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October 2025
Invitation: Refocusing OTL's Mandate
OTL is updating its mandate to further serve the University of Guelph, University of Guelph-Humber, and Ridgetown Campus communities. You are warmly invited to contribute your perspective on what OTL should be doing now and into the future to support, lead, partner and innovate in teaching and learning through this feedback survey by October 15th. If you have any questions or suggestions that are not captured in the survey, please reach out to otl@uoguelph.ca.
Registration Open: AI Can do What? The Implications of Autonomous AI for Teaching and Learning (A Demonstration and Discussion)
Join us on October 8th from 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM for a live demonstration and discussion about autonomous AI tools. Artificial intelligence is moving beyond writing essays and answering questions. Autonomous AI tools can now act on students’ behalf—navigating platforms like CourseLink, completing tasks, and even making decisions. This session will demonstrate these capabilities and invite discussion about their implications for teaching, assessment, and student learning.
Registration Open: Facilitator Development Workshop (1 space available!)
The Facilitator Development Workshop (FDW) is being held from November 10-14, from 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM each day. The primary goal of the FDW is to train individuals to facilitate the Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW). The FDW provides a challenging and supportive atmosphere for participants to engage in their own professional development around facilitation and teaching. Eligibility: The FDW is open to those who have already completed the ISW and are interested in becoming an ISW facilitator. The FDW is free to members of the University of Guelph, University of Guelph-Humber, and Ridgetown Campus communities. Interested in participating? Contact Brandon Sabourin (bsabou01@uoguelph.ca) by October 15. There is currently 1 space remaining in the FDW.
Registration Open: Instructional Skills Workshop
The Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) is an internationally recognized certificate program for instructor development. We are offering two upcoming ISWs:
The ISW is offered within a small group setting (four to six participants per small group) and is designed to enhance the teaching effectiveness of both new and experienced educators. The ISW encourages reflection and examination of your teaching practices with feedback focused on the learning process rather than on the specific content of the lesson. The ISW is free to members of the University of Guelph, University of Guelph-Humber, and Ridgetown Campus communities. Registration closes on November 14. Space is limited.
Save the Date: Teaching and Learning Innovations Conference
At the University of Guelph’s 37th Teaching and Learning Innovations Conference, we will come together to explore the theme of Conditions for Learning and its influence on how we teach, learn, and work together.
Feedback Fruits Pilot Impact and Upcoming Workshop on Team-Based Learning
UofG has been piloting FeedbackFruits since the W25 semester. As we wrap up our year-long pilot, we wanted to share the reach and impact of the pilot:
We are also excited to share with you information about an upcoming workshop, Team-Based Learning with Dr. Michelle Steinhilb. This session will be hosted by OTL in collaboration with FeedbackFruits and Central Michigan University's representative, Dr. Michelle Steinhilb, designed to introduce a powerful approach to collaborative learning.
Join us for a conversation with Dr. Michelle Steinhilb, Professor of Genetics, Biotechnology, and Neuroscience at Central Michigan University, as she shares her experience and best practices of implementing Team-Based Learning (TBL) in live courses. Dr. Steinhilb's session will be followed by a quick demonstration, showcasing how you can set up TBL directly in CourseLink with FeedbackFruits.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Follow-Up
On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Tuesday, September 30th, OTL hosted Sewehia:rak: We Remember, a gathering that brought together staff, faculty, instructors, students, and the broader Guelph community to remember the victims and survivors of the Indian Residential Boarding School (IRS) era in Canada. The event began with a traditional Indigenous hand drum song led by Cara Loft, with support from staff at the Indigenous Student Centre and the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Eleven speakers—including OTL staff, faculty, and students—then shared research, stories, and reflections on the experiences of Indigenous peoples in the Residential School system. Through narratives and poetry, they offered truthful, poignant and impactful stories. After each speaker shared about their chosen Residential School survivor, they placed a pair of shoes in front of Johnston Hall. Witnesses to the event then placed the pair of shoes they were holding in front of Johnston Hall as Cara Loft read aloud the names of the survivors connected to each pair. The ceremony closed with a hand drum song and a moment of remembrance, honoring the Indigenous children who went through the Residential School system. The IRS system operated in Canada from the 1880’s until 1996. Its purpose was to assimilate Indigenous children into Western society through colonial education. Within these schools, children were subjected to physical, sexual, mental and emotional abuse, and many did not survive. The legacy of these schools continues today, causing intergenerational trauma within Indigenous communities and deep mistrust of the Canadian education system. To begin the reconciliation process, there first must be truth. Sewehia:rak: We Remember created space for non-Indigenous allies to deepen their understanding and strengthen their role as supporters of Indigenous peoples by engaging with and sharing the lived experiences of Indigenous survivors of the IRS system.
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