is your opportunity to build the habits and connections that lead to long-term success. Visit the Student Success Month calendar to explore all events and register today.

The TLC helps participants:

• Increase competency in teaching and learning.
• Gain deeper understanding of evidence-based pedagogy.
• Understand the diverse needs of students.
• Earn a formal certificate recognizing their growth and development as educators.

As a reminder, all pre- and tenured faculty, instructors, sessional instructors, librarians and post-doctoral fellows can partake in the TLC’s mini-institutes and workshops, without being registered in the TLC program. Past attendance at workshops may also count toward certificate requirements for those who decide to enroll later. Our upcoming events for the TLC program include:

TLC Mini-Institute (Day 1) – Designing and Evaluating Assessment Strategies

This workshop will provide instructors with opportunities to design assessment strategies to support student learning. You will design formative and summative assessments and learn strategies for providing constructive feedback on students’ work. You will also have opportunities to evaluate the effectiveness of different assessment tools, such as holistic and analytic rubrics. Please have at hand a current course syllabus with learning objectives.

Register for the TLC Mini-Institute – Designing and Evaluating Assessment Strategies on Monday, May 12, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

TLC Mini-Institute (Day 2) – Strategies for Maintaining a Respectful Classroom Environment

As instructors, you may have experienced behaviour by your students that you felt was

disrespectful, rude, or disruptive. These can be challenging situations to deal with. This interactive workshop will focus on teaching strategies that foster and maintain respectful classroom behaviour.

Register for the TLC Mini-Institute – Strategies for Maintaining a Respectful Classroom Environment on Tuesday, May 13, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Please note:

• Teaching and Learning Certificate (TLC) program participants are required to sign up for both workshops in the Mini-Institute to fulfill the program requirements.
• The TLC Mini-Institute will return on August 18 and 19, 2025.
  • Register for the TLC Mini-Institute – Designing and Evaluating Assessment Strategies on Monday, August 18, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Register for the TLC Mini-Institute – Strategies for Maintaining a Respectful Classroom Environment on Tuesday, August 19, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

TLC Workshops

Select from this listing of workshops listed in date order.

Teaching Dossier (TLCN06)

Increasingly, university promotion and tenure committees are requiring a teaching dossier to document your development and achievements as an educator. This workshop looks at the requirements at the University of Manitoba for teaching dossiers and covers the basics of writing a Teaching Philosophy statement and creating a teaching dossier.

Register for Teaching Dossier (TLCN06) on Wednesday, May 14, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Reflective Practice (TLCN09)

John Dewey observed that, “We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” To become a better teacher, it is necessary to reflect on what we do and why we do it – to ask ourselves, is what we do effective? In this workshop we will explore several models of self-reflection, including the Gibbs’ Model, as methods for engaging in a reflective practice. Participants can also share their own successes and struggles as they strive to become a better teacher.

Register for Reflective Practice (TLCN09) on Wednesday, May 14, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Developing Intercultural Teaching Competence (TLCN05)

Students and instructors bring their own culture into the teaching and learning contexts in which they inhabit. Similarly, every teaching and learning context is informed by and situated in institutional, regional, and national cultures. In this workshop, you’ll explore your own cultural attitudes, knowledge, and skills, and those of your learners and the environments you all find yourselves in. Then, you’ll apply this to your own teaching practices through elements of course design.

Register for Developing Intercultural Teaching Competence (TLCN05) on Thursday, May 15, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Navigating Challenging Student Situations (TLCN03)

As instructors, you may have experienced behaviour by your students that you felt was disrespectful, rude, or disruptive. These can be challenging situations to deal with. Staff from Student Advocacy and Case Management and the Office of Human Rights and Conflict Management will provide an overview of pertinent University policies and procedures to help you understand your rights and responsibilities as an instructor. This interactive workshop will provide you with strategies and tips for preventing and responding to these behaviours.

Register for Navigating Challenging Student Situations (TLCN03) on Thursday, May 15, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Universal Design for Learning (TLCN01)

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an orientation to teaching and learning that promotes greater student choice and agency in learning experiences, with the aim of reducing barriers to learning by providing multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression. In this workshop, participants will explore how UDL values intersect with their own teaching philosophies, identify barriers to learning for students with a range of needs, and (re)design course elements to adopt UDL guidelines in a way that is practical for instructors yet beneficial to learners.

Register for Universal Design for Learning (TLCN01) on Tuesday, May 20, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Self-Evaluation of Teaching Practice (TLCN10)

Feedback and evaluation of teaching are part of every teacher’s life. How do you make sense of the evaluative feedback you receive from SRI scores, daily classroom experiences, and student grades? This foundational workshop examines the theory and practice of evaluation and suggests practical strategies for integrating effective evaluative practices into your teaching. Please note that this workshop does not cover the design and creation of student assessments.

