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Western Certificate in University Teaching and Learning
Description
The goal of the Western Certificate in University Teaching and Learning (WCUTL) is to enhance the quality of teaching by graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, and to prepare them for a future faculty or professional career. The presentation and group facilitation skills gained while completing the Certificate will not only benefit participants in pursuit of a faculty position, but are also valued by employers in business, industry and other non-academic fields. Program participants receive a certificate and a letter of accomplishment after they complete the five certificate components.
Certificate Components
There are five components required to complete the Western Certificate in University Teaching and Learning (note: participants do not need a current TA position to join these programs):
1) Microteaching Requirement
Learning Outcomes for Microteaching
Individuals who microteach as part of the following programs will:
- approach their subsequent teaching duties with greater confidence
- plan and facilitate lessons in their own disciplines that engage students and incorporate active learning
- be receptive to feedback and revise teaching strategies based on comments and suggestions from peers
- provide effective, constructive feedback to peers on their teaching.
To achieve the microteaching requirement, choose ONE of the following four options:
Teaching Assistant Training Program (TATP)
The Teaching Assistant Training Program (TATP) is a 20-hour intensive training program designed for new TAs , including workshops on building lessons, providing feedback, grading fairly, running tutorials/labs, managing TA duties, and intercultural competence.
Advanced Teaching Program (ATP)
The Advanced Teaching Program (ATP) is a 20-hour course designed for advanced graduate students who would like to develop practical teaching skills for current and future teaching roles. Topics include course design strategies, active learning, authentic assessment of student learning, and maintaining a culture of respect and community in the classroom.
SGPS 9500: Theory and Practice of University Teaching Course
SGPS 9500 is a graduate level interdisciplinary course on teaching and learning in higher education. Students will engage deeply with educational theory and practice alongside instructors and peers from across academic disciplines.
PLEASE NOTE: Completing SGPS 9500 also satisfies the Course Design component of the Certificate's written requirements. You will also complete a Teaching Philosophy Statement, a major element of the Certificate's Teaching Dossier requirement.
Please note: The below is for international and new resident graduate students, international postdoctoral scholars only
Teaching in the Canadian Classroom (TCC)
Teaching in the Canadian Classroom is a 2-week intensive 20-hour certificate program designed for international graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who would like to gain and enhance their confidence in their teaching skills in the Canadian postsecondary academic environment. Participants will reflect on the role of culture in their classrooms, practice lesson planning and active learning techniques, and give and receive feedback on lesson planning and classroom management.
2) 10 Future Prof Workshops Eligible Credits
The following programs count towards Future Prof Series workshop credits:
- Future Prof workshops
- Perspectives on Teaching Conferences (up to 4 credits)
- TA eLearning Series (up to 4 credits)
- Teaching for Inclusion Workshop Series (up to 2 credits)
Future Prof workshops are interactive seminars for future professors and professionals that provide valuable insights into teaching and career-strategies across the disciplines. The workshops in this series are constantly evolving to meet the current interests of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
Future Prof Series workshops are scheduled at various times throughout the academic year. Please check the event calendar for upcoming sessions or review the webpage for when they are typically offered.
3) Teaching Mentor Program
The Teaching Mentor Program is a unique opportunity for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to receive feedback on their teaching and classroom management approaches from peers in their own teaching environment. Four graduate students will work together and visit each other’s classes, tutorials or labs over the course of the semester.
4) Teaching Dossier
The Teaching Dossier documents your teaching activities, and includes sample teaching materials and a teaching philosophy statement. Our Teaching Dossier resource page provides information on how to document your teaching responsibilities, teaching effectiveness, teaching strategies/innovations, professional development in teaching, educational leadership, and scholarship of teaching and learning.
5) Written Project
Choose ONE of the following three options:
A. Submit a 10-page Scholarship of Teaching & Learning research proposal (pdf). This option requires the following:
- a review of at least five scholarly articles on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in your discipline
- an identification of one or more critical issues for learning in your discipline
- the articulation of a research question that explores these critical learning issues
- a proposal for several ways in which the research question could be investigated
OR
B. Design a new course in your discipline and submit a 10-page course outline. The course outline includes:
- a course description
- a rationale and learning outcomes for the course
- an outline of course topics and class activities
- a list of the required and recommended readings
- a breakdown of the assessment scheme for the course
- a description of assignments, exams and any other assessment mechanisms
- all relevant University-wide and course-specific policies
- a description of most frequently used teaching methods and activities.
OR
C. If you have completed SGPS 9500 OR ATP, the Course Outline component may be resubmitted as your Written Project for the Certificate.
Registration
Enrolment Requirements
To receive the Western Certificate in University Teaching and Learning, you must be enrolled in a graduate degree program or be a postdoctoral scholar at Western University.
We recommend subscribing to our Graduate Student and Postdoc Mailing List to get the most up to date information about our programming for current graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
Note: Most of our programming occurs during the Academic Year (September to April).
