Get Involved

Wondering how to be a part of this? There are several ways to get involved.
 

Training and Workshops

CPE plays a critical role in enabling its faculty to learn and implement a variety of learning methods and approaches. Here are some key offerings from CPE that help our faculty excel in their careers at Habib.
 

Training in Student Centred Design

Habib University, by design is a student-centred institution. This approach requires shifting from the more general content-centred approach that is audience agnostic. This is critical for Habib as we bring a very diverse population of students on campus and their success is dependent on the teaching methodologies that we adopt. Student-centred frameworks allow the faculty to include students as participants of the learning journey. The traditional “sage on the stage” then morphs into a “guide on the side”. These inclusive learning frameworks also play a pivotal role in addressing the different learning needs of students, which quite often come from uneven educational backgrounds and skills. To show your interest please click here
   

First Year Learning Experience

This is a session where participants will focus on the unique challenges that first-year students face and how they can design more inclusive and meaningful experiences for these young people ranging from what to do with the syllabus, how to help them with timetable management and how to communicate assignment expectations. 

Transparent Syllabus Design 

The workshop will focus on the elements of an effective and transparent course syllabus and how to create learning outcomes that become foundational base for any course. The workshop will also introduce new faculty to HU’s Syllabus Management System.  To show your interest please click here


Improvisational Theatre

CPE conducted an Applied Improvisational Theatre Workshop Series for Faculty Members. Applied Improvisation is about taking concepts, ideas, and techniques from the world of improvisation (impromptu theatre) and applying them to different aspects of life. The training is designed for contact time of approximately of 18 hours that are spread over 12 sessions of 1.5 hours each, where faculty members are engaged in various theatre activities and improvisational games. Each activity was followed by debrief and reflection were faculty members share the lessons that be implemented in different settings such as teaching, academic administration, teamwork and collaboration. The purpose was to develop spontaneity and hone our skills such as ideation, collaboration, active listening, observation, empathy, thinking on their feet, communication, and constructive feedback in a playful and experiential approach.  
To show your interest in participating in upcoming workshop – Signup 

Teaching Awards 

Teaching awards are a key part of Habib University’s mission that help to reclaim the importance of inspiring and innovative pedagogy and to create proper evaluation structures around it. HU has established impactful dissemination methods and celebrate and credentialize these crucial advances in higher education. Through These awards Habib University aims to continue as a leader in pedagogical excellence and innovation. 

Annual Faculty Training 

The CPE is instrumental in facilitating Habib University’s core value: student centricity. Essentially, the CPE aims to ensure that students’ learning experience meets the highest standards yet remains contextualised and relevant to the modern world and community.  

The R3 Series 

R3 is the series of Faculty talks centred around some excellent courses that they have created at Habib. The goal is to present ideas discussed in these courses to the rest of the community and to spark conversations that can lead to collaborations across disciplines. These conversations will be designed on a format similar to TED talks and will eventually turn into a flagship talk series hosted annually by CPE. 

Educational Symposiums 

Educational Symposium, hosted by CPE in the framework of CPAC, focuses on teachers’ pedagogical knowledge. The main objective is to get a good understanding of how teacher’s knowledge can be conceptualised and measured and what elements might influence this knowledge. The themes also include the potential of interdisciplinary teaching and new findings from the Science of Teaching and Learning and what impact 21st century teaching skills might have on teacher’s knowledge. 

Invent for The Planet 

In 2018, the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University started a unique program called Invent for the Planet. IFTP is a 48-hour intensive design experience in which students throughout the world work to solve some of the most pressing concerns facing the planet today. Mentors play an integral part in the coaching and mentoring of the students. The end result that the students produce directly depends on the advice they receive from their mentors. Mentors help cultivate a positive working environment and provide crucial advice to students that are instrumental to the successful implementation of their ideas. 

Habib Liberal Core

As a crucial part of a student’s journey at Habib University, the Habib Liberal Core is positioned as the collective spirit of the entire faculty with a focus on interdisciplinary learning. This shared experience is pivotal in increasing exposure to a broad and inclusive range of existing forms of knowledge for our students. These Liberal Core courses help our students understand and engage in some of the most critical issues that we face as humans in relation to others. It also provides all students with a common academic experience at Habib University.  

Transparent syllabus workshop – creating effective CLOs and backward planning

In this workshop, participants learned how to create a syllabus that provides a holistic view of the course and its learning experiences by employing a backward design of choosing materials and creating transparent assessments and linking them to well-crafted that align with learning outcomes.  

Developing effective course learning outcomes and mapping them to program learning outcomes

This was a workshop provided to faculty to demonstrate the importance of clearly articulating the expectations they had of students. With course learning outcomes laid out, it is easier for teachers to gain a better idea of where their students stand within the class and the impact they are having.  

