[PDADC-L] University of Toronto's Teaching & Learning Symposium (2010)

PDADC #19, 2010-11

MEMORANDUM

To: PDAD&C
From: Carol Rolheiser, Director, Centre for Teaching Support and Innovation
Date: October 5, 2010
Re: University of Toronto's Teaching & Learning Symposium (2010)

The fifth annual University-wide Symposium on Teaching and Learning will be held Friday, November 5, 2010 at Hart House. We ask that you encourage individuals from your unit to attend this full-day event.

This year's symposium is entitled Exploring Innovation in Teaching in Higher Education. This topic responds to recent statements by universities globally and by policy-makers across Canada calling for "innovation" in higher education. Throughout the day, participants and presenters will examine and discuss the role of innovation in universities. Specifically, we will consider the following:
* What does it mean to be "innovative" in teaching? And, who drives and shapes this innovation?
* In what context is this innovation desirable or necessary?
* How can universities and instructors be innovative in relation to teaching and learning? What supports are necessary to implement and sustain innovation?
These questions will be explored through two keynote addresses, a panel discussion, and a series of concurrent sessions focusing on innovation in relation to curriculum planning, teaching and learning methods, fostering a culture of teaching and online pedagogical approaches. Presenters from across the university will share their approaches to innovation and discuss their challenges and successes in relation to specific initiatives. The concurrent sessions will also provide an opportunity for participants to engage in discussions about implementing innovation in their own contexts, including their classrooms and their curricula.

The symposium will also include two keynote addresses: Christopher Knapper, Professor Emeritus, Queen's University will deliver a talk titled, Innovation and Change in University Teaching: Why, Whether and How?, and Julia Christensen-Hughes, Dean, College of Management and Economics, University of Guelph will deliver a second keynote based on her recent publication, Taking Stock: Research on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.

This tri-campus event is intended to stimulate discussion and the sharing of experiences around teaching and learning, aiming to enhance communications and build internal networks. It is a cross-divisional forum which allows faculty and staff to explore new instructional methods, to celebrate our commitment to teaching and learning, and to hear from this year's recipients of the President's Teaching Award. The symposium will close with a panel discussion involving the 2010 President's Teaching Award recipients and University of Toronto President David Naylor.

To view the full program and to register for this event, please visit:
http://www.teaching.utoronto.ca/teaching/essentialinformation/symposium-2010.htm
(Please note: This is a free event but registration is required.)

Questions about the Symposium can be directed to Pam Gravestock in the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation at 416-946-8585 or p.gravestock@utoronto.ca.