University of Toronto’s Teaching and Learning Symposium
Signal to Noise: Tuning in to What Matters in Teaching
Wednesday, May 13 & Thursday May, 14, 2026 | On Campus
How to register for TLS2026
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Review the Agenda for full descriptions of each session (note that some time blocks have a few concurrent sessions).
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Navigate to the Registration page to select your sessions.
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After registering, you will get an email confirmation with an Outlook Calendar invite – add this to your calendar.
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Let us know a bit more about you by submitting this pre-conference questions form.
Day 1 Agenda | Day 2 Agenda
Day 1: May 13
McLeod Auditorium
All morning sessions take place in McLeod Auditorium (1King’s College Circle). All afternoon sessions take place in Rotman School of Management (105 St. George St.)
8:30am: Registration
Registration at McLeod Auditorium will open until 8:30am. Registration at Rotman School of Management will open 12pm-4pm.
9am-9:30am: Welcome to TLS2026
Welcome by President Melanie Woodin
9:30am-10:30am: Mixed signals: A conversation on building productive dialogue in the classroom
Chris Eisgruber, Professor of Law, President of Princeton University
Charlie Keil, Professor, Cinema Studies Institute and Department of History, Principal of Innis College
In an age of deepening political and social divides, classroom conversations can easily accelerate into problematic territory. How do we create the conditions for students to disagree productively, and what’s the role of academic freedom and open inquiry in getting there?
Join Christopher Eisgruber, Professor of Law, President of Princeton University, and author of the recently published Terms of Respect: How Colleges Get Free Speech Right and U of T’s Charlie Keil, Professor in the Cinema Studies Institute and the Department of History, Principal of Innis College, and member of the President’s Teaching Academy for a candid conversation on teaching through the challenges of polarization to help students build a capacity for productive dialogue, creative disagreement, and compassionate critical thought.
10:45am-11:45am: Teaching Excellence Unplugged with the President’s Teaching Academy
Join members of the President’s Teaching Academy (PTA) for an open, candid conversation about their teaching journeys; what they’ve learned, what they’ve let go of, and what they’d tell their first-year selves.
The PTA is comprised of winners of the President’s Teaching Award. 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of this award, the highest honour for teaching at U of T.
11:45am-1pm: Lunch
A box lunch will be served at McLeod Auditorium. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions.
The afternoon workshops take place at Rotman School of Management (105 St. George).
1pm-2pm: Concurrent Sessions 1
Rotman School of Management (105 St. George)
Is this good? Supporting learner evaluations of written texts across disciplines and technologies
Erin Vearncombe, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy (ISUP), UTM
Chris Eaton, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream & Associate Director, Research, ISUP, UTM
Sarah Flood, 3rd-year undergraduate in Sociology; Research Assistant, ISUP, UTM
Talla Enaya, undergraduate alumna, UTM; Program Assistant, Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy, UTM
Filtering the Noise: Tools, Trends, and Tensions
Evaluative judgment refers to the capability to make informed, defensible decisions about the quality of work (Tai et al., 2018). This capability has always been central to academic success and professional practice, yet it has remained largely implicit in our teaching and learning activities (Eaton et al., 2025). Learners are regularly asked to find credible sources, provide peer feedback, and revise their work, but they are rarely taught how to judge quality in these contexts. The increasing influence of generative AI has brought evaluative judgment into sharper focus (Bearman & Ajjawi, 2023). While GenAI brings noise into our teaching, it can also filter out pedagogical clatter, helping us see more clearly which capabilities we need to prioritize.
This interactive workshop invites participants to practice evaluative judgment and then design ways to teach it. Through activities including experimentation with a shared genre and collaborative revision using “revision dice,” participants will experience how judgment becomes visible and debatable when we make criteria explicit. Working individually and in small groups, participants will surface tacit standards experts use when evaluating work, identify where evaluative judgment already exists (or could exist) in their courses, and design concrete teaching interventions suited to their disciplinary contexts. Participants will leave with revised course materials and discipline-specific strategies for scaffolding evaluative judgment, strengthening a core learning outcome fundamental to thinking and working in our fields. Please note that a personal laptop may be useful for participation in selected research activities.
Bearman, M., & Ajjawi, R. (2023). Learning to work with the black box: Pedagogy for a world with artificial intelligence. British Journal of Educational Technology, 54(5), 1160–1173. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13337
Eaton, C., Harris, K., & Vearncombe, E. (2025). Student evaluative judgements when writing with artificial intelligence: The disconnect between structural and conceptual knowledge. Journal of Academic Writing, 15(2), 1–12. https://publications.coventry.ac.uk/index.php/joaw/article/view/1346
Tai, J., Ajjawi, R., Boud, D., Dawson, P., & Panadero, E. (2018). Developing evaluative judgement: Enabling students to make decisions about the quality of work. Higher Education, 76(3), 467. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-017-0220-3
1.2.1 Reflecting through Relationships: A Grounded Theory of Professional Identity Development in Work-Integrated Learning
Ainsley Goldman, Experiential Learning & Professional Development, Experiential Learning Educational Developer, FAS
Amplifying the Signal: Connection, Engagement, and Civil Discourse
Work-integrated learning (WIL) is regarded as a panacea for incorporating students into the workforce, but scholars have called for more explicit curriculum and reflection related to professional identity development. Reflection is well-established in WIL curriculum, predominantly through graded written reflection assignments, but there is preliminary evidence that assessed reflections can become performative.
Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, this research project explored the question: how is professional identity developed through reflection in WIL curriculum? Data was collected from 20 undergraduate WIL students and three instructors at a large urban university using a combination of semi-structured interviews and discourse analysis of students’ reflection assignments and course syllabi.
Many students discussed the value of reflection through relationships (signals), as they had the opportunity to share ideas with one another while being disconnected from a permanent record they were handing in (noise). Patterns emerged related to their relationships in WIL, including relationships with classmates, student colleagues, co-workers, supervisors, and the school and workplace communities at large.
This research makes a significant contribution by emphasizing the importance of relationships in WIL. Relationships themselves are crucial, and it is often through relationships that WIL students are engaging in dialogical reflection. Furthermore, this research offers a theory of professional identity development through reflection and relationships in WIL that is not linear but contextual. This theory is very accessible to WIL educators and practitioners, and specific approaches to theory application will be shared with all participants.
Research Track
Arend, B., Archer-Kuhn, B., Hiramatsu, K., Ostrowdun, C., Seeley, J., & Jones, A. (2021). Minding the gap: Comparing student and instructor experiences with critical reflection. Teaching & Learning Inquiry, 9(1), 317–332. https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.1.21
Brainstorm Strategy Group. (2024). Student interests report. https://brainstorm.ca/brainstorm-school-report/
Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing grounded theory. Sage Publications.
Gilardi, S., & Lozza, E. (2009). Inquiry-based learning and undergraduates’ professional identity development: Assessment of a field research-based course. Innovative Higher Education, 34(4), 245–256. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-009-9109-0
Jackson, D. (2017). Developing pre-professional identity in undergraduates through work-integrated learning. Higher Education, 74(5), 833–853. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-016-0080-2
Ross, J. (2014). Performing the reflective self: Audience awareness in high-stakes reflection. Studies in Higher Education, 39(2), 219–232. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2011.651450
1.2.2 Signal over Stress: Designing Flexible Deadlines and Intentional GenAI Use in Large Statistics Courses
Samantha-Jo Caetano, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Statistical Sciences, FAS
Emily Somerset, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Statistical Sciences, FAS
Filtering the Noise: Tools, Trends, and Tensions
In an era shaped by increasing student stress and the rapid uptake of generative AI, instructors face growing pressures around assessment design, academic integrity, and workload sustainability. This session shares the redesign of a large (n≈600) third-year XX course – Surveys, Sampling and Observational Data – built around structured flexibility in deadlines, grading-schemes, and generative-AI policy. Rather than adding more rules in response to complexity, the redesign amplified learning goals while reducing administrative and policy “noise”.
Flexible course design can be understood as a form of kind pedagogy: it supports student autonomy, acknowledges that students balance learning with complex lives, and reduces reactive administrative burden. Across the term, 97% of students used at least one flexible deadline and 95% appreciated the availability of flexible policies. Self-perceived skill development outcomes were comparable between students who did and did not use flexibility; while those who did not use extended deadlines earned marginally higher grades (differences were not statistically significant).
The course also incorporated a flexible generative-AI policy allowing use on take-home assessments. Students were required to disclose and reflect on their AI use as part of the rubric. Survey data indicated that 75% used AI tools, 82% supported the AI policy, and 98% viewed it as fair. Median assessment grades differed by less than 1% between AI users and non-users.
This session will explore how structured flexibility and intentional AI integration can sustain academic rigor while reducing stress and focusing attention on what matters most: meaningful student learning.
Research Track
Archibald, D., David, T., & MacDonald, C. J. (2014). Validation of the interprofessional collaborative competency attainment survey (ICCAS). Journal of Interprofessional Care, 28(6), 553–558. https://doi.org/10.3109/13561820.2014.917407
Beeckman, D., Defloor, T., Demarra, L., Van Hecke, A., & Vanderwee, K. (2010). Pressure ulcers: Development and psychometric evaluation of the Attitude towards Pressure Ulcer Prevention instrument (APuP). International Journal of Nursing Studies, 47(11), 1432–1441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2010.04.004
Burston, A., Miles, S. J., & Fulbrook, P. (2023). Patient and carer experience of living with a pressure injury: A meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 32(13–14), 3233–3247. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16431
Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative. (2024). CIHC competency framework for advancing collaboration. https://cihc-cpis.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/CIHC-Competency-Framework.pdf
Jackson, D., Durrant, L., Bishop, E., Walthall, H., Betteridge, R., Gardner, S., Coulton, W., Hutchinson, M., Neville, S., Davidson, P. M., & Usher, K. (2017). Pain associated with pressure injury: A qualitative study of community-based, home-dwelling individuals. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 73(12), 3061–3069. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13370
Manderlier, B., Van Damme, N., Vanderwee, K., Verhaeghe, S., Van Hecke, A., & Beeckman, D. (2017). Development and psychometric validation of PUKAT 2·0, a knowledge assessment tool for pressure ulcer prevention. International Wound Journal, 14(6), 1041–1051. https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.12758
Woodbury, M. G., & Houghton, P. E. (2004). Prevalence of pressure ulcers in Canadian healthcare settings. Ostomy Wound Management, 50(10), 22–38.
