Report Highlights Innovative Teaching, Learning
April 16, 2012 - News Release
The University of Guelph played a prominent role in a new report on innovative teaching practices at Ontario universities that was released today at Queen’s Park.
Maureen Mancuso, U of G’s provost and vice-president (academic) chaired the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) Teaching and Learning Task Force that prepared the report, and President Alastair Summerlee is COU chair.
The report, “Beyond the Sage on the Stage: Innovative and Effective Teaching and Learning at Ontario Universities,” was unveiled at a reception that brought MPPs together with innovative and award-winning university teachers to celebrate teaching excellence.
U of G political science student Samuel (Shamu) Mosonyi was chosen to speak on behalf of all Ontario university students at the event. Also in attendance was Jacqueline Murray, a history professor and director of Guelph’s first-year seminar program, which is highlighted in the report.
The report provides examples of different teaching and learning strategies in a variety of different categories from across the province, including the use of technology, experiential learning, curricular innovations, new learning environments, foundational first-year courses and teaching development programs.
“Students learn from many different approaches and in different contexts, and this report highlights a wide variety of innovative approaches aimed towards securing student engagement with the course material and creating a passion for life-long learning,” Summerlee said.
“Ontario universities are continually researching the link between teaching and learning and exploring new ways to equip students with the right tools for our dramatically changing world.”
In addition to examples of innovative approaches, the report also invites Ontario’s 15,000 university faculty and many thousands of teaching staff to submit their own stories of the innovative ways they engage students in learning. These stories will become an ongoing resource for the university sector and will be available at http://www.cou.on.ca/teachingandlearning, where numerous stories are already posted.
“More and more people in the province are enrolling in postsecondary education than ever before because they recognize its benefits,” said Bonnie Patterson, COU president and CEO. “Ontario universities are adapting to support this trend, and to other external changes, by continually re-examining the way we teach and reach our students with the ultimate goal of ensuring student success.”
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, 519-824-4120, Ext. 53338, or lhunt@uoguelph.ca, or Shiona Mackenzie, Ext. 56982, or shiona@uoguelph.ca.
