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

These questions point to three key principles — empathy, resilience and reflection — that underpin the intrapreneurial mindset, says Janine Carmichael, a faculty specialist in entrepreneurship at UM’s Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning. In her role, she offers workshops and in-person support to help people incorporate those principles and cultivate related skills.

The skills can be learned by anyone, she emphasizes, and applied in many different situations. In fact, an intrapreneur is someone who behaves like an entrepreneur while working within an organization, driving change, seeking solutions and fostering growth from within.

The breakthrough

Recently Carmichael supported associate professor Kathy Yerex in steering UM dental hygiene students in a challenge to expand the scope of dental hygiene and tackle unmet oral healthcare needs of Canadian seniors.

As the students wrestled with the problem, they were guided through design thinking for problem-solving — but the breakthrough came during a special class with six guests. Every 10 minutes, each student group moved to a new station to talk to someone else about their idea.

The goal, says Carmichael, was not the product or the solution. Instead, it was about engaging.

The shift to process is significant. “It’s a very big shift for us in education, right?” she says. “Because we’re used to: ‘What did you produce at the end of the term?’”

Listening and power of empathy

“In entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, we really want to get away from starting with a solution,” notes Carmichael. “Instead, we should ask, ‘What problem do you want to solve?’”

Empathy gets to the root of the problem by connecting to who has that problem and understanding it from their perspective, she says.

To cultivate empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, she suggests starting by practicing active listening. This means fully concentrating on what the other person is saying, without interrupting or planning your response while they are speaking. Reflect on their words and emotions and respond thoughtfully.

“We want to hear in their own words,” she explains, “asking good, open-ended questions like ‘Why is this a problem? What have you done to address this problem in the past. Has that worked or not? Why? How does it make you feel?’”

She continues, “And so the interview piece is so important in developing intrapreneurial or entrepreneurial skills. We can send students out to talk to the people that they want to serve, or sometimes in the classroom environment, we can bring in people to share those problems with students.

“Because now they’re learning how to interview. They’re learning about active listening and being compassionate. They’re learning about holding their solutions lightly,” she says.

Building resilience for intrapreneurial success

Resilience, the ability to bounce back from setbacks and adapt to change, is another crucial skill. A path of change or innovation is often fraught with failure, but resilience enables you to learn from mistakes and persevere.

Carmichael explains, “Building resilience starts with developing a growth mindset. This means viewing challenges as opportunities to learn and grow, rather than as insurmountable obstacles. Embrace failures as learning experiences and seek feedback to improve.”

She also highlights the importance of mentorship and role models. She suggests looking for mentors within your organization or industry who can provide guidance and support.

Role models, on the other hand, she says, can motivate you by demonstrating what is possible. Observing how they handle challenges, interact with others and drive innovation can provide valuable insights and lessons.

Check out these stories about UM intrapreneurial role models who made a difference: biology technician Carl Szczerski uses 3D printing to support teaching and learning; staff member Farzana Ebrahim gets intrapreneurial with Microsoft power apps.

Reflective practices for continuous improvement

Reflection is another powerful tool for personal and professional growth. Regularly reflecting on your experiences, successes and failures can help you gain insights, identify areas for improvement, and reinforce positive behaviours.

Effective reflective practices could include seeking feedback from others and journaling on what went well, what could have been done differently and what you learned. Use this feedback to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Be open to constructive criticism and view it as an opportunity to grow.

Carmichael shares, “We don’t learn from experience; we learn from reflecting on experience. It’s important to be intentional about pausing to reflect on what worked well, what didn’t, and what could be done differently next time.”

UM offers many curricular, co-curricular and professional development opportunities to cultivate and build intrapreneurial/entrepreneurial skills, including the Stu Clark New Venture Championship, Better Together, Faculty of Science 3K Pitch Competition, and teaching practices used by Dr. Snehil Dua.

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

 Although academic integrity is an important consideration, institutions like UM are also evaluating the benefits AI can bring to expanding learning capabilities, sparking creativity, improving productivity and so much more. 

When AI is used safely and ethically it can create better post-secondary experiences for learners, educators and staff. 

Enhancing teaching and learning

Brenda Stoesz acknowledges it can be cognitively demanding for educators to understand how they want to incorporate AI, if at all. She’s the Research Lead for the Science of Teaching and Learning at UM’s The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning. 

