Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation

Reconciliation in Practice: A Learning Community for Faculty and Staff
2026-03-27 12:10 - 13:00 (America/Toronto)
Facilitator: Sarah Peirce, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Arts & ScienceThe Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation’s Reconciliation in Practice: A Learning Community for Faculty and Staff is a monthly professional learning series that offers a reflective and supportive space for faculty and staff who wish to engage more meaningfully with reconciliation in their teaching, research, service, and daily practices. Each month, participants are introduced to a concrete, accessible strategy drawn from reconciliation-focused resources and scholarship. These strategies guide reflection and action, encouraging participants to explore their roles, responsibilities, and relationships within the university context. Sessions are designed to be accessible and action-oriented. Participants will explore themes such as learning Indigenous histories, building respectful relationships, challenging colonial habits, and integrating reconciliation into their professional and personal lives. While all are welcome, the series is especially supportive of non-Indigenous faculty and staff who are seeking to build understanding, reflect with humility, and take ongoing action in respectful and responsible ways. This is a reflective, supportive, and non-judgmental space where members commit to learning with humility and taking responsibility for their part in reconciliation. Learning Outcomes By participating in this community, members will: • Engage with reconciliation as an ongoing personal and professional practice grounded in Indigenous- and settler-informed perspectives. • Reflect critically and honestly on their roles and responsibilities within academic and institutional contexts. • Apply selected reconciliation strategies to their own contexts (e.g., teaching, collaboration, governance, mentorship). • Build capacity for relational accountability, humility, and allyship in their work. • Participate in a community of practice that encourages sustained, collective, and evolving learning. Community Commitments This community supports faculty and staff in approaching reconciliation as a long-term relational process, not as a checklist. We agree to approach this work with: • Humility: recognizing what we don’t know and being open to discomfort • Accountability: taking responsibility for our learning and action • Respect: for Indigenous perspectives, for one another, and for the land • Reflection: not only on what we learn, but how we carry it forward We understand that reconciliation involves both inner work and outward change—in our classrooms, committees, collaborations, and beyond. Upcoming Sessions The Reconciliation in Practice community meets on the last Friday of the month from 12:10 pm to 1 pm. Upcoming 2025–26 dates include: • September 26, 2025 (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6026) • October 31, 2025 (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6027) • November 28, 2025 (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6028) • January 30, 2026 (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6029) • February 27, 2026 (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6030) • March 27, 2026 • April 24, 2026 (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6033)

Getting started with Generative AI Tools at U of T
2026-03-31 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-04-14 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-04-28 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-05-12 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-05-26 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-06-09 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-06-23 14:00 - 15:00
Join us for an interactive virtual drop-in session designed for University of Toronto instructors and staff. We will provide an overview of the approved generative AI tools at the University and give demonstrations which will provide you with the opportunity to get hands-on experience with the suite of approved tools.Focus: Our primary goal is to familiarize you with how to access and use generative AI tools in a secure and responsible manner. We’ll guide you through logging in with privacy protections in place and compare the differences between the various technologies.What to Expect:• A comparison of the various approved generative AI tools at the University of Toronto.• A walkthrough of the secure login process for accessing U of T–approved generative AI tools.• Live demonstrations of key features across various generative AI platforms.• Open Q&A to address your questions, concerns, or ideas.Drop in anytime between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM—stay for a few minutes or the full session!Don’t miss this chance to explore how approved generative AI tools can support your day-to-day work and enrich your teaching and research. We look forward to helping you confidently engage with these innovative tools.

UDL Conversation with Adriana Grimaldi
2026-04-01 11:30 - 12:00
Adriana Grimaldi, Acting Senior Educational Developer, RGASC, Sessional Lecturer, Italian Studies and Education Studies, Department of Language Studies, University of Toronto Mississauga Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (https://teaching.utoronto.ca/teaching-uoft-udl/) is an educational framework that leverages the values of accessibility and inclusion in designing accessible, inclusive, and usable methods, materials, and environments that reduce learning barriers and welcome learner variability. The UDL Conversations Series (https://teaching.utoronto.ca/teaching-uoft-udl/udl-programming/udl-conversations/) highlights practices and considerations from U of T staff and instructors. Come chat with and learn from our community in fostering accessible and inclusive teaching and learning for all.

