Professional Development Committee

The Professional Development Committee encourages and facilitates members’ professional development, with a focus on promoting excellence in teaching and scholarship. To this end, the Professional Development Committee organizes and promotes seminars, workshops, courses and other activities related to professional development.

Regular PD Events

• Triads: facilitated connections amongst faculty members to support each other and connect on various PD matters, social activities and other interests
• Member Facilitated Lunch and Learns: Informal opportunities for Members to share their expertise with colleagues on a wide range of topics (Members are invited to complete an expression of interest form to facilitate a lunch and learn)
• Winter Series: 3-5 formal PD sessions during the winter semester centered on a broad topic related to faculty roles.
• Get Cracking: occasional informal breakfast/brunch/lunch discusses sessions
• Spring Retreat: annual two day conference in Kananaskis with sessions presented by members across the University.

Committee Links:

• Professional Development Committee Charter
• Committee Contacts
• MRFA Event Calendar
• Spring Retreat Website

Reference Materials from Previous PDC Events:

• 2022 – 2023 PD Events
  • Winter 2023 Teaching and Learning Series
    • Session 1 Poster – Active Learning
      • Session Notes
    • Session 2 Poster – Developing and Using Case Studies
      • Jamboard from the session
      • Session Notes
    • Session 3 Poster – Alternative Approaches to Assessment
      • Session Notes
      • PowerPoint Slides on Flexible Grading Schemes
    • Session 4 Poster – Designing for Inclusive Learning Environments
      • Session notes
  • Get Cracking on Tenure Dossiers
    • Event Notes
    • PowerPoint Slides
  • Making the Most of your Peer Evaluations (Get Cracking Session Notes 2022-11-18)
  • Notes from PD and FEC Session on Annual Reports (Fall 2022)
  • October PD Day – (re)Connecting with and Supporting Students and Faculty
    • Notes from Panel on Supporting Students
    • Notes on Counselling Session on Support for Faculty
    • Notes from Session on Collective Advocacy and Action
• Winter 2022 Scholarship Series
  • Session 1 – What Constitutes Scholarship at MRU
  • Session 2 – Grant Writing, An Insider Scoop on Where to Start
  • Session 3 – Engaging Students in Research
    • Slide Deck
    • Resource Sheet
    • Jamboard on benefits of student research partnerships
  • Session 4 – to be held on April 26 at 10:30am at the Retreat  – Juggling Multiple Demands – How to Ensure you Carve out Time for Your Scholarship

• Academic Freedom on the Table Event Summary – March 2021
• Online and Remote Learning – Fall 2020 PD Day Resources
  • Online and Remote Delivery Session Notes
  • Online Discussion Board Participation
  • Online and Remote Learning – PD Day Presentation
• Mental Toughness – PowerPoint Presented by Brent MacDonald – Session Notes – Fall 2020
• Online PD sessions Spring 2020
  • Better by Design: Design Thinking, Experiential Learning and the Development of a Growth Mindset in Undergraduate Classrooms
  • Supporting the Well-Being of Student-Parents in Higher Education
  • Conceptualizing a Holistic Approach to Educational Leadership at MRU 
• Wellbeing in the Learning Environment Notes (Feb 2020)
• Winter 2019 PD Day Notes
• Toolkit in the Classroom: Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion in the Classroom
• Perks, Perils and Possibilities of Social Media (October 12, 2018)
  • MRFA Social Media Guide
  • Perks, Perils, and Possibilities of Social Media, How to Manage Your Social Media
  • Social Media Training Master Slidedeck with Links to Resources
  • Writing for Social Media
  • Information Overload, Keeping Communication Professional in the Digital Age
  • Coordinated Social Media Campaign and Event Planner

• Surviving Service: Making Service Effective, Efficient and Enjoyable (February 21, 2018)
  • Surviving Service Event Notes
  • Service Opportunities at MRU by Type
  • Robert’s Rules of Order Cheat Sheet
  • Using Technology to Build Efficiency