October CTL Compass Posted on October 3, 2025 at 10:35 am. In this issue of CTL Compass, we’re bringing you updates on DC Connect, Academic PD Day registration, partial-secondment opportunities, October workshops, and how to book support at the CTL. Table of Contents DC Connect Tips and Tricks Midterm Grades Submission: October 21st Fall Academic PD Day: October 23rd College Teaching Certificate: Available partial secondments College Teaching Certificate: Winter Registration Open October Workshops and Professional Development Schedule Support with the CTL DC Connect Tips and Tricks Check out this video overview of the new content experience: Check out our resources for the new Content Experience. Here are a few quick tips: 1. Print Quiz You can now easily print a quiz from DC Connect! 2. Assessment Overview Feature When you add an existing assessment link to the new Content Experience, you are provided with an excellent snapshot of the status of your student's assessment submissions. This video clip demonstrates how you add an existing assessment link and how this feature works. 3. Create Folders Did you know you can create folders (“unit”) for your DC Connect content? This is a great way to organize your class materials into weeks or modules! 4. Add Existing PDF Do you have an existing PDF or asset to upload? Select “Add Existing”, then "browse” to locate the file for upload. 5. Completion Summary Report To see how far your students have progressed, or which pages students have viewed, you can create a completion summary report. To access the completion summary report: Go to the “Content” and select the gear icon for “Course Options (gear icon is right above the table of contents) Select “View Reports” Navigate to the Content tab to view topic-level statistics. The reports show how many times a student visited a topic, total and average time spent, and whether the content was complete. If you select the number in the report, you can drill down to which students have viewed that page. Need Support? We are here for you Monday to Friday, 8:30 – 4:30 in SW101, at DCConnect@durhamcollege.ca, or feel free to book a meeting with a member of the DC Connect support team through Microsoft Bookings. BOOK A MEETING Mid-Term Grades Submission: October 21st The midterm grades submission deadline is Tuesday, October 21 at 12pm. We encourage you to utilize the resources below for support: Midterm grades are to be exported to Banner from the DC Connect Grades tool. For more information on submitting final grades for the semester and reviewing if they were exported to banner correctly: Midterm Grade Submission (PDF). We also have a video with step-by-step midterm grade submission demonstration: Have Questions? If you have any questions or need additional assistance, please contact DCConnect@durhamcollege.ca, or feel free to book a meeting with a member of the DC Connect support team. Fall Academic PD Day: October 23rd This year our Fall Academic PD Day will be held on October 23, 2025, we are excited to be announcing a new framework for teaching and learning which braids together Indigenous and Eurocentric ways of knowing. Aligned with this launch is the topic of this year's Academic PD Days, Fostering Inclusivity! Our keynote address this year is by Ela Smith and Cassie Hill from Mohawk College: Indigegogy and Curriculum - What does it mean and how do we incorporate it. This morning workshop will discuss Indigegogy, Miskasowin, and curriculum planning utilizing Indigenous Knowledge Learning Outcomes. It is an active workshop that will require individual reflection on intent versus impact. How To Root Safety in Indigenous Knowledge Cassie will share reflections from her journey, both as a Haudenosaunee woman and as a researcher exploring how to create safe digital learning spaces and what does it mean to bring Indigenous curriculum into these digital spaces in ways that are ethical, relational, trauma-informed, and rooted in responsibility. AND more! Academic PD Day will also include workshops on creating your own land acknowledgements, using generative AI to help create course materials with DC faculty Jennifer Bedford, learning about the recent SoTL research on campus, and the launching of a new Pedagogical Framework and Micro-Credential program for faculty. Our friends at FPIC will be providing soup (while supplies last) and additional space for discussion. Register Now! We are excited to see you at this year’s fall academic PD Day. Be sure to secure your spot! REGISTER NOW College Teaching Certificate: Available partial secondments You must seek approval from your Executive/Associate Dean prior to application. Course Facilitator for College Teaching Certificate – EDUC 1101: Course and Curriculum at the college level (WINTER 2026) Position Focus: Course development, course mapping, course learning outcomes and Curriculum development. Positions available: 1 Secondment term: Winter 2026 Working in collaboration with Teaching and Learning