SAIT Polytechnic is committed to providing a unique and rich learning environment characterized by innovation, quality and results. SAIT is also committed to creating a learning environment that is transformative: it enables learners to convert information into knowledge, and knowledge into action. Faculty and staff play a critical role in meeting these commitments. 

Learner success and learner achievement are supported by pedagogical approaches that are highly interactive, practical, experiential, and technologically advanced.  The learning experience is further enhanced by partnerships with business and industry, collaboration with other post-secondary institutions, participation in applied research, and involvement in international education and training.

Learners are at the core of all of SAIT’s activities, and they participate fully in the creation and implementation of their learning experiences and outcomes.

Educational Principles

SAIT realizes its educational philosophy through focused attention on the following elements and the values associated with them:

Content:

• Balanced  - meets the essential skill needs of both the learner and employer/industry
• Relevant  – addresses current and emerging industry practices
• Transferable – facilitates ease of entry and enhanced recognition by others of learner achievement

Teaching:

• Interactive – involves learners in collaborative learning experiences by employing a variety of techniques and technologies to facilitate interactivity and teamwork skills to solve problems
• Personalized – faculty and staff help adapt the learning experience to individual needs by deploying innovative pedagogies relevant to a broad range of backgrounds, experiences and learning styles
• Engaged – develops and employs strategies and approaches to foster learner retention, learner success, and learner connection to SAIT

Delivery:

• Convenient – accommodates the need for learning at different times and locations
• Flexible -  provides learning activities in ways that are appropriate for different groups of learners and for a wide range of programs and outcomes
• Innovative – extends the quality and reach of programs and services through a variety of techniques, including e-learning strategies

Learner Assessment:

• Timely – employs continuous and interactive assessment and feedback techniques so that testing becomes a tool for learning
• Relevant – employs a variety of assessment practices to provide evidence of learning
• Accountable – meets and exceeds standards established by regulatory bodies

Applied Research:

• Revitalizing – contributes to the enhancement and application of the curriculum through adoption of new knowledge
• Engaging – provides faculty and learners with opportunities to participate in meaningful research projects
• Relevant – capitalizes on the application of new knowledge and practice, providing solutions for industry
• Responsible – uses sound research methodology and adheres to recognized standards for ethics and for the design, execution and management of research projects

Co-curriculum:

• Complementary – provides seamless academic support services to promote learner success and satisfaction
• Participatory – provides experiential, residential and recreational environments that contribute to the quality of student life and engagement
• Enriching – fosters the acquisition of essential skills for life and work

Learning Environment:

• Supportive – creates a caring and respectful environment for the learning community, and recognizes the diversity of our learners
• Facilitative – provides appropriate, accessible, and responsive administrative support services
• Welcoming – provides an environment that is safe, clean, comfortable, inviting and conducive to learning

Technology:

• Progressive – adopts technologies that give the institution and its learners a competitive advantage
• Enabling – provides tools for the creation and delivery of innovative courses, programs and services
• Purposeful – optimizes the appropriate technologies best suited to achieve curricular outcomes