A study of the UWindsor’s pioneering program in scholarly teaching found it produced in its participants a more student-focused approach, an increased focus on discipline-specific knowledge and skills, and greater confidence.

The University Teaching Certificate program, the first such program in North America to be accredited by the UK-based Staff and Educational Development Association, grew out of a plan to provide systematic and extended pedagogical training for academics at the University of Windsor.

A survey following participants after their completion of the program found they demonstrated an increase in philosophies associated with actively engaging students in the learning process.

The study, released by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), is titled “The Effects of Long-Term Systematic Educational Development on the Beliefs and Attitudes of University Teachers” and written by Michael K. Potter, Erika Kustra, Thiemann Ackerson, and Laura Prada. It is available on the council’s website.