The certificate, offered through The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, combines workshops, mentorships and classroom observations. Participants learn pedagogical principles and foundational knowledge that can be applied in the classroom.

“One of the challenges that new faculty can face is that they come into the classroom as experts in their field of study but may not feel confident that they have a strong a foundation in the science and pedagogy of being an educator,” says Joanna Koulouriotis, Educational Developer with The Centre and TLC Program Coordinator. “This program helps them develop their knowledge, skills and reflective practices to improve the classroom experience for both students and themselves.”

Dr. Jenna Tichon, an instructor in the Faculty of Science, began taking TLC workshops during her PhD, when she was working as a sessional instructor and then took the full program when she transitioned to a faculty position.

She says it was the mentorship and the connection to a community of other instructors that was transformative for her in her early years in the classroom.

“Community was the biggest thing for me,” says Tichon. “Being able to go for a walk with my mentor and talking about what I was doing or things I wanted to try. Your first couple of years of teaching can be overwhelming—and when everything is feeling overwhelming and too much, to have someone who you can talk to and who listens and understands is so important. I think doing the program was one of the best decisions I could have made.”

While the program was designed to provide support to new faculty, it also has incredible value for mentors. Colleen Plumton, an instructor with the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, has served as mentor since the program began and has seen the benefits for both participants and the mentors who take part.  

“One of the fabulous things about this program is the reciprocal component of it,” says Plumton. “I learn so much from the individuals I’ve mentored because their areas aren’t my areas of expertise and there’s ideas and approaches they use that I’ve been able to take and adapt to my teaching—it continues to inspire me.”

99 faculty members have completed the program, which offers an annual intake. The graduates and mentors make up a community, which both Tichon and Plumton say is one of the best things about the program.

“Having people you can call up and talk through challenges you’re having, or ask questions to, makes you feel like you’re part of something larger,” says Plumton. “It’s about supporting each other and continuing to learn and get better. That’s what it’s all about—you never, ever want to stop learning.”

Registration for the next intake of the TLC program opens in April 2025. Learn more about the TLC program.

In the new UM Learn module, Exploring Power Dynamics in Post-Secondary Institutions, instructors can enhance their understanding of power dynamics in the post-secondary teaching context.

The module is the third of six modules in Incorporating EDI into Your Course and Teaching, a course to help instructors apply equity, diversity and inclusion concepts in their teaching. Each module provides strategies and teaching techniques and additional resources for those who wish to take their learnings further. It is available to all UM instructors and staff. 

This module was authored by Eric Sagenes, a doctoral student at UM and sessional instructor at Brandon University. His areas of scholarly interest include social activism, decolonization and diversity.

“The goal of this module is to raise your consciousness about how power plays out in different situations, so you can start to see how it plays out in your own context,” explains Sagenes. “Once we become aware of how power is operating, then we can be more likely to address it and ensure that we are working towards equitable and inclusive environments.”

By the end of the 35-minute self-study module, learners should be able to:

• explore the concept of power and how practices and policies can marginalize members from equity-deserving groups
• recognize how oppression is based on relationships of unequal power among social groups and how those in power can continually perpetuate inequality
• identify the impact of privilege on teaching and learning
• explore teaching and learning strategies and activities that address power, oppression and privilege in post-secondary and promote equity, diversity and inclusion

The EDI course was developed by the Manitoba Flexible Learning Hub (MB Hub) upon request from the Flexible Learning Advisory Group, representing six post-secondary institutions in Manitoba: Assiniboine Community College, Brandon University, University College of the North, Red River College Polytechnic, University of Winnipeg and University of Manitoba.

More than 10,000 instructional and support staff across the province have access to the course through the learning platform at their respective institutions. 

The MB Hub is part of The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning and provides instructional design and digital media support to the six partner institutions.

