Registration for the Winter 2025 cohort of the GTP opens on February 4, 2025, with a limit of 200 spots.  

Learn about teaching at your own pace by combining foundational modules, elective modules and an optional capstone to build your own path to success. Students can select to pursue individual courses (with digital badges) or complete the program with a capstone project. The modules are fully online in UM Learn. Renato Bezerra, a PhD candidate in Engineering Education, participated in the 2024 pilot and found the experience to be unique compared to others. Bezerra described it as “more relaxed, welcoming, and meaningful. Relaxed because it was self-paced with enough time to complete it; welcoming because of the friendly tone and relatable nature of the content; and more meaningful because the assessment allowed me to connect the learnings from the GTP with my previous experiences and knowledge.”  

The GTP program not only helps build classroom skills but also equips participants with a broad set of abilities that can be applied to further their career in other ways. Dr. Ruchira Nandasiri, a Post Doctoral Fellow in Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, used skills developed in the GTP program to apply for the McCall MacBain Postdoctoral Fellows Teaching & Leadership Program at McMaster University. Nandasiri explains “The GTP program, particularly its emphasis on inclusive teaching practices and cultural awareness, has helped me refine my application and better articulate my approach to teaching and research. The McCall McBain Fellowship places a strong emphasis on teaching excellence and the ability to engage postdoctoral fellows from diverse backgrounds, both of which are areas I have worked to strengthen through the GTP program”  

Nandasiri is one of only twenty fellows selected for the McMaster program this term. Nandasiri believes the GTP has “positioned me to take on more leadership roles in academia and contribute meaningfully to creating inclusive, student-centered learning environments.” 

The GTP program was revamped to improve access, recognize the diverse needs of graduate students, and foster their success as part of The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning’s continued commitment to empowering learners. Strengthening graduate student teaching skills is one way The Centre is helping build an exceptional student experience at UM. 

Registration 

Registration opens on February 4th, 2025, and will be limited to 200 students for the Winter term. To register and learn more about the graduate teaching program, please visit the GTP website. 

Gradual change path  

If you’re looking to make changes at a gradual pace, the series Small Shifts: Significant Gains might be the right choice for you. In this brown-bag lunchtime series, you’ll learn about the micro improvements UM colleagues have made to their practices and discover how you can apply them.  

“This series is packed with beneficial components to make it well worth the one-hour time commitment,” says Anna Nekola, Education Developer and session facilitator. Each session includes 2-lightening presentations (less than ten minutes each) and extensive connection time. The sessions were designed intentionally to build stronger UM instructional support. Nekola explains, “By creating spaces where instructors share teaching wisdom and intermixing departments and disciplines, we are also seeking to foster faculty community across the campuses of UM.” Nekola continues, “Our faculty are terrific teachers and it’s really exciting to see all the innovative, practical strategies they are using on a daily basis.”   

Begin a small but powerful journey by registering for a Small Shifts: Significant Gains session. 

Removing barrier path 

Are you interested in learning how to reduce barriers to learning in your classroom? The new workshop series Universal Design for Learning in practice is the choice for you. Each session is stand alone and focuses on one UDL element, helping you integrate UDL concepts into existing course materials while gradually including UDL into your course design. “Taking the time to work through an individual UDL principle will help you understand where there are barriers in your practice.” says facilitator Johnathan Bevan, an Educational Developer with The Centre. 

Begin your UDL journey with session one: Optimize Relevance, Value, and Authenticity Learn more about the series in the UM Today story Explore how to apply Universal Design for Learning in the classroom.  

Planning pedagogical research path 

Are you a faculty member looking to explore pedagogical research? Then the Plan your SoTL Study workshop is a great way to start your journey. “It turns curiosity about teaching into action, helping educators craft thoughtful research questions, design impactful studies, and uncover the stories hidden in student learning outcomes—transforming classrooms into spaces of discovery and innovation.” says Halyna Malyk, SoTL Developer. 

Join the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning path by registering for Plan your SoTL Study  

Learning foundational teaching skill path

Are you a graduate student who is new to teaching in post-secondary education in Canada? If so, then the Graduate Teaching Program (GTP) is the path for you. The GTP was crafted to build foundational skills in graduate students who are new to teaching. Renato Bezerra, PhD candidate in Engineering Education and a recent participant in the GTP pilot explains “the program is valuable to any graduate student interested in teaching. Whether you have never taught or learned about teaching in higher education before, or you have taken courses, taught, or researched about education, the GTP has something for you.” 

Begin your teaching journey by registering for the Graduate Teaching Program. To learn more and register, please visit the GTP website. Registration opens on February 4th, 2025, 

Our commitment 

The Centre for Advancement of Teaching and Learning is dedicated to offering a range of supports that give faculty and staff opportunities to customize their own teaching and learning journey, while collectively working towards UM’s goal of Empowering Learners. Each service (workshop, series, presentation or resource) offered is specifically designed to support the elements of Empowering Learners.  

Small Shifts: Significant Gains and Plan your SoTL Study workshop support intra-UM faculty collaboration to improve student success and create high-quality learning experiences for students. The Graduate Teaching Program and the UDL in Practices series provide faculty and graduate students with tools to adapt to changing learning environments. The UDL in Practice series, specifically provides practical and attainable strategies for faculty to incorporate inclusive teaching methods into their practices. 

Read more about how we support Empowering Learners, including workshops, support, research and technology support on The Centre’s website