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January 2026
Starting 2026 with Clarity, Community and MomentumHappy New Year, and welcome to 2026. Reflecting on my first six months with the Office of Teaching and Learning, what stands out most is the warmth and generosity of this community. The conversations I’ve had with so many of you - in meetings, focus groups, and in line for coffee - have been the highlight of my time here so far. That process of deep listening informed us, and more importantly, connected us. It shaped the clarified OTL Purpose and Priorities that will guide our work, ensuring that the OTL moves forward in a way that truly reflects the needs of our students and educators. With that shared vision in place, I am incredibly excited for the year ahead. We are entering 2026 with a fully staffed team, having secured the permanent talents of Dianne Ashbourne and Megan De Roover to lead our work in course design, assessment, AI and digital pedagogies. While we continue to evolve our partnership model to better serve you, we are diving into this semester with a lineup of programming that I’m so proud of: For our graduate students and teaching assistants: We are launching the Red Maple Program for Emerging Educators (formerly the Teaching Foundations Program), a refreshed certificate designed to support the next generation of teachers. For faculty: We are offering intensive workshops through the Instructional Skills Workshop, Course Design Institute and Assessment Design Institute, and I’m pleased to announce that FeedbackFruits is now a permanent part of our teaching toolkit following a successful pilot. For our shared future: We are convening the sector right here in Guelph this spring, hosting both the Teaching and Learning Innovations Conference (May 20-22) and the Teaching and Learning with AI Conference (June 10-11). Thank you for the warm welcome you’ve given me over the last few months. I look forward to the work we will do together this year. Warmly, Erin Aspenlieder, Director OTL Purpose and PrioritiesThroughout Fall 2025, the Office of Teaching and Learning engaged the University community in a process deeply rooted in our core values. We committed to a decolonial and inclusive approach, moving beyond standard consultation to use relationship-based invitations and circle-facilitated discussions. By offering multiple, flexible ways to engage - aligned with Universal Design for Learning principles - we were honoured to gather input from hundreds of faculty, staff, and students. The resulting Purpose and Priorities for 2026-2028 were co-created by the full OTL team and refined through this broad community dialogue. Our clarified purpose focuses on three pillars: Supporting educators, Partnering with academic programs, and Leading institutional priorities to value teaching and centre learning. What comes next? As we look toward 2026, our work turns to aligning our activities with this new vision. In the Winter of 2026, we will begin a review of our programming to ensure every initiative effectively supports these new priorities. While our commitment to robust support remains unchanged, this alignment means that some programs may shift or evolve. This process is designed to ensure that our time and resources are focused where they are needed most - whether that is addressing the challenges of an AI-infused world or expanding resources for decolonization in the curriculum. We invite you to explore the full Purpose and Priorities document to see how these goals will guide our work together. Thank you for helping us shape the future of the OTL.
OTL Welcomes New Team MembersWith our Purpose and Priorities clearly defined, we are thrilled to announce exceptional talent needed to bring this vision to life. By filling two key vacancies within our team, we are solidifying a permanent team that is not only stable but brimming with expertise, creativity, and strategic insight. Dr. Megan De Roover | Educational Developer with a focus on Digital Pedagogies & AI For the past 18 months, Megan has been a powerhouse within the OTL, originally stepping in to support the team while Jenn Reiners was seconded to the Office of Quality Assurance. With Jenn now permanently transitioned to that unit, we are celebrating the fact that we get to keep Megan in this role for the long term. Megan brings a unique and vibrant background to the world of digital pedagogies and AI. Holding a PhD in Theatre and Performance, she approaches digital tools not just as technical systems, but as spaces for connection and creativity. She has already demonstrated this leadership by co-chairing the Teaching and Learning Innovations Conference and delivering programming on AI and assessment. Megan’s philosophy is that learning should be "inclusive, reflective, and playful" - a perspective she will use to help our community navigate an AI-infused world with confidence. Dianne Ashbourne | Educational Developer with a focus on Course & Assessment Design Following the retirement of Janet Wolstenholme, we knew we needed a seasoned leader to sustain our depth in course and assessment support. We are delighted to welcome Dianne Ashbourne, who joins us from the University of Toronto Mississauga where she served as a Senior Educational Developer and Team Lead. With over 12 years of experience, Dianne is a recognized leader in the field. She has steered institutional initiatives on inclusive pedagogy, curriculum mapping, and strategic program review. However, what stands out most is her approach: Dianne’s practice is grounded in "relationality" and "humility". She describes her role as "listening first" to "co-create" solutions that honour the unique context of each discipline. We are incredibly lucky to have her expertise guiding our course and assessment design portfolio. Trudi Zundel | Communications, Marketing, and Events Coordinator We are thrilled to welcome Trudi Zundel to the OTL team to provide concentrated expertise on short-term communications and events projects