Register for Self-Evaluation of Teaching Practice (TLCN10) on Tuesday, May 20, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Mental Health in the Classroom: Responding to Students Demonstrating Mental Health Distress (TLCN07)

Young adults are highly susceptible to mental health problems. We know that most instructors encounter many students who are struggling with mental health issues that affect their academic performance, behaviour in the classroom, and interactions with teaching staff. Research also indicates that the incident rate and intensity of mental health problems experienced by students is increasing. These situations can be stressful, time-consuming, and potentially can involve risks to personal safety for the students and others. David Ness, the Director of the Student Counselling Centre at the University of Manitoba, will provide you with information about how to identify and respond effectively to student mental health issues, how to understand the factors that contribute to student distress, and how to access resources. This interactive workshop will involve case study material to apply your knowledge of risk assessment, response alternatives, and on- and off-campus resources.

Register for Mental Health in the Classroom: Responding to Students Demonstrating Mental Health Distress (TLCN07) on Wednesday, May 21, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Academic Integrity Teaching and Learning Strategies (TLCN04)

Do you want to promote academic integrity in your course, but you don’t know how to do this? In this workshop, we will discuss the meaning of academic integrity at the University of Manitoba, and how it relates to your teaching and learning environment (whether that be face-to-face, remote/online). We will discuss ways to implement teaching and assessment strategies that promote integrity that will allow you to focus on students’ learning and community building.

Resources for academic integrity education (e.g., syllabus statements, learning activities) that you can modify and incorporate into your courses will be shared.

Register for Academic Integrity Teaching and Learning Strategies (TLCN04) on Wednesday, May 21, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Teaching and Technology (TLCN02)

In this workshop, we will explore a framework for using technology in teaching and learning. Rather than a technology ‘how-to’ session, the focus will be on providing a method for evaluating technology that supports the goals of teaching and learning. We will also discuss the benefits and challenges of using technology in the classroom.

Register for Teaching and Technology (TLCN02) on Thursday, May 22, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Indigenous Knowledges (TLCN08)

This workshop introduces participants to Indigenous pedagogies by contextualizing Indigenous knowledges, discussing the importance of making space for Indigenous content and knowledge transmission in the academy, and providing participants with resources about the pedagogical significance of Indigenous knowledges.

Register for Indigenous Knowledges (TLCN08) on Thursday, May 22, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning will also be offering workshops TLCN01 through TLCN10 again in December, this time in an online format via Zoom.

Whether you’re just beginning your teaching career or looking to expand your toolkit, the Teaching and Learning Certificate provides the support, community, and practical knowledge needed to thrive as an educator at the University of Manitoba.

Experiential Learning Community of Practice Monthly Meeting: End of Year Reflection

Date and time: Tuesday, May 6, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The Experiential Learning Community of Practice is a growing network of UM faculty, instructors, and staff passionate about experiential education.

Monthly meetings
Join our monthly meetings to build relationships with other Community of Practice members, explore best practices and innovations, and participate in engaging conversations.

End of Year Reflection
This is our last meeting for the 2024-2025 academic year. Join us to reflect on what we learned together this year and share your thoughts on what you’d like to see at the Experiential Learning Community of Practice next year!

Register for the End of Year Reflection

TLC Mini-Institute – Designing and Evaluating Assessment Strategies (TLCTS2, Day 1)

Date and time: Monday, May 12, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Lunch is not provided.

The Centre offers the one-and-a-half day TLC Mini-Institute every May and August. The workshops in the Mini-Institute are:

1. Designing and Evaluating Assessment Strategies
2. Strategies for Maintaining a Respectful Classroom Environment

The Mini-Institute is for Pre- and Tenured Faculty Members, Instructors, Sessional Instructors, Librarians, and Post-Doctoral Fellows. Participants can choose to sign up for each workshop separately or attend both.

This session:

This workshop (over two sessions) will provide instructors with opportunities to design assessment strategies to support student learning. You will design formative and summative assessments and learn strategies for providing constructive feedback on students’ work. You will also have opportunities to evaluate the effectiveness of different assessment tools. Please bring a current course syllabus with learning objectives.

Register for TLC Mini-Institute – Designing and Evaluating Assessment Strategies (TLCTS2)

*Please note: Teaching and Learning Certificate (TLC) program participants are required to sign up for both workshops (May 12 & May 13) in the TLC Mini-Institute to fulfill the program requirements.

TLC Mini-Institute – Strategies for Maintaining a Respectful Classroom Environment (TLCTS2, Day 2)

Date and time: Tuesday, May 13, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m

The Centre offers the one-and-a-half day TLC Mini-Institute every May and August. The workshops in the Mini-Institute are:

1. Designing and Evaluating Assessment Strategies
2. Strategies for Maintaining a Respectful Classroom Environment

The Mini-Institute is for Pre- and Tenured Faculty Members, Instructors, Sessional Instructors, Librarians, and Post-Doctoral Fellows. Participants can choose to sign up for each workshop separately or attend both.

This session:

As instructors, you may have experienced behaviour by your students that you felt was disrespectful, rude, or disruptive. These can be challenging situations to deal with. This interactive workshop will focus on teaching strategies that foster and maintain respectful classroom behaviour.