Demystifying the Dossier: Preparing the Teaching Dossier
2026-04-06 13:00 - 15:00
This session provides an overview of the teaching dossier and offers strategies for preparing a coherent, well-evidenced document for formal review (e.g., tenure or continuing status). Participants will map out dossier components, connect them through a reflective narrative, and engage with divisional guidelines to guide the structure of their dossiers. Learning Outcomes Participants will be able to: • Identify the core components and structure of a teaching dossier • Align dossier content with divisional guidelines on teaching effectiveness • Frame evidence of teaching and leadership in alignment with personal values • Plan steps to develop, edit, and refine a dossier for review Upcoming Sessions This session is part of Reflection in Practice, a four-part series inviting faculty to explore how reflection can serve as a foundation for effective, evidence-informed, and values-driven teaching. Participants will engage with structured reflection strategies to deepen their understanding of their own teaching, prepare strong teaching statements and dossiers, and cultivate meaningful feedback cultures in their coursework. Sessions are interactive and cumulative, but faculty are welcome to attend individual workshops that align with their interests or needs. • Feedback on the Fly: Creating a Feedback Culture in your Teaching (October 30, 2025) (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/5971) – Explore strategies for building a sustainable culture of feedback in your courses, including approaches to gathering and responding to student input in ways that support learning and inform your teaching practice. • Reflective Educator as Leader: Reflective Practices for Values-Driven Teaching (December 9, 2025) (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/5972) – Connect your core teaching values to your leadership in the classroom, curriculum, and community, and learn strategies for framing this work in teaching. • Demystifying the Dossier: Drafting Your Statement of Teaching Philosophy (February 19, 2026) (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/5973) – Learn how to craft a clear, evidence-informed Statement of Teaching Philosophy that conveys your values, practices, and impact. • Demystifying the Dossier: Preparing the Teaching Dossier (April 6, 2026) – Get an overview of dossier structure and strategies for creating a coherent, well-supported document for tenure or continuing status review.

Building Trust Through Transparent AI Communication
2026-04-21 12:10 - 13:00
Facilitator: Victoria Sheldon, Educational Developer, Teaching, Learning and Technology, CTSI As AI tools become part of everyday practices, clear communication about responsible AI use in your course becomes an important consideration. Grounded in the University of Toronto AI Task Force’s principles (https://ai.utoronto.ca/u-of-t-ai-task-force/report/), this session takes a pedagogy-driven approach to articulating AI expectations that build trust and transparency between instructors and students. In this session, you will explore how to: • Develop syllabus statements and assignment instructions that clearly communicate when, why, and how AI can (or cannot) be used • Align AI policies with your learning objectives while acknowledging the realities students face • Navigate common questions and challenging conversations about AI use in your classroom • Create frameworks for ongoing dialogue rather than one-time policy statements This session provides practical strategies for communicating AI expectations in ways that support student learning. Whether you are developing your AI communication approach or refining existing strategies, we will explore how transparent communication about GenAI serves both pedagogical goals and student development, helping learners build critical judgment about appropriate resource use.

Reconciliation in Practice: A Learning Community for Faculty and Staff
2026-04-24 12:10 - 13:00
Facilitator: Sarah Peirce, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Arts & ScienceThe Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation’s Reconciliation in Practice: A Learning Community for Faculty and Staff is a monthly professional learning series that offers a reflective and supportive space for faculty and staff who wish to engage more meaningfully with reconciliation in their teaching, research, service, and daily practices. Each month, participants are introduced to a concrete, accessible strategy drawn from reconciliation-focused resources and scholarship. These strategies guide reflection and action, encouraging participants to explore their roles, responsibilities, and relationships within the university context. Sessions are designed to be accessible and action-oriented. Participants will explore themes such as learning Indigenous histories, building respectful relationships, challenging colonial habits, and integrating reconciliation into their professional and personal lives. While all are welcome, the series is especially supportive of non-Indigenous faculty and staff who are seeking to build understanding, reflect with humility, and take ongoing action in respectful and responsible ways. This is a reflective, supportive, and non-judgmental space where members commit to learning with humility and taking responsibility for their part in reconciliation. Learning Outcomes By participating in this community, members will: • Engage with reconciliation as an ongoing personal and professional practice grounded in Indigenous- and settler-informed perspectives. • Reflect critically and honestly on their roles and responsibilities within academic and institutional contexts. • Apply selected reconciliation strategies to their own contexts (e.g., teaching, collaboration, governance, mentorship). • Build capacity for relational accountability, humility, and allyship in their work. • Participate in a community of practice that encourages sustained, collective, and evolving learning. Community Commitments This community supports faculty and staff in approaching reconciliation as a long-term relational process, not as a checklist. We agree to approach this work with: • Humility: recognizing what we don’t know and being open to discomfort • Accountability: taking responsibility for our learning and action • Respect: for Indigenous perspectives, for one another, and for the land • Reflection: not only on what we learn, but how we carry it forward We understand that reconciliation involves both inner work and outward change—in our classrooms, committees, collaborations, and beyond. Upcoming Sessions The Reconciliation in Practice community meets on the last Friday of the month from 12:10 pm to 1 pm. Upcoming 2025–26 dates include: • September 26, 2025 (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6026) • October 31, 2025 (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6027) • November 28, 2025 (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6028) • January 30, 2026 (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6029) • February 27, 2026 (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6030) • March 27, 2026 (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6032) • April 24, 2026

