About the program
The LIFT program (formerly the Faculty Institute of Teaching) is designed to support UVic instructors at all stages of their teaching careers. LIFT includes over 30 workshops, a formal Certificate in Post-Secondary Teaching and Learning for first-year instructors, and a hybrid lunch & learn series featuring peer-led discussions on timely topics in teaching and learning.
The program is aligned with UVic’s institutional priorities around accessibility, Indigenization, and generative AI, and aims to foster a collaborative and reflective teaching culture.
Program overview
The program is designed with a structured pathway in mind that progresses into a certificate if desired, or can be taken as standalone courses and workshops, between 90-120 minutes in length. LIFT provides a cohort-based learning community for shared dialogue and reflection and is offered in a blended format (in-person, synchronous and asynchronous components). It is open to all instructors and faculty at UVic.
Learning outcomes
The LIFT program has five main learning outcomes:
Apply core pedagogical principles grounded in learning science, inclusive design, and decolonizing pedagogies
Design lessons, courses, and assessments aligned with student learning outcomes
Explore opportunities to engage in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
Six thematic streams
Fundamentals in learning and teaching
Lesson, course, and assessment design
Technology-enhanced learning
Inclusive & innovative teaching strategies
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
Career development and educational leadership
Program components
The LIFT program has three distinct components and is offered to instructors at all levels:
Ongoing Workshops
Workshops are available each term, corresponding to the six thematic streams. Please visit Learning Central (filter by Learning and Teaching Innovation) for more details.
Lunch and Learn Series
Lunch & Learn sessions provide opportunities for peer discussions on emerging and practical teaching topics and exchanges of ideas across disciplines. Each session is 45 minutes long and will happen monthly.
Certificate in Post-Secondary Teaching
The certificate is a hybrid program offered over a year, approximately 30 hours. Those who complete the program are awarded at the end. See below for further details.
Certificate overview
Blended and cohort-based, the LIFT Certificate in Post-Secondary Teaching is designed to fit your teaching schedule while supporting the development of reflective and scholarly teaching practices. Whether you are new to post-secondary teaching or seeking to enhance your approach, LIFT helps you make intentional choices, connect with UVic’s teaching resources and grow as a confident and inclusive instructor.
Program features
Pedagogically focused
Each course offers practical, research-informed strategies in areas like course design, inclusive teaching, educational technology and assessment.
Peer connection
Build a learning community with fellow instructors across disciplines by sharing ideas, exchanging feedback and supporting one another throughout the academic year.
Self-paced foundations
Using a flipped classroom model, you will engage with key concepts at your own pace through readings, videos and exercises – then join peers inc class to reflect, share and deepen your learning.
Reflective planning
Receive course mapping worksheets and project templates to help you translate insights into action. Resources will be available to you before and after the program.
Program materials
All program materials are available throughout the certificate and hosted in Brightspace, including:
- blended, flipped-format courses with self-paced preparation followed by in-person workshops
- reflective prompts and submission spaces for reports
- planning tools and templates
- calendar and schedule
Program requirements
The certificate runs over the course of a year and consists of six courses, starting in August and ending in late spring. Participants complete a small Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project and begin planning either a teaching dossier or peer review pathway to fulfill the program requirements.
Course Descriptions
Fundamentals of Course Design
Asynchronous | 4 hours + 90min follow-up meeting
This course introduces foundational elements of learner-centred course design. Participants explore key aspects of constructive alignment, mapping learning outcomes, assessment methods, and inclusive learning activities.
Technology Enhanced Teaching
Asynchronous | 3 hours + 90min follow-up meeting
This course explores how to meaningfully integrate technology into teaching practices. Participants examine the pedagogical purposes behind technology use and evaluate tools that enhance interaction, flexibility, and student access.
The Science of Learning: How Research Informs Teaching & Learning Strategies
Synchronous | 80min workshop with optional resource follow-up
Grounded in cognitive science and educational psychology, this course offers an evidence-based look at how people learn and what that means for teaching. Participants explore topics such as cognitive load, memory, motivation, and metacognition to strengthen their instructional approaches.
Elective: Choose Your Path in the Innovative Teaching Stream
Live or blended selected from a list of approved LIFT electives
For the fourth requirement, participants choose one elective workshop that aligns with their interests and teaching context. Current topics include: course design for large classes, generative AI, and accessible strategies for teaching.
Final Workshop and Completion Requirement
Synchronous | workshop and project
In the last course, you will explore a small SoTL project and begin planning your teaching dossier or peer review pathway. Participants complete a small Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project and begin planning either a teaching dossier or peer review pathway to fulfill the program requirements.
Learn more about the program
Stay tuned for the first two workshops, available in early Fall 2025.
If you are interested in joining the LIFT certificate program, please submit an expression of interest via email to ltsisupport(at)uvic.ca.