1.3.1 Learning from the Development and Evaluation of Better Together: A Longitudinal Hybrid Interprofessional Pressure Injury Prevention and Management Curriculum for Health and Social Care Students
Sharon Gabison, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Physical Therapy, TFoM
Sustaining Resonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact
This session will present the reflections related to the development and evaluation of a longitudinal hybrid interprofessional pressure injury curriculum for health and social care students at the University of Toronto. More specifically, the objectives of this session are:
- To share reflections on the development of a longitudinal hybrid interprofessional pressure injury curriculum for health and social care students.
- To share reflection on the evaluation of a longitudinal hybrid interprofessional pressure injury curriculum for health and social are students
- To share opportunities for further development and evaluation of longitudinal interprofessional curricula
Attendees will learn about the motivation and educational theories underpinning the development and evaluation of the longitudinal hybrid curriculum.
Practice Track
Archibald, D., David, T., & MacDonald, C. J. (2014). Validation of the interprofessional collaborative competency attainment survey (ICCAS). Journal of Interprofessional Care, 28(6), 553–558. https://doi.org/10.3109/13561820.2014.917407
Beeckman, D., Defloor, T., Demarra, L., Van Hecke, A., & Vanderwee, K. (2010). Pressure ulcers: Development and psychometric evaluation of the Attitude towards Pressure Ulcer Prevention instrument (APuP). International Journal of Nursing Studies, 47(11), 1432–1441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2010.04.004
Burston, A., Miles, S. J., & Fulbrook, P. (2023). Patient and carer experience of living with a pressure injury: A meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 32(13–14), 3233–3247. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16431
Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative. (2024). CIHC competency framework for advancing collaboration. https://cihc-cpis.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/CIHC-Competency-Framework.pdf
Jackson, D., Durrant, L., Bishop, E., Walthall, H., Betteridge, R., Gardner, S., Coulton, W., Hutchinson, M., Neville, S., Davidson, P. M., & Usher, K. (2017). Pain associated with pressure injury: A qualitative study of community-based, home-dwelling individuals. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 73(12), 3061–3069. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13370
Manderlier, B., Van Damme, N., Vanderwee, K., Verhaeghe, S., Van Hecke, A., & Beeckman, D. (2017). Development and psychometric validation of PUKAT 2·0, a knowledge assessment tool for pressure ulcer prevention. International Wound Journal, 14(6), 1041–1051. https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.12758
Woodbury, M. G., & Houghton, P. E. (2004). Prevalence of pressure ulcers in Canadian healthcare settings. Ostomy Wound Management, 50(10), 22–38.
1.3.2 Junior and Senior Faculty Reflections on Building Experiential Learning That Endures
Haley Zubyk, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Human Biology Program/Department of Cell and Systems Biology, FAS
Franco Taverna, Professor, Teaching Stream, Human Biology Program, FAS
Sustaining Resonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact
Experiential learning (EL) is widely recognized as high-impact pedagogy, yet less attention is given to what it takes to build and sustain EL over time in real courses, under real constraints, and within evolving community partnerships. Aligned with Sustaining Resonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact, this session shares practical lessons from EL development through two complementary perspectives: a junior instructor launching new initiatives and a senior instructor with extensive EL experience.
We present concrete insights from implementation, redesign, and ongoing adaptation. Rather than highlighting only successes, we also examine where early approaches fell short, including mismatched expectations, partnership strain, uneven student readiness, and scope challenges amid competing demands. We then show how these challenges informed meaningful redesign: clearer student onboarding, stronger reciprocal partnership structures, closer alignment between student deliverables and partner priorities, and more realistic definitions of success.
Our reflective analysis draws on EL scholarship and lived instructional experience across multiple iterations. We argue that sustaining EL depends less on getting the first design “right” and more on responsive pedagogy: relationship-centred planning, transparent communication, iterative refinement, and values-informed decision-making.
Attendees will leave with transferable tools for sustaining EL in their own contexts, including practical redesign checkpoints, strategies for repairing and strengthening partnerships, approaches for evaluating lasting impact, and actionable guidance for moving from one-off EL activities to durable, program-level practice across disciplines.