UDL Express: MOVE into Accessibility: Meaning
2026-05-28 11:30 - 12:00
Looking for simple, high-impact ways to make your course materials more accessible and welcoming? Join us for UDL Express: MOVE into Accessibility, a hands-on summer webinar series designed to support small, meaningful improvements in digital course content. This four-part series introduces the MOVE framework—Meaning, Organization, Versatility, and Engagement—as a set of purpose-first design checks that help reduce common barriers to learning. Rather than focusing on tools alone, MOVE invites instructors to reflect on design intent and make one practical improvement to their course materials that can be applied immediately. Each 30-minute session focuses on one element of the MOVE framework, with examples drawn from Word documents, PowerPoint slides, and Quercus course spaces. Sessions combine brief demonstrations with guided time to work on participants’ own materials, so you leave having made a real accessibility improvement—not just with ideas for later. Whether you’re revising a course syllabus, refreshing lecture slides, or preparing Quercus materials, this series offers approachable strategies that support accessibility and inclusion for a wide range of learners. Session Schedule and Topics • Meaning: Make intent clear. Focus on clarity and purpose through descriptive links, meaningful alt text, plain language, and captions or transcripts that add context. (Thursday, May 28, 11:30 am to 12 pm)• Organization: Make the structure obvious. Use built-in heading styles, chunking, true lists, and clear page or module overviews to support navigation and comprehension. (Thursday, June 11, 11:30 am to 12 pm (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6507))• Versatility: Make materials work across contexts. Check contrast, captions, file formats, and mobile usability so course materials function well across devices, tools, and learning environments. (Thursday, June 25, 11:30 am to 12 pm (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6508)) • Engagement: Make learning welcoming and motivating. Incorporate inclusive examples, small choices, and brief reflection prompts that invite participation and support learner connection. (Thursday, July 9, 11:30 am to 12 pm (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6509)) Learning Outcomes By the end of this series, participants will be able to: • Identify four key design checks for accessible and inclusive course materials using the MOVE framework. • Apply quick, high-impact improvements to digital content in Word, PowerPoint, and Quercus. • Make purposeful design decisions in course materials that reduce barriers and support learner engagement.

UDL Express: MOVE into Accessibility: Organization
2026-06-11 11:30 - 12:00
Looking for simple, high-impact ways to make your course materials more accessible and welcoming? Join us for UDL Express: MOVE into Accessibility, a hands-on summer webinar series designed to support small, meaningful improvements in digital course content. This four-part series introduces the MOVE framework—Meaning, Organization, Versatility, and Engagement—as a set of purpose-first design checks that help reduce common barriers to learning. Rather than focusing on tools alone, MOVE invites instructors to reflect on design intent and make one practical improvement to their course materials that can be applied immediately. Each 30-minute session focuses on one element of the MOVE framework, with examples drawn from Word documents, PowerPoint slides, and Quercus course spaces. Sessions combine brief demonstrations with guided time to work on participants’ own materials, so you leave having made a real accessibility improvement—not just with ideas for later. Whether you’re revising a course syllabus, refreshing lecture slides, or preparing Quercus materials, this series offers approachable strategies that support accessibility and inclusion for a wide range of learners. Session Schedule and Topics• Meaning: Make intent clear. Focus on clarity and purpose through descriptive links, meaningful alt text, plain language, and captions or transcripts that add context. (Thursday, May 28, 11:30 am to 12 pm (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6504))• Organization: Make the structure obvious. Use built-in heading styles, chunking, true lists, and clear page or module overviews to support navigation and comprehension. (Thursday, June 11, 11:30 am to 12 pm)• Versatility: Make materials work across contexts. Check contrast, captions, file formats, and mobile usability so course materials function well across devices, tools, and learning environments. (Thursday, June 25, 11:30 am to 12 pm (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6508))• Engagement: Make learning welcoming and motivating. Incorporate inclusive examples, small choices, and brief reflection prompts that invite participation and support learner connection. (Thursday, July 9, 11:30 am to 12 pm (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6509)) Learning Outcomes By the end of this series, participants will be able to: • Identify four key design checks for accessible and inclusive course materials using the MOVE framework. • Apply quick, high-impact improvements to digital content in Word, PowerPoint, and Quercus. • Make purposeful design decisions in course materials that reduce barriers and support learner engagement.

