“The course INSPIRE 1PL3 has allowed for Housing and Conference Services to share expertise in curricular and co-curricular learning to learners. With this we have had the privilege of witnessing the transformative impact of this experiential, reflection-based course on our students. This innovative course has been a game-changer in our efforts to create a holistic and enriching student living experience.

The course’s reflective nature encourages students to connect their daily living experiences in residence with academic concepts, fostering a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world. Student reflections have demonstrated significant personal growth, enhanced critical thinking skills, and a greater appreciation for diversity and inclusion.

The introduction of courses for academic credit in the Housing & Conference Services department has been groundbreaking. It not only enriches the educational experience but also aligns with the University’s mission of holistic student development. Our ability to offer academic credit for INSPIRE 1PL3 has set a precedent for further innovative initiatives in student housing and has enhanced our standing as a leader in higher education.

Overall, the impact of INSPIRE 1PL3 on our students and the opportunities it presents for Housing & Conference Services to offer courses for academic credit cannot be overstated. It embodies our commitment to holistic education and has truly inspired our students to become more engaged, reflective, and empowered individuals.”

“The INSPIRE Office has been a course incubator for developing, piloting, and delivering innovative courses that centre student personal growth, development, and transformation.

Student Affairs divisions have valued the collaborative partnership with the Office, which has made possible the delivery of courses that enable students to earn course credit for experiential learning undertaken beyond the classroom. The INSPIRE 3WW3 – Exploring Leadership in University Orientation and the INSPIRE 3AR3 – Exploring Leadership in Athletics and Recreation are excellent examples of this partnership.

These courses formally recognize the impact of our student leaders and further enable their self-discovery, critical reflexivity, and future success. Students reflect on their practical experiences beyond the classroom, engage with other learners about their common experiences as leaders, and expand their understanding and commitment to strategically impacting their communities as changemakers.

It is a privilege to work in partnership with the INSPIRE Office in service of our students.”

Arlene Fajutrao Dosen, Assistant Dean and Executive Director, Student Success

“I love teaching INSPIRE courses because they bring students from all disciplines into one room to discuss, in my case, leadership. I have extraordinary leeway to try new things in my courses and I feel supported by the INSPIRE Office. For example, I have a student partners grant to develop and implement case studies into INSPIRE 3WW3: Exploring Leadership in University Orientation—and the initiative is being led by one of the TAs for the course who, after TAing for INSPIRE 3WW3 last Fall, felt inspired (!) to pursue his growing interest in leadership pedagogy. The INSPIRE courses are truly one of a kind and, based on my interactions with students, they feel the same way. I also think the way the curriculum committee selects the Intersession instructors equitably because, as a committee, we only see their course proposal, not the entire cover letter. It allows us to choose a course based on the merits of the proposal.”

Dr. Sheena Jary, Faculty of Social Sciences

“Working with the McMaster Intersession office gave the postdocs in our program a voice. INSPIRE 3MP3 was a chance to hone their teaching skills within a collaborative, engaging and experimental environment. Instructors were able to impact interdisciplinary undergraduate students from across campus, allowing them to effectively create accessible and diverse modules. Through INSPIRE 3MP3, students are able to actively engage with current research at McMaster University. Interdisciplinary postdocs open their laboratory doors and shed light on the big questions in academia. This is one of the most engaging and diverse courses that an undergraduate student can take!”

Katie George, McCall MacBain Fellowship Program, Faculty of Science, Instructor INSPIRE 3MP3

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to design and teach courses like ABLD 3CD3: Topics in the Black Caribbean and its Diasporas, LATAM 2A03: Introduction to Latin American and Latinx Studies (of which I am a co-instructor), and LATAM 3A03: Critical Contemporary Issues in Latin American and Latinx Studies, subtitled “Black Latin America: Belonging, Refusal, Resistance.” These courses have been nothing short of remarkable in their capacity to inspire and engage students in critical dialogues about the complex and diverse cultural, racial, ethnic, socio-historic, and socio-political dynamics of the Latin American and Caribbean regions, as well as their vast diasporas globally. The support and collaboration from the INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning and the Office of the Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning have been instrumental in making these courses a reality. Witnessing the growth of these courses and the enthusiasm of our students as they delve, in critical and generative ways, into the rich tapestry of these topics is truly rewarding. It reinforces the importance of offering interdisciplinary perspectives on Black Studies, Latin American and Afro-Latinx Studies, and Caribbean Studies, and I am honored to be a part of this academic journey with our students.”

Dr. Stacy Creech, Faculty of Humanities, Instructor LATAM 2A03, LATAM 3A03, ABLD 3CD3

“The opportunity to have full creative and pedagogical control over learning outcomes, activities, class engagement, and literature is a seldomly given opportunity to early career scholars. INSPIRE has paved a pathway for me, as an early career scholar and educator, to explore my interests in passions in a way that felt flexible, adaptable, and enjoyable for myself and for the students I had the pleasure and opportunity of connecting with. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to test out new arts-based evaluation techniques within my subject matter of interest, being able to “play” within my work and adapt methods with students in the moment, in a fashion that I know impacts my strength and aptitude as an emerging professor. Teaching intersession is compact but it is fruitful! I would absolutely love to engage in this opportunity again!”

Renata Hall, Instructor INSPIRE 3II3 C04, EDIA Fundamentals for Emerging Professionals (Intersession 2024)

“Teaching INSPIRE offered us the opportunity to explore new approaches to teaching and learning using generative AI alongside our students. The interdisciplinary cohort of students brought rich perspectives and pushed discussions in new directions. As educators collaborating as a teaching team we learned from one another and found support and encouragement for trying new things in our teaching. The experience teaching in INSPIRE was one that has opened new questions and proved valuable to our individual and shared interests in generative AI.”

Erin Aspenlieder & Helen Kula, Co-instructors INSPIRE 3EL3, Critical AI Literacies (Intersession 2024)

“Teaching an INSPIRE course was such an honour and a privilege. Knowing that many students are working full-time over the summer, which often causes barriers to them engaging with summer courses, Intersession and INSPIRE offered such a creative and thoughtful way of overcoming these challenges and creating space for learning. I also thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to imagine a classroom space that was mindful of these concerns and focused on imagining pedagogy that allowed students to engage in a way that works best for them. It was also a dream of mine to teach an interdisciplinary course on anti-carcerality; doing so through INSPIRE resulted in a diverse class of students from varying disciplines who wanted to apply this learning to their chosen field. INSPIRE has had a profound impact on how I approach teaching and course development, and I look forward to integrating these experiences throughout my academic tenure.”

Maddie Brockbank, Instructor INSPIRE 3II3 C03, Anti-Carceral Imaginings (Intersession 2024)

“Teaching INSPIRE 3AR3 has been such a great opportunity to share my insights and passions with students who are involved in Athletics & Recreation, similar to my own experiences as a student and young professional at McMaster. INSPIRE has enabled me to develop course content that I am deeply connected to; I can explore concepts with the students that are relevant and meaningful – such as leadership development and inclusivity in sport – and hopefully the students come away feeling more knowledgeable, curious and empowered.”

Maggie Cockburn, INSPIRE 3AR3, Exploring Leadership in Athletics and Recreation (Fall 2023)