Faculty and Student Wellbeing

Perhaps one of the most essential workshops that the CPE has conducted, this one deals with a problem that affects everyone. The unconscious pile-up of stress can lead to burnout. Most people do not even realise the pressure they are putting on themselves. Hence, the CPE created this workshop to help faculty identify the signs of stress within both, teachers and students. The first part of this seminar deals with the negative effects stress can have on not only a person’s mental health but also their physical health. The second part is to inform the faculty of the difference between an adult brain and a teenage brain in terms of stress perception and management.  
CPE provided the faculty with several management strategies they could apply in the classroom as well as in their personal lives. In the end, the faculty were asked to self-assess the quality of their sleep, along with their anxiety, stress, and depression levels.  

An Integrative Approach to Student Understanding and Learning

One-time delivery of student assignments is redundant, while multiple testing and submission attempts are beneficial. The practice of allotting a period of class time to activities that entail independent student work should be introduced. This work would be what students are otherwise required to do on their own beyond class time. Plans should be discussed with students on the first day of class to allow students to take ownership of their education. Multiple attempts for activities such as quizzes put the responsibility of a good grade into the hands of the student and helps make sure that their grade does not depend entirely on written or practical work.   
   

Resources

The Center has a dedicated video-equipped classroom attached to it, allowing opportunities for faculty to both study their current pedagogy and experiment with new approaches before applying them in their classes. Also worth mentioning are our digital tablets and various kinds of CPE spaces (group work section, seminar section, presentation section and freestyle section) as the resources available in terms of hardware. In software resources, we have available inspiring Canvas courses we have designed for new faculty e.g. ‘CPE 101‘ and ‘Everything Canvas Panopto and Zoom‘ etc.

COVID’19 

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education and learning in ways never deemed possible. The world came to a near-standstill, and no one was prepared. When the eventual transition from in-person to online came about, Habib University dedicated itself to equipping the faculty with the necessary tools, techniques, and methodologies to move to emergency online teaching. Anzar Khaliq, Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning put it best. “Surviving the pandemic required a lot more than just getting online. We had to learn the ethics and norms of online teaching which were key in creating learning spaces that enabled impactful learning.”   

 

The OLTF:  

A team of people, called The Online Learning Task Force, was created to deal with these challenges. They were assigned the task of finding the right learning management system and video management system. The limitations of each system were studied thoroughly before acquiring licenses for some of the most advanced platforms available in the world, including Zoom for synchronous learning, Panopto Video Management System, and Canvas. These systems were further supported by additional tools, including Mural, Hypothesis, Microsoft Teams, Edx, Coursera, and LinkedIn Learning.  

   

Resources Provided to the Faculty:  

All the faculty, part-time and full-time, had to attend mandatory trainings and workshops to understand each aspect of these systems and how they could best utilise them to make interaction with students easier. They were also provided writing tablets and internet devices, along with other software to make for a smoother transition to online teaching. The CPE even held workshops and provided access to courses to help the faculty understand various strategies for teaching online. Some of them included a “Course Design Workshop”, “Training on selected Tools for Online learning”, “Assessment Design for Online Learning”, and “Trainings on new Online Teaching Environment and new LMS”.   The task force not only created two self-paced courses on online learning but also set up an online support channel for the faculty to ensure they were as well-prepared as possible. A list of articles was also provided for those who wished to gain some extra insight into the complications of online teaching. These included Universal Design for Learning: 7 Principles, Inclusion by Design: Survey Your Syllabus and Course Design, Open educational resources: Good for affordability; better for learning, Higher Education Faculty Perceptions of Open Textbook Adoption, and Small Teaching Online: Applying Learning Science in Online Classes.  

Transition to Online

Habib successfully managed to move 99% of its courses to an online platform within the third week of online learning. It took the combined effort of many people to make this transition for the labs, especially those for engineering students, which required powerful equipment.  
  

Classroom Settings

No change is easy. And there were still plenty of obstacles to overcome. While the teachers had made every preparation to be able to teach effectively online, there was no doubt that a virtual classroom was different from a real one. Students were less motivated than ever, and everyone’s mental health had taken a severe blow. Class participation was at an all-time low, with teachers struggling to get students to engage with the course material. As the weeks progressed, however, student engagement improved with the gentle encouragement of the faculty. Most students were regularly attending classes and, despite the lack of an ideal learning environment at home, were trying their hardest to keep up with their assignments and readings.  
 

Connectivity

Connectivity was one of the most prominent issues facing teachers and students. In a country where power outages are common and unpredictable, joining and holding classes, accessing the course material, communicating with instructors and peers, and submitting assignments on time became unavoidable obstacles. The university tried to help in every way it could, by providing laptops, tablets, and internet devices to both, the students, and teachers.    