 “A lot of people are thinking genAI (generative AI) is going to be used to cheat on the final assessment. But what about using it for just a general learning activity in the class to support the learning experience, and modeling or showing how one might use these tools in ethical ways in the classroom?” Stoesz says. 

“Educators really have to understand what the goals of their courses and programs are. If genAI can help take some of the workload off students in areas that are not necessarily the expectation for or outcome of the course, then finding a way to incorporate the technology might be a good idea. For example, a learning outcome of a lot of courses is not “by the end of the course, a student will be able to brainstorm”. And so then perhaps it makes sense for students to feel comfortable using different technologies to help them get past the thing that could prevent them from getting to the actual outcome.”

She highlights a recent discussion with faculty about requiring students to have skills in debating where it can be difficult to have opportunities to practice. “Bringing in generative AI or a chat bot of some kind and setting it up to practice debating skills might be a great learning opportunity.”

Xinli Wang, an instructor in the Department of Mathematics, has used AI to help students understand foundational mathematical concepts and appropriately use mathematical symbols and language. She asked students to revise a flawed mathematical proof generated by ChatGPT, followed by group discussion and review. By the end of the course, students had developed the skills required to use the tools effectively and identify errors appropriately.

Ensuring AI tools are used properly is something that resonates with Tess Poulton, a second-year law student. Her exposure to AI has happened mostly outside the classroom: while doing research with one of her professors, Dr. Katie Szilagyi (an expert in law and technology), and while working at a law firm over the summer where she had access to paid legal resources with AI capabilities that could help with legal research and writing.

All of this has made her realise the importance of developing the right skills first so AI tools can be used appropriately.

“Even though law school is a program with a direct career after it, it’s still about learning the law … with the goal of developing legal minds,” she says. “I think it’s more important to develop critical thinking skills and to emphasize mind development, like needing to figure out how to problem solve and to work your way through different resources. Because if you’re able to do that, you’re going to be able to use these AI models after you finish law school when you’re working.”

Cross-campus benefits

Proper training and digital literacy is key when using AI and will be at the forefront of any UM strategies.

Currently IST, in collaboration with the Provost’s office, is running a pilot project on M365 CoPilot to explore and assess its potential as an innovative and empowering tool for faculty, staff and administrators. Before gaining access, participants completed two training courses that introduced them to the concepts and principles of the technology and how to use it responsibly and ethically. 

The majority of participants are using Copilot for content generation and refinement (such as Word, PowerPoint), document and email summarization, and data analysis and manipulation (such as Excel). Copilot has a variety of features, including using simple prompts to create presentations, analysing trends across Excel files, and creating meeting notes and action items in real time.  

 The initiative is part of UM’s broader digital strategy, which now includes a university-wide task force that is identifying the value and risks associated with AI as well as what tools can be most beneficial. 

In the coming months, The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning will launch generative AI training modules for educators in UM Learn.

Those interested in learning more about digital technology in the education environment can check out the following resources:

• (Webinar) The AI Horizon of Higher Education: emergent tools and policy considerations
• The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning – Artificial Intelligence
• (LOD course) M365: Teams – Collaborating with Colleagues
• (LOD course) M365: Dictate & Transcribe
• (LOD course) Adobe Checking for Accessibility
• Digital Community of Practice: a forum to promote best practices and build common capabilities across UM in digital technology.
• Power Platform Community of Practice: a place for citizen developers using Microsoft’s Power Platform suite of tools to come together and share ideas, projects, and best practices.
• Digital Content Maintenance Training: for users responsible for managing content on University of Manitoba digital properties.
• Office Hours website help: regular access to expert guidance on digital work, specifically for umanitoba.ca, UM Today and UM Intranet.

President Benarroch invites our entire campus community to participate in an event or two. “These events are for everyone,” says President Benarroch, “Even if you don’t see yourself as a traditional entrepreneur. At UM we nurture entrepreneurial thinking in every faculty as part of our pursuit of big ideas. Big ideas that help mitigate climate change, bolster human health, advance Reconciliation and so much more.”

Visit the Entrepreneurship and Innovative Thinking Month webpage for all event details and registration information.

Attend the IDEA START Open House, UM’s new entrepreneurship gateway, witness a live pitch competition in the Asper School, participate in lunch hour webinars, or attend a 2-day learning event to build your entrepreneurial thinking skills during reading week. And, so much more!

Explore the many opportunities that support and celebrate entrepreneurship and innovative thinking at UM.

The series, designed by Dr. Brenda M. Stoesz, Research Lead – Science of Teaching and Learning, at The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, begins Tuesday, October 29, 2024, with the Effective communication: How to have better conversations with your students workshop.

