Supra-Institutional Learning Communities (SILC) initiative brings together colleagues from Carleton University and University of Ottawa interested in discussing new insights and developments in the scholarship of teaching and learning. Among other activities, SILC organized two virtual cross-institutional panels this academic year, to discuss the theme of Higher Education in Times of Disruption. The fall session ran in November, and focused on instructor creativity in the classroom. Moderated by Carleton’s David Hornsby, the panel featured one of the Digital Pedagogy team members, Irena Knezevic, along with uOttawa’s Judy King and Karine Vanthuyne, who discussed the importance of small innovations that keep teaching fresh and adaptable.
Just last week, the second panel in the series focused on improving the student learning experience. It featured a past Carleton Chair in Teaching innovation, James McGowan (Music) and current chair, Martha Mullally (Biology), along with uOttawa’s Chair in University Teaching, Andrew Sowinski, and moderator Alain St-Amant. The panelists guided an insightful discussion of contemporary postsecondary teaching, including one of the key tensions many instructors face – the difficulty, and often impossibility, of implementing sound, student-centred approaches in large classes.
The recordings of both sessions are available at this link: https://saea-tlss.uottawa.ca/en/innovation-research/research-unit/research-unit-activities