Digital Resources 

CPE oversees the key educational frameworks that are available to our community. Trainings can be provided to faculty in all of these systems and tools. 

CANVAS 

Canvas is our course management system that supports online teaching and learning. It provides excess to faculty members to post grades, information, and assignments online. It is being adopted by university and is used at its best. 

Simple Syllabus 

Simple Syllabus is a centralized, template-driven platform enabling instructors to personalize and publish interactive class syllabi. Through this central database, faculty can create and edit syllabi, and all relevant administrative bodies can approve the syllabi within the same software environment. All community members can access the database and see the range of courses that are being offered at Habib University. 

Hypothesis 

Hypothesis is an online tool that allows students to collaboratively annotate course readings and other internet resources. The instructor can prepopulate he reading with their own questions to guide students and students can respond with their thoughts and reflections.  

Hardware Resources 

The Centre has a dedicated space, that faculty can use to experiment with different modes of teaching. The space can also be booked for specific workshops and trainings relevant to teaching and learning. Click her to book the space.   
Faculty can also check out digital tablets if they are designing special courses for online learning. (Click her to request for a digital tablet)  
CPE has also installed a large interactive display in multiple spaces. Faculty can request a training on these digital screens by clicking on this link.   
Faculty can also access this specially curated canvas site that will help faculty understand various tools and aspects of teaching and learning at Habib University.   

Services

Online Learning (CPE 101)

‘CPE 101’ is a self-paced tutorial catering to online teaching and learning at Habib University. The course was designed to offer an introduction to HU instructors to pivot to online teaching and learning, needed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The course has six modules providing an introduction to the nuances of online teaching and learning. 

Onboarding of New Faculty (Fulltime & Adjunct)

As part of Habib University’s welcoming and onboarding plan for new faculty members, the Center for Pedagogical Excellence (CPE) holds multiple workshops to orient and equip faculty members with pedagogical and technical support implemented and practiced at HU. The core areas of this training engagement include  
  1. Introduction to the support services available at CPE.
  2. Opportunities that are available at the Centre for Transdisciplinary, Design, and Innovation.
  3. Introduction to the Habib Liberal Core.
  4. Creation of Transparent syllabi (includes learning outcome design, assessment and rubric design)
  5. Training in digital platforms including Canvas, Panopto, Zoom, Hypothesis, and Simple Syllabus.

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

SoTL is a unique approach to inquiry about teaching and learning that supports instructor and student success. Integrating SoTL into institutional practices has provided new directions for faculty to pursue in their research agendas, encouraged the application of evidence to inform course design/delivery, and advocated the use of scholarly teaching as a central vision and value of the university. For more details about SoTL and research support available, please click here.  

Future of Learning

CPE held a panel discussion to discuss the future of Habib University within the harsh reality of today. It was an important discussion that covered the new normal and how it has changed the face of learning as we know it. However, with the advancement of technology come new ideas and innovations. We are now more connected than ever. This panel provided an opportunity to discuss the challenges this came with and how to best prepare the faculty and students to face them. 

Rethinking Teaching Statements

This seminar helped teachers reflect on who they are, what makes them unique, and the choices they make within the classroom. With the help of the Teaching Perspectives Inventory (TPI), teachers were able to dive further into their identities and write a genuinely helpful teaching statement. 

Designing for Student Success

This workshop focused on how faculty can design their courses to ensure student success. It was conducted from an entirely student-centred lens and encouraged participants to assess many of their pedagogical choices. They worked in teams to re-imagine topics such as student engagement, course information and assessment design.

Promoting Equity and Integrity in Online Assessments 

This session focused on deciding on the strategies that Habib should use for online tests and exams. The challenge was to utilise methods that allowed for equitable learning outcomes without compromising academic integrity. CPE believed it was important to structure assignments in a way that took into account the diversity of backgrounds, home environments, and identities.  

Collaborative Learning 

The CPE held this session to dive into the complexities of collaborative learning (CL). The faculty were introduced to the difference between active learning and collaborative learning, what effective CL is, how to design courses according to it, what role they played in promoting CL, and how to evaluate students in terms of it.  

Redesigning First Year Students’ Experience

With the oncoming arrival of first-year students, Habib wanted to create a unique and positive experience for them amidst the chaos of the world. Participants focused on designing an inclusive experience for the first-year students, covering each base and every problem they might face. 

Wellbeing for Students and Faculty Inside and Outside Classroom

CPE designed this session to help faculty incorporate a work-life balance in their lives, using the PERMA model. PERMA stands for Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments, and factors in happiness and well-being above all. 

