PD Opportunities

New Faculty Orientation (NFO) introduces new faculty to Canadore’s teaching and learning practices, EdTech tools, and resources. NFO, which includes an Introduction to iLearn, is offered at the beginning of each term with day and evening opportunities provided so both full-time and part-time faculty can participate. New faculty will receive direction about how to register and attend when hired.

Professional Development (PD) Sessions are PD opportunities hosted by ACE or Canadore’s learning partners that provide knowledge or skill training about a specific topic. PD Sessions also include regular drop-in sessions where ACE staff are available to answer faculty questions face-to-face or virtually.  

A collection of PD Sessions is offered during Canadore’s PD Opportunity Weeks. These weeks are held at the beginning of terms and during reading weeks. PD Sessions are also offered periodically throughout the year. Forthcoming PD Sessions and PD Opportunity Weeks at Canadore, and how to register for them, are listed in the ACE Upcoming Events calendar. 

Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. (Wenger, 2014)

When deliberate communities of practice spaces (virtual or physical) are created, they allow for, and enable critical discussion, learner-centred thinking, and social innovation to take place. Participants share best practices, provide support, and engage in dialogue about specific areas of academic interest.

Canadore will launch a community of practice environment for faculty called Faculty Connects in the spring of 2021. Upcoming Faculty Connects sessions, and how to register for them are listed in the ACE Upcoming Events calendar.

The Facilitator Learning in Higher Education (FLH) certificate program provides faculty with the opportunity to develop and enhance their teaching practice in a peer-led, practice-based environment. ACE oversees the (FLH) certificate program. The program consists of eight courses that provide faculty with a deep understanding of higher education teaching practices. The courses are offered periodically throughout the year either face-to-face or online. A certificate of achievement is issued once all courses are completed. Courses in the FLH program are:

• FLH100 Introduction to Facilitating Learning in Higher Education
• FLH200 Engaging and Connecting Learners
• FLH300 Assessing and Evaluating Student Learning
• FLH400 Learning and Teaching Technologies
• FLH500 Course Curriculum Planning and Development
• FLH600 Understanding Educational Research
• FLH700 Self-Directed Study in Adult Education
• FLH800 Facilitating Learning in Higher Education: Practicum

There are many excellent self-directed PD opportunities hosted by Canadore’s learning partners and higher education organizations available for faculty. These include self-directed online learning modules and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). The following is a brief, curated list of free self-directed PD opportunities available for study: 

• Ontario Extend, Professional Learning for Educators, eCampus Ontario
• Introduction to Technology-Enabled Learning (TEL), Commonwealth of Learning in partnership with University of Athabasca
• Blended Learning Practice, Commonwealth of Learning in partnership with University of Athabasca
• Blended Learning and Online Teaching, Carleton University
• Introduction to Accessible Design in Media, Humber College

Customized Group PD

ACE staff can provide customized group or PD opportunities upon request by faculty to acquire the knowledge or skills needed to design and deliver rich and innovative learning experiences for students. This includes course design, delivery, or EdTech training. Reach out to ACE at ace@canadorecollege.ca to book Customized Group PD.

Recorded PD

Canadore PD is often recorded for faculty who cannot attend the live sessions. Select ACE Recorded PD to view recorded PD Sessions at Canadore.