Register for TLC Mini-Institute – Strategies for Maintaining a Respectful Classroom Environment (TLCTS2)

*Please note: Teaching and Learning Certificate (TLC) program participants are required to sign up for both workshops (May 12 & May 13) in the TLC Mini-Institute to fulfill the program requirements.

TLCN06 Teaching Dossier

Date and time: Wednesday, May 14, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Increasingly, university promotion and tenure committees are requiring a teaching dossier to document your development and achievements as an educator. This workshop looks at the requirements at the University of Manitoba for teaching dossiers and covers the basics of writing a Teaching Philosophy statement and creating a teaching dossier.

Register for the TLCN06 Teaching Dossier workshop

Generative AI in Teaching and Learning

Date and time: Wednesday, March 5, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

This workshop focuses on ethical and responsible instructional uses of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) to support student learning in higher education. Participants will gain a foundational understanding of how genAI works and explore its capabilities, limitations, and ethical issues. The core of the workshop will involve discussion about basic learning theories supported by the cognitive sciences and how genAI can enhance and hinder the learning process. Through individual and group reflections, discussions, and activities, participants will critically assess how to use genAI ethically and responsibly in ways that support student learning.

Register for the Generative AI in Teaching and Learning workshop

Teaching and Learning Research Colloquium Series: Session 3

Date and time: Thursday, March 6, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The 2024/25 Teaching and Learning Research Colloquium Series shares the important work of University of Manitoba scholars and educators, whose research sheds light on student support needs, barriers to support seeking, and strategies for supporting students’ learning. Over a series of three research talks, faculty, instructors, and support staff will learn from and with each other about supporting diverse learners. Each talk will be followed by a discussion period and refreshments.

Session 3:

Barriers to Support: Metastereotypes and Help-seeking Among International Students

International students face unique challenges adapting to living and studying abroad, which may influence various aspects of their postsecondary studies. The resources and support services offered by university staff, instructors, and classmates are, therefore, essential for academic success and an overall positive university experience for many international students. Dr. Matthew Quesnel’s work examines how international students’ metastereotypes of how they are viewed by Canadian faculty, staff, and students on their campus, predict whether they seek out peer support and support services offered by their postsecondary institutions. In this session, Matthew will share his research findings on international students’ metastereotypes and its relationship to their help-seeking on campus and explore how this can inform strategies for fostering a more inclusive campus environment, promoting international students’ help-seeking and academic success and well-being on campus.

Register for the Teaching and Learning Research Colloquium, Session 3

Pedagogies of Care: Science of Learning – Firing and Wiring the Neurons

Date and time: Thursday, March 13, 10:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.

Join us for a series of four monthly 50-minute sessions designed for graduate students, instructors, and professors committed to exploring pedagogies of care. These sessions offer strategies that foster care, inclusion, and broaden perspectives in higher education, including insights into how brain science can enhance teaching effectiveness. Each session will provide practical tools for creating inclusive, engaging, and empowering learning environments, drawing on research into neural connections, brain plasticity, and how these processes affect learning, memory retention, and student engagement. Whether you’re teaching in-person or in an online format, this series will equip you with neuroscience-based strategies and pedagogical approaches that cultivate caring and inclusive educational spaces.

During the Science of Learning – Firing and Wiring the Neurons session:

• Participants will discuss the basic principles of how brain processes, such as neural connections and plasticity, influence learning and memory retention.
• Participants will explore brain-based strategies to their teaching methods, fostering environments that enhance cognitive engagement and student learning.

Register for the Pedagogies for Care workshop

Knowledge Transfer: Transitioning from Classroom Learning to Clinical Application

Date and time: Thursday, March 13, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Specifically relevant for Clinical Educators: Effective knowledge transfer from the classroom to the clinical setting is an ongoing goal of didactic teaching.  Effective knowledge transfer ensures that students perform well not only in their academic journey, but also after graduation when they enter their respective fields. If you would like to learn best practices for enhancing the process of transferring knowledge, this workshop will provide strategies to promote this important aspect of learning.

Register for the Knowledge Transfer workshop

Manitoba Academic Integrity Network (MAIN) Speaker Series

Date and time: Thursday, March 13, 2025, 6:00 p.m. to 6:55 p.m.

The Centre is excited to host the 2024-2025 Manitoba Academic Integrity Network (MAIN) Speaker Series, a collection of six professional development opportunities related to academic integrity. A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to individuals who register and attend all six sessions in this series. Visit the Manitoba Academic Integrity Network Speaker Series website for more details.

