December 2021

Upcoming Programming

Announcing the Winter-Spring 2022 OTL Book Club Selection

From January 2022 to June 2022, the Office of Teaching and Learning is inviting faculty and instructional staff to join a small, virtual book club where we will collectively read and discuss the book Decolonizing Education: Nourishing the Learning Spirit (Battiste, 2013). The book club is intended to provide instructors with a virtual space to share resources and ideas related to Indigenizing and decolonizing our teaching practices. We ask book club members to commit to reading the book, attending the monthly meetings, and sharing their knowledge. For more information about the book club, and to register, visit our website. Space is limited.

OTL Announcements

Registration Open for University Teaching: Theory and Practice Graduate Course

Graduate students, staff, and faculty with an interest in and passion for university teaching can enroll in UNIV*6800, OTL's graduate-level course in teaching and learning. This course offers learners an opportunity to engage deeply in educational theory and practice with peers from across disciplines. It includes opportunities to develop and deliver a micro-teaching lesson, to engage in peer-evaluation, and to develop as a reflective instructional practitioner.

Teaching Resources and Programming for Graduate Students

Get That Dossier Done! Graduate Student Programming

A teaching dossier catalogues teaching experiences and overall beliefs about teaching, linked to specific practices and evidence. Teaching dossiers are required for most faculty, and other teaching-related positions, but how can graduate students find the time and resources needed to put together a teaching dossier? Graduate students can sign up to participate in the Get That Dossier Done program, designed to demystify the process of assembling a teaching dossier. Each month from January to August 2022, participants will be prompted to complete manageable tasks at their own pace. Participants will also give and receive peer feedback on their teaching dossiers at monthly synchronous meetings. Use this registration link to sign up for the Get That Dossier Done program.

U of G SoTL Spotlight

• Scholars from the College of Biological Sciences and OpenEd, led by MSc student Bailey Bingham, recently published an article in The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. The article describes a metacognitive instructional guide that can be used to teach students about effective study strategies.

• Dr. Mavis Morton, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, has recently contributed a book chapter to an edited collection focused on the ICE (Ideas, Connections, and Extensions) model of learning and assessment. Dr. Morton's chapter describes how she incorporated the ICE model into a 4th year Sociology course.

We'd love to spotlight your work! If you have a recent SoTL (scholarship of teaching and learning) or DBER (disciplinary-based educational research) publication that you'd like us to feature, please contact otl@uoguelph.ca or jreniers@uoguelph.ca

Amplifying Teaching Voices Across the University

Integrate a Thriving in Action Workshop in Your Course

The Thriving in Action workshop series, new to the University of Guelph, integrates techniques for building motivation, optimism and resilience with advanced learning strategies that hone time management, note-taking, and exam preparation skills. In each workshop, students learn and practice both wellness and learning strategies. To learn more or to request a Thriving in Action workshop for your class or student group, visit Thriving in Action or contact thriving@uoguelph.ca. This series is a collaboration between Learning Services in the McLaughlin Library and Student Wellness and is based on Ryerson University's ThriveRU program.

As 2021 draws to a close, we in OTL wish you a relaxing and restful winter break!