and processes. Trudi’s expertise in communications and technology will guide the redevelopment of the OTL website, aiming to make our resources easier to access and use. A University of Guelph alumna with an M.A. in Human Geography, Trudi is skilled at translating complex information into clear and accessible content. We are excited to have her technical and creative leadership on board to enhance our digital presence and operational efficiency. Please join us in welcoming Dianne and Trudi and celebrating Megan’s permanent appointment. With our team expertise now solidified, we are eager to Support, Partner, and Lead alongside you as we navigate the changing landscape of higher education together. Connect with colleagues across UofG, UofGH, and Ridgetown in any of our five Communities of Practice (CoPs) in the Winter semester. Each CoP offers a supportive, discussion-based space to learn, reflect, share strategies, and deepen your teaching practice. Learn more and register using the links below. Learning Enhancement Fund Call for ProposalsThe Associate Vice-President (Academic) and the Office of Teaching and Learning are pleased to announce the call for proposals to the Learning Enhancement Fund (LEF). The LEF aims to improve undergraduate and graduate learning experiences and teaching practices across disciplines by funding projects that are grounded in evidence, demonstrate actionable application, and contribute to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. The LEF supports projects that enhance student engagement, advance equity and inclusion, innovate curricula, leverage educational technology, and explore the impact of generative AI on teaching and learning. Eligible faculty, librarians, and staff from the University of Guelph, University of Guelph-Humber, and Ridgetown campus may apply for up to $15,000 (Stream A, 24 months) or up to $50,000 (Stream B, 36 months). Proposals are due on May 1, 2026, by 5:00 PM.
Winter StorytellingThis Winter, Cara Loft, Educational Developer for Indigenous Knowledges and Pedagogies, will share stories from her Haudenosaunee Culture in the Guelph Arboretum. Please join Cara in the Arboretum on the last Friday morning of each month (10:30am-12:00pm) to listen to traditional Indigenous Storytelling and walk through the Arboretum Trails. This storytelling series provides an opportunity for faculty, students, staff, and community members to experience Haudenosaunee Culture and traditional land-based teaching/learning in a hands-on and accessible way.
Cara will begin each session with a Traditional Smudge and Hand drum Song and then move outside for a walk and storytelling. Please make sure to wear appropriate clothing for the weather and bring a water bottle! We will be meeting at the Teaching Lodge for storytelling this semester; directions to follow registration. Registration is open on the Arboretum website. Space is limited to 30 participants, and these sessions tend to fill quickly. We hope to see you there! Nia:wen! Thank you! Registration Open: KAIROS Blanket ExerciseThe KAIROS Blanket Exercise is an immersive, hands-on experience, that walks participants through 400 years of colonization on Turtle Island. Blankets are placed on the ground to represent Turtle Island (North America) and participants try to keep walking on the blankets for as long as possible as the facilitator describes our history. Participants will be asked to either read from a scroll and/or hold a colored card that represents a role they are to play in the Blanket Exercise. We will begin and end this exercise in a Goodway with Traditional Indigenous Hand Drumming. We will have a reflection circle after the Blanket Exercise to help move through any thoughts or feelings that came up during the exercise. Please bring your whole self (mind, body, heart and spirit) into this exercise. Nia:wen kowa! Thank you! Thursday February 26, 2026 9:30am-11:00am Art Gallery of Guelph
FeedbackFruits January ProgrammingWe are excited to share that we will be offering the Get to Know FeedbackFruits Series during the week of January 26th! Register for one, some, or all of the sessions taking place that week:
One Space Available! February Instructional Skills WorkshopThe Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) is an internationally recognized certificate program for instructor development. Our next ISW is being held on February 17, 18, & 19, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM each day. We have one space available. 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 January 26.
New for Graduate Students and TAs: Red Maple Program for Emerging EducatorsThe Red Maple Program offers emerging educators a flexible and supportive pathway to deepen their knowledge of teaching and learning in higher education. The program is primarily intended for teaching assistants and graduate students, and is also open to others who are interested in and would benefit from its focus. Rooted in a holistic framework, the program invites educators to explore connections between their experiences as learners, their pedagogical practices, the responsibilities required of them as a TA, and the broader context of teaching and learning at the University of Guelph. The Red Maple Program can be completed at your own pace, typically within one to two semesters. The program must be completed by the end of your graduate program to earn the Certificate of Completion.
Final Call for Proposals: Teaching and Learning Innovations ConferenceWe invite all faculty, sessionals, instructors, staff, educational developers, and students (graduate and undergraduate) to submit proposals for the 37th Teaching and Learning Innovations Conference taking place May 21-22, 2026 at the University of Guelph. For details about the conference theme, session formats, and proposal submission requirements, please visit the 2026 TLI Conference website. Proposals are due Friday, January 16th, 2026 (end of day, 5:00 pm).
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