Centre for Teaching and Learning

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General Inquiries

For DC faculty inquiries regarding:

  • Teaching, assessment, and/or course development/revision
  • In-house CTL services
  • CTL-hosted professional development

email ctl@durhamcollege.ca

DC Connect / edTech

For DC faculty inquiries regarding:

  • DC Connect support
  • DC Connect updates
  • DC-supported educational technologies including extended reality (XR)

email dcconnect@durhamcollege.ca

WebCOT

For DC faculty inquiries regarding:

  • Creating and editing course outlines in WebCOT
  • WebCOT updates
  • WebCOT support

email webcot@durhamcollege.ca

CTL ACADEMIC

AI generated photo of Amanda Maknyik

Amanda Maknyik

Dean / Teaching, Learning & Program Quality

Prior to joining the CTL team at Durham College, Amanda was an educator in the post-secondary sector for over a decade as a program coordinator, academic advisor, professor and lab instructor, and has been deeply involved in program, course, curriculum and instructional development. Amanda brings a passion for faculty mentorship, guidance and collaboration, with a particular interest in assessment strategies, learner engagement and experiential teaching and learning. Amanda will be responsible for managing the teaching and learning portfolio at the CTL, including the new faculty orientation programs and the College Teaching Certificate.

Amanda was a recipient of the NISOD Award of Excellence in Teaching and Learning. She has also been involved with the AAVSB in the development of the professional exam for Registered Veterinary Technicians in North America (VTNE), and was a long standing Director on the Board of the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians. Amanda holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree, a Veterinary Technician diploma from Seneca, a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Toronto - OISE, and a Masters of Education in Curriculum, Teaching & Learning from the University of Calgary.

In her off time, Amanda has a love for kickboxing, scuba diving, good food and petting dogs, and has an active family with her husband, 2 children and Rottweiler, London.

Ask me about:

  • Teaching & Learning
  • Course Development
  • Assessment / Rubrics
  • College Teaching Certificate
  • Academic Integrity
  • New Faculty Orientation
  • Quality Assurance
  • New Program Development
  • Program Review and Renewal
  • Curriculum
  • CQAAP

Email Amanda

Fun Fact

Along with supporting her portfolios the CTL, Amanda also oversees Student Academic Learning Services (SALS).

Learn about SALS

AI generated photo of Kendra Down

Kendra Hambly

Administrative Assistant / Centre for Teaching and Learning

Kendra joined the Centre for Teaching and Learning as an Administrative Assistant in May 2022. As the front-line contact person in the department, Kendra will answer a variety of questions related to CTL supports, and assist faculty in connecting with the appropriate person to provide any required assistance.

Previously, Kendra worked as an Executive Administrative Assistant in the Developmental Services sector where she supported management, various Boards, and provincial groups. Kendra is a proud Durham College alumna, holding a diploma in the Office Administration - Executive program. Kendra also holds an advanced diploma from Fleming College's Massage Therapy program and worked several years in the healthcare field.

Ask me about:

  • CTL General Inquiries
  • CTL Hosted Professional Development & Events
  • CTL Room Bookings:
    • Faculty Playground (SW101B)
    • CTL North (B240G)

Email Kendra

ACADEMIC QUALITY

AI generated photo of Dr. Jean Choi

Dr. Jean Choi

Executive Dean / Teaching, Learning & Program Quality

As dean for the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Jean is responsible for strategic oversight of program development, review and renewal; academic quality assurance; teaching and learning; eLearning; flexible delivery; and Student Academic Learning Services (SALS).

Jean brings more than 20 years of post-secondary experience to Durham College as an academic and administrative leader in post-secondary institutions across Canada. She has a deep understanding of provincial policy frameworks and is experienced in developing high-impact teaching and digital learning initiatives. She is currently the co-Chair of the Program Planning Committee for the Learning Outcomes Symposium, co-editor of the Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and on the executive committee of the Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada.

Jean holds a Ph.D. and Master of Arts in Experimental Psychology from York University in Toronto, and a Bachelor of Arts, Honours in Psychology from Western University in London, Ontario.

Ask me about:

  • Teaching & Learning
  • Curriculum
  • Quality Assurance

Email Jean

Fun Fact

Jean is also Executive Dean of the Faculty of Liberal Studies (LS) and Professional and Part-Time Learning (PPL).

Learn about LS Learn about PPL

AI generated photo of Andrea Murdoch

Andrea Murdoch

Administrative Assistant / Academic Quality

Andrea became a member of the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) as the new an Administrative Assistant for the Quality Assurance team in June 2022. As she works to support the Associate Dean, and Managers of the Quality Assurance team, Andrea works on various projects with the team, supporting CQAAP, college-wide committees and meetings.

