The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning

Workshops and events

Explore the workshops and events available at The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning.

January

Virtual Reality-Based Teaching Skills Program - Effective Communication: How to Have Better Conversations with Your Students

Embark on an immersive skill development journey in our comprehensive Virtual Reality-based teaching skills program designed to enhance communication strategies. During the program, faculty and instructors (graduate students are also welcome) will explore effective techniques that are applicable to various educational contexts. Participants are given the option to practice communication skills in a safe, judgement-free environment that incorporates role play and Virtual Reality-based simulations before applying them in their teaching and learning environments.

We are offering multiple dates for this workshop to allow for flexible scheduling. Click the links below to learn more.

Effective Communication Workshop (Session 1). Date and time: Wednesday, January 8, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Location: Room 223 - The Centre (65 Dafoe Road)
Effective Communication Workshop (Session 2). Date and time: Thursday, January 9, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Location: Room 223 - The Centre (65 Dafoe Road)
Reflection Session (Session 1). Date and time: Wednesday, January 29, 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM. Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Reflection Session (Session 2). Date and time: Thursday, January 30, 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM. Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Facilitators: Ibiyemi Arowolo, James Plohman, and Anika Budhiraja

Learn more or start by registering for the Wednesday, January 8 workshop

Learn more or start by registering for the Thursday, January 9 workshop

Deficit Thinking and Strengths-Based Approaches in the Classroom When Working With Indigenous Students

This half-day workshop will define deficit thinking and how harmful it can be to Indigenous students. Using case studies and time for participants to work together, we will cover how historical events and policies have shaped deficit thinking, and how this impacts Indigenous students in education spaces, and ways of overcoming this unhelpful thinking pattern. The workshop will focus on strength-based strategies and best practices to implement in the classroom.

Date and time: Wednesday, January 15, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Facilitator: Randi Desmarais

Manitoba Academic Integrity Network (MAIN) Speaker Series

The Centre is excited to host the 2024-2025 Manitoba Academic Integrity Network (MAIN) Speaker Series, a collection of six professional development opportunities related to academic integrity. A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to individuals who register and attend all six sessions in this series. Visit the Manitoba Academic Integrity Network Speaker Series website for more details.

Session 3: Transparency vs. Equity: Ethical Dilemmas in the Responsible Use of AI Tools in Science

Tomáš is an assistant professor at the Department of Machine Learning and Data Processing at the Faculty of Informatics and a member of the Ethical Committee for Research at Masaryk University, Czechia. He is President of the Board of the European Network for Academic Integrity. He is also a vice-chair of the Bureau of the Council of Europe’s Pan-European Platform for Ethics, Transparency, and Integrity in Education (ETINED), and a deputy head of the Working Committee on Ethics in Scientific and Pedagogical Work within the Council of Higher Education Institutions in Czechia. His research activities involved plagiarism detection and prevention, academic integrity policies and ethical use of artificial intelligence in education. He has led several national and international projects on academic integrity, namely plagiarism prevention. Since 2013 he has been organizing conferences on this topic. He is a certified VIRT2UE research integrity trainer.

Date and time: Wednesday, January 22, 2025, 9:00 AM to 9:55 AM
Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Special presenter: Dr. Tomáš Foltýnek assistant professor at Masaryk University, Czechia

Teaching with Technology

With an iPad (or Android tablet) connected to a data projector, you can turn any classroom on campus into a truly multimedia experience for your students. This workshop will introduce you to the hardware (iPad and Android tablets) and different third-party Apps that can replace classroom technology, such as slide projector, whiteboard, multimedia player, and document camera. You can also post the classroom notes and other materials to UM Learn for asynchronous learning. Different third-party apps that can improve your teaching will be demonstrated. The iPad Pro will be used to showcase, but educators can find similar apps and features on Android tablets.

Date and time: Wednesday, January 22, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Location: Room 223 - The Centre (65 Dafoe Road)
Facilitator: Dr. R. Sri Ranjan

Experiential Learning Community of Practice Monthly Meeting: Experiential Learning in Large Classrooms

The Experiential Learning Community of Practice is a growing network of UM faculty, instructors, and staff passionate about experiential education at UM.

Monthly meetings
Join our monthly meetings to connect with colleagues involved in experiential learning across UM and explore best practices and challenges in experiential learning.

Experiential learning in Large Classrooms
Experiential learning, which emphasizes hands-on, active engagement, often poses logistical and pedagogical difficulties when scaled to larger groups. In this session, we'll explore some of the challenges involved in building EL into large courses, hear from a panel of instructors with experience in this area, and chat about potential strategies to keep large courses experiential.

Date and time: Tuesday, January 28, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Facilitators: Gerardo Villagran Becerra and Meaghan Ewharekuko

Planning Your Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Study

Are you ready to take the first steps in developing your Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) study? In this hands-on workshop, attendees will acquire foundational knowledge of SoTL principles and methodology, and begin to outline a SoTL project, including a preliminary plan for data collection and analysis. Potential challenges and practical solutions to these challenges in SoTL research will also be discussed. To make the most of this workshop, attendees are encouraged to come prepared with an area of curiosity in mind.

Date and time: Wednesday, January 29, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Location: Room 223 - The Centre (65 Dafoe Road)
Facilitator: Halyna Malyk

Effective Graduate Student Supervision

This workshop will review strategies that can help in supporting graduate students throughout their program. Each graduate student is unique and will follow a different path through their degree and into their career. We will discuss how to effectively advise students, monitor their progress and provide mentorship.

Date and Time: Thursday, January 30, 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Location: Room 223 - The Centre (65 Dafoe Road)
Facilitator: Kelley Main

Universal Design for Learning in Practice: Optimize Relevance, Value, and Authenticity

Join us for the last Thursday of each month in an ongoing series, where participants will review discreet elements of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Participants will work together to develop pedagogical practices that align with the UDL principle being discussed that month.

Topic: This session will focus on CAST's UDL principle of optimizing relevance, value, and authenticity and how it can be directly applied to pedagogical practice. There will be a brief presentation of the core elements of this principle followed by a question-and-answer session where participants can collaborate with the facilitator to develop their practice.

Date and time: Thursday, January 30, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Facilitator: Johnathan Bevan

February

Experiential Learning in the Arts and Humanities

There is more to experiential learning than internships and co-ops. In this workshop, we'll explore ways in which experiential learning pedagogy and opportunities can be integrated into the arts and humanities classroom.

Date and time: Tuesday, February 4, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Location: Room 223 - The Centre (65 Dafoe Road)
Facilitator: Gerado Villagran

Small Shifts, Significant Gains: February Session

Looking for ways to revitalize your teaching but don't have time for a big redesign? In Small Teaching, author James Lang argues that small changes in classroom techniques and activities can have big impacts on student learning. Join our sessions to hear practical teaching strategies from faculty guest speakers. Bring your questions and your lunch. Leave with ideas that you can implement right away in your courses!

Lightning Presentation Speakers:

Kathy Yerex from the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, presents: Work Smarter, Not Harder: Harnessing AI for Rubrics and Lecture Slides
Kaleigh Warden from the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, presents: Using Generative AI to Craft Case Studies and Inspire Critical Thinking

Date and time: Tuesday, February 4, 12:15 PM to 1:15 PM
Location: Boardroom 385 of Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library (727 McDermot, Bannatyne Campus)
Facilitator: Anna Nekola

More sessions to come.

Teaching and Learning Research Colloquium Series: Session 2

The 2024/25 Teaching and Learning Research Colloquium Series shares the important work of University of Manitoba scholars and educators, whose research sheds light on student support needs, barriers to support seeking, and strategies for supporting students’ learning. Over a series of three research talks, faculty, instructors, and support staff will learn from and with each other about supporting diverse learners. Each talk will be followed by a discussion period and refreshments.

Session 2:

Fostering Success: Addressing Basic Psychological Needs for Students with Learning Disabilities in Postsecondary Settings.

