Teaching & Learning Certificate celebrates 10 years
Program strengthens teaching support for faculty and creates a vibrant teaching community.
The Teaching and Learning Certificate program marked a milestone in 2024—10 years of supporting faculty and instructors in improving the classroom experience for students.
The certificate, offered through The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, combines workshops, mentorships and classroom observations. Participants learn pedagogical principles and foundational knowledge that can be applied in the classroom.
“One of the challenges that new faculty can face is that they come into the classroom as experts in their field of study but may not feel confident that they have a strong a foundation in the science and pedagogy of being an educator,” says Joanna Koulouriotis, Educational Developer with The Centre and TLC Program Coordinator. “This program helps them develop their knowledge, skills and reflective practices to improve the classroom experience for both students and themselves.”
Dr. Jenna Tichon, an instructor in the Faculty of Science, began taking TLC workshops during her PhD, when she was working as a sessional instructor and then took the full program when she transitioned to a faculty position.
She says it was the mentorship and the connection to a community of other instructors that was transformative for her in her early years in the classroom.
“Community was the biggest thing for me,” says Tichon. “Being able to go for a walk with my mentor and talking about what I was doing or things I wanted to try. Your first couple of years of teaching can be overwhelming—and when everything is feeling overwhelming and too much, to have someone who you can talk to and who listens and understands is so important. I think doing the program was one of the best decisions I could have made.”
While the program was designed to provide support to new faculty, it also has incredible value for mentors. Colleen Plumton, an instructor with the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, has served as mentor since the program began and has seen the benefits for both participants and the mentors who take part.
“One of the fabulous things about this program is the reciprocal component of it,” says Plumton. “I learn so much from the individuals I’ve mentored because their areas aren’t my areas of expertise and there’s ideas and approaches they use that I’ve been able to take and adapt to my teaching—it continues to inspire me.”
99 faculty members have completed the program, which offers an annual intake. The graduates and mentors make up a community, which both Tichon and Plumton say is one of the best things about the program.
“Having people you can call up and talk through challenges you’re having, or ask questions to, makes you feel like you’re part of something larger,” says Plumton. “It’s about supporting each other and continuing to learn and get better. That’s what it’s all about—you never, ever want to stop learning.”
Registration for the next intake of the TLC program opens in April 2025. Learn more about the TLC program.