Consultants, and reporting to the Director, Teaching and Learning, the faculty member will deliver the EDUC 1101 content to full-time and part-time faculty in alignment with the established course description, program, and course learning outcomes. They will offer guidance and identify growth opportunities for participants through constructive, specific and actionable feedback. This individual must be an enthusiastic full-time faculty member with a passion for sharing knowledge with their peers and have experience engaging in wise practices for curriculum design at the college level They must be able to demonstrate strong instructional and leadership skills, a detailed understanding of evidence based learning principles, and regularly engage in reflective practice and professional development in higher education learning. They will be confident directing and facilitating productive conversation and collaborative learning, and comfortable sharing wise curriculum planning and mapping practices. The course is scheduled to run during the Winter Semester Fridays 9am – 11am for 14 weeks. Note: We would appreciate a two-year commitment for 2026 & 2027. INTERESTED? Please speak with your Executive Dean/Associate Dean to receive approval, then indicate your interest on the following brief form: Apply here! Course Facilitator for College Teaching Certificate – EDUC 1100: Teaching & Learning Principles for the College Classroom (WINTER 2026). Position Focus: Evidence-based teaching practices in preparation for lesson planning, curriculum development and classroom instruction. Positions available: 1 Secondment term: Winter 2026 Working in collaboration with Teaching and Learning Consultants, and reporting to the Director, Teaching and Learning, the faculty member will deliver the EDUC 1100 content to full-time faculty in alignment with the established course description, program, and course learning outcomes. They will offer guidance and identify growth opportunities for participants through constructive, specific and actionable feedback. This individual must be an enthusiastic full-time faculty member with a passion for sharing knowledge with their peers and have experience with a variety of teaching approaches and active learning strategies that support student engagement and learning at multiple levels and educational settings. They must be able to demonstrate strong instructional and leadership skills, a detailed understanding of adult learning principles, and regularly engage in reflective practice and professional development in higher education learning. They will be confident directing and facilitating productive conversation and collaborative learning, and comfortable sharing wise instructional and classroom management practices. The course is scheduled to run Fridays 1pm – 3pm for 14 weeks. Note: We would appreciate a two-year commitment for 2026 & 2027. Interested? Please speak with your Executive Dean/Associate Dean to receive approval, then indicate your interest on the following brief form: Apply here! Course Facilitator for College Teaching Certificate – EDUC 1101: Course and Curriculum at the college level (SPRING 2026). Position Focus: Course development, course mapping, course learning outcomes, and curriculum development. Positions available: 1 Secondment term: Spring 2026 – 7-week intensive (Date and time to be determined; class is facilitated 3 hours in-person at Oshawa Campus + 3 hours online/week) Working in collaboration with Teaching and Learning Consultants, and reporting to the Director, Teaching and Learning, the faculty member will deliver the EDUC 1101 content to full-time and part-time faculty in alignment with the established course description, program, and course learning outcomes. They will offer guidance and identify growth opportunities for participants through constructive, specific, and actionable feedback. This individual must be an enthusiastic full-time faculty member with a passion for sharing knowledge with their peers and have experience engaging in wise practices for curriculum design at the college level. They must be able to demonstrate strong instructional and leadership skills, a detailed understanding of evidence-based learning principles, and regularly engage in reflective practice and professional development in higher education learning. They will be confident directing and facilitating productive conversation and collaborative learning, and comfortable sharing wise curriculum planning and mapping practices. Note: We would appreciate a two-year commitment for 2026 & 2027. Interested Please speak with your Executive Dean/Associate Dean to receive approval, then indicate your interest on the following brief form: Apply here! Course Facilitator for College Teaching Certificate – EDUC 1100: Teaching & Learning Principles for the College Classroom (FALL 2026). Position Focus: Evidence-based teaching practices in preparation for lesson planning, curriculum development and classroom