Session 6: Transforming Assessment Practices in Higher Education with the AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) 

As the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technologies have become increasingly ubiquitous in higher education, and institutions must equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary for an AI-driven future. Although some institutions have attempted to ban the use of these tools and enforce this through an AI text detection strategy, this session proposes an alternative solution to this challenge. The AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) developed by Perkins et al. (2024), offers a flexible framework for incorporating GenAI into educational assessments while promoting academic integrity and ethical use of these technologies. It consists of five allowable levels of AI use in submitted assessments, ranging from ‘No AI’ to ‘AI Exploration’, enabling educators to design assessments that focus on areas requiring human input and critical thinking. This intervention will explore the challenges of attempting to use a detection-based approach to dealing with GenAI use in assessments, introduce the AIAS as a possible alternative, and discuss the findings of a pilot study of the AIAS at British University Vietnam which has demonstrated significant benefits in reducing misconduct and supporting student engagement and attainment. 

Register for the MAIN Speaker Series, Session 6

Small Shifts, Significant Gains: March Session

Date and time: Monday, March 17, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Looking for ways to revitalize your teaching but don’t have time for a big redesign? In Small Teaching, author James Lang argues that small changes in classroom techniques and activities can have big impacts on student learning. Join our sessions to hear practical teaching strategies from faculty guest speakers. Bring your questions and your lunch.  Leave with ideas that you can implement right away in your courses! 

Lightning Presentation Speakers:

• C. Lee Anne Deegan from the Faculty of Social Work presents: Centering Collaboration: Applying Relational Values to Reimagine Group Work
• Cheryl Glazebrook from the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management

Register for Small Shifts, Significant Gains: March Session

Experiential Learning Community of Practice Monthly Meeting: Leveraging AI to Enhance Experiential Learning

Date and time: Wednesday, March 19, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Experiential Learning Community of Practice is a growing network of UM faculty, instructors, and staff passionate about experiential education.

Monthly meetings:
Join our monthly meetings to build relationships with other Community of Practice members, explore best practices and innovations, and participate in engaging conversations.

Leveraging AI to Enhance Experiential Learning:
This month, we’ll explore how AI can enhance experiential learning, showcasing the innovative ways instructors are integrating AI into their teaching. Join us for a dynamic, facilitated discussion that will dive into the benefits and challenges of AI in experiential learning and celebrate the impactful work happening in this field.

Register for Leveraging AI to Enhance Experiential Learning

Incorporating the Seven Sacred Teachings into Classroom Teaching Strategies and Giving Feedback

Date and time: Thursday, March 20, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

This workshop will focus on an introduction to the Seven Sacred Teachings and how to incorporate them in day-to-day teaching strategies.  This workshop will also focus on how to deliver strength-based feedback. We will also put strategies into practice with scenarios.

Register for the Incorporating the Seven Sacred Teachings workshop

Universal Design for Learning in Practice: Recognize Expectations, Beliefs, and Motivations

Date and time: Thursday, March 27, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Join us for the last Thursday of each month in an ongoing series, where participants will review discreet elements of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Participants will work together to develop pedagogical practices that align with the UDL principle being discussed that month.

Topic: This session will focus on CAST’s UDL principle of recognizing expectations, beliefs, and motivations and how it can be directly applied to pedagogical practice. There will be a brief presentation of the core elements of this principle followed by a question-and-answer session where participants can collaborate with the facilitator to develop their practice. 

Register for Recognize Expectations, Beliefs, and Motivations

Experiential Learning in the Arts and Humanities

Date and time: Tuesday, February 4, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

There is more to experiential learning than internships and co-ops. In this workshop, we’ll explore ways in which experiential learning pedagogy and opportunities can be integrated into the arts and humanities classroom.

Register for the Experiential Learning in the Arts and Humanities workshop

Small Shifts, Significant Gains: February Session

Date and time: Tuesday, February 4, 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Looking for ways to revitalize your teaching but don’t have time for a big redesign? In Small Teaching, author James Lang argues that small changes in classroom techniques and activities can have big impacts on student learning. Join our sessions to hear practical teaching strategies from faculty guest speakers. Bring your questions and your lunch.  Leave with ideas that you can implement right away in your courses!

Lightning Presentation Speakers:

• Kathy Yerex from the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, presents: Work Smarter, Not Harder: Harnessing AI for Rubrics and Lecture Slides
• Kaleigh Warden from the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, presents: Using Generative AI to Craft Case Studies and Inspire Critical Thinking

Register for Small Shifts, Significant Gains: February Session

Pedagogies of Care: Cultivating Liberatory Spaces

Date and time: Tuesday, February 4, 2:00 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.

Join us for a series of four monthly 50-minute sessions designed for graduate students, instructors, and professors committed to exploring pedagogies of care. These sessions offer strategies that foster care, inclusion, and broadened perspectives in higher education, including insights into how brain science can enhance teaching effectiveness. Each session will provide practical tools for creating inclusive, engaging, and empowering learning environments, drawing on research into neural connections, brain plasticity, and how these processes affect learning, memory retention, and student engagement. Whether you’re teaching in-person or in an online format, this series will equip you with neuroscience-based strategies and pedagogical approaches that cultivate caring and inclusive educational spaces.