Practice Track
Coker, J. S., Heiser, E., Taylor, L., & Book, C. (2016). Impacts of experiential learning depth and breadth on student outcomes. Journal of Experiential Education, 40(1), 5–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053825916678265
Gazley, B., Bennett, T. A., & Littlepage, L. (2013). Achieving the partnership principle in experiential learning: The nonprofit perspective. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 19(3), 559–579. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2013.12001751
Kong, Y. (2021). The role of experiential learning on students’ motivation and classroom engagement. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 771272. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.771272
1.4.1 The Power of Presence: Centering In‑Person Communication in a Digital‑Heavy Era
Alexandra Motut, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Rotman School of Management
Filtering the Noise: Tools, Trends, and Tensions
I describe how my commitment to in-person, real-time assessment in a second-year business communications course cuts through the noise of a digital-heavy teaching landscape and helps students understand what matters most in communicating effectively with others.
In an era of overwhelming AI-powered tools and asynchronous convenience, I structure my course around one core principle: students learn communication best when they must communicate in real time, in person, with real people. This single strategic commitment underpins every major assessment and helps students tune out digital noise and tune in to authentic human interaction.
All major assignments require students to perform, collaborate, or connect live. Students deliver small-group presentations in rooms with a TA and five peers, responding to audience cues and managing real-time dynamics. Each student meets with me individually during office hours—a deliberately analog, relational assessment—to practice professional one-to-one communication of feedback. A “coffee chat” assignment requires students to conduct a real-world conversation with someone outside the classroom and record it for feedback, emphasizing real-life conversation skills. Students also record a video presentation live, in front of a peer and a TA, reinforcing the embodied nature of the course. Out-of-class practice opportunities include peer-to-peer workshops and coaching appointments at the writing and communications centre.
By making presence—not paperwork—the central mode of assessment, students develop grounded, practical communication skills that written, asynchronous tasks cannot capture, while overall engagement and focus increase. This approach is easily adaptable to other disciplines seeking meaningful, high-impact learning experiences.
1.4.2 Indigenization of Higher Education Curriculum – Insights from a collaborative initiative of “One Dish One Spoon” faculty mentorship project
Tanzina Mohsin, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Physical and Environmental Sciences, UTSC
Elizabeth O’Brien, Librarian, UTSC
Donald Butler, Anthropology
Heidi Daxberger, Physical and Environmental Science
Sustaining Resonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact
This session shares lessons and a practical, transferable model from a completed UTSC faculty mentorship initiative grounded in One Dish, One Spoon responsibilities and relationship-centered approaches to teaching and learning. The project supported faculty, librarians, staff (and some students) in building confidence and competence to integrate Indigenous Knowledges and decolonizing pedagogies into curriculum without tokenism, by prioritizing relationship, place, reciprocity, and reflective practice.
An interdisciplinary team of faculty-librarian convened a sequence of land- and place-based learning circles: one multi-day retreat in a natural setting and several one-day gatherings on/off campus sessions, each guided by Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, Elders, and Indigenous scholars. Across formats, the same core structure was used: circle-based dialogue, land-/place-based learning, guided reflection prompts and peer-supported “translation” of insights into “course” actions. The session focuses on a central theme: improving impact by protecting the signal (relational learning, cultural safety, accountable partnership) while reducing the noise (logistics, honoraria processes, unsuitable spaces, communication constraints on protocols).
Attendees will receive practical “Retreat-to-Course Mapping Ideas” that helps educators move from learning experience → course touchpoints → student activities → reflection/feedback, alongside a short implementation checklist. The session will also highlight the value of interdisciplinary and library partnership for ethical resource pathways and sustainable curation of teaching resources. Participants will leave with concrete options to adopt the model at different contexts, a short list of do’s/don’ts for Indigenous relationship-centered engagement, and options for sustainable scaling such as recurring retreats, book club models, and shared repositories of vetted resources while keeping the principles intact.
1.4.3 Connection at Scale: Efficient Strategies for Personalized, Empathic Feedback
Kathleen Yu, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Economics, UTM
Amplifying the Signal: Connection, Engagement, and Civil Discourse
In many classrooms, students often wonder whether their professors truly see them or care about their individual learning experiences. This session explores a scalable, relationship‑centered communication strategy that strengthens human connection in large‑enrollment courses by making feedback personal, timely, and grounded in care through personalized emails to students after every major assessment. The session highlights how intentional, individualized outreach can amplify clarity, empathy, and (most importantly) be efficiently accomplished even when hundreds of students are involved. Although this session draws on experiences from a high‑enrollment course, the strategy can be easily adapted to small- and medium-sized courses as well.
The approach centers on acknowledging students’ efforts, recognizing their progress, and offering supportive pathways forward after key assessments. It reframes feedback as an opportunity to build trust, foster dialogue, and affirm students’ sense of belonging. Students consistently report feeling seen, supported, and motivated when they receive personalized communication that meets them where they are, whether they excelled, struggled, or simply made incremental gains. These messages become touchpoints that humanize the learning experience and open doors to deeper conversations about study strategies, challenges, and a growth mindset.
