Overview
A Certificate of Attendance is designed for individuals who may want to acquire general knowledge or training for career-related purposes, but who neither require nor seek any form of professional or academic recognition.
The Certificate of Attendance in Professional Development for Teaching (CoA) is a fully online, asynchronous learning opportunity that offers flexible pathways for learners to develop their understanding of effective post-secondary teaching. The CoA will be available for free to all individuals at McMaster with an active MacID (e.g., undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, sessional and part-time instructors, faculty, and staff).
Learners select and complete five asynchronous online modules from a thoughtfully curated list, allowing them to tailor their professional development to their individual interests and goals. To consolidate and demonstrate their growth, learners also complete one culminating assessment from a list of options, empowering them to showcase their learning in a format that best supports their career aspirations.
Intended Learning Outcomes
In completing the Certificate of Attendance, learners should be able to:
- Reflect on effective post-secondary teaching practices.
- Articulate insights gained from the professional development in teaching.
- Identify how the professional development in teaching may support their career aspirations.
Certificate of Attendance Structure
The Certificate of Attendance has the following structure:
- Cost: Free
- Format: Fully online, asynchronous
- Time Commitment: Flexible, self-paced
- Evaluation: Complete / incomplete (no additional feedback is provided)
To earn the Certificate of Attendance, learners complete two main components:
Learners select and complete five MacPherson Institute Learning Catalogue online asynchronous modules from the curated list below. Each module concludes with two mandatory reflection questions to support integration of learning into practice. Successful completion of five reflections will be confirmed at the final submission stage before learners are awarded their Certificate of Attendance.
Module Options:
- Accessible Teaching Techniques
- Active Learning
- Collecting Feedback on Your Teaching
- Crafting a Teaching Philosophy Statement
- Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Fundamentals
- Effective Teaching Strategies for Blended Learning
- Introduction to Generative AI for Educators
- Lesson Planning
- Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching
- Teaching Contentious Topics
- Trauma-Informed Pedagogy: The Fundamentals
- Universal Design for Learning
If you are brand new to exploring teaching and learning and you wish to develop a foundational understanding of good practices in pedagogy, some modules you might select and complete include:
- Lesson Planning
- Active Learning
- Accessible Teaching Techniques
- Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching
- Collecting Feedback on Your Teaching
After completing the modules, learners select and complete one culminating assessment (200–500 words) from the list of options below. This assessment helps consolidate learning and demonstrate growth in relation to career aspirations. Successful completion of a culminating assessment will be confirmed at the final submission stage before learners are awarded their Certificate of Attendance.
The Culminating Assessment Options:
- Sharing a Peer Teaching Resource: A teaching tip, strategy, or resource you found valuable, with an explanation of why and how it can be applied.
- Teaching Artifact with Annotations: A new or revised teaching artifact with a brief annotation explaining the rationale for the design choices.
- Teaching Portfolio Write-Up: An entry about the Certificate of Attendance suitable for inclusion in your teaching portfolio, with reflection on the modules and culminating assessment completed, the learning gained, and how it will be applied.
- Letter to Your Future Self: A reflective letter to yourself outlining what you hope to remember and apply from the Certificate of Attendance 6-12 months from now.
- Professional Development Roadmap: A plan that identifies your next steps for professional development, including a timeline and rationale.
Certificate of Attendance Checklist for Completion
Before submitting their materials, learners will ensure that they have:
- Completed five modules from the curated list.
- Completed the two reflection questions provided at the end of each module via the Microsoft Form; they must save a PDF of each form submission so they can submit it as proof of completion. To save a form submission as a PDF:
- Once the form is submitted, you will be taken to a confirmation page
- Select the ellipsis (…) in the top right corner
- Select “Print Response”
- In the printer selection, use the “Save as PDF” option and save to your computer or device
- Completed one culminating assessment from the approved list of options (200–500 words).
- Clearly labeled all files (e.g., Lastname_CoA_Module1Reflection, Lastname_CoA_Assessment).
Once learners have completed all of the above requirements, they are to submit their five module reflections and culminating assessment via the Certificate of Attendance Checklist and Submission Form. Their submission will be reviewed on a complete / incomplete basis. If complete, their Certificate of Attendance will be issued via email at the end of the academic term during which they completed it.
Certificate of Attendance Structure FAQs
Expandable List
The following Frequently Asked Questions will provide an overview of questions learners might have about the Certificate of Attendance in Professional Development for Teaching.
A Certificate of Attendance acknowledges that an individual has participated in a set of activities at McMaster University that does not meet the requirements of an academic program as there is no evaluation of learning. Such activities are designed to meet the interests and objectives of individuals who may want to acquire general knowledge or training for career related purposes, but who neither require nor seek any form of professional or academic recognition. As such a Certificate of Attendance is not categorized as being at the undergraduate or graduate level.
Anyone at McMaster with an active MacID may earn the Certificate of Attendance (e.g., undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, sessional and part-time instructors, faculty, and staff).
Previously completed Learning Catalogue modules can count towards the Certificate of Attendance if:
- the modules are on the list of module options for the Certificate of Attendance
- you have completed and saved your responses to the two reflection questions at the end of each module to submit as proof of completion.
You will need to submit your reflection question responses for FIVE modules from the list of options, as well as one completed culminating assessment as proof of completion through the submission form. Please refer to the “Structure” tab for more information.
There is no cost to complete the Certificate of Attendance.
You can complete the Certificate of Attendance as quickly or slowly as you like (whether that be over days, weeks, or years), as long as the Certificate of Attendance is still being offered. It is anticipated that it will take approximately 7.5-10 hours to complete the requirements for the Certificate of Attendance.
Individuals will complete the submission form, which will include a place for them to upload / submit their reflections (for FIVE modules) and culminating assessment. The MacPherson Institute will evaluate submissions on a complete / incomplete basis. If complete, their Certificate of Attendance will be issued.
After the MacPherson Institute has confirmed that all the requirements have been successfully submitted via the submission form, your Certificate of Attendance will be prepared and emailed to you at the end of the academic term during which you completed it.
At McMaster, a Certificate of Attendance simply acknowledges that an individual has participated in a set of activities. There is no evaluation of learning. You will not receive feedback on the work you submit. Rather, your Certificate of Attendance will be assessed on a complete / incomplete basis.
No, the Certificate of Attendance will not be reflected on any official transcript.
Please feel welcome to reach out to mi@mcmaster.ca with any questions you might have about the Certificate of Attendance in Professional Development for Teaching.