Teaching Plus Podcast
Centre for Teaching and Learning Teaching Plus Podcast dives into issues facing post-secondary instructors.
Teaching Plus General Podcasts
In this episode, Cree Elder John Bigstone (osow kihew ᐅᓱᐤ ᑭᐦᐁᐤ), discusses his journey through residential school and his life now as a community leader, counsellor, and healing and wellness facilitator with Andrea Menard, CTL's Lead Educational Developer, Indigenizing Curricula and Pedagogies. Together they shed light on Indigenous ways of teaching, learning, and knowing that move beyond traditional Western academic structures.
Link to podcast.
In this episode, Dr. Cosette Lemelin, Assistant Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), discusses the role of CTL in relation to the University of Alberta community, the evolution of the centre, and trends and changes to the teaching and learning environment at the University of Alberta.
Link to podcast.
In this episode, Mandy Penney, CTL’s Lead Educational Developer for Digital Pedagogies and Writing Across the Curriculum, tells us about a “Community of Practice and Care” that is being piloted this summer with educators across the University. Now more than ever, Mandy says, is the time to reflect deeply on our teaching and learning practices and how we can be in good relationship with each other in the classrooms and beyond. Link to podcast.
In this episode, Kat Danser, Education Curriculum Developer with FGSR, discusses the importance of student motivation, underlying educational theories, and actionable strategies that instructors can use in their courses to boost and sustain student motivation throughout the semester.
Link to podcast.
Case studies encourage students to learn through peer discussion about authentic, discipline-specific situations, instead of merely being exposed to, or having to memorize, information. In this episode, Dr. Ben Cheung shares his experience with case-based instruction in a recent fully online 600-level Mechanical Engineering course.
Link to podcast.
Teaching is a social practice. In this episode, Engineering PhD student Heidi Cossey shares her research into perceptions of teaching culture at the University of Alberta, including its five pillars of institutional policies that affect teaching, faculty engagement in teaching, institutional support and resources, assessment of teaching, and rewarding excellence in teaching.
Link to podcast.
Culture affects every aspect of group work in university courses. In this episode, CTL’s Cosette Lemelin speaks with Heather Seyl Miyashita, Lisa Lozanski, and Xiaobing Lin from University of Alberta International about what instructors can consider and do when planning and implementing learning activities which involve student collaboration. Link to podcast.
Informal student surveys can provide valuable information for instructors to enhance student engagement in active learning activities. In this episode, Dr. Frank Robinson describes his survey tool and strategies for a unique learning experience in a first-year Animal Science course. Link to podcast.
Relatedness, competence, and autonomy are basic psychological needs underlying student motivation and learning. In this episode, Dr. Geoff Bostick, Associate Teaching Professor in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, shares his ideas and strategies for implementing self-determination theory in his teaching. Link to podcast.
In this episode, Dr. Stephanie Oliver, Assistant English professor in Fine Arts and Humanities at Augustana campus, shares how she works to create an inclusive environment in both her physical and online classrooms. Link to podcast.
In this episode, Educational Developer Ellen Watson is joined by Dr. John Nychka, professor in the Faculty of Engineering and the Vice Provost Learning Initiatives at the University of Alberta, to discuss reflecting on teaching. John shares his own experiences in becoming a reflective practitioner and provides reflection strategies that can lead to personal and professional growth. Listen here.
In this episode, Educational Developers Jennifer Ward and Ellen Watson are joined by queer-pedagogue Tommy Mayberry of St. Jerome's University. Tommy discusses the use of pronouns (and other strategies) that we can use to connect our classrooms to our students. Listen here.
In moving to online learning spaces, oral examinations are an option many are curious about exploring. In this episode, Dr. Brian Rempel, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Dr. Ingrid Urberg, Associate Professor of Scandinavian Studies, and Dr. Shauna Wilton, Associate Professor of Social Sciences, all share their experiences using oral examinations in their courses and offer advice to those wanting to explore using oral exams in their courses. Listen here.
Cosette Lemelin and Roger Graves talk about The Talk: how should instructors go about conducting and interview with a student about a possible, probable, or even blatant academic integrity violation? We identify strategies and profile four different kinds of strategies students tend to use when they arrive for these conversations. Listen here.
