News Article

College workshop focuses on outcomes-based teaching and learning


5/22/2009 8:45:04 AM


Faculty from College of the North Atlantic and George Brown College gathered for a Outcome-Based Teaching and Learning workshop this week.

May 22, 2009 - College of the North Atlantic’s School of Business & Information Technology partnered with George Brown College to hold a workshop focused on the importance of Outcomes-Based Teaching and Learning (OBTL).

The workshop, facilitated by George Brown College faculty, was designed to assist faculty members in their classroom effectiveness. They were instructed how to design curriculum that assists students to achieve measurable and achievable goals.

“The objectives of this workshop were to increase the participants’ understanding of OBTL and to provide a better understanding of the link between assessments and outcomes,” said Mary Vaughan, Dean of Business & Information Technology.

During the two-day workshop, instructors and professionals from the Business and Office Administration programs engaged in activities that provided a direct impact on the teaching and learning in the college. Keeping the learner-centered focus of the college foremost in mind, the participants gained practical experience in writing learning outcomes and objectives, and learned how to create assessments that will add meaning and relevance to the learning process. The participants then learned how to create lesson plans that integrated content and assessment with the course outcome(s), and thereby provide direct benefit to the learner.

“We wanted to improve the participants’ ability to write course outcomes and apply OBTL concepts to course development. It also provided us with an opportunity for networking and the sharing of best practices in the classroom,” said Vaughan.

The workshop was a faculty professional development opportunity required for accreditation purposes and was offered through the School of Business and Information Technology. Thirty-eight CNA instructors, instructional designers and program developers from all programs and campuses within the School of Business & Information Technology participated in the workshop.

“The workshop focused on the needs of the students and community in which we operate. It concentrated on the end product as the requirements of a solid education,” commented Tom Rose, Business Administration instructor at the Bay St. George campus.

Lori MacIsaac, also a Business Administration instructor, reiterated the point by saying, “the workshop was very beneficial and helps promote our goal of student – centered learning.”

For more information on the workshop, please visit, http://www.georgebrown.ca/staffdevelopment/w_Learning_Specialist_Series.aspx#maincontent

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For more information contact:

Roger Hulan
Communications Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
(709) 643-7938
roger.hulan@cna.nl.ca