New course offered by the Teaching Commons

Teaching Commons course in session.
Celia Popovic, far left, leads a Teaching Commons course.

The Teaching Commons at York University is offering a new course for faculty called EduCATE: Education, Curriculum and Teaching Excellence.

This is a one year program (September to August) for faculty to explore any aspect of teaching and learning by engaging in action research and contributing to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). This course is seeking SEDA (Staff and Educational Development Association) Accreditation under the named award “Action Research”. SEDA is an internationally recognized organization which accredits courses of this kind.

Faculty will meet once a month with core members of EduCATE or as part of an Action Learning Set. Through a peer-based structure, participants will form a CommEduCATE Logounity of Practice as they develop, discuss, collaborate, and support each other while working through personal goals and a research project. Participants will have the opportunity to observe and provide feedback to their peers in a classroom environment. Upon successfully completing course requirements and demonstrating conference acceptance, participants may apply for up to $1000 conference stipend. Participants will also be invited to a celebration reception at the Teaching Commons where they will receive their SEDA Certificate.

This course is aimed at Contract Faculty at York but New, Tenure-Stream, and Tenured Faculty are welcome (and encouraged!) to participate. The course must have a minimum of six (6) participants to run.

By the end of the course participants will:

  • Have attended all core EduCATE sessions (September, October January, June);
  • Attended all Action Learning Sets with peers (November, December, February, March, April);
  • Participate in observation scheme;
  • Present at TiF (or other T&L external conference);
  • Final Report/Research Paper

Core Session Dates:

  • September 28th, 2015
  • October 19th, 2015
  • January 18th, 2016
  • May 19th and 20th, 2016 (Teaching in Focus Conference)
  • June 6th, 2016
  • Participants will also attend sessions specific to their Action Learning Set, dates TBD at times mutually convenient the set.

Time: 9:30am to 12pm
Location: Technology Enhance Learning Building  TEL 1012

For more, follow this link to apply to the Education, Curriculum, And Teaching Excellence (EduCATE) Course @ York.

Questions can be directed to Mandy Frake-Mistak at mfmistak@yorku.ca.