This episode is also available on the Teaching Writing: Ideas and Strategies podcast.
In this episode, Dr. Roger Graves and Ellen Watson, Senior Educational Developer, discuss how instructors might promote academic integrity (and prevent infractions) in their courses while teaching online. Listen here.
This podcast is published in conjunction with a blog of the same title on The Quad and also available as an episode with the Teaching Writing: Ideas and Strategies podcast.
Creating authentic classroom assessments are necessary for students to make more practical connections to their learning. We know that the use of performance assessments of experiential learning exercises tends to be less common in graduate classrooms and we don’t think it should be. In this episode, we discuss the experiences of an innovative-thinking instructor and how he went about developing and successfully implementing a four-day experiential learning exercise and performance assessment. His exercise focused on students applying the understandings of the Incident Command System team for the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry emergency response team to a realworld scenario about a Salmonella outbreak originating from a hatchery. We even get to hear a little about what happened in the classroom and from two observers who were present during the exercise. We are fortunate to have the instructor Dr. Simon Otto from the School of Public Health and a masters-level graduate student from his class Aleksandra Tymczak for our discussion today. Listen here.
In this episode, Dr. Cathryn van Kessel from Secondary Education and Jennifer Ward and Ellen Watson from the CTL talk about how instructors might promote community by addressing potentially harmful comments made by students (especially those related to the COVID 19 pandemic). Listen here.
More information on Dr. van Kessel's work regarding this topic is available on the Open Education Alberta "The Grim Educator" webpage.
Post-secondary instructors are not only charged with teaching students content but, also, how to learn within their discipline. Dr. Greg Thomas, Professor of Secondary Education, discusses how instructors might begin to tap into learners' awareness and understanding of their own thought processes (a.k.a. their metacognition). In conversation with Dr. Neil Haave, Associate Director at the CTL, Dr. Thomas provides instructors some concrete suggestions they can begin to try in their own classrooms. Listen here.
Anyone interested in further learning about metacognition can access a bibliography on it at
- https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-t5ay-w140 or
- by email request to Dr. Thomas at gthomas1@ualberta.ca
In this Teaching Plus podcast, Educational Developer Cosette speaks with Katie (who uses the pronouns she and her) and Rachel (who uses the pronouns she and they) about best strategies for creating teaching and learning environments that are welcoming and supportive of all genders and members of the LGBTQ+ communities. Cosette specifically asks them to discuss the use of pronouns in teaching and learning interactions. Listen here.
Resources
- University of Alberta Students' Union, The Landing
- It’s OK To Use “They” To Describe One Person: Here’s Why
- Dear (Cis) People Who Put Your Pronouns On Your “Hello My Name Is” Name Tags
- The Performance of Transgender Inclusion: The pronoun go-round and the new gender binary
- University of Alberta Campus Maps All-Gender Washrooms
n this episode, CTL Academic staff Graeme Pate, Educational Developer, and Dr. Neil Haave, Associate Director, describe the new Teaching Institute being hosted by the University of Alberta Centre for Teaching and Learning. Listen here.
Some useful links for this podcast include:
Assessing our teaching can be a sticky and sensitive task. We know that we will receive anonymous student evaluations (USRIs at UAlberta) each year, but is this enough to really show the level of teaching? The UAlberta policies indicate that we should be assessing students using a multifaceted approach an, increasingly, there is discussion about assessing teaching the same way, but what does that mean?
In this episode, we discuss a multifaceted approach to evaluating teaching with the help of Keith King and Vice Provost of Learning Initiatives, Sarah Forgie. Listen here.
