President’s Retreat recognizes and celebrates past year and year ahead
Participants heard about each of the four impact areas of the new Partnered in Teaching and Learning Strategy and about the work already underway to support them.
Bringing together over 200 faculty, instructors and staff from McMaster’s teaching and learning community, this year’s virtual President’s Retreat concluded on June 7 after celebrating the recipients of the 2020-2021 President’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teaching and Learning and an exploration of the strategic areas of focus in the new Partnered in Teaching and Learning Strategy.
“It was such an honour to recognize these teaching and learning leaders and to engage in deep discussion with our broader community about our new Partnered in Teaching and Learning Strategy,” said David Farrar, president and vice-chancellor of McMaster University. “I am inspired by the work of our students, faculty, instructors, and staff over the past year, despite many challenges, and I am energized about the things to come.”
Faculty, instructors and administrators attended a series of virtual events that ran from June 2 – June 7. Events included four panel sessions with representatives from the Equity and Inclusion Office, McMaster Continuing Education, Student Affairs and each Faculty. Participants heard about each of the four impact areas of the new Partnered in Teaching and Learning Strategy and about the work already underway to support them.
“Through this strategy we are committing to the creation of more opportunities to learn across disciplines, foster inclusive and scholarly teaching, build active and flexible spaces and support the whole student experience,” said Susan Tighe, provost and vice-president, Academic. “With the leadership of our teaching and learning community I am confident that we will continue to transform our collective teaching practices in a way that fully engages our students as partners in learning.”
Each panel session included breakout rooms to engage in group discussion. Krista Madsen, an Assistant Professor – Teaching in the Department of Kinesiology, participated in the event as both a panelist and an attendee. She described the teaching and learning strategy as “a compass that offers direction,” but noted, the next step is to turn it into action and make it real on the ground.
“The retreat was important because it highlighted specific ways we can make the strategy come to life; it offered us insights into how others on campus were already treading a path,” said Madsen. “My sense was that we could all see challenges in the teaching and learning landscape, but people want to enact change, not just talk about it, and they want to help each other in that process.”
Panel sessions were led by Kim Dej, acting vice-provost, and Lori Goff, director of the MacPherson Institute.
“It was an extraordinary week, and it serves as recognition and a celebration of all the work our educators have done over the past year,” said Kim Dej, acting vice-provost, Faculty. “Looking ahead, we are planning for a safe and gradual return to campus, bringing our teaching and learning strategy to life and continuing to engage with our McMaster community to inspire our learners in new and innovative ways.”
