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Getting Started in Grad School: 5.5 Teaching and Learning in Canada

In-Person and Online Learning

What experience do you have as a learner? Complete the poll to compare your experiences with other new graduate students.
Experience studying in-person: 2 votes (18.18%)
Experience studying online: 3 votes (27.27%)
Experience studying both in-person and online: 6 votes (54.55%)
Total Votes: 11

Icon of teacher in front of whiteboardDepending on your program, your courses at USask may be in-person or online. The table below outlines aspects of each mode of teaching and learning at the university.

In-Person Online
  • Lectures are commonly presented with Powerpoint
  • Zoom is used for  “live” (synchronous) lectures
  • Some instructors may use whiteboards or blackboards
  • Canvas is the main platform that hosts online courses
  • Clickers or polls may be used to promote engagement (more common in undergraduate lectures)
  • Polls, chat or breakout sessions may be used in Zoom to encourage participation during synchronous lectures
  • Class discussion is common (incl. think-pair-share)
  • Online discussion forums are common in asynchronous courses
  • Students may engage in a range of activities (e.g., problem-solving, critical analysis, reflection), independently or working with others; some of these activities may be conducted in Canvas
  • Students may engage in a range of activities (e.g., problem-solving, critical analysis, reflection), independently or working with others, whether synchronously or asynchronously

Common Teaching Techniques

Instructor teaching at the front of a lecture hall.

Photo by unknown on USask Flickr

Your instructors may use teaching techniques that may or may not be familiar to you, based on your prior experiences in formal education. Some common teaching techniques include

  • active learning/hands-on activities (e.g., lab or field work),
  • class discussion (e.g., think-pair-share),
  • flipped classrooms,
  • guided analysis (e.g., text analysis),
  • lectures (live or recorded),
  • peer teaching,
  • problem-based learning,
  • problem sets and case studies,
  • reflective activities, and
  • Socratic questioning.

Class Discussion

Explore the interactive slideshow to learn more about class discussion norms in graduate school.

Assignments, Grades, and Feedback

The University of Saskatchewan's main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.

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