Teaching Blended & Online Podcast Series
In this episode, Mark Hall and Jacky Chow from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine describe the distributed education model of the MSc Physical Therapy program that has been connecting Edmonton and Calgary students for more than a decade. Listen here
In this episode, 3rd year undergraduate student Katrina Hewitt speaks about valuable teaching strategies she has experienced in her courses over the past two academic years at the University of Alberta and shares some of her own self-directed learning strategies. Listen here
In this episode, 4th year undergraduate student Robel Ng’ong’a speaks about valuable teaching strategies he has experienced in his courses over the past two academic years and shares some of his own self-directed learning strategies. Listen here
Online forums can be a safe(r), inclusive space for critical thinking and learning from peers. In this episode, Dr. Tara Milbrandt describes how she structured the forum activity in her courses and how impressed she was with the quality and collegiality of student postings. Listen here
In this episode, Nicole Dyck, Director of Programs and Planning with the Faculty of Engineering, shares elements and strategies of the summer Bridge to Engineering Program that brings together students entering their first year of studies. Listen here
In this episode, Dr. Brian Rempel, Associate Professor and Chemist at Augustana campus, shares three unique teaching strategies that work well in both an online and flipped environment, namely video alternatives to written exams, structured reading guides, and fun mid-class breaks. Listen here
e-Proctoring is a complex topic with variables of academic integrity, technical inequalities, and more. In this episode, Dr. Jason Carey from the Faculty of Engineering joins Educational Developer Anita Parker to discuss some assessment strategies being implemented by instructors during these unprecedented times. Listen here
Many instructors have worked tirelessly to build and deliver fully online versions of their courses as part of the University’s response to COVID-19. In this episode, Dr. Emily Block from the Alberta School of Business joins Educational Developer Anita Parker to share what she will keep and what she will leave behind as her course moves back into the physical classroom sometime soon. Listen here
In this episode, CTL staff member, Chris Borger, is joined by Dr. Roshan Abraham, the Pre-Clerkship Director of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Alberta, to converse about the successes that Dr. Abraham has found while teaching remotely. Listen here
In this episode, CTL staff member, Chris Borger, is joined by Dr. Roshan Abraham, the Pre-Clerkship Director of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Alberta, to reflect on the ways remote learning in a medical education context has affected the assessment of student learning, as well as challenges that Dr. Abraham has faced while teaching remotely. Listen here
In this episode, CTL staff member, Chris Borger, is joined by Dr. Roshan Abraham, the Pre-Clerkship Director of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Alberta, to discuss strategies instructors can take to keep their students engaged while learning remotely. Listen here
In this episode, CTL staff member, Chris Borger, is joined by Dr. Roshan Abraham, the Pre-Clerkship Director of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Alberta, to discuss his role at the University, and reflect on the steps that he has taken to transition into a world of remote learning within the context of medical education. Listen here
In this episode, CTL instructional designer, Jordan Long, and senior educational developer, Ellen Watson, invite Dr. José Bowen to discuss a plethora of tangible and relatively simple ways to make an online course great, how to make online content more relevant and personal for students, and the impact of COVID-19 on the future of post-secondary education. Listen here
In this episode, CTL instructional designer, Jordan Long, and senior educational developer, Ellen Watson, invite Dr. Hayley Morrison and Dr. Lauren Sulz to discuss the impact of "emergency" online teaching for courses that centre on a physically interactive environment, like their physical education courses. Listen here
In this episode, CTL instructional designer, Jordan Long, and senior educational developer, Ellen Watson, invite Dr. Julie Rak and Dr. Corrinne Harol to discuss encouraging inclusive environments in online courses including the opportunities and challenges presented by online instruction. Dr. Rak & Dr. Harol also share important strategies to consider when creating inclusive & just classrooms. Listen here
In this episode, CTL instructional designer, Jordan Long, and senior educational developer, Ellen Watson, discuss teaching languages and literature remotely, using Instagram as a community building and assessment tool, and bringing a positive attitude to an online synchronous session with Modern Languages and Cultural Studies sessional instructor Dr. Mimi Okabe. Listen here
In this episode, CTL instructional designer, Jordan Long, and educational developer, Jen Ward, discuss remote teaching from an indigenous perspective with Faculty of Native Studies professor Dr. Paul Gareau. Paul and Jen discuss how to create relationality and community in an online learning environment. Listen here
In this episode, CTL instructional designer, Jordan Long, and senior educational developer, Ellen Watson, discuss the move to teaching online with microbiologist, Dr. Lisa Stein. Lisa discusses assessment and active learning in the world of remote teaching. Listen here
For CTL's resources about remote teaching, visit: https://ctl.guide/remoteteaching
In this episode, CTL instructional designer, Jordan Long, and senior educational developer, Ellen Watson, discuss the move to teaching online with 3M award winner, Dr. Billy Strean. Billy enlightens us on being human and how we might connect when we teach online. Listen here
To find Billy, visit: https://www.adventuresinjoy.com/
For CTL's resources about remote teaching, visit: https://ctl.guide/remoteteaching
Festival of Teaching and Learning Podcast Series
In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Passey and Dr. Karsten Loepelmann, who both teach psychology courses at the University of Alberta, discuss how they used class blogs as a way to teach students to communicate research information for a general audience. Both Dr. Passey and Dr. Loepelmann had different approaches and both continued this practice when moving their class to remote instruction. Listen here.