instruction. Positions available: 1 Secondment term: Fall 2026 Working in collaboration with Teaching and Learning Consultants, and reporting to the Director, Teaching and Learning, the faculty member will deliver the EDUC 1100 content to full-time faculty in alignment with the established course description, program, and course learning outcomes. They will offer guidance and identify growth opportunities for participants through constructive, specific and actionable feedback. This individual must be an enthusiastic full-time faculty member with a passion for sharing knowledge with their peers and have experience with a variety of teaching approaches and active learning strategies that support student engagement and learning at multiple levels and educational settings. They must be able to demonstrate strong instructional and leadership skills, a detailed understanding of adult learning principles, and regularly engage in reflective practice and professional development in higher education learning. They will be confident directing and facilitating productive conversation and collaborative learning, and comfortable sharing wise instructional and classroom management practices. The course is scheduled to run Fridays 9am – 11am for 14 weeks. Note: We would appreciate a two-year commitment for 2026 & 2027. Interested Please speak with your Executive Dean/Associate Dean to receive approval, then indicate your interest on the following brief form: Apply here! Course Facilitator for College Teaching Certificate – EDUC 1103: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Teaching and Learning (FALL 2026). Portfolio: College Teaching Certificate – EDUC 1103: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Teaching and Learning Position Focus: Creating safe and inclusive learning spaces, which respect the needs and rights of various learner communities. Positions available: 1 Secondment term: Fall 2026 Working in collaboration with Teaching and Learning Consultants, and reporting to the Director, Teaching and Learning, the faculty member will deliver the EDUC 1103 content to full-time faculty in alignment with the established course description, program, and course learning outcomes. They will offer guidance and identify growth opportunities for participants through constructive, specific and actionable feedback. This individual must be an enthusiastic full-time faculty member with a passion for sharing knowledge with their peers and have experience engaging in creating safer, equitable spaces for learning and how inclusion impacts student’s readiness to learn. They must be able to demonstrate strong instructional and leadership skills, a detailed understanding of adult learning principles, and regularly engage in reflective practice and professional development in higher education learning. They will be confident directing and facilitating productive conversation and collaborative learning, and comfortable sharing wise instructional and classroom management practices. The course is scheduled to run Fridays 11am – 1pm for 14 weeks. Note: We would appreciate a two-year commitment for 2026 & 2027. Interested Please speak with your Executive Dean/Associate Dean to receive approval, then indicate your interest on the following brief form: Apply here! Course Facilitator for College Teaching Certificate – EDUC 1104: Scholarship and Professional Practice for College Faculty (WINTER 2027). Portfolio: College Teaching Certificate – EDUC 1104: Scholarship and Professional Practice for College Faculty Position Focus: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and Teaching Portfolios Positions available: 1 Secondment term: Winter 2027 Working in collaboration with Teaching and Learning Consultants, and reporting to the Director, Teaching and Learning, the faculty member will deliver the EDUC 1104 content to full-time faculty in alignment with the established course description, program, and course learning outcomes. They will offer guidance and identify growth opportunities for participants through constructive, specific and actionable feedback. This individual must be an enthusiastic full-time faculty member with a passion for sharing knowledge with their peers and have experience engaging in scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and building teaching portfolios. They must be able to demonstrate strong instructional and leadership skills, a detailed understanding of learning principles, and regularly engage in reflective practice and professional development in higher education learning. They will be confident directing and facilitating productive conversation and collaborative learning, and comfortable sharing wise instructional and classroom management practices. The course is scheduled to run Fridays 11am – 1pm for 14 weeks. Note: We would appreciate a two-year commitment for 2027 & 2028. Interested Please speak with your Executive Dean/Associate Dean to receive approval, then indicate your interest on the following