Building a strong community for educational innovation

The University of Waterloo is known for being one of the world’s leading innovative research institutions. However, the University also has a strong commitment to advancing teaching excellence and pedagogical innovation.

To enhance this awareness, the month of October showcased the teaching excellence and pedagogical innovations taking place at Waterloo with the very first Teaching and Learning Month. This initiative was facilitated by the Office of the Associate Academic Vice President and Teaching Innovation Incubator.

Teaching and Learning Month was conceptualized to honour Waterloo staff, faculty, and students, who are working on transformative teaching and learning projects that may go under the radar despite the relevance and widespread applicability.

“It is important to amplify the impressive work by our colleagues across the University under the banner of an initiative like Teaching and Learning Month,” says Dr. Kyle Scholz, head of the Teaching Innovation Incubator.

“As academic support units grow — both in terms of the scope of their work to innovate in teaching and learning, but also the skilled and insightful colleagues they employ — I think there is great value in bringing units and people together to showcase to the broader Waterloo community our commitment to improving student learning.”

Aimed at addressing existing gaps on campus, Teaching and Learning Month brought a sense of cohesion to the many teaching and learning workshops and training sessions that already exist on campus, offered by academic support units such as the Centre for Teaching Excellence, Centre for Extended Learning, Teaching Assessment Processes Office, the Office of Organizational and Human Development, among others.

The initiative also brought attention to the cross-disciplinary working groups, units and project teams at Waterloo that are leading institutional initiatives and test-driving innovative strategies to make education accessible and future-proof.

For example, the session on Accessible Education Day focused on raising awareness about the changes to legislation around accessibility in Ontario and how such changes will necessitate adjustments to teaching practices on campus that is equally beneficial to diverse learners. This topic will be further explored at the Integrating Accessibility Retreat taking place on December 9 for those who are interested in refining their practice.

In total, Teaching and Learning Month offered 29 distinct sessions, which consisted of panels, workshops and discussion sessions, with participation from more than 16 units that offered programming. The sessions focused on teaching fundamentals such as instructional skills and strategies, equitable assessment practices, accessibility in teaching and educational technologies available for instructors at Waterloo. Sessions also touched on available pedagogical innovations to maximize student engagement and learning, including self-directed learning frameworks, learning and writing with artificial intelligence, and work-integrated learning opportunities. 

“Teaching and Learning Month provided an invaluable opportunity to reflect on the vital role of holistic and equitable teaching assessment in advancing teaching excellence at Waterloo,” says Dr. Sonya Buffone, director of the Teaching Assessment Processes Office. “It also allowed us to strengthen partnerships with other support units committed to fostering a fair and supportive approach to teaching assessment.”

“As we move forward, our focus remains on implementing and continually refining Waterloo's holistic teaching assessment model, which recognizes the complexity of teaching while fostering continuous growth. Through collaboration with our community, we're dedicated to advancing teaching excellence through assessments that prioritize equity and foster growth.”

Looking ahead, by equipping faculty and staff with innovative tools and strategies for teaching and learning, Waterloo is creating a ripple effect that reaches the classroom, positively impacting students' academic experiences. Faculty who participate in these sessions return to their classrooms with fresh perspectives and new methods, contributing directly to improved student engagement and learning.

The Teaching Innovation Incubator is also excited to announce its inaugural open call for project submissions. They are seeking diverse project teams with teaching and learning ideas that are complex, necessitate change, require interdisciplinary and cross-functional partnerships, and have the potential to be a transformative part of the future of education at the University of Waterloo.

Stay connected with the teaching and learning community by keeping an eye out for the Office of the Associate Academic Vice President’s newsletter, and be sure to sign up for some of these upcoming opportunities.