Providing Support for Teaching and Learning in an Era of Technological Change

As always, the Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth's (TAG) objectives stem from its mission statement, which reads as follows: Our mission is to foster quality teaching and learning across the University. In doing so, we take a leadership role in addressing professional development needs for current and future practitioners of teaching in higher education. In all of our activities, we create a supportive learning environment in which to explore teaching practice and reflect upon a range of contemporary instructional issues.

Objectives:

From this statement, our basic objectives continue to be:

1. To introduce instructors to new and effective methods of teaching and learning;
2. To provide opportunities for instructors to discuss issues pertinent to teaching excellence;
3. To help instructors enhance teaching skills through practice and constructive feedback;
4. To help instructors better understand, support and develop students' learning;
5. To provide a comprehensive and up-to-date collection of resources in higher education;
6. To involve as many members of the UBC teaching community as possible in these activities.

Consistent with the title of our application, we propose to pursue these objectives concurrent with an expanded use of learning technology.

Rationale:

The Methods section of our proposal divides our work into four categories. This division is based on at least three important guiding principles. The first is that a unit such as TAG must be in a constant state of development. We cannot "stand still." We must be one of the driving forces behind innovation and constructive experimentation regarding teaching and learning at UBC. The second principle tempers the first, stating that our teaching and learning community needs to count on an instructional development centre to provide a set of effective, well-established programs. We cannot tum our backs on that which we do well and that the University relies on us to do well. The third principle is that effective support grows from effective consultation. It is all well and good to provide programs that draw participants from across campus. It is another thing again to design specific programs based on departments' needs. In last year's application, we proposed an enhancement of TAG's consultation work. We have implemented this and are pleased with the results.

Gary Poole, Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth
Lynne Abbott, Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth
Carl-Georg Bank, Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth / Earth and Ocean Science, Faculty of Science
Catherine Bennington, Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth
Alice Cassidy, Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth / Zoology, Faculty of Science
Shibao Guo, Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth / Faculty of Education
Harry Hubball, Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Education
Janice Johnson, Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth
Mirella Mazur, Psychology, Faculty of Arts
Ingrid Price, Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth / Psychology, Faculty of Arts
Elena Scali, Human Geography / International Relations, Faculty of Arts