TPS Touchpoint: Engagement with Colleagues

January’s highlighted results from the Teaching Practices Survey (TPS) focus on engagement within our campus teaching community and learning from one another. 

  • For 19% of participants, “engagement or dialogue with colleagues about teaching” has contributed to improving their teaching (Okanagan Campus Report, p. 30). 
  • In addition, 48% of respondents shared that they are currently “connecting with a cohort of peers interested in improving teaching and learning” 
  • and an additional 35% are interested in doing so (Okanagan Campus Report, p. 29).  

At the Centre for Teaching & Learning, we recognize the importance of learning in/as a community, as articulated in the first two strategic priorities of our Strategic Plan: 

Strategic Plan Priority #1 is: Support and foster a community dedicated to advancing teaching and learning at UBC Okanagan through learner-centered and evidence-informed teaching approaches and curriculum development practices. 

Strategic Plan Priority #2 is: Deliver programming and events that support the community in professional development to improve teaching practice.  

  

We encourage all our faculty to become familiar with and choose from among the opportunities we offer that provide facilitated spaces for sharing and expanding the bounty in our teaching baskets as well as (re)connecting with colleagues with similar interests. 

Join one of the Communities of Practice (CoP) supported this academic year. If you have an area of interest not currently on the list, we welcome suggestions and volunteer co-facilitators for new CoPs.  

Learn about Teaching Development Program (TDP), UBC’s signature cross-campus, year-long cohort program for supporting professional growth in teaching. Registration opens in the early summer.  

Register for a 4-day Instructional Skills Workshops (ISW) designed to enhance the teaching effectiveness of both new and experienced instructors through experimentation with new teaching strategies and reflection on supportive feedback from a small peer cohort. These workshops are offered several times a year and the next one will be in February. 

Look for an announcement soon about the 2024 Celebrate Learning Week Teaching & Learning Conference in May where you can share your teaching-related research, connect with colleagues, and help recognize and celebrate teaching innovations at UBC.

 

The TPS 2023 Okanagan Campus report is available on the Teaching Practices Survey website in both graphic and text formats.