CTE's Guiding Principles and Goals

The following Guiding Principles were established by and for CTE in October, 2009:

  1. We will explore, integrate, evaluate, and support new or different approaches and ideas regarding pedagogy, modes of delivery, research, and educational development).
  2. We will build capacity in our stakeholders, and increase their involvement in various aspects of teaching.
  3. We will identify synergies and build relationships with other units on campus, off campus, and internationally.
  4. We will enhance our profile and be leaders in our field.
  5. We will respond to and anticipate university changes.

From these Guiding Principles, the following Organizational Goals were derived. Click any goal to view its associated sub goals. Each sub goal is further linked to measurable and specific benchmarks which we use to assess our work on an annual basis (for the sake of brevity the benchmarks are not listed here).

Goal 1. To promote learning about teaching, community building, the sharing of scholarship and resources, and our own profile, CTE will maintain cross-disciplinary, campus-wide events and programs.
  1. Continue to offer two conferences per year
  2. Continue to offer various campus-wide events to enhance instructors’ pedagogical knowledge and skills
  3. Continue to participate in new faculty orientation and new faculty events, in conjunction with WatPort
  4. Continue programming for graduate students: namely, the Certificate in University Teaching and International Teaching Assistants programming.
  5. Review programming processes and procedures
  6. Continue support for UW teaching awards and nominations for provincial and national teaching awards
  7. Purchase library materials annually
Goal 2. To enhance dialogue and networking around teaching and learning and to respond to university changes, CTE will increase department-specific programming.
  1. Continue to provide workshop or retreat-style programming to support curriculum program review and curriculum renewal work
  2. Provide departmental workshops in every Faculty on the effective use of online components in on-campus courses (blended learning).
  3. Increase the number of departmental workshops on exploring emerging educational technologies
  4. Provide departmental or program-level support on effective integration of e-portfolios and integrative learning initiatives
  5. Develop department-specific sessions for TAs
Goal 3. To build capacity, CTE will support the development of more instructor-led teaching initiatives.
  1. Continue to support the work of the Teaching Excellence Council
  2. Increase the number of instructor-led communities
  3. Continue to provide support for LIF and PIF grant applications and implementations
  4. Lay the groundwork to create a teaching mentor network across all faculties
Goal 4. To support exploration and integration of new approaches and ideas and to demonstrate leadership, CTE will forge new ground in teaching and learning.
  1. Continue our individual research agendas: aim to pursue projects that stem directly from our work
  2. Continue our exploration and implementation of leading edge technologies for teaching
  3. Continue to coordinate Course Internationalization grants
  4. Continue to promote the blended learning survey
Goal 5. To offer support, create synergies and relationships, learn about upcoming university changes, enhance our profile, and show leadership, CTE will connect with and contribute our expertise to various stakeholders on and off campus.
  1. Continue individual consultations on implementing technologies into course designs
  2. Continue individual consultations with faculty members on classroom management and course evaluation issues
  3. Continue meeting with colleagues on and off campus
  4. Continue to engage in the promotion of CTE
  5. Continue to develop our website resources
  6. Maintain and expand our connections with others on and off campus
Goal 6. To further our own learning and strengthen our own community, CTE will engage in individual and centre-wide professional development activities.
  1. Continue participation in professional development activities
  2. Continue collaborative centre learning and planning