Certificate in Effective University Instruction

Unit heads (Deans/Chairs/Program Directors) are asked to nominate up to 3 instructors for this program.

Application period has closed

U of T faculty can obtain the Certificate in Effective University Instruction by completing the Course in Effective Teaching Practices (ETP), a nine-month course (September 2023 – May 2024) that combines 25 asynchronous online modules, in-person and synchronous online learning opportunities, and a community of practice. The ACUE course is a partnership between the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation (CTSI) at U of T, and the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE), and endorsed by the American Council on Education.

Frequently Asked Questions

September 2023 – May 2024

Participating in the ACUE course requires a significant time commitment:

  • Attend the (in-person) Program Launch on September 29th
  • Complete 25 modules, on average one module per week
  • Spend up to three hours per week on each module
  • Implement teaching practices into their own courses throughout the academic year
  • Attend four course workshops, led by CTSI facilitators.

The course is comprehensive in scope and organized around four blocks of study, addressing essential teaching skills and knowledge that are fundamental to university educator success:

  • Promoting Active Learning
  • Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong Learners
  • Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment
  • Designing Learner-Centered and Equitable Courses

You can learn more about the course and the content of each module on the ACUE website.

The ACUE curriculum is appropriate for faculty who teach in any discipline.

Cost per faculty member is $1200. Included within the cost for the ACUE course is:

  • 25 online modules completed in four blocks
  • “Certificate in Effective University Instruction” awarded upon completion of all 25 modules; the Certificate is offered through ACUE and endorsed by the American Council on Education
  • Built-in assessments graded by an ACUE Reader (personal written reflections that examine how the course information can be applied in faculty members’ own teaching practice)
  • Participation in a community of professional practice
  • Access to the ACUE course materials for at least 1 year past the end of the course (as long as the participant completes all 25 modules)

Participation is open to all continuing appointment faculty in both the Tenure Stream and the Teaching Stream who will be teaching in the Fall 2023 term and/or the Winter 2024 term. However, priority will be given to pre-tenure and pre-promotion faculty.

Steps to confirm participation:

  1. Unit heads (Deans/Chairs/Program Directors) are asked to nominate up to 3 instructors for this program. Unit heads can reserve course spaces and provide tentative faculty member names by completing the online form (by July 28th).
  2. CTSI will be in touch to provide additional information once the membership of the cohort is complete and will confirm faculty members and payment details ($1200/spot) with the unit by August 31, 2023.

For further exploration of local incentives please contact Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education, Prof. Susan McCahan at susan.mccahan@utoronto.ca.

Please contact Kelly Gordon (kelly.gordon@utoronto.ca) with any questions regarding the program.

Watch our 2022-23 ACUE-Certified faculty speaking about their course experience. Featuring:
Christine Wong, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Health and Society, UTSC
Ania Harlick. Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Physics, FAS
Jaimal Thind, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Mathematical and Computational Sciences, UTM

During this past academic year, I employed much resources in my own teaching and found them very helpful both for me and for my students. In my graduate seminar, Teaching and Learning in Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies, for example, some videos we watched in this course inspired exciting and substantial discussions

ACUE participant quote
ACUE participant quote
ACUE participant quote
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