eLATE @ McGill

ELATE Annual Teaching and Learning Conference – held every year 

During the month of May, eLATE conducts its Annual Teaching and Learning conference. The one-day event has a keynote presentation from a prestigious researcher and practitioner in the field of teaching and learning in higher education. The keynote session is followed by a workshop to learn about specific instructional strategies and/or principles of course design.

2021 – To support instructors as they prepare for teaching this coming fall semester, ELATE will be hosting several webinars as part of is Annual Teaching and Learning Conference. This year’s webinars will focus on blended learning.

Past speakers have been:

• Professors Richard Felder and Rebecca Brent, pioneers in the field of STEM education;
• Professor Barbara Oakley, co-creator of the world’s most popular MOOC – Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects;
• Professor Michael Prince, from Bucknell University;
• Professor Ken Bain, author of the bestselling book ‘What the best college teachers do’; and
• Professor Eric Mazur, creator of the Peer Instruction teaching strategy

Midterm Classroom Observation

To receive valuable feedback from students during the term while still allowing for adjustment to ongoing courses, eLATE invites engineering professors to conduct midterm course evaluation sessions. Options for effective midterm course evaluation strategies included administering an online survey, setting up an anonymous discussion board on McGill’s Learning Management System (myCourses) or having an observer attend a classroom session.

The observation sessions can be divided into three moments:

1. An initial meeting between the instructor and the observer usually takes place one week before the observation. The goal of this meeting is for the instructor to highlight what she or he would like to be observed during the session;
2. The day of the observation the instructor leaves the classroom 20 minutes before the class ends allowing the observer to discuss with students what they like about the course and what they suggest can be improved;
3. A follow-up meeting between the observer and the instructor takes place a week after the session to present the results of the observation as well as constructive comments from students.

Coffee & Chat 

These sessions, taking place every two weeks, are opportunities for instructors to gather in informal settings to discuss teaching and learning and to hear from other instructors who are implementing active learning strategies in their classrooms, trying new instructional methods to enhance student learning, and seeking ways to foster student engagement.

Teaching Week

During the month of November, eLATE conducts the “Teaching Week: Opening the doors to our classroom” event.

During this week, different instructors from the Faculty of Engineering ‘open’ their classes for observation by their colleagues. This event offers opportunities for faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and senior PhD students to learn from peers and to gain exposure to different teaching strategies. By fostering peer observation and discussions of teaching practices, eLATE’s Teaching Week aims at strengthening our community of practice to enhance pedagogical excellence in the Faculty of Engineering.

The event usually concludes with a ‘happy hour’ where participants of eLATE’s Teaching Week reflect on, share, and amplify lessons learned during the week. Instructors from the McGill community as well as from other institutions are invited to participate as observers.