Learning 2 Lead Leading 2 Learn

reflections on higher education, executive coaching, and leadership

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Higher Education Leader. Executive & Organizational Coach. Perfectly Imperfect Human, Mother & Partner. Lifelong Learner & Mindfulness Practitioner (emphasis on the practice!).

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  • Authentic Assessment Moves beyond the Workplace

    Authentic Assessment Moves beyond the Workplace

    I was inspired to read this paper on authentic assessment, which confirms that when we refer to authentic assessment practices in higher education we must move “from a primary focus on workplaces and assessment performance to a broader focus that includes students and societal needs” (Zhan et al., 2025). Research findings Zhan et al. (2025)…

  • What’s changed? Research informed principles for teaching in higher education

    As we embark on a new academic year, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be an effective educator in higher education. I have to admit that I struggle with the word effective recognizing that teaching and learning are complex and nuanced. Developing teaching expertise is a consistent practice that is supported…

  • Essential questions to inspire engagement during curriculum review

    I am currently planning for an upcoming session at the University of Guelph’s annual Teaching and Learning Innovations Conference (TLI). Described by Associate Vice-President Academic, Dr. Serge Desmarais, as our annual “group hug”, this conference provides the academic community with an incredible opportunity to celebrate our collective commitment to teaching and learning.   This year’s conference…

  • Strategic Planning for Prioritization: Developing the Confidence and Clarity to Say “No”

    One of the things I continually hear from colleagues in educational development is that we struggle to say “no” to the ever-increasing demands that we face in our roles.  In order to help us establish our key priorities and goals for 2014, our educational development unit recently embarked on a strategic planning process to help…

  • Learner-Centred Principles for Teaching in Higher Education

    In preparing for an upcoming faculty workshop, I was inspired to think about foundational principles for promoting a learner-centred approach to teaching in higher education.  I had an opportunity to reflect back on Chickering and Gamson’s (1987) 7 principles for good practice in undergraduate education,  Ramsden’s (2003) 13 principles for effective university teaching; Maryellen Weimer’s…

  • Strategic Directions for Educational Development

    As I prepare for the upcoming Faculty Engagement in Educational Development (FEED) Summit to be hosted by the the Council of Ontario Universities, the Council of Ontario Educational Developers and McMaster University, as well as on some recent publications such as Christensen Hughes and Mighty (2010) and Grabrove et al. (2012),  it is incredible to…

  • SOARing High: Supporting the Development of an Educational Development (ED) Philosophy Statement

    As the profession and practice of Educational Development (ED) continues to evolve and expand, the importance of evidencing the impact of our practices has never been clearer.  Educational Development portfolios provide a powerful means by which to communicate the diversity and richness of our ED practices, as well as to provide evidence of our increasing…

  • A shift from Active Learning to Active Assessment

    Sourced from the ever brilliant: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gforsythe/8204963410/sizes/z/in/set-72157626965187420/ I think there is an important shift happening in higher education today.  Just as there was a shift from passive learning to actively learning, much inspired by Barr & Tagg’s (1995) seminal article From Teaching to Learning A New Paradigm for Undergraduate Education, I believe there is a current…

  • The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

    Photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gforsythe/5617505546/in/set-72157626965187420 Yesterday, I had the pleasure of participating in the three-hour graduate student Winter Teaching Workshop, offered here at the University of Guelph.  This year’s focus was on the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL).  SoTL has certainly received increased attention in higher education, and is said to combine the experience of teaching,…

  • What is Learner-Centredness?

    OK, I have to admit that I am guilty.  I work for an institution that describes itself as learner-centred, and I teach a course on University Teaching in which I aspire to create a learner-centred environment.  Until this point, I don’t think I have taken the time to ACTUALLY articulated (yes, I would say that…