When I first arrived at the University of Windsor, I had no idea there was such a thing as a Centre for Teaching and Learning. I spent several years here not knowing there were resources available to help with my teaching skills. I thought that professional development was only about how to write a better resume, and like many of my peers, I believed that learning to teach was a matter of trial and error. Eventually, I hoped to “grow into” being the kind of teacher I admired. Unfortunately, during the trial-and-error years, my students would have to suffer through some pretty boring or frustrating times. Since discovering the Centre for Teaching and Learning (or the CTL, as we usually call it), I’ve been taking advantage of as many opportunities as I can to improve my teaching. I’ve also enjoyed reading about what others are doing.
The CTL’s website can act as a gateway for anyone who wants to read more about Teaching and Learning. They have links to articles and sites where it’s easy to find helpful suggestions or find out what the research says about teaching and learning. You can find out quite a bit about what the CTL does by scanning through the menu on the left-hand side of the screen.
Today, I want to highlight the Teaching and Learning Resources section, where you can find the link to Links and Resources. The menu of links on the right-hand side of the screen is the gateway I mentioned above. For example, following the “Students” link can lead you to articles about working with first-year students, a website full of teaching tips, some PowerPoint presentations, as well as links to numerous other sites having to do with the student experience. Following the “Other” link can lead you to a series of links with other programs and associations. For example, the “Faculty Development Associates – Online Resources” link leads to a whole page of links to other sites at universities and organizations having to do with teaching and learning. When you have a few minutes, browse through these resources to see what might be useful for your own situation.
Warning: the links to links can be addictive and may affect your study schedule!