Instructions
How to register for the certificate
Graduate Students:
- Login to Western Connect using your Western username and password.
- In the left side menu, select the Records & Certificates then select Centre for Teaching and Learning Certificates Overview section.
- After you have completed step 2, select Certificate in University Teaching in the left side menu, and then click on Enroll in Certificate.
- Fill out and save the form using the button at the bottom of the page/ edit by clicking the black circle with 3 white dots in the bottom right corner (a black right navigation bar will appear and under actions select "Edit"). You can come back and add information or upload documents at any time. Note: Be sure to "Save Registration" to ensure your edits are saved,
Postdoctoral Scholars:
Note at this time, postdocs do not need to formally enroll. Please follow the below steps to update your tracking form as you complete certificate components.
- Login to Western Connect using your Western username and password.
- In the left side menu, select the Records & Certificates then select Centre for Teaching and Learning Certificates Overview section.
- After you have completed step 2, in the left side menu, select Certificate in University Teaching, and then click on Add a Registration.
- Fill out and save the form using the button at the bottom of the page/ edit by clicking the black circle with 3 white dots in the bottom right corner (a black right navigation bar will appear and under actions select "Edit"). You can come back and add information or upload documents at any time. Note: Be sure to "Save Registration" to ensure your edits are saved.
Completing the Certificate
Program components can be completed within two academic years, but you may choose to complete them over 3-4 years. You may submit the written components of the Certificate within 3 months of the end of your enrollment (or contract, for postdoctoral scholars) at Western.
Accessing Your Attendance Record
- Login to Western Connect with your Western username and password.
- From your dashboard, go to the tab at the far right labelled Event Registration. The Event Title, Event Date, Location, Date Registered, and Registration Status will be listed for each event.
NOTE: this tab will display all event registrations within Connect, so be sure to check that the "Module" column indicates Centre for Teaching and Learning. - For event attendance before May 1, 2016, go to Dashboard and select My Messages just below the tab options. Older attendance records from our previous database will be listed here.
Please note: Once we have reviewed your attendance, participation, and completion of the workshop/ program eligible for credit towards the Western Certificate in University Teaching and Learning. Your attendance on Western Connect will be updated to 'attended' 2-3 weeks after the workshop/ program has ended if you completed the aforementioned, meaning you have earned the credit towards completing the Western Certificate in University Teaching and Learning.
If you have any questions or problems accessing your attendance records, please contact ctl@uwo.ca.
Adding information and documents to your certificate record
- Login to Western Connect with your Western username and password.
- In the left side menu, select the Records & Certificates then select Centre for Teaching and Learning Certificates Overview section.
- Select Certificate in University Teaching, and then click on View/ Edit Current Registration to show your registrations. On this page, double click on your name to open your registration/ form. Note: If you have not added anything form yet, you can click Add a Registration to add information from your Western Connect Event Registrations.
- You can view or edit the form and save using the button at the bottom right of the page, edit by clicking the black circle with 3 white dots in the bottom right corner (a black right navigation bar will appear and under actions select "Edit"). You can come back and add information or upload documents at any time. Note: Be sure to select "Save Registration" at the bottom of the page to ensure your edits are saved.
Submitting your completed certificate form
When you have completed all the components of the certificate and have updated your certificate completion form with all 5 components and are ready to submit your Teaching Dossier and Written Project, please
- Login to Western Connect with your Western username and password.
- In the left side menu, select the Records & Certificates then select Centre for Teaching and Learning Certificates Overview section.
- Select Submit to confirm you have updated the completion form with your 5 components and request your certificate for review.
- A CTL staff member will review your submissions and contact you to schedule a feedback appointment. Please note: These appointments are typically booked a few weeks in advance. If you do not receive a response within one week, please email ctl@uwo.ca to notify us of your submission.
Useful Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to register for the Certificate?
To register for the Western Certificate in University Teaching and Learning, you must be enrolled in a graduate degree program or be a postdoctoral fellow/scholar at Western University.
How long does it take to complete the Certificate?
Program components can be completed within two academic years, but you may choose to complete them over 3-4 years during your graduate studies and/or postdoctoral appointment at Western. You may submit the written components of the Certificate within 3 months of the end of your graduate student enrollment (or contract, for postdoctoral scholars) at Western.
Please note: If you submit your written components after the end of your graduate student enrollment (or contract, for postdoctoral scholars) at Western, your access to Western Connect is now restricted (as you are an Alumni). Please email your written components (4 & 5) to ctl@uwo.ca before the deadline.
When should I sign up for the Certificate?
You may register for the Certificate any time during your graduate degree. If you had already attended CTL programs prior to registering for the Certificate, those will be credited to you and count towards the completion of the Certificate. Please upate your tracking form with your eligible CTL Western Connect Event Registrations.
Are the SGPS 9500 course, Advanced Teaching Program and Teaching Assistant Training Program equivalent in the Certificate?