Access the course today 

1. Login to UM Learn with your staff email
2. In the main navigation menu, select “Self Registration” 
3. Under Course offering code, select CENTRE_IEDIYCTMOD3_092024 or under Course offering name select Incorporating EDI into Your Course and Teaching: Module 3 

Use module completion in EDIA course and micro-certificate

Each of the six UM Learn modules of Incorporating EDI into Your Course and Teaching can be used as an ongoing learning in Equity Diversity Inclusion Accessibility – EDIA: Expansions (EDIA 0102), in the online and hybrid course for UM staff, students and faculty. The course is part of the Micro-certificate in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) program supports UM’s efforts to improve equity and access across UM campuses, by educating and empowering all members to contribute to individual and collective transformation. It is offered, at no charge, through Extended Education in partnership with the Office of Equity Transformation and with the support of the UM President’s Office.

Other EDI resources

If you want more help applying EDI to your teaching practice, connect with The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning for one-on-one consultations. 

Learn more about the Manitoba Flexible Learning Hub.

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’

The new Jurists were: 

• Erin Wilcott, Executive Director of the Manitoba Law Foundation
• Michelle Falk, Executive Director of the Manitoba Bar Association
• Leah Kosokowsky, C.E.O. of the Law Society of Manitoba
• Michael Koppang
• Cy Fien
• Peter Kingsley, K.C.
• Jeffrey Palamar
• Harvey Secter, O.M., C.M., LL.D.
• Ian Scarth
• The Honourable Madam Justice Diana Cameron
• The Honourable Madam Justice Freda Steel

In 2022, Dean Richard Jochelson created the honour “Jurist of Robson Hall,” to recognize members of the legal community for their extraordinary service and commitment to the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law, be it through teaching or other contributions to Manitoba’s law school. This list grows each year as we celebrate individuals who give their time and expertise to the betterment of the Faculty of Law.

Learn more about the Jurists of Robson Hall on the Faculty of Law website.

At the annual Spring Reception, the Faculty of Law also presented its 2023 Alumni Awards to three accomplished UM Law graduates in the categories of Outstanding Alumni, Emerging Leader, and Trailblazer. This year’s recipients included:

• Bradley Regehr, K.C. [LLB/96], Outstanding Alumni Award
• Heather Wadsworth [JD/15], Emerging Leader Award
• Dr. Brent Roussin [BSc/96, MD/00, JD/09, MPH/11], Trailblazer Award

Learn more about these three alumni in the Faculty of Law’s announcement regarding the three 2023 Alumni Reward recipients.

The Spring Reception allows the Faculty of Law the opportunity to celebrate and thank all the practicing professional instructors, volunteers, mentors and coaches who contribute their time, knowledge and effort to educating future members of the legal profession and to helping Manitoba’s law school get the job done.

“This Management and Administration certificate will make a difference. Taking a program in English from a recognized university shows commitment and opens doors,” says the graduate from Columbia.

On Oct. 23, Extended Education celebrated our Fall 2023 Intensive Program Package Graduation recognizing 112 students including Marquez who completed these packages. We also congratulate our additional 83 Fall 2023 graduates from our part-time programs.

Marquez had two bachelor’s degrees, in economics and in business, and experience as a sales coordinator and sales administrator before she started her studies at UM. She found a similar role in her current job at Pattison Outdoor.

“I love it. I am a quick learner. I have worked in a sales-driven environment. I have the skills to perform well.  The culture and way of doing business here is similar.”

She says completing her program while she worked was a big accomplishment. “It was a pretty good thing to study, to apply my knowledge in Canada and make a smooth transition.”

She appreciated the tools her program gave her including a pronunciation clinic and writing and grammar workshops. “It can be challenging to think and express yourself in a proper way in a new language.”

And when she was about to say goodbye to her classmates by hugging and kissing them, as people warmly greet and say goodbye to each other in her native Columbia, some asked what she was doing.

“Personal space is more respected here. Especially after COVID. It is an unspoken rule,” says Marquez, who celebrated her graduation with her husband, Camilo, with plans to go out to dinner with his family afterwards.

Some of her fellow graduates were also from Columbia, and they will keep in touch, to share their common experience of things that differ compared to how they are done in Canada. For example, in Columbia, there is no Thanksgiving. They have Little Candles Day and Novena celebrations leading up to Christmas and they are a big deal in the offices.

“It is a time to feel homesick, so it helps to have them around,” she says.

Oluwapelumi Oyekunle celebrates her graduation from Applied Business Analysis with her parents: her mom’s friend and her husband.