The Centre’s Evaluation Developer, James Plohman, led the development of the first installment in the program and will be co-facilitating the workshop session component with Evaluation Developer Dr. Ibiyemi Arowolo. Following the workshop, participants of the program will take part in in three immersive VR sessions in private sessions facilitated by undergraduate student research assistants.

The program was developed to support faculty members and sessional instructors looking to improve their communication skills in a variety of situations that may be difficult or high stakes.

“We’ve heard from faculty that they were looking for more information on how to improve their skills to better communicate with students—especially in situations that may be more challenging—and create better outcomes,” says Plohman.

Through a workshop and immersive VR sessions, participants will explore effective communication techniques relevant to various educational contexts and will be able to practice their skills in a judgement-free environment that incorporates role play within virtual reality simulations.

“The use of virtual reality as part of the training provides an environment that allows participants to practice in a semi-realistic way,” says Plohman. “They can do the modules multiple times, trying different approaches to see how it changes the interaction. The overall goal is to help people become more comfortable, confident and effective verbal communicators.”

Anika Budhiraja is a research assistant at The Centre and was involved in the pilot project as a student. She will also be facilitating some of the VR sessions. She says the focus on active listening and clear verbal communication, combined with being able to practice in virtual reality, made it a valuable and engaging experience.

“Going through it myself as a participant, I remember thinking that these are the things you may not think about explicitly—things that you sort of forget,” she says. “The VR practice gives you a safe space to check what you’re doing and practice and get better. It can be hard to pinpoint what might be going wrong. With VR you get that immersive feeling that you’re in that space, you’re communicating, but you’re not being judged.”

Following the training, a reflection workshop will enable participant to share their experiences with others in the program and discuss ways that they will transfer their training to their classroom and meetings with their students.

 “We’re very excited to roll this out and hear back from faculty and use that feedback to develop further modules in the future,” says Plohman. Feedback will be used to improve this series and other teaching skills programs from The Centre.

Along with supporting instructors in improving their skills, the program also gives educational and research opportunities to three UM undergraduate students.

The program runs October 29 to December 10, 2024, with an approximate eight-hour time commitment from participants.

Register for the Teaching Skills Program: ‘Effective Communication: How to Have Better Conversations with Your Students’

“Coming in as a new employee, and walking into the lunch space where there is composting happening, and knowing that there is a safe place for bike parking, knowing that somebody has already thought of these things, sustainability choices are easier for me to make,” says Nekola, who bikes to work. “I get the sense that this is a priority for a lot of people.”  

The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning has a history of nurturing a sustainability culture, says Mona Maxwell, an educational developer. When she started in 2017, there already was a Green Office Rep (GO-Rep), bringing a sustainability mindset to day-to-day practices. Inspired, she became one too.  

The GO-Rep program from the Office of Sustainability offers a guide for offices to incorporate green practices into operations while directly contributing to UM’s sustainability goals. 

“Individual action is important, but collective action is where we really get things done,” says Maxwell. She and Nekola, along with Bran Adams, who joined the university in May, are all GO-Reps.  

Nekola and Adams joined Maxwell at their first GO-Rep meeting a couple of weeks ago and were happy to explore solutions to some of the challenges encountered in offices across the university.  

“There were lot of different departments and they all have things they are looking at – whether it’s new bike cages at Bannatyne or laundry services for cloth dishtowels in some lunchrooms – what are all the situations for everybody and how can they green their offices,” says Adams, a program coordinator. 

Maxwell says the diverse representatives from different units is refreshing. “Where can I get a diversity of representative perspectives – from a facilities perspective to pedagogical aspects to perspectives from a dean’s point of view and those who work directly with our student sustainability groups in one place?” she asks. The answer: “A one-hour GO rep meeting four times a year.” 

Motivated by the belief that small changes add up, the group at the Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning have undertaken a number of initiatives in their office, including composting, events and biking. 

Waste streams 

“We’ve focused on our waste stream the most, both in terms of action and in mindset shift,” says Maxwell. 

The centre has been composting for years, and when the Office of Sustainability formalized a program for office composting, they signed up. The Office of Sustainability provides compostable bags and composting bins that staff members take turns emptying in a central location. It has become part of the culture and is seen as a collective commitment. Staff even transport the bins to the different workshops and events they organize for the broader university community.  

