2023 University of Toronto Teaching & Learning Symposium

Taking Action: Building Belonging at U of T

May 3 (online) -4 (in-person), 2023

View the Full Agenda or At-A-Glance

May 3 — online (see details on Timetable, login required)

May 4 — Rotman School of Management, 105 St. George Street
Registration: 2nd floor, outside Desautels Hall

Closing plenary: Power and Empowerment: Honouring by Decision and Design with Andratesha Fritzgerald, Strategic Partner – Building Blocks of Brilliance
Day 2: May 4, 1pm-3:30pm (in-person, Desautels Hall, Rotman School of Management)

Come be inspired and energized by our closing speaker – join us on the afternoon of Day 2 for an interactive workshop with UDL expert, leading educator and author Andratesha Fritzgerald!

With antiracism and Universal Design for Learning we can begin inviting every voice to powerful positions by honouring identity, culture, and learning needs. This session explores the notions of power and empowerment that are made evident in our decisions, our designs and our outcomes.

About the Speaker: Andratesha has a passion for Universal Design for Learning, Culturally Responsive Teaching and Antiracism, and has led collaborative initiatives to craft organizational implementation plans, design lab templates, professional development symposia and professional practice cadres. She models expert learning while equipping others to do the same. As an international keynote speaker she has presented at the CAST International Symposium on Universal Design for Learning, Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Ireland National College and many other organizations and districts including post-secondary institutions in Ontario. Her award-winning book Antiracism and Universal Design for Learning: Building Expressways to Success, (CAST, 2020) has helped schools, districts, colleges, universities and organizations begin the brave actions to view and address equity in education.

If you have any questions, please contact tls@utoronto.ca.

About the Teaching & Learning Symposium

The annual Teaching & Learning Symposium is the premier teaching showcase for the University of Toronto. It is also a signature event for the Offices of the President and Vice-President & Provost, and by extension, CTSI. Participating in the Symposium is an excellent way to learn more about the concerns and interests of U of T faculty and is a key window into innovative teaching practices and teaching inquiry across all three campuses. Hosting a concurrent session is a great professional development opportunity and allows you to connect with members of our community in a deeper way. 

SESSION TYPES

60-minute session

These synchronous sessions give further opportunity for reflection on issues or innovations, with a focus on facing challenges and problem solving. These sessions should be considered dialogical or an opportunity to engage participants in collective ideation about what we can do to improve equity and access in teaching and learning.

60-minute session

Interactive Workshops are synchronous sessions that include a live presentation with audience interaction/activities as well as a time for discussion/Q&A.

30 minutes each

These online synchronous sessions focus on sharing a completed teaching and learning-focused inquiry project, providing an overview of the design, methods and findings. We recommend a 20-minute presentation and 10 minutes for discussion.

15 minutes each

Teaching Strategies (LTTS): these talks focus on sharing effective teaching strategies, including the purpose, intended outcomes, possible demonstration of the strategy and examples. Discussion should address how others can apply the strategies in their own teaching contexts.

Nifty Assessments (LTNA): these talks focus on the sharing of a ‘nifty assessment’, giving details of the development and administration of the assessment, intended student outcomes, strengths and challenges of the assessment, and discussion regarding how the assessment might be used in other disciplinary contexts or delivery modes.

In the spirit of learning, openness, and community, we invite participants to suggest a different or new mode of delivery not listed above. This might include formats such as storytelling, learning circles, design thinking activities or other processes that might support people in navigating and unpacking the complexities of the topics and challenges we hope to work on.