Name: Lara McInnis
Role: Professor, Teaching and Learning
College & City: Seneca Polytechnic, Toronto, Ontario
If someone were to visit your college/city, suggest three “not to miss” sites.
I recommend visiting Seneca’s Centre for Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship (CITE) at Newnham Campus in North York. First, take some time to reflect at the Circle of Indigenous Knowledge, a terrazzo medallion created by Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) artist Joseph Sagaj. Next, go upstairs to the fourth floor, a bright and airy space for staff and faculty to eat, chat, and collaborate. Then, visit Odeyto, the home of First Peoples @ Seneca. Designed by the Two Row Architects firm, Odeyto is a place of community for Indigenous students, staff and faculty. It’s also a place for anyone to drop by and talk about reconciliation education.
How long have you been a member of CDAG and what is one thing you most appreciate about the organization?
Since I joined CDAG in 2023 I have appreciated the support and encouragement of senior CDAG members who have always been open to strategizing, idea sharing, and providing feedback on collaborative projects. I’ve learned so much from them about course development, program quality, project management and the power of relationship building.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone new to curriculum development, what would it be?
Celebrate the breadth of knowledge and experiences that your role will bring you from ongoing collaboration and relationship building.
Describe your perfect curriculum development day in three words.
May I share instead something about “perfect curriculum development” rather than a day? I’ll quote a former colleague of mine who shared their goal with me a few years ago, and I can’t get it out of my mind. They said they want to design a “Curriculum without walls.”
If you could invite any living or historical figure to guest lecture for a course or keynote, who would it be and why?
I would love to host a panel consisting of Paolo Freire, applied linguist Merrill Swain, and RuPaul. They would have fascinating responses to questions about education and power structures, lifelong learning, and connecting with each other through art, language, joy and personal expression.
What project are you most proud to be/to have been a part of in your career?
In 2023, members of Seneca’s Program Quality team and the Teaching & Learning Centre collaborated with First Peoples@Seneca and Seneca Libraries to design and implement Phase I of Seneca’s Curriculum Integration Project. The goal of this particular phase was to support faculty and chairs across the institution to integrate Truth and Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Sustainability into program curricula. We weren’t sure what to expect going into this, and it seemed very overwhelming. However, this project turned into a learning experience for all, grounded in relationship building, knowledge sharing, vulnerability, and the celebration of multiple perspectives, all in service of curriculum enhancement. This was a transformative experience for me because each and every colleague I had the privilege of working with helped me rethink my role in faculty advisement and deepen my understanding of systemic structures and forces that impact curriculum enhancement. I also began to think more holistically about teaching and learning. In spite of challenges that we collectively faced, I remain hopeful and inspired to participate in this work.
The Member Profile is a recurring feature of the CDAG website and newsletter.
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