brief form: Apply here! College Teaching Certificate: Winter Registration Open! As of Fall 2025, DC’s Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) welcomed part-time faculty into the College Teaching Certificate (CTC) program! The CTC program is a local credential designed to strengthen your instructional skills, expand your understanding of college-level curriculum development, and enhance your confidence in developing an authentic and inclusive classroom. What is the CTC? The CTC is a structured, evidence-based program comprising five courses that prepare and support faculty in designing curriculum, planning instructional strategies, and devising assessment practices which braid together the science of learning and Indigenous ways of teaching. Complete all five courses to earn the DC College Teaching Certificate! During this program, faculty will: Design curriculum, instructional strategies and assessment practices using evidence-based approaches. Employ active learning strategies to increase student engagement and support student success. Leverage educational technology that aligns with instructional strategies and curriculum to promote meaningful student engagement and enhance learning. Promote safe and inclusive classrooms for diverse learner communities. Part-time/Sessional Faculty Nominal Fee: $90 (including tax) per course for part-time faculty CTC Winter and Spring Course Offerings & Descriptions WINTER SESSIONS • 14 weeks EDUC1101 • Course and Curriculum Development at the College Level Fridays, 9 to 11 a.m. (Oshawa Campus) + 1 hour online/week Expand your knowledge and design meaningful curriculum by connecting institutional and provincial standards, DC guidelines, established program requirements, and diverse ways of knowing EDUC1104 • Scholarship and Professional Practice for College Faculty Fridays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Oshawa Campus) + 1 hour online/week Reflect on your teaching through circular learning to develop your scholarly and professional practice by developing a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project or creation of a teaching portfolio. EDUC1100 • Teaching & Learning Principles for the College Classroom Fridays, 1 to 3 p.m. (Oshawa Campus) + 1 hour online/week Welcome to the exciting world of curriculum development where you will be immersed in wise practices to support student engagement and learning. Develop a repertoire of teaching approaches and active learning strategies that support student engagement and learning in varied levels and educational settings. 🌸 SPRING INTENSIVE • 7 weeks EDUC1102 • Assessment and Evaluation in College Courses (Intensive) Fridays, 9 a.m. to 12 noon (Oshawa Campus) + 3 hours online/week You will build varied types of assessments such as tests, case studies, and peer evaluation using wise practices, develop rubrics, and learn how to provide actionable feedback in a course of your choosing. EDUC1101 • Course and Curriculum Development at the College Level (Intensive) TBD, 3 hours in-person (Oshawa Campus) + 3 hour online/week Expand your knowledge and design meaningful curriculum by connecting institutional and provincial standards, DC guidelines, established program requirements, and diverse ways of knowing. FALL SESSIONS • 14 weeks Course offerings will be announced in the spring. Note: Courses can be taken in any order. Please see CTC webpage for details. REGISTER NOW Full-time Faculty Only: Please seek approval from your Dean, then apply on the form linked here. October Workshops and Professional Development The CTL is still running PD workshops to help support your teaching practice. Here are some of the sessions this month. Roots of Recognition: Understanding Land Acknowledgements Land Acknowledgements play a significant role in recognizing Indigenous rights and contributing to reconciliation efforts, thereby fostering respectful relationships. In this session, we will work together to help you understand your personal connections to Land Acknowledgements and Reconciliation within your role at Durham College. Participants will leave with a personalized Land Acknowledgement for use in their courses along with strategies to translate these acknowledgements into meaningful actions. Note: If you work within an Asynchronous course, please bring a laptop with access to DC Connect to build your Land Acknowledgement. October 6th from 11am-12pm in SW101B Register here Rubric Revolution Rubrics are an essential tool for most assessment strategies. A well-designed rubric can reduce instructor subjectivity, provide a guide to students as to what is expected, act as a learning tool, and reduce the time spent in marking! Providing a strong and clear rubric is impactful on student success, but writing a great rubric takes time, practice, and a lot of do-overs! If you’re interested in how to craft effective rubrics for assessments AND learn how to configure rubrics using the DC Connect Rubrics tool, join us for this