• General,  Inclusivity

    Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Classroom

    Educators today are at the forefront of fostering Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in the classroom.  Promoting EDI in the classroom is a journey of continual learning and adaptation. The Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning (GMCTL) has created a resource designed to enrich educator’s understanding and application of EDI principles and provide strategies for incorporating EDI principles into instruction and assessment. The inner petals of the EDI Flower represent the GMCTL Certificate in University Teaching and Learning (CUTL) competencies. Surrounding them are the outer petals, embodying the foundational EDI principles and emphasizing respect for the diverse identities in classrooms. The leaves symbolize five broad knowledge areas essential for…

  • Assessment and Evaluation,  Curriculum Development,  Inclusivity,  Instructional / Course Design,  Uncategorized,  Wellness

    Maximizing Learning Potential with Student Wellness

    Your Brain on Teaching and Learning: Series 2 Are your students showing signs of anxiety? Are your students experiencing a sense of purpose and engagement in the classroom?  ______________________________________________________________________________________________ The impact of teaching and learning practices on student wellness cannot be overstated ______________________________________________________________________________________________ By integrating insights from brain science, we can create powerful learning environments that prioritize student wellness. Let’s explore three ways to associate your teaching practices with student wellbeing: Alignment for Clarity: Alignment refers to the process of strategically planning your learning outcomes to clearly define what your students will be able to do, know, or value. Then, intentionally plan how you will assess and teach based on…

  • General,  Inclusivity,  Instructional Strategies

    Challenging Conversations – Safe Spaces vs. Brave Spaces

    This is the second in a short series on having challenging conversations either in your classes or individually with students. The topics covered in these posts come from the GMCTL short-course Challenging Conversations. The ideas and concepts shared in the course and these posts were contributed in large part by Dr. Rose Roberts, Roberta Campbell-Chudoba, Dr. Wendy James, and myself, Heather Ross. We hear a lot about “safe spaces”. We see stickers on walls, doors, and windows with this term. The intentions are good, but they may not be the best approach. If you had to honestly answer, to yourself, nobody else, which of the following best represents where you…

  • General,  Inclusivity,  Instructional Strategies

    Challenging Conversations – The Stories We Tell

    This is the first in a short series on having challenging conversations either in your classes or individually with students. The topics covered in these posts come from the GMCTL short-course Challenging Conversations. The ideas and concepts shared in the course and these posts were contributed in large part by Dr. Rose Roberts, Roberta Campbell-Chudoba, Dr. Wendy James, and myself, Heather Ross. One of the first concepts we talk about in the Challenging Conversations short-course is the stories we tell. While later in the course we talk about the importance of storytelling in many cultures and the role it can play in your own courses, this initial discussion is about…