The number of students with Learning Disabilities (LD) at postsecondary institutions is increasing; however, their graduation rates continue to lag behind those of their peers. To address this, Dr. Goegan and her team have been exploring Basic Psychological Needs (BPNs) and the impact that the satisfaction or frustration of these needs can have on postsecondary success. Indeed, decades of research has found that supporting students’ needs for autonomy (e.g., feeling in control), competence (e.g., feeling capable), and relatedness (e.g., feeling connected to others) has a positive impact across various indicators of success. As such, this session will begin by providing a summary of research on the satisfaction and frustration of BPNs for students with LD and then explore strategies for supporting the satisfaction of students’ BPNs in postsecondary classrooms.

Date and time: Thursday, February 6, 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Location: Room 325 - Education Building (71 Curry Place)
Facilitator: Matthew Quesnel

Manitoba Academic Integrity Network (MAIN) Speaker Series

Session 4: Academic Integrity in the Irish Higher Education System: Lessons Learnt and Reflections along the Way

In 2019, legislation was passed in Ireland that criminalized the provision or advertisement of contract cheating services. Shortly thereafter, the National Academic Integrity Network, which brings together representatives from across the Irish higher education sector (and more recently the vocational/further education sector), was established. Throughout its five years of existence, NAIN has encouraged and supported the development of cultures of academic integrity in higher education institutions and produced resources to guide and assist institutions. Since 2023, elements of the N-TUTORR project, a national program of activity aimed at building capacity in the relatively new technological university sector, has been building upon and working in partnership with NAIN to progress and support the implementation of NAIN resources. In this webinar, the chair of NAIN and the N-TUTORR academic integrity project lead will discuss the benefits of collaboration and partnership and reflect upon lessons learnt.

Date and time: Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 9:00 AM to 9:55 AM
Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Special presenters:

Mairéad Boland, Assistant Registrar at South East Technological University in Carlow, Ireland
Billy Kelly, Chair, National Academic Integrity Network (NAIN – Ireland); former Assistant Registrar and Dean of Teaching and Learning, Dublin City University,
Dr. Frances O’Connell, N-TUTORR Lead; Vice President Student Education and Experience, Technological University of the Shannon

Experiential Learning Community of Practice Brown Bag Conversations: AI Powered Critical Reflection

Bring your lunch and connect with other members of our community of practice! There is no formal agenda for these casual meetings just good people and conversation! Everyone is welcome to share their thoughts and experiences as we explore different topics in experiential learning.

Topic: AI powered critical reflection. Are your students using AI to complete reflection assignments? What challenges are you experiencing? What might be some strategies to overcome those challenges?

Date and time: Thursday, February 13, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Location: Room 223 - The Centre (65 Dafoe Road)
Facilitators: Meaghan Ewharekuko and Gerardo Villagran

Manitoba Academic Integrity Network (MAIN) Speaker Series

Session 5: Neutralizing the “Threat”: A Practitioners Guide to Re-Evaluating Student Assessments to Maintain Academic Integrity

Technology and various tools have the power to disrupt learning and compromise academic integrity. The onslaught of genAI has caused many of us to reconsider our assessments, yet the task of assessment redesign can be daunting, and we may not know where to begin. This presentation discusses four broad "filters" through which educators can consider how to best move forward (or not) with an existing assessment. When considered with other concepts, theories, and contextual factors, these filters may help enrich our decision-making. The four filters are, Abandon, Monitor, Enhance, & Adopt, and they all intended to help "neutralize the threat" to assessments. Overall, these filters are intended to provide a guide or framework for faculty (or used by those who coach or work with faculty) when they are considering assessment redesign while promoting academic integrity.

