Advisory Council

CAETL is run by an Advisory Council and the Teaching Chairs and Teaching Fellows. The Council has 12 members, representing the various faculties, the Library, the Students Union and the Graduate Student Association; these members are usually chosen by their constituency, for a two-year term.

CAETL Teaching Chairs are the current holders of the Board of Governors Chair in Teaching. This is a two-year position (with 2 course relief per year), and applications are made through the office of the Vice President (Academic), with a March 31 deadline. Applicants are expected to submit a teaching-related proposal for the duration of their term, and in addition to serve on the CAETL Advisory Council, including as Chair of the Council for the second year of their two-year term and work with the CAETL Council on its projects.

CAETL also has up to four Teaching Fellows at any one time. Application is made through one’s Faculty or School, which then sends nominations on to CAETL for selection. Teaching Fellows serve for a one-year term, and receive one course-relief in order to contribute to the activities of the Center. This includes organizing our regular seminar series, helping with the Graduate Student Teaching Assistant Training Program, acting as a mentor or advisor for someone requesting teaching assistance, and other duties as assigned by the Advisory Council.

2009 – 2010 Advisory Council

Robin Bright | Board of Governors Teaching Chair | Faculty of Education

Jan Newberry | Board of Governors Teaching Chair | Department of Anthropology

Dave Hinger | CAETL Manager | CRDC Director

Brad Reamsbottom | CRDC & CAETL Instructional Designer

Jill Payant | CAETL & CRDC Administrative Assistant

Ute Wiedne-Kothe | CAETL Teaching Fellow | Biochemistry

Phil Jones | CAETL Teaching Fellow | Health Sciences

Mark Pijl Zieber | Faculty of Health Sciences

Mary Runte | Faculty of Management

Lance Grigg | Faculty of Education

Malcolm Greensheilds | Faculty of Arts and Science

Samantha Dawson| Graduate Student Association Representative

Keith McLaughlin | S.U. Representative

Brenda Mathenia | Library

Temporarily unfilled | Faculty of Fine Arts

Core Purpose

The University has responsibility for all programs, policies, and practices that promote, support, and facilitate effective teaching. Accordingly, the CAETL will provide leadership and support for a comprehensive program of teaching development designed to meet the needs of all University teachers and graduate students at all career stages. The goal of the CAETL is to assist all teachers at the University of Lethbridge in achieving the highest possible standards of teaching and learning.

Vision

The CAETL will promote and sustain outstanding and inspirational teaching in a vital and engaging learning environment. Through its commitment to scholarship, research, and best practice, the Centre will advance creativity, originality, and discovery in teaching. It will promote and enhance the many tools required in the professional development of university level teachers and lecturers. This commitment to excellence in teaching will ensure that, in a rapidly changing educational environment, the U of L continues to provide outstanding learning experiences for its students and faculty.

Guiding Principles

Several guiding principles are inherent in the CAETL:

• Teaching and learning are fundamental to the purpose of the university.
• All students must be provided opportunities to learn in ways consistent with most effective instructional practices.
• Effective university teaching can be defined, learned, and demonstrated.
• All university teachers are committed to excellence in teaching.
• Scholarly inquiry is fundamental to the enhancement of teaching effectiveness.
• Excellence in teaching will be honored, rewarded, and celebrated in ways similar to those accorded to excellence in research.
• Participation in the activities offered by the Centre will be at the discretion of individual university teachers.
• Teaching development is most likely to occur in a collaborative community characterized by trust and mutual respect.

Objectives

The goal of the CAETL is to assist all teachers at the University of Lethbridge in achieving the highest possible standards of teaching and learning.

Underpinning this goal are several objectives such as the following, to:

• Foster a community of practice in which teaching and learning are enriched and celebrated.
• Extend the University’s commitment to a scholarship of teaching.
• Lead the integration of best teaching practices with new technology.
• Establish a process of generative evaluation that will inform, guide, and justify the continuing activities of the Centre.
• Create a physical centre in which open communication and support regarding teaching can flourish.

Strategies Underpinning Our Objectives

The stated objectives may be demonstrated through various strategies, with each strategy having the potential to support more than one objective. Important strategies include but are not limited to:

• Implementation of programs that provide direct support for all teachers and graduate students irrespective of their stage of teaching development.
• Sustained data collection from faculty and students regarding quality of learning and teaching.
• Interaction with external communities of teaching professionals.
• Access to library resources, and other teaching related resources.
• Access to current research (also in-house research in progress) in teaching that stems from the CAETL.
• Creation of a CAETL Newsletter/communication to disseminate ideas.
• Providing consulting services regarding curriculum design and the choice of appropriate learning technologies.
• Offering a solid resource base for the development or redevelopment of technologically augmented curriculum.
• Access to and assistance with the use of learning technologies, especially those supported by the University.
• Provide access to a design and production group within the university to produce materials such as web sites, digital video and audio, interactive media, animations, simulations, CD-ROM’s, graphics etc.
• Ensure that centrally implemented and administered teaching related technologies are cost effective and useful by constantly researching and testing new options.
• Provide leadership in the development of preferred teaching practice.
• Creation of a physical space in which educators can gather both formally and informally to discuss the many facets of teaching.
• On-going evaluation of all programs and offerings.