Participants will consider how this model can be adapted across disciplines, modalities, and class sizes to encourage meaningful engagement. The session will also address practical strategies for implementing individualized communication efficiently and sustainably. Ultimately, this approach demonstrates that even in large classes, small acts of personalized connection can profoundly shape students’ confidence, resilience, and willingness to engage in the shared work of learning.
1.5.1 An Interactive Module to Prepare Nursing Students for Their First Clinical Placement: The transformation of an idea
Mary Ann Fegan, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing
Sustaining Resonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact
Nursing students begin clinical practice within a month of entering the program. With a goal to improve students’ preparation for their first clinical placement and help demystify the clinical learning environment, we reimagined and redesigned our orientation approach. Over the past four years, what was once a large class discussion with PowerPoint slides transformed into an interactive, media-rich online clinical orientation module, with an accompanying student clinical handbook. This new approach is supported by a large group in-person follow-up session.
Designed to accommodate varied learning styles and provide meaningful learning, the module integrates audio, visual, and text-based content. Key documents, policies, and resources are embedded to give students immediate access to essential information. Reflective prompts and knowledge checks encourage active engagement and help validate learning. Short testimonial clips from senior nursing students offer practical insights, including how to prepare for a clinical shift and what they wished they had known before starting their first placement. Longer role play videos illustrate the flow of a clinical shift – from initial patient interaction to end of day debriefing – highlighting the support provided by clinical instructors and opportunities to optimize learning throughout the day.
This open mic session tells a story of teaching innovation, reflection, and adaptation that began with one simple idea. Student feedback, faculty experiences, and lessons learned will be shared. Attendees will be encouraged to consider ways they might use a similar strategy to engage learners and can explore the module using a QR code.
1.5.2 Stop, Breathe, Dwell: Assessment Practices That Cut Through Pedagogical Noise
Shelley O’Brien, Administrative Staff, Centre for the Study of Pain
Finding the Frequency: Clarity, Purpose, and What Matters Most
Teaching today operates in time scarcity: students race toward correct answers, educators rush through packed curricula, and the noise of competing demands often drowns out learning objectives of deep learning, critical reflection, relational engagement. Rather than adding more strategies to an already overwhelming load, what if we could filter noise by attending differently to what’s already present?
I’ll share Stop, Breathe, Dwell—three practices that help educators tune in to signal beneath noise, with primary focus on the “Stop/Dwell pop-up evaluation”: a high-impact assessment technique that produces measurable transformation in student thinking.
The Technique: During case-based or problem-based learning, at the moment students are moving toward solution/diagnosis, I interrupt with three questions: (1) What assumptions are you making? (2) What tensions do you notice in your thinking? (3) What questions would you now ask? This 5-10 minute disruption forces students to stop (examine their reasoning process), breathe (sit with discomfort), and dwell (stay with complexity instead of rushing to resolution).
The Impact: Results from ~200 interprofessional healthcare students show: 60% demonstrated systems-based thinking (recognizing institutional barriers, time pressure, access issues), 70% showed interprofessional learning (understanding other professions’ approaches), and 80% developed new patient-centered clinical questioning strategies. The interruption creates space for critical reflection that doesn’t emerge in linear case progression.
The Framework: These results emerge from operationalizing contemplative pedagogy and feminist new materialist theory as assessment practice and act as concrete techniques that work across disciplines. Beyond the pop-up evaluation, I’ll share how to use stopping, breathing, and dwelling.
Takeaway: Participants leave understanding how to design strategic interruptions in their own courses.
1.5.3 Optimizing Instruction in the MD Anatomy Curriculum Using Backward-Design and Students-as-Partners to Design a Pilot Dissection Program
Kristina Lisk, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Division of Anatomy, Department of Surgery, TFoM
Parsa Razeghi, 2nd year medical student, TFoM
Finding the Frequency: Clarity, Purpose, and What Matters Most
In an era of increasingly complex curricula and competing educational priorities, it is essential to “tune in” to what most meaningfully supports student learning. This presentation describes how the Surgical Approach to Regional Anatomy (SATRA) program was developed using students-as-partners principles and backward curriculum design to create a focused, high-impact learning experience within constrained curricular space.
SATRA was introduced in 2025 as a pilot initiative offering medical students the opportunity to perform faculty‑guided surgical dissections and create reusable teaching specimens for the MD program. While cadaveric learning has diminished due to time, cost, and resource limitations, SATRA was intentionally designed — through direct student collaboration — to amplify what students value most: hands-on clinical contextualization, deep learning, and opportunities to meaningfully contribute to their learning community.
