Teaching in Focus 2019: Reflecting on Our Practice and Praxis
By Lisa Endersby
The annual Teaching in Focus (TIF) conference is a welcome opportunity to reflect on the act and art of teaching. This was particularly evident in this year’s conference theme, Intentionality in Your Teaching: From Practice to Praxis. Presenters and attendees were invited and encouraged to consider some of the big questions that form the foundation of reflection in practice and the praxis that encourages the embodiment and application of what we learn about ourselves, and our teaching, through critical reflection.
It was telling, and inspiring, to see much of this reflection through the lens of intentional collaborations and partnerships with our students. Not only did the student perspective form the basis of many of the concurrent sessions, but we also saw two undergraduate students initiate and lead a session on the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) with colleagues from the Teaching Commons. These students brought a passion and perspective to our discussions that encourages all of us to remember that our students are listening, are engaged, and are eager to explore these big ideas in teaching and learning right alongside us.
This student-centered perspective was echoed by our keynote speaker, Dr. Eric Kam. Currently an Associate Professor of Economics at Ryerson, Dr. Kam discussed strategies for teaching large classes, emphasizing the value of and need for consistent, clear expectations alongside active, interactive learning that can serve to make and keep students excited about their learning. This call to be mindful about our students and our teaching was echoed by our Director, Genevieve Maheux-Pelletier, who encouraged participants to be both mindful and innovative – TIF has always been a space to experiment, explore, connect, and collaborate, behaviours we hope will continue in individual classrooms and courses long after the conference has concluded.
We were also grateful to have many of our colleagues join us in plenary, panel sessions sharing their work as participants in the Teaching Commons EduCATE course and as winners of the President’s University-Wide Teaching Awards (PUWTA). These instructors demonstrated humble and humorous accounts of their journey through teaching, providing important food for thought through presentations of their innovative explorations of challenging what it means to engage our students in meaningful learning.
We were also grateful to have many of our colleagues join us in plenary, panel sessions sharing their work as participants in the Teaching Commons EduCATE course and as winners of the President’s University-Wide Teaching Awards (PUWTA). These instructors demonstrated humble and humorous accounts of their journey through teaching, providing important food for thought through presentations of their innovative explorations of challenging what it means to engage our students in meaningful learning.
The conference once again featured our MakerSpace room, where participants could learn about and explore various technologies for incorporating multimedia and multimodal means of sharing information with students. Participants visited throughout the two days, meeting educational developers, our new instructional designers, and some of our Teaching Commons Tutors (TCTs). Our new portable Padcaster studio, along with other audio/video recording and editing tools, are available to borrow through the Teaching Commons, and we hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to consider how these technologies could help you to continue to engage your students with you, with each other, and with your course material.
What was particularly inspiring about this year’s conference was the dual emphasis on teaching from the head and the heart. Although much of the conference emphasized the academic, intentional exploration of topics related to teaching and learning, what makes this conference unique is the obvious joy and passion participants brought to a lively two days of presentation and discussion. The colleagues who attended the closing plenary demonstrated their enthusiastic commitment to teaching and learning through an interactive exploration of our praxis as educators. All of our Teaching in Focus conference participants offered a unique opportunity to consider both the what and why of our teaching, with the why often coming back to an intentional, enthusiastic, ongoing reflection on embodying our teaching philosophies not just as words on a page or PowerPoint slides, but as a praxis that supports us in engaging, applying, practicing, and realizing ideas that will continue to shape how we look back on our teaching, how we engage currently in our classrooms, and how we seek out new opportunities and innovations in our future courses. The Teaching Commons team was inspired and energized in sharing in this engaging reflection with our colleagues from across campus.
A special thank you to everyone who helped support another fantastic conference this year, especially our Teaching Commons Administrative Assistant Mary Lynn Belmonte, who always goes above and beyond to ensure we are well organized and well fed throughout our two days together. We look forward to seeing you all again at TIF 2020!
About the Author
Lisa Endersby joins the Teaching Commons with a background in experiential learning, assessment, and technology in higher education. Currently pursuing her PhD in Educational Studies, her research explores professional development within communities of practice, examining the impact of social learning on the negotiation of a professional identity for student affairs and higher educational professionals. Her professional and academic background also includes experience in career services, student leadership development, and supporting the first year student transition.