Jackie Hope, TLC Program Coordinator, welcomed attendees. “Today, we gather to celebrate a remarkable journey,” she said. “The TLC program is more than a certificate; it’s a community of educators who have dedicated themselves to deepening their practice, embracing mentorship and reflecting on what it means to teach with purpose.” 

The TLC certificate program is offered through The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning. At its heart is the Centre’s commitment to ensuring that teaching at the University of Manitoba is informed by evidence-based practices and grounded in compassion, inclusion and innovation.  

The program combines workshops, mentorships and classroom observations to help faculty develop the knowledge, skills and reflective practice that enable them to increase their competency level in the teaching-learning process. 

Centre Director, Dr. Erica Jung, thanked graduates for dedicating their time and energy to the program. “You are all busy folks—you have not only your work here but also your own lives, so to add this program demonstrates a commitment and desire to help students with their learning, and I really want to congratulate you for that.” 

Dr. Xiaoxiao Du, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education, was one of this year’s 12 graduates. She shared insights at the event of her experience in the program.   

“I believe the TLC is the right place to be, to learn, to grow – because there is a supportive community, there are experts, mentors, developers, but most beautifully, are the fellow peers I go to for positive, professional relationships,” she said.  

She also encouraged her peers to embrace differences and uncertainty. “Continuously promote multiple ways of knowing, being, thinking,” she said.  

TLC graduate Dr. Juliana Marson, Assistant Professor in the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources, spoke about how the program helped her to make her classes more student centred, and the joy and excitement she felt with each positive change.   

“The TLC program, and expressly with [mentor] Cintia’s guidance, helped me transform my teaching philosophy from a collection of inherited conventions to a deeply personal, reflective practice,” she said.  

The TLC program is built on a foundation of mentorship—where experienced educators walk alongside new faculty and instructors, offering guidance, feedback and encouragement. Two mentors also spoke at the graduation ceremony. 

Juliana’s mentor, Cintia Costa, Senior Educational Developer at The Centre, fondly recalled a professor who was a steady source of encouragement during her own undergraduate studies in Brazil, and how she felt honoured to work with Juliana and witness her transforming her teaching strategies.   

“I have this huge dream of changing the world,” she said. “It’s big. If we can change the life of a student, like my professor did for me, then I think we are already changing the world.”  

Dr. David Mandzuk, Professor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus, Faculty of Education, served as a TLC mentor for five years. He described mentors as “warm demanders”—people who are both empathetic yet not afraid of challenging others. “Being an effective mentor is more about provoking thinking than providing answers. And to keep the student perspective front and centre,” he said.  

He also thanked UM’s Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) for continuing to support the university’s teaching mission. “That takes effort, and it takes resources at a university that prides itself on the quality of research, and I think that speaks volumes of the university.”  

See the full list of 2025 TLC graduates   

Learn more about the TLC program

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

Bridget Kozyra, Instructor in the Faculty of Social Work, was one of the 16 graduates and spoke at the event about her experience in the program.

“It was incredibly valuable and a great experience,” she says. “I learned so much from my mentor and being able to connect with the other participants.”

Kozyra found the skills and knowledge from the program also helped her beyond the classroom. “The timing worked out that we were going through curriculum revision as I was in the program,” she says. “The workshops and knowledge gave me an additional lens to use as we were reviewing our content – what we were teaching, how we were teaching it and best methods for assessing our students.”

Daniel Nagel, an assistant professor with the College of Nursing, took the program to expand his knowledge. One of the things he appreciated about the program was the ability to connect with instructors in other areas.

“The workshops really helped to break us out of our usual silos and connect with other instructors across the university,” he says. “Being able to see how other faculty members approach teaching and what they bring to the classroom, was inspiring. And the connections and friendships I have made throughout the journey, with both the mentors and other participants, is something I really appreciated about the program.”

Nagel notes that, while the program is targeted at faculty in the first few years of their teaching career, the workshops are also relevant for those who are farther along in their teaching career.

“There were workshops that had very specialized topics, like incorporating Indigenous Knowledge, mental health, and accessible teaching strategies that are hugely beneficial because of how our knowledge in those areas continues to expand and grow,” he says. “As a life-long learner, there’s always something new to learn that will help me be a better instructor and able to better support my students.”

Joanna Koulouriotis, Educational Developer with The Centre and TLC Program Coordinator, serves as one of the program mentors.

“It’s so wonderful to see the participants and mentors connect and build relationships,” she says. “Being a mentor is a way for me to support new faculty, but it’s also a chance for me to learn from them. It’s incredibly rewarding.”

Registration for the 2025 TLC program will open in April 2025.

Meet the 2024 TLC graduates

Learn more about the TLC program

Learn about becoming a mentor

Explore workshops offered by The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning

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’