DUX for Canvas Course Design

Irrespective of how complex or advanced the technological framework of LMS is, if the usability and accessibility is not created keeping in mind the experience of the user, i.e. the students, then the usefulness of Canvas becomes limited. Imagine apps like WhatsApp and Instagram, where the user experience is made so seamless that it’s a joy to navigate them for most people. We want to bring in the same seamless experience for our students through the Canvas sites for our courses. Canvas offers a lot of options for customization and in this session, participants will be able to imagine interactive and fun user experience interfaces for their Canvas course sites.

Community Building in Your Classroom

CPE conducted this session to instil within faculty the importance of community building in the classroom. Participants learned how to encourage students to communicate with each other to promote a better learning environment. 

Mindfulness Practice

When it comes to teaching, practising mindfulness is integral to ensuring that one is not overwhelmed to the point of a breakdown. Hence, the CPE provided faculty with a certified trainer to help them meditate and practice exercises to help ground them in their daily life. 

NECHE Self Study

WOver the next 18-24 months, members of the HU community will be involved – directly or indirectly – in the NECHE self-study process. This work will result in a 100-page document that aims to candidly describe the institution along with its strengths and challenges, and include evidence of institutional planning, sufficient resources, and educational effectiveness.  
This informational session aims to introduce the basics of the self-study process, and expectations from the University community, as we embark on the challenging next phase of pursuing NECHE accreditation. 

Sensitivity Training

When working with young adults, it is important to be able to guide them beyond the classroom. However, when it comes to matters of physical and mental health, it is always best to take help from professionals. Keeping this in mind, CPE plans to bring in trained psychiatrists/psychologists to work with faculty on how they may tackle situations that may arise and questions that may be asked.   

Student-Centred Design Workshop

One of the most profound impacts in teaching and learning in the past few years is implementation of Human Centered Design on a Student-Centered Lens, which brings about features of a course which are very inclusive, much more impactful and end up creating learning experiences that go beyond just the text. This workshop will cover practical suggestions on how participants’ courses are designed in a way that student experience lies at the core of it. 

Rethinking Assessments

Receiving feedback plays an integral role in student learning. However, it is often a long and tiring process, which can frustrate the teacher and the student. This workshop will deal with strategies to make this process easier and more efficient. 

Creating a strong foundation for learning for Covid19-impacted incoming batch

The batch of 2025 is one that entered Habib, having already dealt with the challenges of remote learning and COVID-19 restrictions. The pandemic had had a significant impact on their focus, motivation, and ability to learn. To prepare the faculty for the diversity they would have to deal with, CPE will conduct this workshop to discuss strategies to provide help within and out of the classroom to guarantee academic success. 

Using Stellic for student advising | Student Support Networks

With the world already in shambles and our systems rendered dysfunctional, it was important to address certain issues, such as student advisement. The connection a student has with their teacher could easily be the make-or-break for their success. The faculty will attend a series of sessions to understand how to communicate effectively with students.

Cross-disciplinary course design workshop

To encourage new and innovative ideas for the course design process, the CPE will hold a fun session where participants shall be randomly paired to work together to design and create completely new courses. 

Liberal Core Updates

Habib University’s Liberal Core comprises courses based on the seven forms of thought and action. Each student is required to take a determined number of courses under each of those seven. Encouraging faculty to have discussions about it is necessary, as it helps contribute to the teaching experience in many ways. Hence, a session will be held in August, dedicated to going over the work done in June and how it could have been improved. 

Rethinking Student Advising Frameworks

Advising is a personalized, interactive, and intentional process in which the advisor helps the student set and achieve academic, career, and personal goals. Faculty advising at Habib University is committed to student success and promoting growth and development of all students through life-long learning, engagement, and advancement of knowledge. The guidebook is intended to help advisors articulate policies and procedures and define and practice effective advising. 

UX design and Analytics for CANVAS

Irrespective of how complex or advanced the technological framework of LMS is, if usability and accessibility are not created keeping in mind the experience of the user, er, i.e. the students, then the usefulness of Canvas becomes limited. Imagine apps like WhatsApp and Instagram, where the user experience is made so seamless that it’s a joy to navigate them for most people. We want to bring in the same seamless experience for our students through the Canvas sites for our courses. Canvas offers a lot of options for customization and in this session, participants will be able to imagine interactive and fun user experience interfaces for their Canvas course sites. 
 

Expertise

The Center has a dedicated video-equipped classroom attached to it, allowing opportunities for faculty to both study their current pedagogy and experiment with new approaches before applying them in their classes. The CPE offers multiple pedagogical methods that they can implement to shed light on several perspectives on a given topic. By interpreting new information in the context of where and when it occurs and relating it to what we already know, we come to understand its relevance and meaning.  

Various Support Services that we provide include:
  • Syllabus Design
  • Creating Tangible Learning Outcomes
  • Understanding Student Centered Design
  • Course Clinic
  • Tuning Protocols
Got a query? Reach us at cpe@habib.edu.pk