Academic Courses
The INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning is responsible for administration of three academic course pathways available to undergraduate students.
INSPIRE Course Offerings
8 unique, interdisciplinary INSPIRE courses are offered in collaboration with campus and community partners. Courses are uniquely scheduled to allow for curriculum flexibility; involve engaging instructors who teach in novel and innovative ways; and offer interdisciplinary opportunities to work in small groups and with peers across campus.
Africa and Black Diaspora Course Offerings
Africa and Black Diaspora courses (ABLD) provide students with an in-depth understanding of African and African/Black-diaspora peoples and societies around the world. These courses foster critical thinking skills, collaborative work while engaging in Black histories and cultures from interdisciplinary perspectives. They are also featured on the Interdisciplinary Minor in Africa and Black Diaspora Studies.
Latin American and Latinx Studies Course Offerings
Latin American and Latinx Studies (LATAM) introduces students to various perspectives and topics to begin understanding Latin America and its peoples within its totality and complexity. This course of study centers the multivalent experiences of Latin American people in Latin America and Latinx peoples within the context of the diaspora in Canada. These courses are featured on the Interdisciplinary Minor in Latin American and Latinx Studies.
Intersession Learning
The Intersession term is a 4-week semester that runs each May. The vision for Intersession and subsequent launch of the Intersession term in May 2020 provided the spark that led to the creation of the INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning.
While INSPIRE does not own the Intersession term (it’s open for offerings by all Faculties and the Arts & Science Program), our team continues to champion this new approach to teaching and learning. For example, most of the INSPIRE course offerings take place during Intersession, and our team is busy encouraging colleagues from across McMaster’s campus to explore Intersession as an experimental space for testing new teaching and learning ideas.
Interdisciplinary Learning
The INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning supports capacity building for interdisciplinary learning at McMaster in a number of ways.
Various exciting and unique courses are available to students in any program, level or faculty. These courses allow students to explore interdisciplinary topics to expand the boundaries of academic pursuits.
McMaster has a number of Interdisciplinary Minor options available for students to complete alongside their undergraduate studies. Since 2021, the INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning has created space for both shared learning between these programs and to create collaborative approaches to promotion of various minors with undergraduate students at McMaster.
As our team within the INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning have a great deal of experience with the development of interdisciplinary learning courses and programs, we are available to provide advice and guidance to faculty and staff who are either: a) developing new courses or programs; or b) seeking to test out new concepts in Spring Intersession.
Microcredentials
The INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning is responsible for providing support and resources to units developing microcredentials. Our team is currently pursuing projects in the following areas in support of a more coordinated approach to this emerging field of flexible learning:
Task Force
Over 2024-25 the INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning is convening a task force of McMaster colleagues to: a) refine language around what a microcredential is, and what it contains; b) determine platforms for hosting, tracking, and advertising microcredentials; c) implement structures to increase support for enrolment, payment, and credentialling processes; and d) create a recommended workflow for instructors interested in creating new microcredentials
Strategy
Building on an internal and external environmental scan done in Spring 2024, the INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning will advising on the creation of a Microcredential Strategy aimed at improving how microcredentials are supported at McMaster. We anticipate a strategy to launch sometime in 2025.
Platform
To grow microcredentials at the scale that McMaster envisions will require a consistent campus-wide approach to enrolment, payment, and delivery through an online platform that serves as a hub for learners. Our current priority is to have a pilot platform online for May 2025.
Central Unit Support
With the exception of McMaster Continuing Education, units that are not academic departments or Faculty-based must consult with the INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning during the development of any microcredentials. Our team is always available to consult with colleagues across the University.
Academic Microcredentials Governance
As the University develops academic microcredentials, the INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning will support the development of resources that clearly outline requirements and steps required to move new academic microcredentials through McMaster’s curriculum approval processes.
Non-Academic Microcredentials
The INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning is responsible for maintaining policies and procedures as they relate to non-academic microcredentials. Our team is currently developing resources that clearly outline requirements and steps required to move new non-academic microcredentials through an expedited yet thorough approval process.