Educational Leadership in Teaching Excellence (ELITE) Program

Program Description

The Educational Leadership in Teaching Excellence (ELITE) program is designed to promote educational leadership through faculty engagement in the principles, practice and scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education. The program supports the University of Guelph’s exemplary teaching and learning community by fostering on-going professional development and engagement in the scholarship of teaching and learning, and by promoting a learner-centred approach to teaching in higher education. It has been developed to establish and support a faculty community of practice which provides mentorship and leadership in implementing scholarly approaches to teaching and learning in higher education.

Learning Objectives

By the completion of this program faculty will be able to:

• Discuss and evaluate scholarly literature related to teaching and learning in higher education;
• Develop a critically reflective teaching practice;
• Develop, implement and disseminate research on teaching and learning in higher education;
• Collaborate to form a positive faculty community of practice that shares ideas, resources, philosophies, and strategies for teaching and learning in higher education;
• Implement learner-centred and inclusive teaching strategies that ensure active learning and student engagement.

Approach and Assessment

Participants will meet monthly to discuss their individual learning plans, research projects, and to collaboratively explore and reflect upon scholarly topics related to learner-centred and inclusive approaches to teaching and learning in higher education. Each candidate will embark upon a process that is unique to their individual goals and objectives for participating in the program. All assessment methods will be peer-evaluated on a pass/fail basis. The expected participant commitment is 5 to 10 hours/week. Participants are expected to complete the program within one year of commencement.

Participants will engage fully in the program activities, including the monthly cohort meetings. They following must be successfully completed:

Independent Learning Plan:

At the beginning of the program, each participant will develop an independent learning plan, which clearly outlines and details how and when they will meet the program’s learning outcomes.

Reflective Journal Entries and Final Reflective Report:

Participants will reflect upon their progress by completing monthly reflective journal entries, and by preparing a final report which draws upon the key issues, patterns, observations, interpretations and transformations that they have experienced in relation to their development as an instructor.

Independent Research Project:

Participants will develop, conduct, and present a research project on teaching and learning within their discipline, and actively contribute to the scholarly dissemination of this research within the University of Guelph community and beyond.

Teaching Observation and Mentorship:

Each participant will actively engage in a peer teaching observation process, as both an instructor receiving feedback, and as an observer providing feedback. They will also identify and collaborate with a teaching mentor to discuss effective pedagogical principles and practices, and to foster continual improvement.

Pedagogical Discussion and Presentation:

Each participant will lead a discussion on a topic of interest in teaching and learning in higher education during one of the monthly cohort meetings, and to the broader university community (e.g. within their department or college).

Program Portfolio:

Each participant will develop a portfolio, which highlights their teaching accomplishments and provides evidence of and reflections on their experiences in the program.

Cost

There is a $500 cost-recovery registration fee associated with the program.

Application Form

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Contact Information

Should you have any further questions regarding the faculty leadership in teaching program, please contact:
Janet Wolstenholme
Educational Developer
Teaching Support Services
Room 208, Day Hall
519-824-4120 x58084