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Instructional Support Workshops

Instructional Support Workshops are supported by the Teaching and Learning Centre's Educational Developers and offer participants a variety of programs based on their teaching and learning interests and needs.

While these workshops are designed primarily for members of the University community engaged in teaching-related practices, other members of Ontario Tech may enroll in our workshops as part of their professional development.

Note: If you are an undergraduate student interested in the programs available to you, check out Student Learning Support.

Register for Workshops

Register for Workshops

Note for CUT participants

Note for CUT participants

While Certificate in University Teaching participants may attend as many workshops as they wish, only certain sessions are eligible for the mandatory workshop attendance requirement.

This semester's CUT-eligible workshops are listed below. To successfully complete the program, participants must attend at least one workshop from each of the three categories.

In the full workshop schedule, CUT-eligible workshops are marked with a corresponding icon for each category (♦, ♥, or ♣).

Educational Technologies ♦
  • H5P Elements
  • New Quizzes: Question Type Deep-Dive
Inclusive Teaching ♥
  • Intro to UDL: The Plus-or-Minus-One Approach
  • Lights, Camera, Inclusion!
Special Topics in Higher Education ♣
  • Mentimeter for Asynchronous Engagement
  • Leveraging Peer Feedback Tools for Assessment Design

Workshop Schedule + Descriptions

May

  • Transforming Feedback to Feedforward Strategies - May 12

    Transforming Feedback to Feedforward Strategies

    Date: Tuesday, May 12, Noon to 1:30 p.m.
    Facilitator: Lasandra Conliffe

    This workshop focuses on enhancing teaching practices through effective feedback and feedforward techniques. Participants will explore practical strategies to support diverse learners, refine their teaching, and design targeted interventions. The session also emphasizes ways to create feedback that not only reflects on past performance but also encourages ongoing learning and self-regulation.

    This is the first part of our series on Building Better Feedback!

    • Part 2: Leveraging Peer Feedback Tools for Assessment Design
    • Part 3: Peer-to-Peer Feedback in Practices: Skills, Strategies & Tools for Students (for students; delivered on QuadC)

    Learning Outcomes

    • Analyze current feedback and feedforward strategies to identify strengths and areas for improvement, with consideration of diverse students' needs across different learning contexts.
    • Evaluate the effectiveness of feedback and feedforward techniques by comparing outcomes across varied teaching scenarios using research evidence and practice examples.
    • Design an adaptable feedback delivery framework that integrates both feedback and feedforward techniques across varied teaching modalities to promote learner self-regulation and continuous improvement.

    Who Is This For?

    • Instructors, teaching assistants, staff
  • ♣ Leveraging Peer Feedback Tools for Assessment Design - May 21

    Leveraging Peer Feedback Tools for Assessment Design

    Date: Thursday, May 21, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
    Facilitators: Hannah Atkinson, Lasandra Conliffe

    This session will offer support to instructors in designing peer feedback activities that are inclusive and meaningful. We will explore peer feedback tools that help students give and receive constructive feedback during assessments. Participants will engage with tech tools that guide students' learning and growth during peer feedback.

    This is the second part of our series on Building Better Feedback!

    • Part 1: Transforming Feedback to Feedforward Strategies
    • Part 3: Peer-to-Peer Feedback in Practices: Skills, Strategies & Tools for Students (for students; delivered on QuadC)

    Learning Outcomes

    • Examine peer feedback tools for various assessment types.
    • Create a peer feedback activity that uses Canvas Peer Review, Google Workspace, or Microsoft 365.
    • Support students in developing feedback skills that enhance learning.

    Who Is This For?

    • Instructors, teaching assistants, staff

    ♣ CUT-eligible: Special Topics

  • ♥ Intro to UDL: The Plus-or-Minus-One Approach - May 28

    Intro to UDL: The Plus-or-Minus-One Approach

    Date: Thursday, May 28, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
    Facilitators: Dr. Lidya Salim, Kevin Johnson

    Looking to make your teaching more inclusive without overhauling your course? This workshop introduces the plus-or-minus-one approach, a simple strategy for getting started with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) by making small but meaningful adjustments to your instruction.

    Learning Outcomes

    • Examine the relationship between Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and accessibility.
    • Recognize how small adjustments can reduce barriers and support learner variability.
    • Apply the plus-or-minus-one approach to making UDL-informed adjustments to your teaching practice.

    Who Is This For?

    • Instructors, teaching assistants, staff

    ♥ CUT-eligible: Inclusive Teaching

June

  • Presenting with Purpose - June 12

    Presenting with Purpose

    Date: Friday, June 12, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
    Facilitator: Kevin Johnson

    In this session, we will explore practical strategies to create more impactful presentations, which you can put into action starting from the initial outline and all the way through to delivery. The strategies covered in this workshop will provide a foundation applicable to many contexts, including lessons and lectures, academic conferences, professional presentations, and workshops. We will also cover strategies that can be applied in both online and in-person scenarios.

    Learning Outcomes

    • Organize the basic structure of a presentation that will be effective in most contexts.
    • Design clear and simple slides that will enhance and clarify your presentation.
    • Utilize nonverbal and verbal public speaking strategies to enhance your presentations.

    Who Is This For?

    • Instructors, teaching assistants, staff
  • ♥ Lights, Camera, Inclusion! Building Community with your 2-Minute Welcome Video - June 16 [In person]

    Lights, Camera, Inclusion! Building Community with your 2-Minute Welcome Video

    Date: Tuesday, June 16, 10 a.m. to noon
    Facilitators: Lasandra Conliffe, Alexander Pilon, Shannon Brandejs

    Does your online course feel a little… quiet?