To view Dr. Passey's blog, please see: https://psyco347interpersonalrelationships.family.blog/
In another episode in our series of podcasts highlighting presentations accepted to the 2020 Festival of Teaching and Learning, CTL's Ellen Watson is joined by Dr. Kyle Whitfield and Bryan Braul. Kyle and Bryan discuss their SoTL project investigating teaching culture in the Faculty of Extension and give our listeners insight into the important work of developing a teaching culture—even in a remote environment. Listen here.
This is the first episode in our series of podcasts highlighting presentations accepted to the 2020 Festival of Teaching and Learning. In this episode, Ellen Watson, Senior Educational Developer at the U of A CTL is joined by Dr. Gregory Thomas, Professor in Secondary Education, and U of A librarians, Virginia Pow and Debbie Feisst to talk about their research into the use of podcasts to engage students' metacognition with citations. Listen here.
Get to Know CTL Podcast Series
In this episode of the Get to Know CTL series, Everett Igobwa (Lead Educational Developer Critical Pedagogies and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity) shares what he loves about important EDI conversations he is having with instructors across the University of Alberta. We also learn about his hobbies of music, exercise, gardening, and what kind of bread he makes every week.
Listen here
In this episode of the Get to Know CTL series, John Nychka (Vice Provost Learning Initiatives) and Tommy (Executive Director at CTL) share what they love about their work at the University of Alberta, and what is on their dinner table at the end of the day.
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In this episode of the Get to Know CTL series, Karen, Lily and Katelyn speak about their expert, supportive, behind-the-scenes work for operations and content development.
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In this episode of the Get to Know CTL series, Brad and Bradon share how they help U of A instructors with course assessments and how important data is to informing with work we do at CTL.
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In this episode of the Get to Know CTL series, Instructional Designer Chris Borger shares how he brings his talents in education and performance to developing content for CTL's website, and what he cooks for dinner when the work day is done.
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In this episode of the Get to Know CTL series, Assistant Director Dr. Cosette Lemelin shares what she loves about her job, what a "day in the life of Cosette" looks like, and what she likes to do when she closes her laptop at the end of a work day.
Listen here
Open Education Podcast Series
CTL is celebrating Open Education Week (March 7-11, 2022) by hosting our second Open Education Symposium. In this episoide, CTL's Krysta Mcnutt and steering committee member Larry Clark provide us with a peek into the jam-packed schedule of sessions and networking at the year's event. Listen here
In this episode, Dr. Maryam Amin from the School of Dentistry speaks about her experience with the creation and sharing of an open educational resource with students, colleagues, and the community. Listen here
In this final episode of our series celebrating Open Educational Resource Week 2020, Joel Agarwal, VP Academic for the University of Alberta Students' Union, discusses the benefits of using OER in the classroom from a student perspective. Listen here.
In this special episode (part 2 of 3 celebrating OER week 2020), Tino Villatoro, shares his experiences with creating an Open Textbook for his students to explore Medical Laboratory Sciences! Listen here.
Interested in Open Educational Resources (OER) but worried about what you can and cannot use or share? This podcast may help! In this special episode (part 1 of 3 celebrating OER week 2020), Amanda Wakaruk, Copyright Librarian at the University of Alberta, shares advice on using OER materials and explains a bit about the copyright behind OER. Listen here.