During the Cultivating Liberatory Spaces session:

• Participants will be able to identify key elements of relational and emancipatory teaching approaches that foster inclusivity and empowerment in the classroom.
• Participants will reflect on their own teaching practices to create strategies that promote student engagement and cultivate a sense of belonging within learning communities.

Register for the Pedagogies of Care workshop

Virtual Reality-Based Teaching Skills Program – Effective Communication: How to Have Better Conversations with Your Students

Date and time: Wednesday, February 5, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Embark on an immersive skill development journey in our comprehensive Virtual Reality-based teaching skills program designed to enhance communication strategies. During the program, faculty and instructors (graduate students are also welcome) will explore effective techniques that are applicable to various educational contexts. Participants are given the option to practice communication skills in a safe, judgement-free environment that incorporates role play and Virtual Reality-based simulations before applying them in their teaching and learning environments. 

Register for the Virtual Reality-Based Teaching Skills Program

Teaching and Learning Research Colloquium Series: Session 2

Date and time: Thursday, February 6, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The 2024/25 Teaching and Learning Research Colloquium Series shares the important work of University of Manitoba scholars and educators, whose research sheds light on student support needs, barriers to support seeking, and strategies for supporting students’ learning. Over a series of three research talks, faculty, instructors, and support staff will learn from and with each other about supporting diverse learners. Each talk will be followed by a discussion period and refreshments.

Session 2:

Fostering Success: Addressing Basic Psychological Needs for Students with Learning Disabilities in Postsecondary Settings.

The number of students with Learning Disabilities (LD) at postsecondary institutions is increasing; however, their graduation rates continue to lag behind those of their peers. To address this, Dr. Goegan and her team have been exploring Basic Psychological Needs (BPNs) and the impact that the satisfaction or frustration of these needs can have on postsecondary success. Indeed, decades of research has found that supporting students’ needs for autonomy (e.g., feeling in control), competence (e.g., feeling capable), and relatedness (e.g., feeling connected to others) has a positive impact across various indicators of success. As such, this session will begin by providing a summary of research on the satisfaction and frustration of BPNs for students with LD and then explore strategies for supporting the satisfaction of students’ BPNs in postsecondary classrooms.

Register for the Teaching and Learning Research Colloquium Series, Session 2

Manitoba Academic Integrity Network (MAIN) Speaker Series

Date and time: Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 9:00 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.

Session 4: Academic Integrity in the Irish Higher Education System: Lessons Learnt and Reflections along the Way 

In 2019, legislation was passed in Ireland that criminalized the provision or advertisement of contract cheating services. Shortly thereafter, the National Academic Integrity Network, which brings together representatives from across the Irish higher education sector (and more recently the vocational/further education sector), was established. Throughout its five years of existence, NAIN has encouraged and supported the development of cultures of academic integrity in higher education institutions and produced resources to guide and assist institutions. Since 2023, elements of the N-TUTORR project, a national program of activity aimed at building capacity in the relatively new technological university sector, has been building upon and working in partnership with NAIN to progress and support the implementation of NAIN resources. In this webinar, the chair of NAIN and the N-TUTORR academic integrity project lead will discuss the benefits of collaboration and partnership and reflect upon lessons learnt. 

Register for the MAIN Speaker Series, Session 4

Experiential Learning Community of Practice Brown Bag Conversations: AI Powered Critical Reflection

Date and time: Thursday, February 13, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Bring your lunch and connect with other members of our community of practice! There is no formal agenda for these casual meetings just good people and conversation! Everyone is welcome to share their thoughts and experiences as we explore different topics in experiential learning. 

Topic: AI powered critical reflection. Are your students using AI to complete reflection assignments? What challenges are you experiencing? What might be some strategies to overcome those challenges? 

Register for AI Powered Critical Reflection

Manitoba Academic Integrity Network (MAIN) Speaker Series

Date and time: Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 10:00 a.m. to 10:55 a.m.

The Centre is excited to host the 2024-2025 Manitoba Academic Integrity Network (MAIN) Speaker Series, a collection of six professional development opportunities related to academic integrity. A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to individuals who register and attend all six sessions in this series. Visit the Manitoba Academic Integrity Network Speaker Series website for more details.

Session 5: Neutralizing the “Threat”: A Practitioners Guide to Re-Evaluating Student Assessments to Maintain Academic Integrity 

Technology and various tools have the power to disrupt learning and compromise academic integrity. The onslaught of genAI has caused many of us to reconsider our assessments, yet the task of assessment redesign can be daunting, and we may not know where to begin. This presentation discusses four broad “filters” through which educators can consider how to best move forward (or not) with an existing assessment. When considered with other concepts, theories, and contextual factors, these filters may help enrich our decision-making. The four filters are, Abandon, Monitor, Enhance, & Adopt, and they all intended to help “neutralize the threat” to assessments. Overall, these filters are intended to provide a guide or framework for faculty (or used by those who coach or work with faculty) when they are considering assessment redesign while promoting academic integrity.