    Join us for this high-impact workshop that explores the pedagogy behind the 2-minute welcome video and its role in shaping meaningful first impressions in online learning. This session invites you to think critically about how instructor presence, tone, and intentional design can foster connection and belonging from Day 1.

    You will explore practical strategies to humanize your course while embedding inclusive design through Universal Design for Learning (UDL) video strategies. Learn how to create welcoming, accessible content that supports diverse learners, without the technical headache.

    As a bonus, all attendees will be eligible to receive a complimentary professional portrait following the workshop, courtesy of our Educational Media team!

    Learning Outcomes

    • Analyze the role of instructor presence in online learning to determine how short-form video (e.g., a 2-minute welcome video) supports student engagement and inclusion.
    • Evaluate the effectiveness of accessibility and inclusion strategies in sample welcome videos using established Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)-aligned criteria.
    • Create a concise, accessible 2-minute welcome video plan that integrates inclusive design principles and clearly communicates instructor presence from the start of a course.

    Who Is This For?

    • Instructors, teaching assistants, staff

    ♥ CUT-eligible: Inclusive Teaching

  • Peer-to-Peer Feedback in Practices: Skills, Strategies, and Tools for Students - June 18

    Peer-to-Peer Feedback in Practices: Skills, Strategies, and Tools for Students

    Date: Thursday, June 18, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    Facilitators: Hannah Atkinson, Lasandra Conliffe, Ben Fedoruk

    Feedback is one of the most powerful tools for learning, but only when you know how to use it. This practical workshop helps students at all levels understand what good feedback looks like and how to act on it with confidence. Participants will be able to develop the skill of giving and receiving feedback, and explore a range of digital and practical tools to apply peer feedback more effectively in their coursework.

    Note: This workshop is primarily for students and will be delivered on QuadC.

    This is the third part of our series on Building Better Feedback!

    • Part 1: Transforming Feedback to Feedforward Strategies
    • Part 2: Leveraging Peer Feedback Tools for Assessment Design

    Learning Outcomes

    • Explain what feedback is and why it is important for learning and growth.
    • Use feedback strategies to improve their own learning in a real learning task.
    • Identify and use appropriate tools that support giving and receiving feedback effectively.

    Who Is This For?

    • Students
  • ♦ H5P Elements - June 25

    H5P Elements

    Date: Thursday, June 25, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
    Facilitators: Miranda Varricchio, Kevin Johnson

    Enhance your Canvas courses with rich, interactive learning experiences. This hands-on workshop introduces faculty to the creation and deployment of H5P elements, which are dynamic activities such as interactive videos, knowledge check activities, branching scenarios, and more. Participants will learn how to build H5P content and integrate it seamlessly into Canvas.

    No prior experience is required, but it is suggested that participants pre-register for their free H5P account through eCampusOntario at https://h5pstudio.ecampusontario.ca/register.

    Learning Outcomes

    • Create a basic H5P interactive element using the H5P authoring environment.
    • Create basic H5P elements.
    • Embed H5P elements directly into Canvas.

    Who Is This For?

    • Instructors, teaching assistants

    ♦ CUT-eligible: Educational Technologies

July

  • ♣ Mentimeter for Asynchronous Engagement - July 14

    Mentimeter for Asynchronous Engagement

    Date: Tuesday, July 14, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
    Facilitator: Hannah Atkinson

    This session introduces educators to Mentimeter as a versatile tool for fostering student engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous learning environments. Participants will explore the platform’s key features, with a focus on Survey Mode and how it can help move beyond participation toward meaningful engagement. Through real-world examples, a live demonstration, and a hands-on group activity, attendees will gain practical strategies for designing interactive asynchronous learning experiences, gathering actionable student feedback, and integrating Mentimeter into their teaching practice.

    Learning Outcomes

    • Evaluate the benefits of using Mentimeter to support student engagement and describe how to access and set up an account.
    • Analyze the differences between participation and engagement, and apply this understanding to the design of effective Mentimeter Survey Mode activities.
    • Design and implement Mentimeter-based activities that align with specific learning outcomes and teaching contexts.

    Who Is This For?

    • Instructors, teaching assistants, staff

    ♣ CUT-eligible: Special Topics

  • ♦ New Quizzes: Question Type Deep-Dive - July 29

    New Quizzes: Question Type Deep-Dive

    Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2 to 3:30 p.m.
    Facilitators: Lasandra Conliffe, Kevin Johnson

    This hands-on session guides participants through a thorough exploration of the question types available in New Quizzes. We will emphasize practical application, focusing on when and how to use each question type effectively to support diverse learning strategies and assess course learning outcomes.

    Learning Outcomes

    • Differentiate between the New Quizzes question types and their instructional purposes.
    • Build a quiz using various question types, advanced settings, and creative applications.
    • Align question type selection with specific learning outcomes and assessment goals.

    Who Is This For?

    • Instructors, teaching assistants

    ♦ CUT-eligible: Educational Technologies

August

  • Item Banks - August 5

    Item Banks

    Date: Wednesday, August 5, 12:30 to 2 p.m.
    Facilitator: Miranda Varricchio

    This workshop explores how to use Item Banks in New Quizzes, including how they differ from Classic Question Banks. You will learn practical tips for creating and organizing item banks and how to build quizzes using banked questions. Sharing Item Banks effectively will also be addressed, including a discussion about how Item Bank permissions can affect collaboration and question integrity.

    Learning Outcomes

    • Explain what Item Banks are and how they differ from Classic Quizzes Question Banks.
    • Apply best practices when sharing Item Banks to maintain question and quiz integrity.

    Who Is This For?

    • Instructors, teaching assistants