Using a backward-design approach, faculty anatomists, surgical residents, and student partners jointly identified key learning outcomes related to clerkship readiness, surgical reasoning, and peer teaching. Design decisions, including one dissection per pair, structuring guided supervision, and producing teaching specimens, reduced curricular “noise” and ensured each component supported learning outcomes.
Findings from the pilot SATRA cohort showed that 82% of participants reported increased interest in musculoskeletal surgery, and all reported improved anatomic understanding and confidence in peer teaching. This Open Mic session will be present faculty and student perspectives, and offer transferable insights into co-designing experiential learning opportunities, optimizing limited resources, and meaningfully engaging students as collaborators in curriculum development.
Moderator: Susan McCahan, Vice-Provost, Innovation in Undergraduate Education
Panelists:
Gwendolyn Eadie, Assistant Professor, Astronomy and Astrophysics/Statistical Sciences, FAS
Certina Ho, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy/ Psychiatry, TFoM
Daniel Newman, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Director of Graduate Writing Support/Department of English, FAS
Zahra Shakeri, Assistant Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, DLSPH
Naomi Steenhof, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy Moderator: Susan McCahan, Vice-Provost, Innovation in Undergraduate Education
What does exceptional teaching look like at the start of an academic career? Join recipients of the Cheryl Regehr Early Career Teaching Award (ECTA) for a dynamic conversation on creativity, commitment and impact in the classroom. Representing diverse disciplines and approaches, these early career educators will share insights into their teaching practices, the challenges and opportunities they encounter as they grow as instructors, and the strategies they use to engage students in meaningful ways. Through candid reflections and practical ideas, this panel offers fresh perspectives on fostering impactful student learning while navigating the many demands of early academic life.
2:15pm-3:15pm: Concurrent Sessions 2
Rotman School of Management (105 St. George)
Conversations in Beta: An Interactive Workshop on AI‑Generated Simulations
Michael Cournoyea, PhD, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education
Tolulola Taiwo-Hanna, MSW, RSW, PhD Candidate, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
Joelleann Forbes, MSW, RSW, Sessional Instructor, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
Filtering the Noise: Tools, Trends, and Tensions
Educators across disciplines are increasingly exploring how Large Language Models (LLMs) might support richer forms of experiential learning. One emerging use case is the development of interactive simulations—dynamic, responsive scenarios that allow students to practice discernment, apply concepts, and experiment with different approaches in a low‑stakes environment.
In this interactive Jam Session, we share insights from a classroom pilot in which Copilot generated a conversational mental health scenario for second-year Master of Social Work students. The simulation prompted learners to navigate uncertainty and make contextually sensitive decisions while receiving immediate, adaptive feedback. Participants will have an opportunity to engage directly with this classroom pilot, as well as an alternative Copilot-generated simulation, to experiment with its affordances and limitations.
These activities will be followed by a guided discussion on pedagogical design. Together, we will examine the “signal” and “noise” in LLM adoption: What kinds of learning do LLM-powered simulations genuinely support? How do they complement or complicate existing instructional strategies? Where do ethical concerns—including bias, emotional impact, and the transparency of LLM-generated personas—require deliberate safeguards? How do we design LLM-enhanced learning experiences that prioritize equity, critical thinking, and deep learning?
Participants will then collaboratively explore how LLM-powered simulations might be adapted within their own disciplines, from clinical cases to conflict resolution exercises. By experimenting, reflecting, and co-designing, attendees will leave with practical strategies and concrete examples for using LLMs to support meaningful, thoughtfully structured learning experiences that extend beyond novelty and toward deeper engagement. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptop or connected devices to fully participate in the simulation.
Ahn, E., Choi, M., Fowler, P., & Song, I. H. (2025). Artificial intelligence (AI) literacy for social work: Implications for core competencies. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 16(1), 9–26. https://doi.org/10.1086/735187
Share, P., & Pender, J. (2024). Role-playing the future: A simulation-based exploration of AI in social work. Ubiquity Proceedings, 27. https://doi.org/10.5334/uproc.149
Toli, L., & Manasa, G. M. (2024). Artificial intelligence: Opportunities and challenges for the social education and profession. Scholars Bulletin, 10(04), 143–147. https://doi.org/10.36348/sb.2024.v10i04.005
It Takes a Village: Fostering Hope and EnvironMental Wellness in the University Classroom through Collaboration
Simon Appolloni, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, School of the Environment
Olivia Allen, Wellness, Fitness and Recreation Programs Coordinator, Hart House
Lois Boody, PhD Candidate, OISE, University of Toronto (also Lead TA of ENV100)
Jermane Hall, Program Coordinator, Dialogue and Expression, Hart House
Clara Kim, Team Lead, MultiFaith Centre
Sustaining Resonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact
Climate anxiety and related emotions are increasingly manifest among university students. Students learning about the state of the environment encounter difficult statistics that cannot easily be grasped, generating feelings of powerlessness, fear, anxiety or grief. Add to this the zeitgeist of emotions that arise from the dark global realities of war and the rise of unchecked AI, and it is no surprise that some refer to this cohort as ‘Generation Dread’ (Wray, 2022 – see section 5 below). Indeed, research shows that when these emotions are suppressed, left unaddressed, or unchanneled, they can evoke apathy rather than desire and hope, impeding student learning and generative action.