Prior to CTL, Andrea worked as the Operational and Administrative Assistant in the Faculty of Science Engineering and Information Technology (SEIT) at Durham College. While working in her position, she supported the role of Administrative Coordinator, the Associate Deans and management, and was the lead for all of the Program Advisory Committee meetings for all of the SEIT programs. Andrea is a proud Alumni of Durham College as she graduated from the Office Administrative Program with Honours. Prior to Durham College, Andrea studied at Carleton University and holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours Psychology Degree with a minor in Health Psychology.

Outside of work, Andrea enjoys playing sports, spending time with her loved ones, and enjoying the outdoors.

Ask me about:

  • General CTL Inquiries
  • General Academic Quality Inquiries

Email Andrea

AI generated photo of Briar Jamieson

Briar Jamieson

Manager, Academic Quality Assurance

Briar Jamieson has project managed and delivered online learning programs for the past nine years. Combining her skills in human resources and public education, Briar built Manitoba's first e-learning program for newcomers learning ESL. She launched Canada's first online conference for ESL educators. Working alongside technology, multimedia and curriculum specialists, Briar enjoys bringing courses to development in both online and blended formats, and refining delivery through iterative feedback. Prior to joining Durham College, Briar ran an e-learning consultancy building client’s capacity to develop online strategies. She holds a Master's degree in Educational Technology from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto.

Ask me about:

  • Program Reviews
  • Academic Program Changes
  • Program Renewal

Email Briar

AI generated photo of Anna Natoli

Anna Natoli

Manager, Program and Curriculum Development

Anna has been a member of the administrative team at Durham College since June 2017. She brings years of experience in teaching and learning in post-secondary education in addition to her most recent experience in the college sector supporting new program development and program quality processes. As a team member of the Centre for Teaching and Learning, her area of responsibility is to support the Faculties to develop new programs, to provide curricular support on existing programs and to facilitate curriculum mapping for programs undergoing comprehensive program review at Durham College.

Anna is a graduate of Durham College holding a diploma in Business Administration: Production and Operations Management and more recently a certificate in Teaching and Training Adults. Her pursuit of higher education led to the completion of a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) and a Master of Philosophy (Humanities) with a focus on the sociology of education and feminist and anti-racist pedagogy, and partial completion of a doctorate in Women’s Studies.

Ask me about:

  • Curriculum
  • New Program Development
  • Curriculum Mapping

Email Anna

AI generated photo of Jessica Anderson

Jessica Anderson

Program and Curriculum Consultant

Prior to joining the CTL as a Program and Curriculum Consultant, Jessica was a full-time instructor at Durham College. Since getting her BEd in 2005, she has held many teaching positions within the secondary and post-secondary education systems, bringing extensive knowledge and experience to her role in the CTL. After starting her post-secondary teaching career at DC, Jessica taught in the General Arts and Science and Academic Upgrading programs. In 2014, she became a full-time instructor for the General Arts and Science Health Prep and the Pre-Health Science programs. While teaching for the Pre-Health Science program, Jessica was also a program coordinator for four years. She recently went back to teaching in the secondary panel when her family moved to Kenora, ON. She is now back in the Durham Region and is excited to be part of the CTL team. She holds a BSc (Lakehead University), a BEd (Lakehead University), and an MEd (Central Michigan University).

Outside of work, Jessica is a busy mom of three children and two dogs. She enjoys music, knitting, reading, and family adventures.

Ask me about:

  • New Program Development (Non-Degree)
  • Teaching and Learning

Email Jessica

AI generated photo of Jasmeet Kaur

Jasmeet Kaur

Data Anaylst

Jasmeet joined the Quality Assurance team in August 2022 as our new part-time Data Analyst. Jasmeet is currently enrolled in the Artificial Intelligence Analysis, Design and Implementation graduate certificate program at DC and holds a Bachelor of Computer Engineering from the University of Delhi and a graduate certificate in Business Analytics from Seneca. She brings with her knowledge and experience in Tableau, Power Platform and data analytics.

Ask me about:

  • Tableau
  • Microsoft Power Platform
  • Program Learning Outcomes Repository (PLOR)
  • WebCOT

Email Jasmeet

ELEARNING

AI generated photo of Tanya Wakelin

Tanya Wakelin

Manager, eLearning

Tanya holds a Honours Bachelor of Arts degree, a Bachelor of Education from Queens University, a Masters of Arts in Higher Education Administration and Leadership from Royal Roads University, and a Masters Certificate in Project Management. Tanya joined DC in 2016 as eLearning Manager where she directed the development of online courses and learning objects for Corporate Training Services. As eLearning Manager in the CTL, Tanya is responsible for managing faculty support and professional development for DC Connect, educational technology, and multimedia.

