York U’s second annual Teaching in Focus conference set for May 22

A professor teaching a classrooom of students
Celia Popvic, director of York Teaching Commons
Celia Popovic, director of the Teaching Commons

What if there was a professional development opportunity available that was completely free and featured a carefully curated program with expert presenters? What if that opportunity was situated around the corner and offered the latest innovations in your area of expertise?

York University’s second annual Teaching in Focus (TIF) conference on May 22 is one such professional development opportunity. It’s completely free, and features a carefully curated, relevant program of workshops and panels. It offers the latest information on innovations in teaching techniques and the classroom experience, and the presenters are leaders in their fields.

“The Teaching in Focus conference is the highlight of our year,” says Celia Popovic, director of the Teaching Commons. “We eagerly anticipate this event as the culmination of the teaching year. This year we have a breadth of presentations and keynotes. This has to be the not to be missed event at York University!”

With just 150 spaces available, demand is high for this annual conference. Register early to avoid disappointment. The deadline for registrations is May 8. Click here to access the registration form. The conference is open to all full- and part-time faculty, adjunct and contract faculty, and teaching assistants.

The full-day program is broken into three sections with five parallel rooms. The panels and workshops are organized around key themes: Enhancing Teaching and Learning; eLearning; Experiential Education; Student Transition and Engagement; and Approaches to Teaching.

Punctuating the day are two dynamic keynote presentations. The morning keynote will be delivered by York Vice-President Academic and Provost Rhonda Lenton. Harvey Weingarten, president and CEO of the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario will deliver the afternoon keynote address.

For the full program and abstracts, visit the Teaching in Focus conference website.

More about the Teaching Commons at York University

The Teaching Commons brings together like-minded individuals who are interested in exploring and sharing teaching and learning innovation across York University. The Teaching Commons team is based in Room 1050 Technology Enhanced Learning Building (or “TEL”) on York University’s Keele campus. It maintains a virtual presence via the Teaching Commons website and Moodle courses. More than a presence, the Teaching Commons is built on the power of networking that is focused on a collegial, collaborative environment. Staff within the Teaching Commons works across and within all of York University’s Faculties and Support Services.