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September 2026
Welcome MessageOver the summer I met a new friend; and as sometimes happens with new friends, we shared what we do for work. I explained I work in a teaching and learning center, and tried – elevator pitch style – to explain what the Office of Teaching and Learning does: we partner with instructors on developing teaching practices; we work with academic programs curriculum design and delivery to improve student learning experiences; we support teaching and learning initiatives that span the University, like universal design for learning or AI and assessment. The new friend sort of got it: “so you teach teachers how to teach?” I replied with one of my favourite (and over-used, I know) expressions “yes, and” because yes, the team here at the OTL can share teaching approaches and practices for new and experienced educators, and we also aim to be a place where teaching is supported, valued, and celebrated. To that end, this academic year we’re offering programs and activities that engage with a rich range of topics and in a variety of formats: some familiar, like the Course Design Institute, and some topical and new, like the Teaching with Intention program. In an effort to value and support the incredible teaching already happening across the community, we will continue to convene conversations among educators through communities of practice, panel discussions, Teaching Lives spotlight stories and events where you can share with one another your experience teaching in this complex moment. We know that teaching in 2026 can be challenging; we also know that for many of you teaching can be a source of purpose, energy and joy. What I could have told the new friend is that my work, the privilege of our work at the OTL, is to support and partner with educators in doing their best work for their students. We warmly – and so sincerely – invite you to talk with us about your teaching: whether to share with us something you’re frustrated about, something you want to try, or something you’re particularly proud of implementing. In addition to the many programs we offer, we also welcome individual consultations and conversation. Please explore the OTL website, follow us on LinkedIn, and contact us at otl@uoguelph.ca I'd also be delighted to talk with you directly. Reach me at easpen01@uoguelph.ca Wishing you all the very best for the year ahead, Erin Aspenlieder Director, Office of Teaching and Learning Panel Series Launch: Teaching and Engaging Students in Large ClassesWe are launching a monthly panel series, where faculty, instructors, and educators across our campuses come together to share their experiences, approaches, and insights on a particular topic. September’s panel is on Teaching and Engaging Students in Large Classes. Teaching large classes can create both unique opportunities and challenges. How do instructors create meaningful learning experiences when working with hundreds of students? Join Cris Bravo Monge (Department of Management), Dan Grunspan (Department of Integrative Biology), Steph Howells (Department of Sociology & Anthropology) and Mike Massa (Department of Physics) in a moderated panel as they share their experiences and lessons learned from teaching large-enrolment courses. Drawing on examples from a range of disciplines, the panel will explore the opportunities and challenges of teaching and learning at scale through a discussion of their experiences, insights, and ongoing questions. The session will include opportunities for audience questions and discussion. Event: September 22, 10:30am-12:00pm Have a topic for a future panel? Interested in being a panelist for a future session? Email Sara Fulmer to share your ideas!
Upcoming Events and ProgramsWe have several workshops, programs and learning communities currently open for registration. Are you interested in...
See additional workshops and events on our Events Registration page. Workshops for Graduate Students and TAsThe following upcoming workshops are designed for graduate students and TAs, and can be used to meet the requirements of the Red Maple Program for Emerging Educators. More workshops will be announced throughout the semester, so keep an eye on our events calendar or self-enroll in the Red Maple CourseLink site. Click the links below to learn more and register.