UDL Express: MOVE into Accessibility: Versatility
2026-06-25 11:30 - 12:00
Looking for simple, high-impact ways to make your course materials more accessible and welcoming? Join us for UDL Express: MOVE into Accessibility, a hands-on summer webinar series designed to support small, meaningful improvements in digital course content. This four-part series introduces the MOVE framework—Meaning, Organization, Versatility, and Engagement—as a set of purpose-first design checks that help reduce common barriers to learning. Rather than focusing on tools alone, MOVE invites instructors to reflect on design intent and make one practical improvement to their course materials that can be applied immediately. Each 30-minute session focuses on one element of the MOVE framework, with examples drawn from Word documents, PowerPoint slides, and Quercus course spaces. Sessions combine brief demonstrations with guided time to work on participants’ own materials, so you leave having made a real accessibility improvement—not just with ideas for later. Whether you’re revising a course syllabus, refreshing lecture slides, or preparing Quercus materials, this series offers approachable strategies that support accessibility and inclusion for a wide range of learners. Session Schedule and Topics• Meaning: Make intent clear. Focus on clarity and purpose through descriptive links, meaningful alt text, plain language, and captions or transcripts that add context. (Thursday, May 28, 11:30 am to 12 pm (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6504))• Organization: Make the structure obvious. Use built-in heading styles, chunking, true lists, and clear page or module overviews to support navigation and comprehension. (Thursday, June 11, 11:30 am to 12 pm (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6507))• Versatility: Make materials work across contexts. Check contrast, captions, file formats, and mobile usability so course materials function well across devices, tools, and learning environments. (Thursday, June 25, 11:30 am to 12 pm)• Engagement: Make learning welcoming and motivating. Incorporate inclusive examples, small choices, and brief reflection prompts that invite participation and support learner connection. (Thursday, July 9, 11:30 am to 12 pm (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6509)) Learning Outcomes By the end of this series, participants will be able to: • Identify four key design checks for accessible and inclusive course materials using the MOVE framework. • Apply quick, high-impact improvements to digital content in Word, PowerPoint, and Quercus. • Make purposeful design decisions in course materials that reduce barriers and support learner engagement.

UDL Express: MOVE into Accessibility: Engagement
2026-07-09 11:30 - 12:00
Looking for simple, high-impact ways to make your course materials more accessible and welcoming? Join us for UDL Express: MOVE into Accessibility, a hands-on summer webinar series designed to support small, meaningful improvements in digital course content. This four-part series introduces the MOVE framework—Meaning, Organization, Versatility, and Engagement—as a set of purpose-first design checks that help reduce common barriers to learning. Rather than focusing on tools alone, MOVE invites instructors to reflect on design intent and make one practical improvement to their course materials that can be applied immediately. Each 30-minute session focuses on one element of the MOVE framework, with examples drawn from Word documents, PowerPoint slides, and Quercus course spaces. Sessions combine brief demonstrations with guided time to work on participants’ own materials, so you leave having made a real accessibility improvement—not just with ideas for later. Whether you’re revising a course syllabus, refreshing lecture slides, or preparing Quercus materials, this series offers approachable strategies that support accessibility and inclusion for a wide range of learners. Session Schedule and Topics• Meaning: Make intent clear. Focus on clarity and purpose through descriptive links, meaningful alt text, plain language, and captions or transcripts that add context. (Thursday, May 28, 11:30 am to 12 pm (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6504))• Organization: Make the structure obvious. Use built-in heading styles, chunking, true lists, and clear page or module overviews to support navigation and comprehension. (Thursday, June 11, 11:30 am to 12 pm (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6507))• Versatility: Make materials work across contexts. Check contrast, captions, file formats, and mobile usability so course materials function well across devices, tools, and learning environments. (Thursday, June 25, 11:30 am to 12 pm (https://ctsi.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/6508))• Engagement: Make learning welcoming and motivating. Incorporate inclusive examples, small choices, and brief reflection prompts that invite participation and support learner connection. (Thursday, July 9, 11:30 am to 12 pm) Learning Outcomes By the end of this series, participants will be able to: • Identify four key design checks for accessible and inclusive course materials using the MOVE framework. • Apply quick, high-impact improvements to digital content in Word, PowerPoint, and Quercus. • Make purposeful design decisions in course materials that reduce barriers and support learner engagement.
