21 MacPherson Institute Supports and Resources
The MacPherson Institute supports listed below may assist you in enhancing your teaching portfolio or your teaching more broadly. All information in this section can be sourced from the MacPherson Institute website, https://mi.mcmaster.ca/.
General Contact
If you would like your teaching portfolio reviewed by an Educational Developer or want to learn more about MacPherson Institute supports and services, you can connect in one of two ways:
- Reach out to your Faculty’s Key Contact to book a meeting.
- Submit a request through the Support Request Form.
Asynchronous Supports and Services
Learning Catalogue
The Learning Catalogue features go-at-your-own pace modules on a variety of topics related to teaching and learning. This includes modules specific to crafting a teaching philosophy statement and teaching portfolios.
New Faculty Programming and the New Instructor Handbook
The New Faculty Programming section of the MacPherson Institute website and the New Instructor Handbook provide valuable information about McMaster’s teaching and learning context, policies, resources, and supports and services available, as you fulfill your role as a faculty member.
Teaching Development Planning Tool
This tool lists MacPherson Institute resources that align with different aspects of teaching and learning. Options are presented within each stream at each level of experience, with an indication of the time commitment and frequency of each offering.
Synchronous or Blended Supports and Services
Teaching Refinements and Observations
The MacPherson Institute can help you obtain anonymous, productive feedback from your students or provide you with our suggestions:
- During a teaching refinement, an educational developer works with you to identify questions you would like feedback on, collects data from your students on your behalf, and shares the results with you. Unlike end-of-term course experience surveys, this process allows educators to respond to student feedback while the course is still in progress.
- During a teaching observation, an educational developer works with you to identify what you would like feedback on, visits your class for a predetermined period of time to observe your teaching, writes up a report highlighting your strengths and areas for growth, and meets with you to discuss their feedback.
Multi-Day Intensive Workshops and Events
The MacPherson Institute regularly conducts events on a variety of teaching and learning topics:
- The Course (re)Design Workshop supports educators in course design approaches that encourage students’ engagement and success.
- The Instructional Skills Workshop offers educators with the opportunity to practice teaching and receive peer feedback.
- The Assessment Development Workshop allows educators to iteratively refine a particular assessment in one of their courses.
