Author: Elan Paulson

Elan Paulson, PhD, has been an educator in Ontario's higher education system since 2004. Before joining Conestoga as a Teaching and Learning Consultant, Elan was on the executive team at eCampusOntario. She previously served as Program Director and as an instructor in professional education programs at Western University's Faculty of Education. With a Master's in Educational Technology, Elan specializes in technology-enabled and collaborative learning to support diverse learners. She has also conducted research on faculty participation in communities of practice for professional learning and self-care.

March 26, 2022

Students Talking in an In-Person Class

Reading Time: 5 minutes This teaching tip offers strategies for addressing students “side talking” in an in-person class in a kind, respectful way. It also describes ideas for structured and unstructured talk time in class.

Active Learning and Engagement/Class Management/In-person/Teaching

March 25, 2022

Help Students Complete Non-Graded Asynchronous Activities

Reading Time: 5 minutes Encourage students to complete course activities that are not graded.

Active Learning and Engagement/Class Management/Hybrid/Online Asynchronous/Teaching

January 21, 2022

Group Sorts and Grids

Reading Time: 3 minutes Learn how to make group sorts and grids as an active learning activity in synchronous online and in-person.

Teaching

December 21, 2021

GIRAFES: Charting a Learning Pathway for Hybrid and Fully Online Courses

Reading Time: 7 minutes This tip provides an overview to develop a lesson plan and learning pathway for units of learning with a hybrid, remote, and/or asynchronous course. Please share...

Hybrid/Lesson and Course Planning/Teaching

December 9, 2021

Building Truth and Reconciliation for Indigenous Peoples into Teaching

Reading Time: 6 minutes By Elan Paulson and Sara Kafashan Note: This post has been written from the perspective of two settlers in North America, incorporating research and voices from...

Decolonizing and Indigenizing Education/Diversity/Teaching

November 24, 2021

Supporting Marked Group Writing Assignments

Reading Time: 6 minutes Prepared by the Teaching & Learning team, this tip provides advice to faculty supporting collaborative group writing assignments, including reports and papers, as well as...

Assessing Learning/Creating Assessments/Group Work/Improving Assessments/Teaching

November 15, 2021

Getting Started With Online Synchronous Classes

Reading Time: 4 minutes This teaching tip provides information and ideas how to prepare for running remote learning in a digital classroom smoothly.

Modes of Delivery/Online Synchronous

August 26, 2021

Accommodating and Supporting Students with Disabilities: Conestoga Faculty Stories

Reading Time: 7 minutes Stories curated by Elan Paulson and Sara Kafashan Increasing numbers of students with disabilities are attending colleges in Ontario (Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario, n.d.). In...

Accessible Learning/Diversity/Faculty Stories

August 19, 2021

Engaging Students as Fully Online Learners

Reading Time: 4 minutes Communicate and interact with students regularly, even when you never meet for scheduled class lessons in real time.

Modes of Delivery/Online Asynchronous/Teaching

August 13, 2021

 Open At Conestoga: Library Q&A

Reading Time: 4 minutes Holly Ashbourne, eLearning Liaison, answers questions about the Library’s OER Toolkit and open at Conestoga College. Select the link to read an introduction to Open Educational Resources at Conestoga. ...

Faculty Services/Library Services/OERs and eTexts