Building Global Educators in Guyana
Faculty members from Mohawk College’s Centre for Teaching & Learning Innovation recently visited Guyana to share their expertise and insights with Guyanese post-secondary instructors hoping to enhance their instructional skills.
Professors Kelley Hoyt, Teaching & Learning Consultant specializing in Intercultural Education, and Cathy Ozols, Teaching & Learning Consultant focusing on Educator Development and Support, visited New Amsterdam, Guyana, from April 5-14, 2024, to facilitate the Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) at New Amsterdam Technical Institute. They engaged with eight participants from three institutions. Their work in Guyana was complemented by the two previously held study tours of instructors Guyana that visited Mohawk in 2023.
Funded by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CiCan), through the Skills to Access the Green Economy (SAGE), Project 4, the ISW is a rigorous program designed to enhance instructors’ skills through 28 hours of peer-based instructional development. Participants in Guyana benefited from intensive hands-on exercises aimed at strengthening learning-centred teaching practices
Kelley Hoyt reflected on the experience, emphasizing its impact, “focused on teaching to vulnerable populations. What we learned from them was equally if not more powerful.”
The workshop was a combination of small and large group interaction with immersive educational experiences. Participants honed their skills in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Trauma Informed Pedagogy, Indigenous Student Success, the Hierarchy of Learner Needs, and The Science of Learning.
The initiative builds on Mohawk College’s ongoing commitment to global engagement and capacity building, led by subject matter expertise found within the Mohawk International department. Sandra Gruosso, Manager, International Partnerships and Programs, has been working on the various initiatives of the SAGE project over the last year and commented on the significance of Mohawk College’s work on this project alongside our collaborators at College of the North Atlantic and Durham College stating, “this collaboration not only broadens our educational horizons but also reinforces our commitment to fostering global capacity building. The knowledge exchange and mutual learning experiences significantly benefit our college community by enriching our teaching practices and enhancing cultural competence among the Mohawk community.”
The result of this project: a global engagement initiative that is a symbiotic intercultural capacity development opportunity for all participants and institutions. The workshop enhances teaching practices and fosters intercultural understanding and personal growth among participants.
“It was pleasantly surprising just how similar we [facilitators and participants] all were in our values, teaching philosophies, and our dedication to student success,” said Ozols.
Later this year, the instructors from Guyana will visit Mohawk College to complete the Facilitators Development Workshop led by Kelley Hoyt and Cathy Ozols. Mohawk International looks forward to welcoming the instructors from Guyana to campus in October and continuing our work in the CiCan Skills to Access the Green Economy 04 Project.
To learn more on how to get involved in other exciting global projects - visit Current Global Projects or connect with Sandra at sandra.gruosso@mohawkcollege.ca