Register for the MAIN Speaker Series, Session 5

Pedagogies of Care: Universal Design – Curb Cutting the Academy

Date and time: Tuesday, February 25, 1:00 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.

Join us for a series of four monthly 50-minute sessions designed for graduate students, instructors, and professors committed to exploring pedagogies of care. These sessions offer strategies that foster care, inclusion, and broadened perspectives in higher education, including insights into how brain science can enhance teaching effectiveness. Each session will provide practical tools for creating inclusive, engaging, and empowering learning environments, drawing on research into neural connections, brain plasticity, and how these processes affect learning, memory retention, and student engagement. Whether you’re teaching in-person or in an online format, this series will equip you with neuroscience-based strategies and pedagogical approaches that cultivate caring and inclusive educational spaces.

During the Universal Design – Curb Cutting the Academy session:

• Participants will be able to discuss learning activities that incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, ensuring accessibility for all students.
• Participants will evaluate existing course materials and assessments to identify opportunities for enhancing accessibility and inclusivity.

Register for the Pedagogies of Care workshop

Open Educational Resources: What, Why, and How

Date and time: Thursday, February 27, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

The term open educational resources (OER) describes a wide range of materials in teaching and learning that are available for public use with an open license or in the public domain. Examples of OER include full courses, course modules, syllabi, textbooks, lectures, assessments, and datasets. In this workshop, participants will learn why OER are valuable, and how to locate them, how to evaluate them using a rubric. The workshop does not assume prior experience with these topics.

Register for the Open Educational Resources workshop

Universal Design for Learning in Practice: Clarify the Meaning and Purpose of the Goals

Date and time: Thursday, February 27, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Join us for the last Thursday of each month in an ongoing series, where participants will review discreet elements of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Participants will work together to develop pedagogical practices that align with the UDL principle being discussed that month.

Topic: This session will focus on CAST’s UDL principle of clarifying the meaning and purpose of the goals and how it can be directly applied to pedagogical practice. There will be a brief presentation of the core elements of this principle followed by a question-and-answer session where participants can collaborate with the facilitator to develop their practice.

Register for Clarify the Meaning and Purpose of the Goals

Virtual Reality-Based Teaching Skills Program – Effective Communication: How to Have Better Conversations with Your Students

Date and time: Wednesday, January 8 and Thursday, January 9, 2025

Embark on an immersive skill development journey in our comprehensive Virtual Reality-based teaching skills program designed to enhance communication strategies. During the program, faculty and instructors (graduate students are also welcome) will explore effective techniques that are applicable to various educational contexts. Participants are given the option to practice communication skills in a safe, judgement-free environment that incorporates role play and Virtual Reality-based simulations before applying them in their teaching and learning environments. 

Register for the January 8 Virtual Reality-based Teaching Skills Program – Effective Communication: How to Have Better Conversations With Your Students

Register for the January 9 Virtual Reality-based Teaching Skills Program – Effective Communication: How to Have Better Conversations With Your Students

Academic integrity is the commitment, by students and the university, to upholding a set of six values explained defined by the ICAC.

Many students understand academic integrity as simply avoiding plagiarism. While properly citing sources is an important aspect of maintaining honesty in the university, academic integrity encompasses behaviour as well. Showing respect to peers and faculty, for example, is integral to academic integrity. The goal, ultimately, is to create an environment where ideas can be shared freely and developed in a way that students have the opportunity to learn.

UM has a procedure for academic misconduct which seeks to uphold academic integrity amongst the student population. The policy identifies forms of academic misconduct, disciplinary action, and the investigative procedure if academic misconduct is suspected. The university defines academic misconduct as “any conduct that has, or might reasonably be seen to have, an adverse effect on the academic integrity of the University,” which includes plagiarism, cheating on quizzes, tests and exams, inappropriate collaboration, duplicate submission, and academic fraud. For complete definitions please consult UM’s student academic misconduct procedure.

There are resources students can consult to help maintain academic integrity, including those for proper referencing and citations as well as throughout the writing process. Citation Guides are published and maintained by the UM libraries. For students unsure what style to use, consult the course instructor and, when in doubt, speak to the appropriate subject librarian. They can not only help find information, but also ensure it is properly cited. The library also offers numerous drop in study sessions and workshops to hone students’ writing, research, and study skills.
Tutoring and study group sessions available through the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) are collaborative resources that can help students organize their ideas, build skills and increase academic self esteem. The ALC also offers workshops on academic success and academic integrity. All these resources exist to help students, and turning to them early is a good way to prevent a last-minute crunch when meeting deadlines.

What about artificial intelligence? There is a lot of buzz about generative AI in the university, and generally it is discouraged. This includes text and image generators, editing software, paraphrasing generators, and predictive text softwares. Actual policies and procedures will vary from department to department, instructor to instructor. Understanding the ramifications of AI and academic integrity can be complex, especially as the technology continues to develop. UM has a few guidelines to understanding AI use, but when in doubt consult with instructors or professors regarding what is and isn’t acceptable AI use.

