Today's newsletter introduction by special guest, Mike Quinn, Vice-Provost, and Associate Vice President, Academic (thanks Mike!)
Congratulations! If you are reading this message you are nearing the completion of one of the strangest academic years in MRU history! And, I know that you did more than just survive it, you stepped up to provide our students with your best instruction possible to help them thrive in these unusual and often difficult circumstances. I thank all of you for your herculean efforts in delivering your courses to the best of your abilities.
The ADC proved to be a hub of adaptability and resilience as we shifted our instruction from in-person to on-screen. As we transition back to our traditional and preferred mode of delivery, I look forward to understanding with you what we have learned through the challenges imposed by the global pandemic. I also hope you may find time to pause, reflect, and celebrate the many successes of the year at the MRU Celebrate! Teaching and Learning event which starts tomorrow.
As we look to complete this academic year, I hope you are able to plan for a great break - whatever that looks like for you - over the upcoming vacation period. Thank you for all you have done, and all you continue to do throughout these continued unusual times.
|
|
|
It's Time to Celebrate!
 Tomorrow launches the first virtual Celebrate! Teaching & Learning at MRU event and we hope everyone is getting excited. Join us for three days packed with panels, discussions, and camaraderie among the MRU community.
Dates & Times:
May 5 – 1:00 to 5:00 pm
May 6 – 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
May 7 – 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Visit the Celebrate website to view the schedule and register now.
Don't worry if you're still deciding which sessions to go to, links to the panels will be posted on the Celebrate website during the days of the event.
Follow the ADC on Twitter for updates on the event and join the conversation using hashtag #celebratemru
|
|
|
All ADC workshops in this semester are offered virtually. You will be provided with a Google Meet link and any other instructions needed for your session with your registration confirmation, or by email prior to the session start time. Please see the list of workshops below.
You can also always visit our current list of upcoming workshops. (See also: calendar view) or follow us on Twitter to stay up-to-date on upcoming workshops.
|
|
|
OER Grant Info Session
This information session is available to all faculty members who wish to learn more about MRU's new Open Educational Resources (OER) Grant program.
OER Grant applications are due on May 17th.
More information about the Open Educational Resources Grant program can be found at https://library.mtroyal.ca/oergrants. Questions can be emailed to oergrants@mtroyal.ca.
Facilitators: Cari Merkley & Erika Smith
When: Monday, May 10, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
|
|
|
Making the Most of Annotated Bibliography Assignments
 Annotated bibliographies are common university assessments, often assigned with the hope that students will learn something that they can apply to future work. But what is that “something” for each instructor? And are students achieving what instructors hope? Join us to explore how to make the most of this useful, and yet elusive, genre.
Facilitators: Madelaine Vanderwerff (Library)
Silvia Rossi (Student Learning Services)
and Andrea Phillipson (Academic Development Centre)
When: Monday, May 10, 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
|
|
|
Series: Spring Intensive Academic Writing Group
 Get your scholarship on track before summer with this intensive, 4-week writing group. During each 3-hour writing session, the first 30 minutes will be dedicated to an online, synchronous peer discussion. In the remaining time, participants will write in a location of their choice, and will have the opportunity to book a consultation with a writing specialist.
Facilitator: Andrea Phillipson
When: Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:00 am -1:00 pm, May 10 - June 2
Note: There will be no session on May 24
(Join anytime until June 1)
|
|
|
ADC Series: The Higher Education Podcast Listening Experience
 Are you interested in an audio-based PD opportunity away from your screen? In this series, we will explore timely concepts and ideas in higher education through the latest teaching and learning podcast episodes. Join us for one, some, or all of this new ADC series, the higher education podcast listening experience! For each session in the series, participants will listen to a selected podcast episode, then discuss key concepts synchronously via audio in Google Meet.
May 14 Episode: EdSurge's "Google Isn't Making Us Stupid, But Tech Does Have Implications for Teaching" with Professor Michelle M. Miller.
Facilitator: Erika Smith
Register for each session separately: Fridays, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm:
May 14 -- Register
June 11 -- Register Photo by Free To Use Sounds on Unsplash
|
|
|
Unleash Student Participation with Liberating Structures
Would you like to:
- Increase student participation and engagement in your face-to-face and online classes?
- Add easy-to-use strategies to your teaching toolkit?
- Use strategies you can scale for large and small groups?
Liberating Structures will help you and your students to enliven and enrich your classes.
Join us for an immersive experience, where you will experiment with up to four Liberating Structures. Each session will explore different structures.