Yes, however SGPS 9500 requires a larger time commitment than either the Advanced Teaching Program (ATP) or Teaching Assistant Training Program (TATP). The advantage of SPGS 9500 is that participants prepare a teaching philosophy statement (for inclusion in their Teaching Dossier) and develop a novel Course Outline (which can be submitted for the Certificate).
What’s a Future Prof Credit and how do I know I earned one towards the Certificate?
Future Prof credit eligible workshops will note that they are eligible on the program webpage and/or on the Western Connect Event registration. You can also find a full listing of what is eligible on the Western Certificate in University Teaching and Learning (WCUTL) webpage, see Component 2) 10 Future Prof Eligible Workshop Credits for more details. After you register for an eligible Future Prof Credit event in Western Connect, you will receive an event registration confirmation including information on how to earn the credit if you are working towards WCUTL. An example of these details are copied below:
*Information about Future Prof Credit:
If you want to earn one Future Prof credit for attending this workshop towards the Western Certificate in University Teaching and Learning, please ensure that you:
-Arrive at the workshop on time or early. Participants who arrive more than 10 minutes late for a workshop or those who leave more than 10 minutes before the end of the workshop will not receive credit toward the Certificate.
-Complete the Future Prof Assignment for this workshop. During the workshop, your instructor will let you know how to complete the Future Prof Assignment. You must submit this assignment to earn a Future Prof Credit (marked as "Attended" in your Western Connect Event Registrations 2-3 weeks after the workshop).
Do I need to complete the Certificate components in a specific order?
No. You may complete the programs and project requirements in any order, whenever it is most convenient for you. However, registration for certain programs is time sensitive (e.g., Teaching Mentor Program registration is only open for the first few weeks of the Fall and Winter semesters). It is your responsibility to be aware of such dates and to plan your Certificate progress accordingly. Submission of your Teaching Dossier and Written Project will occur once you have completed the other requirements for the Certificate.
I have been TAing a course in my department at Western for three years. I added a few readings to the course outline. Can I submit this to satisfy the course outline requirement?
No. The course outline you submit must be original work. We ask that you design a course that has not been offered at Western before, or completely redesign a current course. We ask you to design a new course that has not been offered at Western before. You can only submit the outline of a course you have already taught if, (1) you were the main instructor for the course and, (2) you designed the course completely, meaning that you did not simply continue to teach a course that was designed by someone else.
Who keeps track of my progress towards the Certificate?
It is the participants' responsibility to keep track of how many workshops they have completed. Please use the form on the registration system (login required). For instructions on how to access your "Attendance records" and "Add information and documents to your certificate record, please above accordion sections for detailed instructions.
When is my attendance updated on Western Connect?
Once we have reviewed your attendance, participation, and completion of the workshop/ program eligible for credit towards the Western Certificate in University Teaching and Learning. Your attendance on Western Connect will be updated to 'Attended' 2-3 weeks after the workshop/ program has ended, meaning you have earned the credit towards completing the Western Certificate in University Teaching and Learning.
I am writing my Teaching Dossier for the Certificate, but I don’t have teaching experience or research experience – is it okay to leave these sections blank on my Teaching Dossier?
We understand that students that do not have TA-ship their "Evidence of Effective Teaching", "Educational Leadership" or "SoTL/Research on Teaching" sections are not a terribly robust section. This would not prevent you from submitting one towards the WCUTL! Once you have completed all components and are ready to submit your written components 4 & 5, a feedback appointment is booked as the final steps towards earning the certificate. During this meeting the CTL staff member and yourself review your completions and can further brainstorm approaches during the certificate consult meeting on how to further develop this section. In fact, plenty of students who have had multiple TA-ships have relatively under-populated evidence sections. It's to be expected of teachers at this phase of career development.
If you are completing the WCUTL, all 8 sections of a Teaching Dossier are required. Avoid including blank sections, if you are currently unable to provide information for particular components, like the Educational Leadership. We recommend for these sections, to take the time to reflect on how you might acquire these data or experiences in the future (e.g., by asking your students to complete an anonymous survey at the end of the next term, developing discipline-specific teaching resources for the your department etc).
Can I submit the Teaching Dossier and written project components after my defence date?
You may submit the written components of the Certificate within 3 months of the end of your graduate student enrollment (or contract, for postdoctoral scholars) at Western. At this time you will no longer have access to Western Connect CTL programs (as you are an Alumni), please email your written components (4 & 5) to ctl@uwo.ca.
What do I receive once I have completed the Certificate?
After you complete all 5 certificate components, submit a certificate completion form, attend a scheduled feedback appointment with an Educational Developer, and submit your revisions after that appointment. You've earned the Western Certificate in University in Teaching and Learning!
You'll receive a certificate of completion and a letter of accomplishment as proof of completion. If you would like your name to appear differently than what is listed on Western Connect, please let us know at your feedback appointment or when you submit your feedback revisions. Please note: Completion of this certificate will not appear on your transcripts or Western's co-curricular record.