Oluwapelumi Oyekunle, Applied Business Analysis

When Oluwapelumi Oyekunle was considering taking her career in a new direction by studying Business Analysis at UM, her friends asked her why she would not simply stick with what she knows. After all, with her accounting degree, she was good at numbers.

“No one understood,” says the Applied Business Analysis program package graduate. “But I am so excited about it. I feel like I have accomplished something different. When you set your mind to something, there is nothing you can’t achieve. Push your dreams. Do what you like to do. Just do it. Don’t wait.”

Oyekunle had been working for a global financial company back home in Nigeria when she found herself leading the introduction of a software system. “I was sort of doing business analysis. But I was not used to the terms. I was lost.”

Then she started her program.

“Now I have the terminology and I know when to use it. This program introduced me to lots of people from all over the world. It gave me this confidence. I am so grateful for this experience.”

Currently, she is working at Assiniboine Credit Union, and working on her BA certifications.

“I definitely want to go into business analysis. I like numbers but I also like people. I like to talk. I want to find solutions.”

Celebrating graduation with her will be her mom’s friend and her husband. Oyekunle stayed with them when she first came to Winnipeg. “They have been my biggest support system.”

She has also recommended her program to her boyfriend, in Nigeria.

Daiane Waldrich Barbosa celebrates her graduation from Applied Human Resource Management.

Daiane Waldrich Barbosa, Applied Human Resource Management

Daiane Waldrich Barbosa didn’t want to take another business course. After all, she had two university diplomas in business and related work experience in her native Brazil.

“I was trying to find something different. I had been working in banks. I had my own consulting company. But I was missing something, the people aspect. I am totally sure I took the right course,” says the Applied Human Resource Management program package grad.

“I learned lots about people and behaviour in the work environment. Here, people are more interested in the soft skills. Here is more respectful. Training and development were the most interesting to me. I learned how to develop people and make things better for them.”

Now she is working at RBC Dominion Securities, in the Operations department.

“I understand employment standards because of the program. It helped me to know how to behave here. It was an intense experience, but it was definitely worth it. It was so rewarding to get to the end and think, I made it. I really made it.”

Her husband, Cleber Barbosa, will celebrate graduation with her. “He was super supportive while I studied and worked full-time. He suffered everything with me.”

Graduation is a special milestone, she says. “No one in my family has experienced anything like this. My parents are very proud. This was something I was dreaming of a few years ago. You just need to believe and dream about it and things will work out for you.”

Waldrich Barbosa plans to keep learning.

“I am not sure of my next steps. Maybe financial certifications, or another course. I believe we can never stop learning. We have to keep updating ourselves.”

Learn more about programs and courses from UM Extended Education

Held in the downtown event space of the Winnipeg Stantec offices, this mentorship event mixed and matched current Co-op students with potential employers in design and planning fields. Three rounds of portfolio sharing were complemented by casual socializing and formal advice on how to translate design learning to professional practice.

The vibe was thrilling! Being held in person for the first time since 2020, the students’ nervous excitement was matched by the mentors’ generosity and joy.

“The talent in the room was next level… I met incredibly skilled students shining in their respective programs and was in the company of colleagues and local leaders in city building disciplines.” – Choi Ho, Landmark Planning & Design.

THANK YOU to the thirty professionals who dedicated time and insights to this valuable mentorship opportunity, including many Faculty of Architecture alumni and representatives from all four professional associations: the Manitoba Association of Architects (MAA), the Manitoba Association of Landscape Architects (MALA), the Manitoba Professional Planners Institute (MPPI), and the Professional Interior Designers Institute of Manitoba (PIDIM).

Special gratitude goes to Stantec for hosting the event and to landscape architect Monica Giesbrecht of HTFC and architects Michael Banman of Stantec and Shane Solomon from Republic Architecture Inc, who provided opening advice on effective outreach and portfolio strategies for students.

Congratulations to the trivia challenge winners: Emily Bews (Cibinel Architecture Inc.), Hyeonji (Angie) Kwon (M.Arch student), and Faith Peters (ED-Interior Environments student).

