Teaching and Learning Strategy: Call for Implementation Group Members

The 2021-2022 academic year is underway and with the return to learning top of mind, McMaster is seeking 10-15 students, educators and staff to participate in working groups for the first year of implementation of the Partnered in Teaching and Learning Strategy.

While the McMaster community continues to experience the challenges of teaching, learning and working during a pandemic, it is also a pivotal time for innovation. The transition to online and hybrid models has demonstrated the possibilities of reimagining learning experiences inside the classroom and beyond.

“Over the last two years, our community has shown incredible adaptability that I know we will carry forward as we implement the new Partnered in Teaching and Learning Strategy,” said Susan Tighe, provost and vice-president (Academic). “Openness to discovery, risk-taking and innovative approaches will be critical as our working groups begin the important task of developing implementation plans.”

Representatives from across campus make up the Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee and the Project Team. As a next step, McMaster University is issuing a Call for Applications to serve on the Teaching and Learning Implementation Working Groups.

These dedicated working groups will be responsible for creating deliverables associated with each of the four impact areas and their objectives within the Partnered in Teaching and Learning Strategy. The four impact areas include:

• Partnered and Interdisciplinary Learning
• Inclusive and Scholarly Teaching
• Active and Flexible Learning Spaces
• Holistic and Personalized Student Experience

Working group members will be asked to attend monthly 1-hour meetings between October 2021 and May 2022. Upon completion of their term, members will also receive a letter of acknowledgement from the provost and vice-president (Academic), Susan Tighe, and acting vice-provost (faculty), Kim Dej.

To apply, applicants must fill out a short survey and indicate what skills, ideas or perspectives they wish to bring to the working group before Wednesday, October 6, 2021.

A detailed plan for implementation has also been developed to guide the work of the Advisory Committee, Project Team and Working Groups through the 2021-2022 academic year.

“It’s incredibly important for our teaching and learning community to know that they have the full support of McMaster University for the implementation of this strategy,” said Dej. “This will be a collaborative, university-wide effort and over the coming months we will be announcing grant opportunities that will enhance our community’s ability to implement the initiatives imagined.”

Some funding has already been committed by the Paul R. MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation and Excellence in Teaching and more details will be released in the fall about the full scope of grant opportunities. Announcements about successful grant recipients will be made in early 2022 for applications that move initiatives within the four impact areas forward.

McMaster will also be issuing a Call for Grant Reviewers to assist with assessing and selecting successful grant applications.

For more information about the Partnered in Teaching and Learning Strategy or the Call for Applications to the Working Groups, visit the Teaching and Learning page on the Office of the Provost & Vice-President (Academic) website. The Partnered in Teaching and Learning Strategy will also be the focus of ongoing discussion throughout the fall term at the Partnered in Teaching and Learning: Shared Experiences virtual panel series. Sessions will be recorded and made available in the days following the event.