Date and time: Tuesday, February 18, 2025 , 10:00 AM to 10:55 AM
Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Special presenter: Dr. Cory Scurr, Manager of Academic Integrity, Conestoga Library & Learning Services and Chair, Academic Integrity Council of Ontario (AICO)

Knowledge Transfer: Transitioning from Classroom Learning to Clinical Application

Specifically relevant for Clinical Educators: Effective knowledge transfer from the classroom to the clinical setting is an ongoing goal of didactic teaching. Effective knowledge transfer ensures that students perform well not only in their academic journey, but also after graduation when they enter their respective fields. If you would like to learn best practices for enhancing the process of transferring knowledge, this workshop will provide strategies to promote this important aspect of learning.

Date and time: Thursday, February 20, 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Facilitator: Nausheen Peerwani and Anna Nekola

Universal Design for Learning in Practice: Clarify the Meaning and Purpose of the Goals

Topic: This session will focus on CAST's UDL principle of clarifying the meaning and purpose of the goals and how it can be directly applied to pedagogical practice. There will be a brief presentation of the core elements of this principle followed by a question-and-answer session where participants can collaborate with the facilitator to develop their practice.

Date and time: Thursday, February 27, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Facilitator: Johnathan Bevan

March

Generative AI in Teaching and Learning

This workshop focuses on ethical and responsible instructional uses of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) to support student learning in higher education. Participants will gain a foundational understanding of how genAI works and explore its capabilities, limitations, and ethical issues. The core of the workshop will involve discussion about basic learning theories supported by the cognitive sciences and how genAI can enhance and hinder the learning process. Through individual and group reflections, discussions, and activities, participants will critically assess how to use genAI ethically and responsibly in ways that support student learning.

Date and time: Wednesday, March 5, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Location: Room 223 - The Centre (65 Dafoe Road)
Facilitator: Renato Bezerra

Teaching and Learning Research Colloquium Series: Session 3

Session 3:

Barriers to Support: Metastereotypes and Help-seeking Among International Students

International students face unique challenges adapting to living and studying abroad, which may influence various aspects of their postsecondary studies. The resources and support services offered by university staff, instructors, and classmates are, therefore, essential for academic success and an overall positive university experience for many international students. Dr. Matthew Quesnel’s work examines how international students’ metastereotypes of how they are viewed by Canadian faculty, staff, and students on their campus, predict whether they seek out peer support and support services offered by their postsecondary institutions. In this session, Matthew will share his research findings on international students’ metastereotypes and its relationship to their help-seeking on campus and explore how this can inform strategies for fostering a more inclusive campus environment, promoting international students’ help-seeking and academic success and well-being on campus.

Date and time: Thursday, March 6, 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Location: Room 325 - Education Building (71 Curry Place)
Facilitator: Matthew Quesnel

Manitoba Academic Integrity Network (MAIN) Speaker Series

Session 6: Transforming Assessment Practices in Higher Education with the AI Assessment Scale (AIAS)

As the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technologies have become increasingly ubiquitous in higher education, and institutions must equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary for an AI-driven future. Although some institutions have attempted to ban the use of these tools and enforce this through an AI text detection strategy, this session proposes an alternative solution to this challenge. The AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) developed by Perkins et al. (2024), offers a flexible framework for incorporating GenAI into educational assessments while promoting academic integrity and ethical use of these technologies. It consists of five allowable levels of AI use in submitted assessments, ranging from 'No AI' to ‘AI Exploration’, enabling educators to design assessments that focus on areas requiring human input and critical thinking. This intervention will explore the challenges of attempting to use a detection-based approach to dealing with GenAI use in assessments, introduce the AIAS as a possible alternative, and discuss the findings of a pilot study of the AIAS at British University Vietnam which has demonstrated significant benefits in reducing misconduct and supporting student engagement and attainment.

Date and time: Thursday, March 13, 2025 , 6:00 PM to 6:55 PM
Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Special presenter: Dr. Mike Perkins, Associate Professor and Head of the Centre for Research & Innovation at British University Vietnam.

Experiential Learning Community of Practice Monthly Meeting: Leveraging AI to Enhance Experiential Learning

The Experiential Learning Community of Practice is a growing network of UM faculty, instructors, and staff passionate about experiential education.