Cooperation Education / Integrated Work Program

Launched in 2018, the Faculty of Architecture’s Cooperative Education/Integrated Work program is designed to complement academic study with paid work experience. The program enables students to sharpen skills, apply knowledge, broaden perspectives, and consider future career specialization, while also benefiting employers with fresh talent, inspiring diversity, and tax credits.

Co-op is available to all undergraduate students in the Environmental Design program at the ED3-level and higher, as well as all graduate students in the four Master’s program streams: Architecture, City Planning, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture.

Co-op is compatible with all curriculums, including City Planning internships and the Interior Design Work Experience Program (WEP).

Co-op is optional (not required for graduation), but all Co-op students securing work term placements are required to enroll in an appropriate Work Term course and complete a report for each placement.

Hire a Co-op Student for summer 2023!

Our Co-op students have worked locally, internationally, across Canada and in the north, helping businesses and communities prosper. We welcome job postings in all design and planning fields, as well as government, not-for-profit and commercial sectors. Four, eight, twelve and sixteen-month work terms are available, typically beginning in May. Hiring incentives for employers are available, including Manitoba tax credits. Find out more here.

D2L Wave is a bold new approach to professional development that makes it easy for employees to gain new skills by accessing an online catalog of high-quality education options from leading educational institutions like University of Manitoba.

The University of Manitoba is recognized as one of the top 15 research universities in Canada. Through its Extended Education division, the university offers a robust suite of professional development courses and pathways to university studies. Programs are enhanced with insights and input from a variety of academic, industry and community experts.  The University of Manitoba’s commitment to offering Canadian content – with both short- and long-term certificates and university credentials designed for the workforce – make them an ideal D2L Wave education partner. 

Powerful lifelong learning
“We know how powerful lifelong learning can be to help people take positive steps forward in life and work,” says David Mandzuk, acting dean of Extended Education at the University of Manitoba. “Whether people are looking for a fresh start or a new career direction, our Extended Education programs help professionals gain new skills, strengthen their knowledge and prepare for the road ahead. We’re so proud to partner with D2L to make professional development opportunities more accessible and seamless.”

“As the digital economy transforms workplaces, employers and employees need innovative approaches to meet the constant demand for new skills,” says John Baker, President and CEO of D2L. “D2L Wave is our simple and elegant solution to deliver educational opportunities that are good for people’s careers, as well as their companies. I’m thrilled to partner with the University of Manitoba and connect more people to this leading Canadian research institution’s high-caliber content.”   

Learn more about D2L Wave

Visit University of Manitoba Extended Education

The Ronald Kristjanson Memorial Scholarship recognizes academic merit and community service of adult learners enrolled in a certificate program in UM Extended Education. Each year, two students enrolled in the final year of a certificate program, students who have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.5 and have demonstrated an active, long-term commitment to community service, are recognized.

The scholarship is offered in memory of Ronald Kristjanson, a professor in Extended Education who passed away in 1991, to acknowledge his dedication and commitment to adult learners. That’s what Extended Education is all about, as the division of the university providing lifelong learning for working professionals, preparing them to move forward in their lives and in their careers.

Maya Ackerman-Stratton, Extended Education student

Rennais Gayle, Extended Education student

Scholarship recipients
On June 17 as Extended Education celebrates its 2021 Virtual Spring Convocation, we also congratulate the 2021 Ronald Kristjanson Memorial Scholarship recipients, students Maya Ackerman-Stratton and Rennais Gayle. Ackerman-Stratton is working on an Applied Counselling certificate and Gayle is working on a Human Resource Management certificate.

In addition to these two programs, Extended Education provides a range of professional development programs and courses including many online options. From Business Analysis to Applied Counselling, Academic Advising, and more, many continue to keep learning with us and earn their UM credentials.           

At Extended Education’s third virtual convocation, the celebration will be hosted on the Hugo virtual event platform. Graduates and their friends and families will be able to attend an online reception at 6:00 p.m. and take in the ceremony afterwards. Students will take part in unique and interactive activities including a digital photo booth, chat rooms, a digital yearbook and a gallery showcasing this year’s award winners.

Acting dean, David Mandzuk congratulates all of Extended Education’s February and June grads, celebrated at this convocation.