Considering this, this session responds to two questions: (1) how can we empower students with hope and resilience to thrive in their futures, and not merely survive? (2) How can collaborations across university organizations and unions support transformative pedagogical practices and enhance student learning?
As part of ENVxxx—a first-year environmental studies class of 500 students—a group of faculty, student, and staff collaborators from across the university planned an “EnvironMental Wellness Jam,” an experiential learning event where students engaged with various arts-based, land-based, therapeutic, and reflective activities to help foster hope.
Based on the success of this collaborative endeavour, this interactive workshop will replicate the class – in miniature – so that session participants can themselves experience similar evidenced-based activities. A collaborative discussion will follow, to share and reflect on the theoretical and practical aspects that undergird the pedagogy and activities, and the benefits and best practices of collaborating across the university.
Alfred, T. (2010). What is radical imagination? Indigenous struggles in Canada. Affinities: A Journal of Radical Theory, Culture, and Action, 4(2), 5–8.
Appolloni, S., Furlong, M., Harley, A., Scharper, N., & Zhang, C. (forthcoming). What are we doing? Advancing a discussion of how instructors teaching courses on the environment at universities are addressing eco-anxiety among their students. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences.
Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed (30th anniversary ed.). Continuum.
Graham, P., Kuyvenhoven, C., Upitis, R., Arshad-Ayaz, A., Scheinman, E., Khan, C., Goebel, A., Brown, R. S., & Hovorka, A. (2020). The emotional experience of sustainability courses: Learned eco-anxiety, potential ontological adjustment. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 14(2), 190–204. https://doi.org/10.1177/0973408220981163
Hathaway, M. D. (2017). Activating hope in the midst of crisis: Emotions, transformative learning, and “the work that reconnects.” Journal of Transformative Education, 15(4), 296–314. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541344616680350
hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. Routledge.
Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative dimensions of adult learning (1st ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Wray, B. (2022). Generation dread: Finding purpose in an age of climate crisis. Alfred A. Knopf Canada.
GenAI and teaching integrity
Meranda Salem, Sessional Instructor, PhD, Electrical and Computer Engineering, FASE
Filtering the Noise: Tools, Trends, and Tensions
The rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools in higher education presents both opportunities and challenges for maintaining teaching and assessment integrity. Rather than viewing GenAI solely as a threat to academic honesty, this proposal frames it as a pedagogical tool that must be intentionally integrated through evidence-informed course design. Teaching integrity in the GenAI era is supported not by surveillance or detection technologies, but by transparent expectations, authentic assessments, and student accountability.
This approach emphasizes clearly defining acceptable and unacceptable uses of GenAI, aligning AI use with learning goals, and designing assessments that require students to demonstrate understanding, reasoning, and decision-making. Iterative assessment structures, such as drafts, design reviews, reflections, and oral explanations, encourage responsible AI use while preserving student ownership of learning. Students are required to disclose how GenAI tools were used and to critically evaluate and validate any AI-generated output.
By focusing on process-oriented assessment and professional communication, this framework promotes ethical engagement with GenAI while maintaining fairness and rigor. It also addresses equity concerns by recognizing differences in access to AI tools and emphasizing learning outcomes over tool proficiency. Ultimately, this approach supports academic integrity by reinforcing the principle that GenAI should augment, rather than replace, student thinking, thereby preparing learners for responsible professional practice in AI-enabled environments.
Bittle, K., & El-Gayar, O. (2025). Generative AI and academic integrity in higher education: A systematic review and research agenda. Information, 16(4), 296. https://doi.org/10.3390/info16040296
Bozkurt, A. (2024). GenAI et al.: Cocreation, authorship, ownership, academic ethics and integrity in a time of generative AI. Open Praxis, 16(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.55982/openpraxis.16.1.654
Simmons, S., & Ward, E. (2025). Student perceptions of AI-assisted writing and academic integrity: Ethical concerns, academic misconduct, and use of generative AI in higher education. AI Education, 1(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.3390/aieduc1010002
2.4.1 A framework for balancing equity, pedagogy, and management of a multi-section course
Lindsey Shorser, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Mathematics and Computer Science, FAS
Filtering the Noise: Tools, Trends, and Tensions
Building on the theme for this year’s symposium, the signal to noise ratio of things a course coordinator *could* be doing and the things they *should* be doing can easily lead to burnout. In this talk, I will present a conceptual tool for focusing on one aspect of a course at a time, once perspective at a time, and one subset of a “to do” list at a time for anyone running an undergraduate course. The three-role framework for conceptualizing course coordination provides a way to cut through the noise, balance priorities, and improve intentionality as opposed to making reactive decisions.