Monthly meetings
Join our monthly meetings to build relationships with other CoP members, explore best practices and innovations, and participate in engaging conversations.

Leveraging AI to Enhance Experiential Learning
This month, we’ll explore how AI can enhance experiential learning, showcasing the innovative ways instructors are integrating AI into their teaching. Join us for a dynamic, facilitated discussion that will dive into the benefits and challenges of AI in experiential learning and celebrate the impactful work happening in this field.

Date and time: Wednesday, March 19, 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Facilitators: Meaghan Ewharekuko and Gerardo Villagran Becerra

Incorporating the Seven Sacred Teachings into Classroom Teaching Strategies and Giving Feedback

This workshop will focus on an introduction to the Seven Sacred Teachings and how to incorporate them in day-to-day teaching strategies. This workshop will also focus on how to deliver strength-based feedback. We will also put strategies into practice with scenarios.

Date and time: Thursday, March 20, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Location: Room 223 - The Centre (65 Dafoe Road)
Facilitator: Randi Desmarais

Universal Design for Learning in Practice: Recognize Expectations, Beliefs, and Motivations

Topic: This session will focus on CAST's UDL principle of recognizing expectations, beliefs, and motivations and how it can be directly applied to pedagogical practice. There will be a brief presentation of the core elements of this principle followed by a question-and-answer session where participants can collaborate with the facilitator to develop their practice.

Date and time: Thursday, March 27, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Facilitator: Johnathan Bevan

Small Shifts, Significant Gains: March Session

More information and sessions to come.

April

Decolonizing Classrooms: Start here

As part of the Decolonizing Classrooms Series, “Decolonizing Classrooms: Start Here” is designed for those beginning their journey in decolonizing and reconciliatory learning. This workshop offers foundational knowledge about Indigenous Peoples, their Knowledges, and the important relationships we all maintain with the Land in what is now commonly known as Canada. Participants will learn about colonization and processes of decolonization, and identify initial steps to engage in important decolonizing and reconciliatory processes. This workshop will equip you with the necessary information to meaningfully engage with Indigenous pedagogies and foster ongoing learning and action. Additionally, it provides the background necessary for full participation in other workshops in the Decolonizing Classrooms Series.

Date and time: Wednesday, April 2, 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Location: Room 223 - The Centre (65 Dafoe Road)
Facilitator: Micheline Hughes

From Theory to Practice: Using the UM Competencies Framework to Level Up Experiential Learning

Have you thought about the kind of people you want your students to become upon graduating? You might envision them as empathetic listeners, critical thinkers, effective collaborators, or team players. How can education use Experiential Learning (EL) to move beyond traditional content delivery, actively nurturing these skills? Join us as we dive into the dynamic combination of EL and the UM Competencies Framework, equipping educators to foster real-world skills, growth, and empowerment in students.

Date and time: Friday, April 4, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Location: Room 223 - The Centre (65 Dafoe Road)
Facilitator: Meaghan Ewharekuko

Experiential Learning Community of Practice Brown Bag Lunch Conversations: Experiential or Active Learning What's the Difference?

Topic: Experiential or Active Learning what's the difference? Are they different approaches, or different names for the same approach? Come tell us what you think!

Date and time: Tuesday, April 15, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Location: Room 223 - The Centre (65 Dafoe Road)
Facilitators: Gerardo Villagran and Meaghan Ewharekuko

Universal Design for Learning in Practice: Represent a Diversity of Perspectives and Identities in Authentic Ways

Topic: The session will focus on CAST's UDL principle of representing a diversity of perspectives and identities in authentic ways and how it can be directly applied to pedagogical practice. There will be a brief presentation of the core elements of this principle followed by a question-and-answer session where participants can collaborate with the facilitator to develop their practice.

Date and time: Thursday, April 24, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Location: Remote - UM Zoom
Facilitator: Johnathan Bevan

Contact us

The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning
65 Dafoe Road, Winnipeg, MB
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

thecentrecontactus@umanitoba.ca

204-474-8708

204-474-7514