“The pandemic has reminded us all of the importance of being able to adapt quickly, learn independently, and search for new ways to apply what we learn, and I trust that the courses you have taken through Extended Education have allowed you to “extend” your learning in these ways,” says Mandzuk. “Although there continues to be uncertainty about when our current challenges will end, we have faith that all 360 of you graduating from 22 different programs will be well-positioned to thrive in the post-COVID era, thanks to the time you spent in Extended Education.”

Visit the Extended Education graduation web page

“Continuing education has a strong history of responding to economic downturns,” says Rod Lastra, Associate Dean (Academic), University of Manitoba Extended Education. “The pandemic has created a lot of unemployment and underemployment, so the challenge for industry is how to upskill professionals so they can be part of the digital economy, which has arrived sooner than expected.”

Spring webinars to explore advanced learning and the need for upskilling

To support professionals wanting to develop new skills and competencies, and the businesses who have had to pivot given the changing digital environment, University of Manitoba Extended Education is hosting four webinars in May and June. The webinars will provide a snapshot of the current landscape for business and advanced learning and will provide some context for the critical need to upskill.

“The webinar series is a reflection of the opportunities the pandemic has given us,” says Lastra. “We’re seeing a much more inclusive approach between industry, post-secondary institutions, and learners. The accessibility of the digital world brings people together with the click of a button, which is important for groups that haven’t traditionally benefited from some of these opportunities, including Indigenous populations.”

Lastra adds that government has been engaged this past year around supporting upskilling programs and micro-credentialling. Micro-credentials are short programs for learners that are competency-based. The schools work with industry to discover the basic skills and competencies required. An example would be offering one or two programs in artificial intelligence for computer science professionals. This gives them new skills to excel in new or up-and-coming technologies.

“Micro-credentialling is a relatively new concept and doesn’t replace the traditional advanced education programs,” says Lastra. “The beauty is that micro-credentials are done in small packets and can be recognized toward a certificate, diploma, or degree. And we’re seeing the development of funding models, where micro-credentialling can address specific needs for identified skill gaps.”

Micro-credentials and the future of education

Every challenge brings opportunity, and while business is changing to adapt to the new realities brought on by the pandemic, so too is post-secondary education. In the past, schools were very siloed, but what Lastra has seen over the past year is a growing willingness for dialogue and sharing of ideas across the higher learning sector.

“In a way we never did before, we’re now having conversations with universities across the country that are enabling transformative change in post-secondary education,” says Lastra. “We don’t have all the answers to complex problems, but we’re coming around the table and strategizing, which will benefit learners, business, and the schools.”

As business resumes post-pandemic, Lastra believes that traditional degree programs will have to consider blended learning options that include in-person and remote education. And while continuing education has long offered distance learning, he adds that there will be a greater focus on evaluating online learning — the methodology and practice — to make it more effective, inclusive, and engaging.

Learn more about the University of Manitoba’s Lifelong Learning: Putting Ideas into Practice webinars.

As published in the National Post

With unprecedented access to vast amounts of information about customers, competitors and industry trends, it’s critical for leaders to have the social expertise they need to know where to find key data and how to draw meaning from it.

It’s with this in mind that the James W. Burns Executive Education Centre has launched the one-day virtual Social Media Analytics & Research program. Focused on providing participants with the tools they need to confidently and effectively engage, track and gather crucial data through social media, this program provides the critical skills every leader should have in today’s digital landscape.   

Program instructor Estelle Métayer is an expert in Competitive and Strategic Intelligence. She advises CEOs and boards as they build/improve their strategic decision-making process and competitive intelligence functions to avoid strategic blindspots. “In an era where all companies are undergoing a digital transformation, understanding social media networks as a professional tool is an indispensable skill for managers and executives,” says Métayer.

In one day of immersive learning, participants will explore core and emerging social media networks, uncovering essential components, as well as hidden functionalities they can use to discover strategic insights. By expanding their knowledge of key sources of social media information and how to use them, they’ll be well positioned to capitalize on the power of social media.

The Winter 2021 session of Social Media Analytics and Research is coming up on March 16. Register today by visiting: https://umanitoba.ca/faculties/management/exec_programs/social-media-analytics.html