- N E W S L E T T E R -
January 2019
New year, new decade, and new opportunities for faculty development and student learning. We have several new programs and ideas to introduce to you - from podcasts to a faculty learning community on teaching underprepared students, to a place-based learning opportunity in Mexico and a book club examining racism, oppression, and colonialism.

If you have any questions or ideas around teaching and learning please contact us or drop by the Centre for Teaching Excellence, Fir 402, Monday-Friday 8:30-4:00pm.

Laura MacKay, Director CTE
Podcasts and Learning
Did your New Year’s resolution include devoting some of your commute to listening to a good podcast on learning?

Podcasting has increased in popularity and with so many good podcasts to choose from ranging from Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History to Bruno Mars’s 99% Invisible, it can be a challenge to find something to generate ideas about teaching. This month CTE is recommending The Cult of Pedagogy hosted by Jennifer Gonzalez. Jennifer and guests discuss a wide range of teaching topics from teaching strategies to educational technologies.

Check out episode 129 on making better slideshows. You can find the whole series by searching The Cult of Pedagogy in your podcast app or via Apple Podcasts. 
Welcome New Faculty Associates
We are pleased to introduce our Spring 2020 CTE Faculty Associates, Derek Murray, Jacqueline Clark, and Alyssa Hammer. Derek and Jacqueline are our Teaching and Learning Faculty Associates working on creating educational resources and expanding our programming. Alyssa is our new Open Education Faculty Associate working on our BCcampus grant and ways to expand open education at Capilano.
Inclusive Teaching & Universal Design for Learning
Our fabulous colleagues at Capilano have curated a fantastic eLearn site to support inclusive teaching and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is an educational framework that guides teaching and learning practices so that all learners can be successful. Credit for developing this resource goes to Annabella Cant, Nadja Neubauer, Kathy Moscrip, Alison Hall, Barb Mathieson, Becky Wayte, Bettina Boyle, Jocelyn Hallman, Sandra Seekins, Heather Ingram, and Julia Black.

Email the CTE for the password to the UDL eLearn site.
Learning Opportunity
Paddles & Pedagogy, Experiential Place-based Learning & Sea Kayaking
by Coast Mountain College
Please contact the CTE if you are interested in attending
February 22-29, 2020
La Paz & Espiritu Santos Island, Baja, Mexico

This eight-day field school, combining paddling, camping and learning, is for instructors who want to roll up their sleeves and increase their understanding of the theory and practice of experiential place-based learning. Led by award winning experiential educator Dr. Carrie Nolan, you will bring back new and exciting tools to implement into your teaching.

Workshops Spring 2020
Faculty Learning Community: Teaching Underprepared Students

Dr. Mary Giovannetti will be facilitating a faculty learning community on the critically important topic of teaching underprepared students. Expect to experience a comfortable, confidential, collaborative learning environment that fosters innovative as well as universal teaching and learning approaches to support both students and faculty.

The FLC will be held on seven Fridays from 1 - 3 p.m. in the CTE (Fir 402) during the Spring 2020 semester. Sign up now and enter these dates in your calendar!

FLC Dates:
Friday, January 17 and 31
Friday, February 14 and 28
Friday, March 13 and 27
Friday, April 3

CTE Book Club

Our book choice is A Mind Spread out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott, a Tuscarora writer from Six Nations of the Grand River. This book tackles issues of racism, oppression, and trauma and poses key questions regarding the treatment of Indigenous peoples.

David Geary will co-faciliate the book club, which will be held on the following Tuesdays from 1:00 - 2:20 p.m. at the CTE, Fir 402A:

  • Tuesday, January 14 and 28
  • Tuesday, February 11 and 25 
  • Tuesday, March 10 and 24

Mark these dates in your calendar and sign up now!

Integrating ePortfolios into Your Classes

January 22, 2020
1:30-3:00pm
BR126

Did you know that all students and faculty have access to Wordpress to build an ePortoflio? Join us for an introduction to ePortfolios to learn how you can incorporate them with your existing curriculum to document student learning and reflection.
Teaching Portfolios

Want to create your own Teaching Portfolio? Join us for our four-part series on developing your Teaching Portfolio. This is an excellent way to document evidence of your teaching and to showcase your teaching and learning accomplishments. Teaching Portfolios can be included as a self-submission in your evaluation file.

All session will be held on Tuesdays in Fir 402A from 1:00 - 2:20 p.m. on the following dates:

January 29
February 4
February 11
February 25

ISW Instructional Skills Workshop

Option 1: 3 Fridays: January 24, 31 and February 7, 2020
Option 2: February 18, 19 and 20, 2020
Option 3: April 28, 29 and 30, 2020


The Instructional Skills Workshop is an internationally recognized program designed to enhance teaching effectiveness of both new and experienced educators. The ISW is an intensive 24-hour peer-based experiential workshop grounded in learning-centered instruction.

Limited to 10 participants.

Active Online Learning

Tuesday, February 18 – Tuesday, March 3, 2020     
2 weeks online


This two-week workshop is developed specifically for CapU faculty interested in complementing or rethinking a course with active and engaging online learning activities. The course emphasizes the value of collaboration with peers online, and models active learning examples in order to facilitate understanding and reflection of the online learner experience. Participants will draw upon existing teaching experience as they experiment with a practical learning activity of their own choice online and gain feedback from peers.
LIBERATING STRUCTURES – PRACTICE GROUP

Come practice and experience the power of Liberating Structures in a safe and welcoming peer environment. The practice group meets monthly and all faculty are welcome to drop in!

Learn more about Liberating Structures here

Last Thursday of the month at 1:00 – 2:30 pm in LB145.
January 30, 2020
February 27, 2020
March 26, 2020
Teaching Triangles  

Kick-off: 
Thursday, January 23, 2020
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
FR402A

Teaching Triangles is a low-commitment, non-evaluative program, which provides faculty with an opportunity to gain inspiration and new insights for their own teaching.

Three faculty members in each “teaching triangle” agree to visit each other’s classes over the course of a semester and then meet to discuss what they’ve learned from their observations and reflections.

Building on our success from the fall, we also invite faculty to join Teaching Triangles Online! This option is available to anyone, who teaches an online or mixed mode class this Spring.
Reconnect Reflect Recharge

Our first " Reconnect! Reflect! Recharge! event took place in early November and was so successful that the CTE is hosting a Spring 2020 Reconnect, Reflect, Recharge meet-up on

February 27, 2020 from 11:30 - 12:50 at the CTE.

You will have the opportunity to connect/reconnect with colleagues from other disciplines, reflect on your teaching experiences at Capilano, and recharge after midterms, while enjoying delicious food and interactive activities.

This event is open to all faculty and limited to the first 20 people who sign up, so sign up now!
Upcoming Teaching & Learning Events
May 4 - 8, 2020

May 11, 2020 – May 13, 2020 all-day
The Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront
1133 W Hastings St., Vancouver, BC V6E 3T3

CENTRE FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE | CONNECT, INNOVATE, INSPIRE
The Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) fosters excellence, innovation, and collaboration in teaching and learning by supporting faculty and staff through programming, mentoring, professional development opportunities, and research on effective teaching.