Facilitators: Pattie Mascaro and Bree Smith
Sign up for an individual session or all in the series:
Session 1: Tuesday, May 25, 9:30 - 11:50 am -- Read more + Register
Session 2: Tuesday, May 25,1:30 - 3:50 pm -- Read more + Register
Session 3: Thursday, May 27, 9:30 - 11:50 am -- Read more + Register
Session 4: Thursday, May 27,1:30 - 3:50 pm -- Read more + Register
|
|
Spring Offerings fr om
the Mokakiiks Centre for SoTL
|
|
|
Spring SoTL Research Grants
The spring call for SoTL grants is open April 30 - May 31, 2021, for funding starting July 1, 2021. Essential SoTL Grants, Mokakiiks SoTL Collaborate, Undergraduate SoTL Dissemination, and the Marshall Family Literacy Grant are open for submission. For more details, visit the Mokakiiks Research Opportunities page.
|
|
|
From Idea to Inquiry: Refining SoTL Research Questions
How can our ideas, observations, or intuitions about teaching and learning be effectively translated into research? In this session, participants will explore techniques to refine research question(s) in ways that address a particular area of need or an observed opportunity, ultimately guiding and informing subsequent designs for a SoTL study.
Facilitator: Erika Smith
When: Friday, May 14, 9:30 - 11:00 am
|
|
|
SoTL and Ethics
Confused by the ethics process? This session explores why and how you need to apply for human research ethics approval, and explores the special “dual role” issues that SoTL research can introduce.
Facilitator: Michelle Yeo
When: Wednesday, May 19, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
|
|
|
Working with Students as Partners in SoTL Research
What happens when we move from a model of conducting SoTL on students to conducting it with them? What happens when we conceive of students as partners in our SoTL work? What are the opportunities and challenges of adopting this approach? This session will look at ways to put the partnership model into practice.
Facilitator: Cherie Woolmer
When: Wednesday, May 26, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
|
|
|
Finding Research Methods and Measures Using MRU Library
 Join MRU Librarians for a tutorial that will explore how to find and use Library resources specific to research methods that can be applied in both your teaching and scholarship. We will demonstrate how to find literature specific to qualitative and quantitative methodologies, as well as how to find tests and measurements.
When: Wednesday, May 12, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Please direct any questions to Madelaine Vanderwerff
Image by Andreas Breitling from Pixabay
|
|
|
Audio and Video Assignments: Virtual Brown Bag for Faculty
Join colleagues for a conversation about creating, implementing, and assessing digital media assignments. Hear advice and best practices from faculty who have assigned audio-based projects and get tips from staff in the Library, ADC, and Student Learning Services for making the best use of the supports, resources and technologies in the RLLC to ensure student success with these types of projects.
When: Wednesday, May 12, 1:30 - 3:00 pm
Please direct any questions to Sara Sharun
|
|
|
 Making Teaching Visible
You make endless pedagogical choices and decisions to support your students’ learning: while you are planning your course and assessments, in your week-to-week planning, and ‘in the moment’ while teaching. In making these choices, you are likely taking into account your own teaching philosophy, the program structure, the expectations of your discipline and your colleagues, scholarly literature or professional development on teaching and learning, and feedback from past and current students.
Consider making your teaching more visible: share with students some of the key choices you are making and the reasoning behind it. For example, if you have asked students mid-semester to anonymously suggest what you should “keep doing, stop doing, start doing” - be sure to share back the common feedback you received, and how this informs your choices going forward. Students appreciate being heard, and knowing that you are taking their feedback seriously. Simple gestures of making your teaching visible helps build relationships, student engagement, and metalearning.
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
|
|
Image by athree23 from Pixabay
Going Public with Your SoTL Research
Dr. Cherie Woolmer, Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair (SoTL)
Mokakiiks Centre for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
We have a strong community of faculty who engage in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) at MRU. The Mokakiiks Centre for SoTL provides a hub of support for those new and experienced in SoTL, offering a number of grants and its flagship SoTL development program.
When conducting SoTL it is important to be clear about the audiences with whom you wish to communicate your research outcomes. SoTL, like other forms of practitioner research, is about informing and improving teaching practice. ‘Going public’ with research enables you to share new knowledge with colleagues and receive review and critique of your work (Aswhin & Trigwell, 2004). When working with participants on the Mokakiiks SoTL Development Program, facilitators Michelle Yeo and Cherie Woolmer invite faculty to think early on about the audiences they want to reach when designing their SoTL research. Possible audiences might include peers in your department, other colleagues in your discipline at other universities, or other SoTL researchers exploring themes such as assessment and feedback across a range of disciplines.
Another important audience for SoTL, but often not prioritised, are students. Mauer et al. (2021) have recently argued that students have a key stake in what happens as the result of SoTL research yet might not have easy access to the traditional forums – journals and conferences – where research is communicated. Their work highlights examples of how SoTL researchers have created opportunities to work with students in the classroom and beyond to disseminate, translate, and even co-create SoTL research with faculty.
If you are interested in discussing opportunities to disseminate your SoTL research, visit the Mokakiiks Centre for SoTL and reach out to Drs. Michelle Yeo and Cherie Woolmer. You can also find additional information on publishing SoTL research on MRU’s library website.
Additional information:
|
|
|
|
|
