Innovative Teaching Techniques and Tools

This Community of Practice (CoP) is intended to be a safe and welcoming space for instructors of all levels of experience to consider and discuss innovative teaching techniques and tools.

Arguably, classrooms today look (or at least ought to look) dramatically different than they did compared to when those of us now teaching the classes were students ourselves. The pace of change has challenged many of us to step (or jump) outside of our comfort zone. While we may each be aware of a variety of innovative teaching techniques, it can be overwhelming trying to stay on top of myriad teaching techniques and tools. 

  1. Foster a collaborative environment where faculty member can share, learn, collaborate, and support each other with innovative teaching techniques and tools.  
  2. Explore and discuss how innovative teaching techniques and tools can improve student experiences (i.e., accessibility and ease of use, autonomy, self-efficacy, connections with peers), contribute to student well-being (i.e., flexibility, clarity, usability), and contribute to student academic success (i.e., enhance learning).
  3. Explore and discuss how innovative teaching techniques and tools can support instructors in the creation and delivery of learner-centred course and assessment design.  

Appreciating great value that comes from sharing of perspectives and experiences, this CoP is intended to help bridge the gap between those who are applying specific teaching techniques and tools, and those who are interested in exploring how they might also adopt such.

We look forward to connecting with you at upcoming sessions of this CoP! We are excited to mutually support each other as we continue to strive for teaching excellence and ultimately student success.

If you have an innovative teaching technique and/or tool that you would like to share and/or have a conversation around, please let the Faculty Facilitators know what day and time works for you, and which innovative teaching technique and/or tool you’d like to focus on. Some ideas include:

  • Active Learning
  • Assessment Design
  • Audio/Visual Tools
  • Automated and AI Assessment
  • Blended Learning
  • Camtasia
  • Case-Based Learning
  • Collaborative Learning
  • Crowdmark
  • Digital Course Resources
  • Experiential Learning
  • Flipped Classroom
  • Gamification
  • Hybrid Classroom
  • Inquiry-Based Learning
  • OER Assessment Repositories
  • Project-Based Learning
  • Scaffolding Techniques
  • Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
  • Video Assessments

Each 50-minute session will focus on a different innovative teaching
technique and/or tool. The faculty facilitators will offer ideas, but the final topics will be determined by the CoP members. In the first half of each session, one or two CoP members will highlight one technique/tool through their experiences (including a short demo of the innovative teaching technique and/or tool) and insights (including any relevant scholarly literature). In the second half of the session, everyone will engage in a collective inquiry and brainstorming of how to apply techniques/tools to their own contexts.

Sessions will occur monthly, on either a Tuesday or a Thursday, with alternating times to accommodate varied teaching schedules:

  • Thursday, September 19, 2024 … NOON – 12:50PM
  • Tuesday, October 22, 2024 … 11:00AM – 11:50AM
  • Thursday, November 28, 2024 … NOON – 12:50PM
  • Dec-April times & dates … TBD

Feel free to bring your lunch!

Location for in-person participation: SCI 331

Zoom link for virtual participation:

https://ubc.zoom.us/j/4289617352?pwd=TkV4cVhSZ2VkU0FHb092S0ZJOTRLdz09

Meeting ID: 428 961 7352
Passcode: 2FzQx7

  • Zoë Soon, Associate Professor of Teaching, Biology, IKB Faculty of Science, ZoeAnne.Soon@ubc.ca 
  • Tamara Ebl, Lecturer, Teaching Fellow, Faculty of Management, tamara.ebl@ubc.ca
  • Barbara Komlos, CTL Educational Consultant for Curriculum & Faculty Development, will set up a Teams Channel for this CoP to be used for informal discussions and to connect and support CoP members. Email barbara.komlos@ubc.ca to be added to the Teams Channel. Communication will also be sent via email.  

This Community of Practice began in January 2024 as “Leveraging Digital Assessment Techniques”, which later expanded its focus to encompass all innovative teaching.