Sewehia:rak: We Remember, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Day EventSewehia:rak (Say-wey-HEE-ah-rug): We Remember is an experiential learning opportunity for non-Indigenous Allies to learn more about the ongoing legacy of the Indian Residential Schools (IRS) and participate in a memorial for victims of the IRS. Participants will be invited to gather in Circle for Smudge, Song and Statement Sharing. Participants will be invited to place a pair of children's shoes (shoes are provided) in front of the Johnston Hall building on the University of Guelph campus as a visual memorial for the Indigenous children who died or survived the IRS System. The goal of this experiential learning opportunity is to visually reflect the number of Indigenous Children who were murdered or died in the IRS System in Canada through a long line of children's shoes outside of Johnston Hall. This event is open to University of Guelph, University of Guelph-Humber, and Ridgetown Campus community members, as well as the external community. Are you interested in sharing a story of a victim or survivor during the event? Use this Speaker sign up sheet to identify one victim or survivor of the Canadian Residential School System. Research this person's story and prepare a brief 1-2 minute statement, song, or poem to share at the gathering. Speakers will place shoes after they have shared about their victim or survivor of the IRS System in Canada (shoes provided). Fall storytelling in the ArboretumThis Fall, 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 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! The meeting location will be shared with participants in advance. Registration is available on the Arboretum website for the first session, with registration opening approximately one month in advance for the other sessions. Space is limited to 30 participants and these sessions tend to fill quickly. We hope to see you there! Nia:wen! New Course Available: Inquire: From Ideas to Impact in the Scholarship of Teaching and LearningWe are excited to announce the re-launch of our Inquire program – now delivered fully online. This re-designed program offers instructors and educational leaders a flexible, self-paced pathway to transform classroom experiences and ideas into impactful, public, evidence-informed scholarship. Whether you are looking to systematically evaluate a course redesign, explore educational literature, or prepare a full research proposal in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, this course will provide the scaffolding to guide your inquiry. Program Highlights:
Ready to start your SoTL journey? Contact Aron Fazekas (afazekas@uoguelph.ca) for more information or to register. Reflective Article: Student Perspectives on AIOver the summer Teri Shearer worked with the OTL as an undergraduate research assistant (URA). We’re delighted to share Teri’s reflections on students' perspectives on AI consolidated from a range of projects she led over the summer. Thank-you, Teri! As an URA with the Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL), I had the opportunity to interview University of Guelph students and host a focus group exploring student experiences with AI. The goal of these projects was to better understand how students are using AI in their learning and to understand questions and concerns that faculty, instructors, and leaders at the University of Guelph could help them tackle. Before I started talking to students about their experiences with AI, I expected to hear the two sides of the “should AI be in higher education” debate: where some students feel that there is too much AI integration within their courses, and others feel there is too little. Instead, I found something much more nuanced. Rather than viewing AI as a dichotomous "good" or "bad," the consensus among students seemed to be that whether they liked it or not, technology has become impossible to ignore and feel that the University has a responsibility to address AI thoughtfully. Through one-on-one interviews and a focus group with University of Guelph students, I heard stories of students using AI to support their learning by using it as a tutor, a study guide, a brainstorming tool, and a stand-in professor. However, students also expressed concerns about overreliance, misinformation, career prospects, and anxiety about how quickly AI tools and features are changing. A major theme that stood out during my conversations with students was the implementation of ethical boundaries, as many students drew a clear line between using AI to enhance learning and using AI to complete their work for them. For many students, it seems like the philosophy that learning is a fundamentally human experience still holds true; but, with the ever changing, rapid evolution of AI, students are unsure of what's to come, and are looking at their professors, their mentors, and their institution for guidance. AI, as one student puts it, is “a tool, not the only tool”, and students still expect their education to be (for the most part) human to human. If you'd like to exactly what students are saying, directly from the students themselves, feel free to check out this ~10min video of the one-on-one student interviews held this summer. You can find Teri on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/terishearer Farewell to Rachael and TrudiThis month, we say farewell to two valued members of the OTL team. Trudi Zundel, our Communications, Marketing, and Events Coordinator, is moving on to a new position with CIFAR (the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research). Trudi has been the creative force behind so much of how OTL connects with the campus community, from event planning to the stories we tell about teaching and learning at Guelph. We're grateful for her energy and care, and excited to see what she brings to her new role. Rachael Lewitzky, Instructional Technology Specialist, has taken on a new role as Manager, Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives in the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences (CSAHS). Rachael's expertise has shaped how instructors across campus think about and use technology in their teaching, and her insight and collaborative spirit will be missed on our team, though we're delighted she's staying within the University of Guelph community. Please join us in wishing Trudi and Rachael all the best in their new adventures!
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