For more information on what academic integrity looks like on campus, check out the Show Your Integrity newsletter or contact the academic integrity office at AcademicIntegrity@umanitoba.ca. Other resources can be found through the UM’s academic supports webpage.

An Opportunity to Recalibrate: Aligning with Best Practices in Assessment to Support Learning in the Context of GenAI panel will provide post-secondary instructors from across the province the opportunity to engage in dialogue about assessment, academic integrity and GenAI.

The panel discussion is open to all UM instructional staff as part of the Manitoba Flexible Learning Hub partnership. These intra-institution panels allow sharing of expertise between publicly funded post-secondary institutions in Manitoba on online teaching and learning topics. Previous panel topics include the trauma-informed teaching panel, which was held earlier this year.

The event, presented via Zoom, includes MB Hub partners panelists from Assiniboine College, Brandon University, Red River College Polytech, and a guest from Medicine Hat College.

Register for the panel discussion

Panel details

Date: Friday, Nov 22, 2024

Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Panelists:

• Josh Seeland [BA/21] (he/him), Manager, Library Services and Academic Integrity Officer at the Assiniboine College (AC) Library in Brandon. Seeland has authored and co-authored works on academic integrity and contract cheating. He co-edited the recently published book Academic Integrity and the Role of the Academic Library with Jason Openo.
• Curt Shoultz (he/him), Director of the Centre for Teaching, Learning, & Technology (CTLT) Brandon University.
• Hannah Gifford (she/her), Academic Integrity Specialist at Centre for Learning and Program Excellence in Red River College Polytechnic. Gifford is also experienced international credential assessment and Recognition for Previous Learning (RPL)
• Jason Openo (he/him), Dean of the School of Health and Community Services at Medicine Hat College and co-author of the book Assessment strategies for online learning: Engagement and Authenticity and Co-editor of Academic Integrity and the Role of the Academic Library with Josh Seeland.

Experiential Learning Community of Practice Monthly Meeting – The Gathering

Date and time: Tuesday, November 5, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

The Experiential Learning Community of Practice is a growing network of UM faculty, instructors, and staff passionate about experiential education.

Monthly meetings

Join our monthly meetings to build relationships with other CoP members, explore best practices and innovations, and participate in engaging conversations.

The Experiential Learning Gathering

Our CoP meets in person twice each academic year. Join The Gathering to spend “real” quality time with other members of our community. Everyone is welcome at this casual networking event. Grab a coffee, enjoy good conversation, and hear the latest experiential learning happenings at UM!

Register for this Experiential Learning Community of Practice monthly meeting

Better Together 2024

Dates and times: Tuesday, November 12, 2024, 1:00 – 4:00 pm and Wednesday, November 13, 2024, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Better Together is not a conference, symposium or lecture. It is an experiential learning environment, and everyone is welcome! Together we’ll learn, practice and be inspired about how to apply an entrepreneurial mindset to real campus challenges at UM.

Please visit the Better Together website for more event information.

Register for Better Together

Teaching and Learning Research Colloquium Series: Session 1

Date and time: Wednesday, November 13, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM

The 2024/25 Teaching and Learning Research Colloquium Series shares the important work of University of Manitoba scholars and educators, whose research sheds light on student support needs, barriers to support seeking, and strategies for supporting students’ learning. Over a series of three research talks, faculty, instructors, and support staff will learn from and with each other about supporting diverse learners. Each talk will be followed by a discussion period and refreshments.

Session 1:

Not Left to Write: Reflections on Integrating Writing Tutors in the Undergraduate Classroom

For the past ten years, Dr. Kenneth MacKendrick (Religion Dept) and Kathy Block (Academic Learning Centre, ALC) have integrated ALC peer writing tutors in his undergraduate Religion classes. The goal has been to lower student anxiety about writing, increase student engagement, and build skills for clear communication in writing. Accessing grants such as the TLIF and TLEF, they have integrated peer tutors into the writing process for specific course assignments in classes with large enrolments, creating opportunities for students to talk about their ideas and drafts with experienced UofM students who are not evaluating their work. Each initiative has included an assessment in which students provide their feedback on the experience. In this colloquium, Ken and Kathy will share what they have learned about the impact of integrating writing tutors in the classroom, both for students and professors. Their observations will be based on their joint projects as well as other similar ALC course-specific initiatives.

Register for Session 1 of the Teaching and Learning Research Colloquium

Manitoba Academic Integrity Network (MAIN) Speaker Series

Date and time: November 20, 2024, 9:00 AM to 9:55 AM

The Centre is excited to host the 2024-2025 Manitoba Academic Integrity Network (MAIN) Speaker Series, a collection of six professional development opportunities related to academic integrity. A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to individuals who register and attend all six sessions in this series. Visit the Manitoba Academic Integrity Network Speaker Series website for more details.