Prior to joining the DC, Tanya taught in the classroom before deciding her passion was in online education and course development. She spent seven years at a private eLearning company, where she had senior oversight of the development of online educational courses and government regulatory compliance through Transport Canada and the U.S.C.G.

If she’s not at work, her nose is deep in a book with a mug of tea, or hanging out with her husband, two sons and dog.

Ask me about:

  • eLearning Course Development
  • Multimedia Project Requests
  • CTL Monthly
  • Flexible Delivery Planning
  • Extended Reality (XR)
  • Microsoft Office 365
  • Zoom
  • DC-supported Educational Technology

Email Tanya

Fun Fact

Tanya is the current Educational Technology Committee Chair.

Learn about ETC

AI generated photo of Jonelle Arendoque

Jonelle Arendoque

Multimedia Specialist / Project Coordinator • Graphic Design & Simulation

As a proud Durham College alumna and graduate of Multimedia Design, Jonelle has worked for a variety of companies and clients, tallying 20+ years of multi-industry experience in her career. Through her previous team and leadership roles, Jonelle has gained a wealth of experience in entertainment, course development, online advertising, software development, fitness, retail, online gaming, and education, leading to not only industry recognition but the receipt of several team and personal awards over the years. Surrounded by a network of support, knowledge, and inspiration, Jonelle brings a passion for creative, visual, UX, and interactive design to her work at DC.

In the CTL, Jonelle creates a variety of multimedia assets - including graphics, interactive learning objects, simulations and video - used in courses, digital communications, workshops and for CTL events. She also manages all social media accounts for the department, creating, writing, and curating posted content; develops many of the templates used for various print and digital department assets; along with curating, writing, and developing content for the CTL Monthly - a newsletter from the CTL that is shared with all DC faculty and admin each month during the academic year.

Ask me about:

Email Jonelle

Fun Fact

Jonelle currently represents support staff on the DC College Council. She is also the CTL shop steward for OPSEU Local 353.

Learn about DC College Council Learn about OPSEU Local 353

AI generated photo of Erin Banit

Erin Banit

Multimedia Specialist • Video & Animation

Erin has a background in multimedia design and has worked at Durham College since 2003. As part of the eLearning team in the CTL, she develops a variety of eLearning resources, with a focus on video. Erin also supports faculty to create their own multimedia resources and enjoys finding creative multimedia solutions to assist with student learning and engagement. She has experience working on a variety of project types, in varying roles such as coordinator, project lead, consultant and developer. Erin also brings an online and face-to-face teaching perspective to her role, through part-time teaching experience in two academic schools.

Ask me about:

  • Course Video / Interactive Video
  • Creating / Editing Video
  • Extended Reality (XR)
  • Captioning
  • CTL YouTube

Email Erin

AI generated photo of Danielle Becker

Danielle Becker

Instructional Design Consultant / Course Development

Danielle's journey to the Centre for Teaching and Learning is enriched by her professional experiences as an educator and instructional designer. With a B.A. from Trent University and a B.Ed. from Queen's University, her academic foundation is complemented by a deep understanding of the dynamics involved in creating effective learning experiences.

Well-versed in the art of crafting content that not only aligns with learning objectives but also captivates and inspires learners, Danielle is poised to collaborate with DC faculty members, leveraging her expertise to support the development of engaging content.

Ask me about:

  • Teaching & Learning
  • Course Development
  • Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Email Danielle

AI generated photo of Brandon Carson

Brandon Carson

Learning Technologies Specialist

Brandon has a background in education, website design and development, marketing, social media and accessibility. Since joining Durham College in 2008, Brandon has worked as a Web Specialist and Learning Technologies Specialist, taught part-time in three academic schools and has been involved with several committees and initiatives. His primary responsibilities are providing consultation, advice and support to faculty on the use of DC Connect and education technology.

Brandon holds a Master of Arts in Learning and Technology from Royal Roads University, a Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design from Athabasca University, a Bachelor of Arts, Honours in Adult Education and Digital Technology from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and a Web Developer Diploma from Durham College.

Ask me about:

  • DC Connect
  • DC-supported Educational Technology
  • Padlet
  • Kahoot
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Microsoft Office 365

Email Brandon

Fun Fact

Brandon was the 2016 support staff recipient of the Employee Award of Excellence. As a member of the Mohawk Nation, Brandon is also a member of the DC Indigenous Advisory Circle.

Learn more about the awardLearn more about the DC Indigenous Advisory Circle

AI generated photo of Visal Chea

Visal Chea

Senior eLearning Developer

Visal has been working at Durham College for a few years and is no stranger to the DC community. He started as a Technical Support Analyst for the I.T. Service Desk, followed by a few years in a dual role for Corporate Training Services (CTS) and the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) as a Systems Adminstrator and eLearning Developer, respectively, before landing in the CTL full-time as a Senior eLearning Developer.

