Leadership

I provide leadership and strategic direction to academic services that support teaching and learning, including oversight of Teaching Excellence & Innovation, e-Learning, Experiential Learning and Career Development.

Prior to joining Laurier, I served as a distinguished faculty member and chair in the Department of Humanities at York University where I led a transformative vision of interdisciplinary teaching and research. I was the recipient of the prestigious 3M National Teaching Fellowship in 2021, recipient of an honorary Doctor of Laws from Royal Roads University in 2023 and was recognized with honours and awards at the faculty, university, and national levels.

I think of two primary and inter-related responsibilities in this position: to promote and advocate for innovative and impactful teaching and learning at Laurier; and to support faculty and graduate students as they develop their own pedagogical approaches and careers as teachers. In this capacity, I work directly with the Teaching Excellence and Innovation team, and collaboratively with eLearning, Continuing Education and Experiential Learning & Career Services.

The Teaching Excellence and Innovation team offers a wealth of programs and support for faculty and graduate students. These range from recurring workshops on course design and how to build a teaching dossier to Communities of Practice based around more immediate concerns such as AI or rising rates of student absenteeism. As Academic Director I serve as a liaison between Laurier faculty and the TEI group, ensuring that the programming and services on offer directly respond to the needs of faculty.

I have a BA and MA in Art History (McMaster and York respectively) and a PhD in Visual and Cultural Studies from the University of Rochester. I was fortunate enough to receive formal pedagogical training in Rochester, something that I have continued since starting at Laurier in 2003. I am a frequent user and fervent supporter of TEI’s services including the workshops on Course Design and building a Teaching Dossier.

I teach and research in the areas of visual communication, media history, sport studies and surveillance studies with a particular interest in the construction and use of visual evidence. To this end I have written a book on the history of police photography, Capturing the Criminal Image (Minnesota), and a history of the photo-finish in sport, Beyond The Finish Line (McGill-Queen’s). I am currently working on The Self-Tracking Project, a SSHRC-funded socio-cultural analysis of self-tracking in endurance sport, mainly distance running. As part of this I developed a course on self-tracking and the quantification of health and fitness and published a book chapter on self-tracking as a form of pedagogy. In the course we learn through self-tracking, literally experiencing the themes and issues raised in the scholarly literature on the topic.

I have taught at all levels of the curriculum from large first year courses to small graduate seminars and thoroughly enjoy the unique challenges of each teaching situation. I am a strong advocate for slow teaching – something that is becoming more challenging in our AI-infused environment, and I have recently switched to contract grading in my courses, which has shown very positive results. I look forward to trying new modes of teaching and assessment in the coming years.

• Slow teaching and the promotion of ‘deep work’ in the classroom.
• Alternative modes of assessment such as contract grading.
• Promoting and advocating for the inherent good of teaching and learning.

I am directly responsible for the development, management, and support of experiential learning at Laurier, and for ensuring career development is an integral part of the student experience. My portfolio includes the Career Development Centre, Co-operative Education, Community and Workplace Partnerships, and Global Engagement, where I focus on the development and delivery of comprehensive programs and services. These programs and services enable students to enhance their learning and identify and realize their educational and career goals. I am committed to building strong relationships and partnerships both within the institution and externally with employers and community.

I completed a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Legal Studies at the University of Waterloo, and I hold a Master of Arts in Leadership from the University of Guelph. I have over 20 years of experience working in post-secondary education, with a focus on experiential learning, co-operative education, and career development. I am passionate about helping students connect their academic learning with real-world experience and supporting their success through meaningful experiential opportunities.

I provide strategic leadership, direction and vision for technology enabled teaching and learning across the institution in both virtual and physical environments. Through a focus on continuous improvement we seek to streamline processes, enhance services and deliver professional support to all users of teaching and learning technologies at Laurier.

I oversee the development of digital learning programs, services and materials to support technology enabled teaching and learning in virtual and physical spaces in both for- and non-credit courses and programs. By supporting innovation and continuous improvement across the institution, eLearning introduces new technologies and strategies which will enhance teaching and learning for faculty and students today and in the future.

I completed an Honours Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature with a minor in Classical Studies at the University of Waterloo (2001), followed by a Bachelor of Education Junior/Intermediate English from Nipissing University (2002). In 2018, I graduated from Memorial University with a Master’s of Education in Post-Secondary Studies with a capstone focused on the evaluation and development of supports for adult students who are studying online. I started my career at Laurier in 2002 in 'Distance Education' and have held various positions in the unit since that time.

• Olender, J., Scott, M. (2019, June). Enhancing support for online learners: Researching student needs to inform innovation. Presented at CACUSS Conference, Calgary, Alberta.
• Alisat, S., Barichello, A., Hughes, S. E., & Scott, M. C. (2016, May). Student perceptions of online learning. Presented at CAUCE-CNIE Conference, Waterloo, Ontario.
• Scott, M. (2014, July). Unconventional uses of the LMS. Presented at FUSION Conference, Nashville, Tennessee.
• Kleinschmidt, P., Scott, M. (2011, July). Submitting grades from Desire2Learning learning environment to Banner student information system. Presented at FUSION Elevate Conference, Denver Colorado.