PowerPoints and other digital slideshows can be ineffective if they are misused or overused. This workshop provides insights on how to maximize the teaching potential of slideshows, using scientifically derived learning principles. Brush up on your PowerPoint skills and learn practical strategies for creating beautiful, engaging, and accessible presentations.

Are you connecting to prior knowledge and experience? Do you check for understanding? Are you consolidating learning at the end of a lesson? In this workshop, we will explore a framework for effectively designing lessons for optimal engagement and learning.

Leverage instructional design strategies to design effective and engaging classroom experiences. This workshop will provide an overview of the foundational principles, processes, and practices that currently shape and define the field of Instructional Design.

The past two years have impacted both instructors and students in many ways. A trauma-informed approach to teaching takes into account students’ traumatic experiences and how their engagement in learning may be impacted. In this session we will discuss how our instruction can support students in these particularly trying times. 

During the session we will:

• Go through how Mentimeter can further enhance the teaching and learning experiences at Ontario Tech University 
• Cover how to create a safe, positive and engaging learning atmosphere
• How to use Mentimeter for formative assessment, building better understanding and how to collect feedback, preferences and needs from the students
• Demo the platform and showcase important settings to remember, as well as valuable tips and tricks on how to become a confident presenter
• Depending on your pre-existing knowledge we might also go through the more advanced question types and how those can support the teaching activities
• The session will be highly interactive and you will be able to ask questions and interact with the presenter throughout the full hour

In Person:
Tuesday October 25, 11:10 am - 12:10 pm

Online:
Friday October 28, 11:10 am - 12:10 pm

Learn about the Open Education movement and where it fits in with teaching and learning at Ontario Tech. We will cover the basics of Open Educational Resources (OER) and Practices (OEP), and how you can include both in your courses.

 In this session, we will discuss:

• How do we define plagiarism? What are the types of plagiarism?
• What can we do throughout the writing process to prevent plagiarism?

In Person:
Tuesday November 1, 11:10 am - 12:10 pm

Online:
Friday November 4, 11:10 am - 12:10 pm

Are your students really getting the most out of your courses? When we design content with accessibility in mind, we remove barriers and foster a more inclusive learning environment. In this workshop, we will explore practical strategies to implement universal design for learning (UDL) in your courses.

In Person:
Tuesday November 8, 11:10 am - 12:30 pm

Online:
Friday November 11, 11:10 am - 12:30 pm

This workshop will support you in designing your courses using the backward design model. We will discuss alignment of learning outcomes, assessment, and instruction. 

Wednesday November 16, 11:10 am - 12:30 pm

Decolonizing instruction has the potential to improve learning experiences for all students. In this workshop you’ll be guided through reflections on power dynamics and the impacts of colonialism, as well as practical strategies for decolonizing your classroom.

Part of open education is inviting students to participate in the learning experience in new ways. Democratizing your classroom is a unique way for students to help shape the course alongside their instructors.