The Studio for Teaching and Learning
The Studio for Teaching and Learning is a resource unit that supports the work of students, faculty, and staff. It promotes the pursuit of education in the learning-centred environment at Saint Mary’s University.
Located in the Global Learning Commons adjacent to the Patrick Power Library in the Atrium Building, the Studio comprises the areas of Academic Learning Services, Educational Development and Technology, and Global Learning and Intercultural Support.
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Services are available to support and enhance for the following areas of learning:
Teaching Skills and Strategies
Curriculum and Program Development
Academic Communication and Writing
Software and Multimedia Training and Applications
English Language Support
Intercultural Development and Global Engagement
Development of Educational Leadership
Scholarship in Teaching and Learning
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The role of The Studio for Teaching and Learning is to support the university community in advancing the educational mission of the university and implementing policies relating to the development of learning, teaching, and curriculum. These policies include the Academic Plan, Senate Report on Student Success, Senate Report on Writing and Literacy, President’s Council Report, Report on International Student Success, and the University Strategic Plan 2017- 2022.
The opening of the Atrium in 2010 established the Global Commons as a hub for various types of academic services that support both teaching and learning. The various academic service units maintained their separate functions, but their common purpose in support of learning played an integrating role.
The Studio for Teaching and Learning is a result of the integration and reorganization of the forerunner offices that supported various aspects of teaching and learning into one integrated unit that provides support for teaching and learning. These offices were the former CAID, the CAT Lab (now the SAS), the E-Learning Centre, Student Mobility activities (now Global Learning & Intercultural Support), Continuing Education, and the Writing Centre.
Over the years, the collaboration among the units grew partly due to their related participation in the Global Commons Atrium but also due to the intersections in their work. Therefore, it made functional sense to formally integrate these units and the following was produced:
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An integrated, learning-centred approach to programming and service development that spans all units within the office and both across campus and externally
Maximum usage of staff and resources in pan-campus support of teaching and learning
Reconfiguration of roles and responsibilities of current staff members
Revamped and renewed approaches to current services and support
Development and implementation of new services and support
Development of revenue/cost recovery programs and services
