Professional Development
Click on the titles below to learn more about the ongoing professional development opportunities available for faculty, staff, and graduate students.
These free self-study courses are delivered completely online through mycourselink or other external websites. To enrol in courses delivered through mycourselink:
- log in to mycourselink/D2L: https://mycourselink.lakeheadu.ca
- select the Self Registration link on the navigation menu
- find the course you would like to enrol in and click the course title. You'll be taken through a few prompts to complete the registration.
For other professional development opportunities such as live workshops and special events, visit the Events and Activities link on the navigation menu above.
Accessible Learning |
This professional development micro-course has been designed by the Teaching Commons alongside Student Accessibility Services (SAS) and Student Health and Wellness. In this micro-course, faculty will learn about the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the importance of accessibility in education, and how to effectively provide accommodations for diverse groups of learners. This course should take approximately 3 hours to complete. For each module you complete, you will be provided with a badge that acknowledges you have successfully achieved the learning outcomes. |
Contract Lecturer Orientation Site |
This course site has been developed for Contract Lecturers. In this site you will find an array of resources and information to help you become familiar with our university's programs, policies and administrative offices. Delivered through mycourselink. |
Course Design Exemplar |
This course shell has been designed by the Teaching Commons for those of you who are teaching online, hybrid, or in-person and are looking to create more attractive course pages that are more visually accessible, align with an instructional flow, and embed interactive and engaging multimedia components. Delivered through mycourselink. |
Asynchronous Hybrid Training |
This self-paced workshop has been designed by the Teaching Commons for those faculty who will be teaching in a hybrid classroom for the upcoming semester. In this self-paced workshop, you will be provided with some pedagogical tips and tricks for teaching in a hybrid format. Delivered through mycourselink. |
How to Teach Online 101 |
This self-paced eleven-module mini-course presents best practices for online teaching, course development, assessment, learning outcomes, managing online communities, synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (non-real-time) tools, etc. Through interactive course content and interviews with experienced online, post-secondary instructors, the new-to-online teaching instructor can quickly become familiar with the benefits, challenges, and potential of online education. Topics covered in this course:
Delivered through mycourselink. |
Designing Quality Tech-Enabled Learning Experiences |
The overarching objective of this 4-module self-paced course will be to facilitate the development of any person who seeks to create quality, technology-enhanced (digital) learner experiences. Learners will leave the course able to take the best resources and experiences from this course and apply them to the design and structures of their own courses. Delivered through mycourselink. |
Embedding EdMedia Effectively |
This self-study educational media course will help you design and develop resources for course activities and collaborate with other faculty seeking to do the same. This space will also help you to investigate a variety of ways media is effectively embedded in education. Delivered through mycourselink. |
Course Blueprint Site 2.0 |
The purpose of the Blueprint 2.0 site is to provide you with a set of critical structures that support you and your students. The Start Here module will outline key structures that positively impact teaching and learning. These include planning, building, delivering, communication and feedback methods/tools. This module should not take you more than 30 minutes to review. It also provides a key planning activity you can try to prepare for 'next steps' if you have more time. Delivered through mycourselink. |
Editing Your Lecture Recordings |
In this online, self-directed study course you will be able to take your lecture recordings, and with a bit of planning at hand you can create a series of instructional/educational videos that you can share with your learners in the coming months/years. Delivered through mycourselink. |
Student Success Centre: Faculty Resources |
This toolkit is intended for faculty. It contains a comprehensive set of resources to help instructors identify students at risk and refer them to relevant support services in the university. Delivered through mycourselink. |
Supporting Students in Distress: On-Demand (Student Health and Wellness) |
As staff and faculty, you are often the first to recognize that a student is in distress so it is important that you feel equipped to identify these behaviours and also understand how you can help. The Supporting Students in Distress modules can help. Delivered through mycourselink. |
Understanding Accommodations |
This site has been created by the Office of Human Rights and Equity to educate Faculty and Staff on Accessibility and Accommodation. Delivered through mycourselink. |
Copyright 101 |
Interested in learning more about copyright? Explore the Copyright Course developed by members of the Library. This course is open to everyone. Delivered through mycourselink. Also available ... The Canadian Association of Research Libraries has released an open education resource - Copyright Open Educational Resource for University Instructors and Staff. This self-paced course includes several modules with short videos and quizzes. Access the course now by going to the Library's Copyright Guide: https://libguides.lakeheadu.ca/copyright/course |
The Empowered Educator Program (eCampusOntario) |
The Empowered Educator program is a micro-credentialed professional learning program grounded in the belief that the impact of learning should be the primary motivator for creating technology-enabled and online learning experiences. It aims to empower educators to explore a range of emerging technologies and pedagogical practices for effective online and technology-enabled teaching and learning. The Empowered Educator program is designed to:
Visit the Empowered Educator Program website to learn more and to register. |
D2L's Teaching and Learning Master Class Series |
D2L's Teaching and Learning Master Class series, presented by the Academic Affairs team, is designed to tackle big themes in K-20 education. All Master Classes will include assets that supplement and bolster your ability to contextualize, strategize, and use the techniques and tools discussed. From infographics to documentation to blogs or literature reviews, participants will have a bevy of useful assets, enabling them to be successful but also to find flexibility as appropriate. Note, that these courses do not cover how to use D2L. Participants can earn digital certificates in recognition of successfully completing courses in this series. Visit the Master Class Series website to learn more and to register. |