Graduate Studies Courses

The Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation are pleased to offer the following graduate-level courses. Students from all Faculties are welcome to apply.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation partner to offer GRST  5P01, The Theory and Practice of University Teaching.  The credit course explores the theories and practices of teaching in the post-secondary environment. Students engage in experiential approaches to course planning, instructional methods, evaluation, and reflective practice and create a teaching dossier to help contextualize their teaching experience at Brock.

The completion of a GRST course appears on the Brock academic transcript.

Information on Courses:

Please contact the CPI team at eddev@brocku.ca

Information on Registration:

Register using the same process as you would for any other course. Complete the Course Registration/Withdrawal form, obtain approval and signatures from your program, and then submit/deliver the completed and signed form to the Faculty of Graduate Studies, who will manually register you.

Instructors: Natalie Currie-Patterson and Anne Readhead
Commences: Tuesday, Sept. 20, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., ST 103 (classes continue every second week; when there is a university closure, the class will resume the following week)

The credit course explores the theories and practices of teaching in the post-secondary environment. Students will engage in experiential approaches to course planning, instructional methods, evaluation and assessment, and reflective practice.

Students will:

  • identify and connect major theoretical perspectives in instructional design, student learning, assessment, and reflective practice
  • practice instructional and presentation skills in micro-teaching sessions
  • identify and develop formative and summative assessment strategies
  • practice skills in giving and receiving feedback
  • write a statement of teaching philosophy
  • create a teaching dossier representing significant teaching experiences and growth

READ BROCK NEWS STORY: Graduate student course a ‘gathering of practitioners’

This course is currently under review.

Instructor: –
Commences:

The course provides students with the opportunity to learn about best practices in academic and community collaborations and partnerships while gaining valuable real world experience. Students will meet bi-weekly throughout the year to discuss core principles in service learning and will engage in a community-based project in their field of interest. This course will allow students to understand how their skills and knowledge are transferable to work environments while also allowing for a positive contribution to a community organization.

Students will:

  • identify the theoretical perspectives that position community-based experiences within the service learning literature
  • share approaches, strategies and best practices with a cohort of graduate students from multiple disciplines and perspectives
  • participate in active service learning projects within the community
  • describe, verbally and in writing, the transferrable skills/competencies acquired through the service learning involvement such as teamwork, problem solving, communication and leadership

READ BROCK NEWS STORY: Course taps into benefits of service learning

TESTIMONIAL

Jill Planche doesn’t hesitate to recommend the CPI-taught credit course, The Theory and Practice of University Teaching (GRST 5P01), to other graduate students interested in elevating their pedagogical philosophy and practice to a higher level.

Jill graduated with a doctoral in Interdisciplinary Humanities and was a Brock TA. She has also been an online instructor for an Interactive Arts and Science course and a substitute instructor in the English department and Communications, Popular Culture and Film department.

For me, the most valuable reason for taking this course was to develop a better understanding of pedagogy and a chance to really think about the learning experience. The environment of the course is tremendously supportive and allows time to reflect on one’s role in academia.

GRST 5P01 was established six years ago in partnership with the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Students craft their teaching skills through an active learning setting that emphasizes experiential approaches to course planning, instructional methods, evaluation and assessment, and reflective practice.In completing the course, students create a professional teaching dossier, reviewed by the CPI instructors and peers in the course. Jill describes the dossier as an all-important framework to build a successful teaching career and has used her dossier several times when applying for sessional instructor positions.

Not only is a teaching dossier essential for the academic hiring process, but it allows you to critically assess your approach to students, learning and teaching, as well as your experience and education in the field,

—- Jill Planche, PhD in Interdisciplinary Humanities