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May 2026
- Upcoming Events: Registration Reminders
- Congratulations Red Maple Program for Emerging Educators Graduates
- Learning in Community: Testimonials from Winter Semester Communities of Practice
Space is available in the following upcoming events and programs:
Congratulations to the inaugural group of graduate student educators who recently earned their Red Maple Program for Emerging Educators certificates! Your commitment to growing as educators, alongside your many other responsibilities as graduate students, is truly inspiring. The program is currently taking a well-deserved summer break. For those who began the program this year and are still in progress, you’ll have the opportunity to continue and complete the program in the Fall.
If you want to receive announcements about upcoming events and programs for the Red Maple Program, make sure to enroll in the Red Maple CourseLink site. Instructions can be found on our Red Maple Program website. We look forward to connecting with you in the Fall.
This past semester, we facilitated and supported several Communities of Practice (CoPs) and book clubs, bringing together a wonderfully diverse range of faculty, instructors, graduate students, staff, and educators from across disciplines and roles. Read on to hear directly from participants about what made these communities meaningful.
Interested in joining a book club or CoP next Fall? Stay tuned on our events page and future issues of our newsletter for announcements about CoPs and book clubs for the Fall semester. New and returning participants are always welcome!
Teaching Focused Faculty Coffee & Connections
Dr. Andrew Nevin, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology:
“It was a pleasure to be part of the inaugural Teaching-Focused Community of Practice this year! This initiative provided an important opportunity for camaraderie and meaningful community-building with colleagues who share similar teaching-focused roles across colleges and campuses. It was especially valuable to have a space where we could openly discuss aspects of faculty work that are specific to our teaching-focused DOEs, while also celebrating teaching successes and innovations with peers who understand those experiences first-hand. I particularly appreciated the chance to exchange strategies for addressing challenges associated with large classes, as well as the thoughtful conversations around strategic planning for tenure and promotion as a teaching-focused faculty member. Laura and Stephen did an excellent job fostering an inclusive and supportive community, while consistently organizing agendas and discussions that were relevant, practical, and even fun!”
Dr. Ritu Chaturvedi, Associate Professor, School of Computer Science:
“Being part of the Teaching-focused Community of Practice (CoP) has given me space to share experiences, challenges, and strategies with colleagues who understand the unique realities of teaching-focused faculty. Because there are relatively few teaching-focused faculty members at the University, this role can sometimes feel isolating or undervalued; the CoP helps counter that by creating a sense of recognition, belonging, and shared purpose. I have especially valued the exchange between experienced members, who generously share their wisdom and insights, and newer colleagues, who bring energy, fresh ideas, and creativity to teaching and student engagement.”
Decolonization, Indigenization, and Reconciliation CoP
Dr. Andrea Paras, Associate Professor and Director of Guelph Institute of Development Studies, College of Social and Applied Human Sciences:
“[I am] Grateful for the supportive learning space that was created. I appreciated the acknowledgement that mistakes will be made but also the patience and grace that was offered to all the participants in this group.”
Dr. Rusty Evans, Assistant Professor, Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics, Department of Management:
“Personally, this CoP helped me realize how important it is to have a community engaged in this work. Often, efforts related to DIR can feel isolating within one’s own teaching or department, and it is not always clear where to turn for support or shared learning. This CoP created a sense that a broader community is forming at the University of Guelph, one that is committed to learning, reflecting, and making meaningful change together.”
Book Club on Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI
Dr. Danielle Bentley, Associate Professor and Program Director, Master of Medical Foundations, Human Health Sciences, College of Biological Science:
“I went into this Co-intelligence reading group with a rather narrow view of AI within academia, believing that it was something I had to battle against to maintain academic integrity. I have since learned that the power of AI is not in the output(s) it produces (which are often limited and flawed), but more in the creation processes it can support. The opportunity for colleague discourse really inspired my own shift in perspective, and I have decided to lean in and incorporate AI applications in healthcare across my courses. I am currently co-designing clinical case scenarios with AI-supported diagnostic tools to showcase both the potential utility of these tools to improve speed of care, but also the critical appraisal that is necessary to ensure accuracy.”
Artificial Intelligence CoP
Dr. Laelie Snook, Instructor, Department of Human Health Sciences, College of Biological Science:
"I am a slow classroom technology adopter; I prefer pen to paper. I desperately wanted to ignore AI and go about my classroom business as usual but quickly realized this wasn’t possible. Being part of the AI community of practice gave me a safe space learn about AI, try various tools and ultimately gave me the confidence to integrate AI tools into my teaching practice."
Dr. Thomas Sasso, Assistant Professor, Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics, Department of Management:
"The AI Community of Practice through OTL has been one of the best professional development experiences I’ve engaged with in years. It is focused on current practical content and skills that help connect staff, faculty, and students together to understand and address challenges and opportunities related to AI with teaching and learning. At a time when everything in education is changing so rapidly, having a trusted community on campus to navigate these moments together has increased my confidence to engage with AI intentionally, responsibly, and with a student-centred approach."
For more teaching resources or to chat with us,
visit our website at https://otl.uoguelph.ca/ or contact us at otl@uoguelph.ca.
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