session. Feel free to bring a previous rubric you’ve created as a starting point! October 9th from 11am-12pm on MS Teams Register here 5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know You Can Do with DC’s Office 365 Tools Explore features like auto captions, live translations, email summaries, audio transcription, and Presenter Coach—all without Gen AI! October 27th from 10am-11am on MS Teams Register here Interactive Teaching with Padlet Padlet is a digital collaboration space and a community space where students can visualize their thinking; its interface is simple and yet this simplicity does not limit its versatility. We will explore the various Padlet formats and brainstorm how to use each type of visual representation of thinking in our classes. Join us to explore how to use Padlet as an interactive tool to engage your learners and help them visualize their thinking. October 30th from 2pm-3pm on MS Teams Register here From Cringe to Confidence: Handling Academic Misconduct Conversations From Cringe to Confidence: Handling Academic Misconduct Conversations – Wednesday, October 8 @10:00-12:00 (workshop) No registration required – join the Zoom call From Cringe to Confidence: Handling Academic Misconduct Conversations Conversations about academic misconduct can feel awkward, stressful, or even confrontational for faculty and sta7: but they don’t have to. This interactive 90-minute webinar, From Cringe to Confidence: Handling Academic Misconduct Conversations, will help participants build comfort, clarity, and confidence when navigating these challenging moments. Facilitators Cory Scurr and Josh Seeland will explore why these conversations are often avoided, focusing on three “awkward umbrellas”: barriers to action, policies and procedures, and the student interaction itself. Through discussion, live polling, and breakout activities, participants will unpack common challenges, share strategies, and practice e7ective approaches. The session will also include a live demonstration of a Discovery Interview Simulator used at Assiniboine College. By the end of the webinar, participants will leave with practical insights, conversation strategies, and a clearer sense of how to support both academic integrity and student success. Dr. Cory Scurr is the Associate Director, Academic Integrity at Conestoga College. In his work, he leads a team of sta: who support faculty, students, and administrators through consultations, workshops, and resource development, among other things. Cory also develops and delivers a Micro- Credential on Academic Integrity called Academic Integrity in Post-Secondary Teaching. His research interests and publications include faculty barriers and the role of emotion when navigating academic misconduct as well as examining the nexus of artificial intelligence and academic integrity to inform assessment design. Finally, Cory is currently the Chair of the Academic Integrity Council of Ontario (AICO). Josh Seeland is the Manager of Library Services at Assiniboine College in Brandon, MB, Canada, where his portfolio items include academic integrity and copyright. He also serves as Chair of Assiniboine’s Academic Integrity Advisory Committee. Seeland is a member of the Manitoba Academic Integrity Network (MAIN) and the Canadian National Consortium of the International Center for Academic Integrity. His writing can be found in academic journals including Canadian Perspectives on Academic Integrity and International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology. Seeland is also a co-editor and author for the edited volume, “Contract Cheating in Higher Education - Global Perspectives on Theory, Practice, and Policy” as well as “Academic Integrity and the Role of the Academic Library Institutional Examples and Promising Practices”. Addressing Generative AI Head-On: Why and How Engaging with Generative AI Is an Expression of Trust and Agency Addressing Generative AI Head-On: Why and How Engaging with Generative AI Is an Expression of Trust and Agency – Wednesday, October 29 @ 3:00-4:30 (webinar) Register here In this session, Dr. Danny Liu (University of Sydney) will examine how the value of our programs, in terms of integrity and relevance, can be held in balance to help students engage responsibly with AI while ensuring graduates develop the capabilities their degrees represent. He will reflect on the “two-lane approach” adopted at the University of Sydney and other institutions, highlighting its implications for integrity and relevance as well as lessons from its implementation. The session will also consider what generative AI means for students’ futures, how it might enhance rather than diminish the humanity of teaching, and how courageous engagement with it can foster honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Schedule Support with the CTL Need support? We have launched a new booking system. Book now! We are here to help you in-person and online! BOOK NOW! We are here for you! SHARE: