Faculty and Academic Staff

• You are aiming to strengthen professional sound judgement and decision‑making confidence 
• Your academic, professional, or leadership role is evolving or expanding in scope 
• You are preparing for additional responsibility, such as program leadership, committee chairing, or broader institutional service 
• Learning needs to occur alongside continuing academic and professional responsibilities, rather than through separate programs 

• Workload is already unsustainably high 
• Expectations, accountabilities, or decision‑making authority are unclear or shifting 
• There is limited opportunity for reflection, dialogue, or feedback 

• What challenged me most? 
• What assumptions did I test or change? 
• What would I do differently next time? 
• How does this shape how I approach my role now? 

Leaders support learning through work by intentionally shaping responsibility.

Effective support includes:

• Matching stretch to readiness rather than assigning the biggest opportunity
• Being clear about expectations, authority, and decision boundaries
• De‑prioritizing or delaying other work during periods of stretch
• Checking in on cognitive load and confidence and not just outcomes
• Small, regular reflection (even five minutes) helps experience turn into learning.

Learning through others is most effective when academic relationships are used intentionally for insight and sound judgement, not simply for connection.

Learning through others works best when:

• You are navigating new, ambiguous, or high‑stakes academic or institutional situations
• You want to understand how to approach a challenge, not only what action to take
• Academic confidence, leadership presence, or role identity is still developing
• Decisions would benefit from perspectives beyond your immediate role, unit, or discipline

Use this approach with care when:

• Connections lack a clear learning purpose
• Learning remains conversational without application
• Engagement depends solely on informal access or familiarity

Learning through others becomes development when insight is reflected on and applied.

After learning through others, pause to consider:

• What insight did I gain about how to approach this work?
• Which assumptions were challenged or reinforced?
• How will I apply this perspective in my academic practice?
• What would I do differently next time?

Leaders support learning through others by making connection purposeful, not incidental.

Effective support includes:

• Encouraging mentoring, peer consultation, and communities of practice
• Connecting people across roles, disciplines, or units when perspective matters
• Normalising help‑seeking and learning through dialogue
• Encouraging reflection after conversations, not just connection itself

Equitable leadership means being intentional about who gains access to networks, introductions, and high‑value academic spaces.

• Mentoring at UCalgary
• The Mentorship Guide for Teaching and Learning
• Resilience Community of Practice | Office of Institutional Commitments – CMHWB 

Formal learning is most effective when it strengthens academic practice and is intentionally connected to real work.

Formal learning works best when:

• Shared academic or professional language is needed
• Complex concepts benefit from guided instruction or scholarly grounding
• Credentials or formal study strengthen credibility or effectiveness

Use this approach with care when:

• Formal learning is undertaken without a clear purpose
• Learning is not applied soon after participation
• Time and capacity do not allow for meaningful engagement

Formal learning alone does not change practice; application and reflection do.

After formal learning, consider:

• What concepts or approaches resonate most with my practice?
• What should I adapt, test, or discontinue?
• How does this learning influence my teaching, research, or service?

Leaders strengthen formal learning by connecting it back to real academic work.

Effective support includes:

• Helping clarify why a course or program is timely
• Creating space to apply learning soon after participation
• Encouraging reflection on what should change and what should not
• Valuing learning outcomes, not just attendance or credentials

Development happens through application, not completion.

• Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning
  • Upcoming Courses, Workshops & Events
  • Badge programs
  • Certificates in University Teaching and Learning
• Academic Leadership Academy
  • Leadership in Focus
  • ULead: The Academy
• UCalgary Continuing Education
  • Certificate in Adult Learning specializing in Career and Academic Advising

Resources and tools are most effective when they support learning at the point of need.

Learning through resources works best when:

• Tools support real teaching, research, or service tasks
• Resources reduce uncertainty or cognitive load
• Learning is applied immediately and reflected on

Use this approach with care when:

• Resources are collected but rarely used
• Too many tools create confusion
• Reading replaces application

Light lift (low risk, easy to integrate)

• Use guides, templates, or policies while completing work

Medium lift (visible growth, feedback helpful)

• Apply the same resource across contexts and reflect on outcomes

High lift (significant growth, clear boundaries required)

• Contribute to improving shared academic resources
• Curate tools or guides for colleagues

After using a resource, consider:

• How did this resource shape my decision‑making?
• Where did it help and where did it fall short?
• What would I do differently next time?

Leaders support resource‑based learning by normalising use and modelling it themselves.

Effective support includes:

• Pointing people to trusted resources
• Encouraging just‑in‑time learning
• Reinforcing that looking things up is part of good academic practice
• Ensuring resources are visible, current, and usable

Quick access:

• UCalgary Library
• Research Services
• Find and Manage Funding
• Community of Practice for Early-Career Teaching-Stream Faculty Members
• University Policies and Procedures

Faculty Specific resources:

• Cumming School of Medicine
  The Office of Faculty Development supports growth, connection, and academic practice.
• Faculty of Social Work
  Professional development opportunities to enhance practice in mental health and human services.