“A milestone was reached this summer when the centre reached our 300th eight-litre bag of compost! As we searched for ways to communicate our impact in more imaginable terms, we figured that we had diverted at least 293 kg of food waste – the equivalent of 100 days of electricity use from one household,” says Maxwell. She notes there are a lot of assumptions in the calculation and they look at  waste calculators to try to accurately communicate the impact of their actions.  

Events 

Adams has a love for sustainable actions that comes from his previous experience as an educator at the Assiniboine Park Zoo and at the Leaf. “Now here, as a program coordinator, I get to see all the workshops that are being organized at the Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning and I can encourage people to green their event or workshop,” he says.  

“We have the Better Together entrepreneurship workshop coming up in the November Reading Week, and part of making the event green is looking at the catering, getting compostable cups and making sure that we’re not printing things so that we can make it green and sustainable.” 

He also encourages people to look towards Green Event Certification – a program through the Office of Sustainability – when it makes sense for their event.  “That involves going through the Sustainability department, completing a checklist and getting a certification level,” says Adams.  

Biking

When Maxwell started seven years ago, she says there were about three people who biked to work on a regular basis, and that has now grown to eight.  “The tricks, tips, and biking-to-work adventures we share are not only hilarious, but provide a very supportive culture that sustains us through the challenges of keeping this habit that is healthy for us and also is a step toward addressing the greenhouse gas problem,” says Maxwell.  “The more people bike, the more barriers to biking are addressed.” 

Cycling infrastructure continues to expand, with secure bike cages at the University Parkade and Active Living Centre on Fort Garry campus, and on Bannatyne, adjacent to the Brodie Atrium.  

Small choices add up 

“There are ways the centre has already turned sustainability into a culture,” says Nekola, who is continuing to find ways to be more sustainable with the Office of Sustainability’s Green Office checklist.  “I’m hoping to be able to find additional things that we can add to existing practices.” 

“It feels like we’re talking about small things in a way, either composting, or greening an event. They might seem insignificant, but they’re not,” says Nekola. “You have to start somewhere, and it’s the additive effect of a lot of small choices that will make a difference.” 

“That’s what’s exciting to see as a GO-Rep… I can help encourage others to make a small choice in the course of their day, but that it’s meaningful in aggregate.” 

Do you have a passion for sustainability? You can become a GO-Rep by contacting the Office of Sustainability. 

How Panorama helps

Panorama scans your content and creates an accessibility report that flags issues and provides suggestions for how to resolve each of them. This allows you to ensure the accessibility of your content before it is distributed or published. It can also create accessible alternative formats for you or your readers to use.

Using Panorama’s Alternative Formats Menu, you can make various changes to text to improve readability. For example, you can change the text size, increase line spacing, select a readable font, and change themes. You can also highlight parts of speech and use Line Focus to facilitate focused reading. Panorama can also create accessible PDF, high contrast, text to speech, braille and audio files.

How to access Panorama

Panorama is integrated into your UM Learn courses and requires a plugin to view the Alternative Formats menu, which you install through the integration. You can find Panorama through the integrations menu in your course.

Learn more from The Centre

The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning is your campus resource for accessibility. Visit Panorama on The Centre’s website for more information about this tool.

Support

Panorama is a YuJa Inc. product. If you have questions about Panorama, visit the Panorama Digital Accessibility Platform Overview on the YuJa Help Center website. You’ll find video tutorials, quick start guides and general documentation.

You can also contact YuJa Inc. directly between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. central time:

By phone: 1-888-257-2278

By email: support [at] yuja [dot] com

Through Twitter: @yujanow

Over two days during fall reading break, November 12 and 13, participants will learn about entrepreneurial thinking and how it can be applied to a wide range of scenarios.

“People often hear the word ‘entrepreneurship’ and think about business start-ups,” said Janine Carmichael, faculty specialist in entrepreneurship. “At Better Together, we’re equipping participants with new skills and building a mindset to move ideas to impact. And, we will have a lot of fun doing it while collaborating with new people. Last year, more than 100 faculty, staff and students participated and we can’t wait to bring this experiential learning to more people in 2024.”  

Benefits for participants

• Learn, practice and be inspired about how to apply entrepreneurial thinking.
• Develop solutions to real campus challenges.
• Meet new people, enjoy free food!
• Students will also receive a gift card to UMSU businesses (GPA’s, Degrees, IQ’s, etc.) and update their Experience Record.

Registration is open now. For more details and to register, visit Better Together

Read more about last year’s challenge.