Navigating Teaching and Learning at McMaster: A session for newer faculty
Date: Thursday, January 9, 2025
Time: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Format: Online
Location: Zoom
The Paul R. MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation and Excellence in Teaching (the MacPherson Institute) will be offering a 1-hour online synchronous session for newer faculty who have recently joined McMaster titled “Navigating Teaching at McMaster.” The offering is targeted at faculty who were unable to attend the New Faculty Orientation event offered this past August, or for those who attended but would like a quick refresher. At the “Navigating Teaching at McMaster” session, faculty will be provided with a resource and brief overview on the basics of teaching at McMaster, followed by time for a Q&A session.
If you have any questions about whether this session is appropriate for you, please feel welcome to reach out to Jenny Blaney (blaney@mcmaster.ca).
Sessional and Part-Time Faculty Orientation to Teaching and Learning
Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Time: 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Format: Online
Location: Zoom
This orientation is a live, 2-hour online event, designed for new sessional and part-time faculty members teaching at McMaster University. While particularly helpful for those new to teaching at McMaster or who may have missed previous orientations, it is open to anyone interested in attending.
You will gain valuable insights into McMaster’s teaching and learning environment, effective and supportive teaching practices, and practical information to help you get started or build confidence in the early stages of your teaching and learning career at McMaster.
Key topics include:
- Essential educational design principles to help you create effective and inclusive learning experiences.
- McMaster teaching and learning policies and guidelines selected specifically for new instructors at McMaster.
- MacPherson Institute resources and support available to you as a sessional or part-time faculty member, including tools and services for enhance your teaching.
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Training Fund for Sessional Faculty
This orientation is one of several teaching development opportunities for which current members of CUPE, Local 3906, Unit 2* may be compensated via the Training Fund for Sessional Faculty.
The Training Fund for Sessional Faculty provides limited, one-time payments for members who complete select training through the MacPherson Institute between September 1st and August 31st of each academic year. Payment is capped at $100 per member for each completed training, to a maximum of $300 (i.e., to a max of 3 completed training opportunities) per member, per year. Please see the Training Fund website for more information regarding eligibility, the submission procedure, and the submission deadline.
Please Note: If you received payment for attending a MacPherson Institute Sessional Faculty Orientation previously, you will NOT be eligible to receive payment for attending the orientation a second time.
*CUPE, Local 3906, Unit 2 represents all employees of McMaster University employed in Ontario as Sessional faculty, MELD faculty, and Hourly Rated Sessional Music faculty having full or joint full responsibility for the teaching of one or more University degree credit courses, except for those employed in the Faculty of Health Sciences.
New Faculty Orientation
Date: Thursday August 21, 2025
Time: TBD
Format: In-person
Location: TBD
New Faculty Orientation is an event that welcomes and provides an opportunity for new faculty at McMaster to hear from senior academic leaders about current university goals and challenges related to teaching and learning on campus.
It is also an event that helps connect newer faculty with more experienced faculty, providing a space to reflect on common teaching experiences, coupled with important information and guidance to help set new faculty up for success in their respective roles.
Attendees at New Faculty Orientation will also have the opportunity to meet with various partners on campus and familiarize themselves with available teaching-related resources, departments, and facilities during the Resource Fair.
Registration will be available at a later date.
Faculty Resource Fair
Date: Thursday August 21, 2025
Time: TBD
Format: In-person
Location: TBD
Join us to connect with various partners on campus to familiarize yourselves with the available teaching-related resources, departments, and facilities!
Campus partners have previously included:
- Academic Integrity Office
- AskResearch
- Avenue to Learn
- Campus Classroom Technologies
- Conference and Event Services
- Equity and Inclusion Office
- Faculty Development (FHS)
- Immediate Access Program
- INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning
- McMaster Libraries
- McMaster Office for the Development of English Language Learners
- McMaster Okanagan Office of Health & Wellbeing
- McMaster Research Ethics Board
- Office of Community Engagement
- Office of the Provost
- Open Educational Resources
- Scheduling and Examination Office
- School of Graduate Studies
- Student Accessibility Services
- Student Success Centre: Writing and Academic Skills
- Trauma Informed Pedagogy
- University Technology Services
- University Health and Safety
- Workplace Health & Well-being