This academic year, the Teaching Commons has launched an exciting initiative: SCOTAY, or Student Consultants on Teaching at York.  The SCOTAYs are  undergraduate students from the Faculty of Education with a keen interest in teaching and learning and the enhancement of the student experience. Their role is to provide a student voice into teaching and learning activities at York, offering a low stress opportunity for faculty to reflect on their teaching practice through the eyes of a student. Faculty whose primary role is teaching, or faculty who are looking to revisit current strategies or reflect on new pedagogies, are all encouraged to register.

These students have been trained here at the Teaching Commons to work with professors who are interested in receiving feedback on their teaching from a student not enrolled in their classes. The SCOTAYs are ready to observe a lecture and provide feedback based on a pre-observation meeting in which you and the student set goals and expectations for the observation. Professors who have participated in the program have discussed feedback on the pace and organization of the lecture, student engagement activities, and clarity of information presented in class. This feedback is based around the goals and expectations discussed in the pre observation meeting.

The program is overseen by educational developers from the Teaching Commons who ensure that both the instructors and SCOTAYs receive adequate support throughout the process.

To enroll in the program as an instructor, please visit this link: https://teachingcommonsforms.apps01.yorku.ca/forms/view.php?id=581169

For questions about the program, please don’t hesitate to contact Lisa Endersby, Educational Developer, at lendersb@yorku.ca