In the CTL, Visal finds innovative ways to bring classroom learning online in a fun and interactive way. Outside of working with faculty members one-on-one,  through CTL workshops, and at CTL PD events, one of his notable projects includes creating a series of HTML-based interactive elements that were built right into DC's LMS, DC Connect. With the backing of eCampusOntario's VLS program, Visal led a team that built and developed a variety of interactive elements allowing faculty members to quickly incorporate interactive learning objects into their courses without any prior coding experience, giving users more creative control over their course content. After quickly gaining recognition in the college for this project, Visal was honoured with the Employee Award of Excellence recipient for Support Staff in 2022.

With a passion for learning programming languages and exploring new technologies, Visal obtained a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree in Software Engineering and a Masters of Science degree in Computer Science, both from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. Visal is also a part-time faculty member for the Faculty of Science, Engineering & Information Technology.

Ask me about:

  • DC Connect Template & Course Development
  • HTML Interactive Learning Objects
  • SCORM Modules
  • DC Connect
  • Respondus
  • Flexible Delivery Planning
  • CTL Website
  • Microsoft Office 365
  • WebCOT

Email Visal

Fun Fact

Visal was the 2022 support staff recipient of the Employee Award of Excellence.

Learn more about the award

AI generated photo of Brett Clayton

Brett Clayton

Learning Technologies Specialist

Brett has a background in education, illustration, and design. As both a student and teacher in learning communities over the past decade he has, through experience and practice, developed a broad range of expertise with respect to technology in the classroom. His primary responsibility is providing consulting, advice, and support to faculty on the use of instructional technologies as part of the learning experience.

Ask me about:

  • DC Connect
  • WebCOT
  • Respondus
  • Turnitin
  • DC-supported Educational Technology
  • Mentimeter
  • Microsoft Office 365

Email Brett

AI generated photo of Danelle Driscoll

Danelle Driscoll-DaSilva

Instructional Design Consultant

Danelle has worked in post-secondary for a decade in a variety of roles. Prior to joining the CTL Educational Development team, she was a learning specialist in Student Academic Learning Services (SALS), supporting chemistry courses and teaching students how to learn effectively. Danelle has also taught courses as part-time faculty in JES, IS, and HS, and was awarded an eLearning Developer contract in CTS. Through her work in SALS, Danelle has nurtured her passion for learner engagement, the science of learning and instructional design. In addition to a BSc (Trent University) and MSc (Queen’s University), Danelle holds a Bachelor of Education degree from Trent University and a Learning Experience Design certificate from the University of Toronto – OISE.

Danelle looks forward to supporting faculty in developing content, in both DC Connect and for in-class presentations that is active and engaging for students, using the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), instructional design and the science of learning.

When not at work, Danelle may be found golfing, kayaking, crafting, reading, or playing board games with her partner and his two sons.

Ask me about:

  • Teaching & Learning
  • Course Development
  • Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Email Danelle

AI-generated photo of Prasanth Pararajasingam

Prasanth Pararajasingam

eLearning Developer / Course Development

Prasanth comes to DC with 15+ years of experience in online course development within the education sector, primarily working with post-secondary institutions across Canada and the US through his previous roles with Pearson Education. With a BA in Information Technology from York University, Prasanth blends his technical expertise with a thorough understanding of the course development process, bringing an abundance of knowledge to his role as an eLearning Developer in the CTL.

In the CTL, Prasanth develops course shells for many of DC's courses, working with the eLearning team, faculty members, and other stakeholders across the institution.

Ask me about:

  • DC Connect Template & Course Development
  • HTML Interactive Learning Objects
  • DC Connect

Email Prasanth

AI generated photo of Tyler Perras

Tyler Perras

Multimedia Specialist / eDeveloper • Web & Interactive Development

As a member of the eLearning development team, Tyler acts as a resource for staff, faculty, and administration by developing multimedia assets and online resources, as well as supports the use of technology in teaching at DC. He holds an Advanced Diploma in Multimedia Design as well as a certificate in Website Creation and Design, both obtained through Durham College.

Tyler previously worked as part of the marketing department as a Graphic and Web Designer at an emerging market investment company. He helped to improve digital media strategy by updating / designing web pages, filming / editing video and animation, producing graphic content for web and print, creating and sending newsletters, and aiding in advancing social marketing objectives.

Tyler aims to design and develop original multimedia assets to support technological solutions to teaching challenges.

Ask me about:

  • HTML, CSS & Javascript
  • Course Graphics & Interactive Learning Objects
  • CTL Website
  • H5P / Using H5P Studio
  • HTML Interactive Learning Objects
  • SCORM Modules
  • DC Connect
  • Microsoft Office 365

Email Tyler