Session 2: The New Frontier of Academic Integrity: Postplagiarism and Its Implications  

As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) increasingly permeates post-secondary education, traditional notions of plagiarism, authorship, and creativity are being profoundly challenged. This session explores the concept of postplagiarism, a paradigm shift that acknowledges the hybridization of human and AI-generated content. Based on a quantitative study involving students from multiple countries, the session will share students’ perceptions of postplagiarism, focusing on their acceptance of hybrid writing, the evolving role of creativity, and the necessity of redefining academic integrity in this new context. Attendees will gain insights into the implications of these shifts for educational policy and practice and the need for institutions to rethink their academic integrity frameworks in the face of rapid technological advancements.

Register for Session 2

Peer-peer Learning

Date and time: Thursday, November 21, 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM

Peer-peer interaction, whether it be through case studies, group projects, discussions, or collaborative reports, is purported to result in engaging and effective learning. What characteristics make it so? Characterize your current peer-peer learning activities and explore two instructor-tested activities that might apply to your context.  Strategies to address challenges of your peer-peer learning experiences, whether they be online or face-to-face, will be shared.

Register for the Peer-peer Learning workshop

Experiential Learning Community of Practice Monthly Meeting – The Flipped Classroom as Experiential Learning

Date and time: Wednesday, November 27, 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM

The Experiential Learning Community of Practice is a growing network of UM faculty, instructors, and staff passionate about experiential education.

Monthly meetings

Join our monthly meetings to build relationships with other CoP members, explore best practices and innovations, and participate in engaging conversations.

The Flipped Classroom

At this session, we’ll explore The Flipped Classroom as a model for bringing experiential learning to courses.

Register for this Experiential Learning Community of Practice monthly meeting

Teaching Café 2024: Accessible Pedagogy at the University of Manitoba

Date and time: Wednesday, May 1, 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Each year we offer a Teaching Cafe. This year’s theme will be on accessibility. A more detailed description will be provided at a later date.

Register for the Teaching Cafe: Accessible Design across the Academy

TLC Mini-Institute – Designing and Evaluating Assessment Strategies

Date and time: Monday, May 6, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

This workshop (over two sessions) will provide instructors with opportunities to design assessment strategies to support student learning. You will design formative and summative assessments and learn strategies for providing constructive feedback on students’ work. You will also have opportunities to evaluate the effectiveness of different assessment tools, such as holistic and analytic rubrics.
Please have at hand a current course syllabus with learning objectives.

Register for the TLC mini-institute workshop

TLC Mini-Institute – Strategies for Maintaining a Respectful Classroom Environment

Date and time: Tuesday, May 7, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

As instructors, you may have experienced behaviour by your students that you felt was disrespectful, rude, or disruptive. These can be challenging situations to deal with. This interactive workshop will focus on teaching strategies that foster and maintain respectful classroom behaviour.

Register for the TLC mini-institute workshop

Indigenous Knowledges (TLCN08)

Date and time: Wednesday, May 8, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

This workshop introduces participants to Indigenous pedagogies by contextualizing Indigenous knowledges, discussing the importance of making space for Indigenous content and knowledge transmission in the academy, and providing participants with resources about the pedagogical significance of Indigenous knowledges.

Register for the Indigenous Knowledges workshop

Developing Intercultural Teaching Competence (TLCN05) 

Date and time: Wednesday, May 8, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Every student and instructor brings their own culture into the teaching and learning contexts in which they inhabit. Similarly, every teaching and learning context is informed by and situated in institutional, regional, and national cultures. In this workshop, you’ll explore your own cultural attitudes, knowledge, and skills, and those of your learners and the environments you all find yourselves in. Then, you’ll apply this to your own teaching practices through elements of course design.

Register for Developing Intercultural Teaching Competence workshop

Navigating Challenging Student Situations (TLCN03) 

Date and time: Thursday, May 9, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

As instructors, you may have experienced behaviour by your students that you felt was disrespectful, rude, or disruptive. These can be challenging situations to deal with. Staff from Student Advocacy and Case Management and the Office of Human Rights and Conflict Management will provide an overview of pertinent University policies and procedures to help you understand your rights and responsibilities as an instructor. This interactive workshop will provide you with strategies and tips for preventing and responding to these behaviours.

Register for Navigating Challenging Student Situations workshop

Mental Health in the Classroom: Responding to Students Demonstrating Mental Health Distress (TLCN07) 

Date and time: Monday, May 13, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Young adults are highly susceptible to mental health problems. We know that most instructors encounter many students who are struggling with mental health issues that affect their academic performance, behaviour in the classroom, and interactions with teaching staff.  Research also indicates that the incident rate and intensity of mental health problems experienced by students is increasing. These situations can be stressful, time-consuming, and potentially can involve risks to personal safety for the students and others. David Ness, the Director of the Student Counselling Centre at the University of Manitoba, will provide you with information about how to identify and respond effectively to student mental health issues, how to understand the factors that contribute to student distress, and how to access resources.  This interactive workshop will involve case study material to apply your knowledge of risk assessment, response alternatives, and on- and off-campus resources.

Register for the Mental Health in the Classroom workshop