The development of this three-role framework was the result of a systematic reflection on the tasks required to coordinate a first-year multi-section math course. The responsibilities of a course coordinator can be divided into three coherent roles, each with its own tasks, priorities, and motivations — the Educator, the Communicator, and the Manager. The intention behind this conceptualization is to ensure pedagogically sound and equitable experiences for all students while effectively managing course resources.
In this talk, we will explore the framework’s roles, the conflicting motivations of each, and the resulting benefits to time-management and intentional decision-making when using this framework.
Practice Track
Brookfield, S. D. (2017). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. John Wiley & Sons.
Machost, H., & Stains, M. (2023). Reflective practices in education: A primer for practitioners. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 22(2), es2. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.22-07-0148
Wanti, M., Wesselink, R., Biemans, H., & Brok, P. D. (2022). Determining factors of access and equity in higher education: A systematic review. Equity in Education & Society, 1(2), 279–296.
2.4.2 Teaching Judgment Through Examples: Communication, Critical Thinking, and Civil Discourse in AI-Rich Learning Environments
William Ju, Professor, Teaching Stream, Cell and Systems Biology/Human Biology Program, FAS Julia Gallucci, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, FIS
Amplifying the Signal: Connection, Engagement, and Civil Discourse
In AI-rich learning environments, students regularly encounter fluent explanations and arguments, yet often struggle to evaluate their quality effectively. When expectations for reasoning and evidence are implicit, discussion can drift toward surface agreement, defensiveness, or disengagement, thus amplifying instructional noise rather than true learning.
This session shares a communication-focused teaching practice that uses short examples to teach judgment through discussion, positioning critical thinking and discourse as learnable skills. Implemented in large second- and third-year undergraduate courses, the practice centers on examining, comparing, and deconstructing brief responses (i.e. AI-generated, novice, as well as instructor-curated explanations) during lectures or tutorials. Rather than using AI for producing answers, students practice articulating what makes an explanation strong or weak, which criteria they are using, and how evidence supports claims.
Structured discussion prompts guide students to justify judgments, respond to alternative interpretations, and revise their thinking respectfully. These activities make disciplinary standards explicit and give students shared language for critique, supporting evidence-based, civil discourse even when disagreement is present. Artificial intelligence is treated as contextual rather than instructional: it serves as one source of examples, not as the sole tool that students should be using as a form of fluency/proficiency.
Early reflections suggest that teaching judgment through example-based discussion amplifies instructional signal by clarifying standards for reasoning, strengthening critical thinking, and improving the quality of academic dialogue without adding assignments or complexity.
Practice Track
Alghamdi, A. A., Aldossary, S., Alharbi, M., & Alzahrani, A. (2025). University students’ perceptions of generative artificial intelligence for critical thinking and creativity. Critical and Creative Thinking, 22(4), 275–292.
Lee, A. V. Y., Tan, S. C., & Teo, C. L. (2023). Designs and practices using generative AI for sustainable student discourse and knowledge creation. Smart Learning Environments, 10, Article 59.
Salido, A., Syarif, I., Sitepu, M., Suparjan, & Wana, P. R. (2025). Integrating critical thinking and artificial intelligence in higher education: A systematic review. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 6, 101924.
2.5.1 About binomial theorem I am teeming with a lot of news: oral tests in a first-year math class
Shai Cohen, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, ISTEP, FASE
Finding the Frequency: Clarity, Purpose, and What Matters Most
In trying to focus on the most important elements of the pedagogy, a remedial calculus class has used many unusual elements – competency-based grading, weekly quizzes instead of a single midterm, team assignments, etc. This year, we have added a 15-minute oral test to the course. Fully customizable (due to the grading system), this test allows students to go back to the weakest elements of their studies and have an opportunity to raise their marks by showing their ability in these attributes. This talk will discuss the overall procedure and some of the preliminary observations about the successes and failures – the students’ and the instructor’s – of this experiment.
2.5.2 Use of OneNote Class Notebook as a Combined Electronic Laboratory Notebook and Content Delivery Tool
Ahlia Khan-Trottier, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Biochemistry, TFoM
Calvin Watts, 4th year FAS student, Biochemistry & Immunology Majors programs
Filtering the Noise: Tools, Trends, and Tensions
Prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic which forced many aspects of laboratory course delivery to become virtual or digitized, the OneNote Class Notebook (ONCN) was implemented in an introductory-level laboratory course. Though not designed as an electronic laboratory notebook (ELN), per se, the ONCN has many useful features that are well suited for use in a laboratory course and overcomes many barriers including cost, accessibility, student reception, and lack of teaching-appropriate features which have discouraged instructors from adopting ELNs in their undergraduate courses. This workshop will describe the features and uses of the ONCN, the experiences and benefits from both the teacher and student perspectives, and considerations for implementation by instructors in other courses and disciplines.
2.5.3 Assessing students at regular checkpoints at scale
Paul He, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Computer Science, FAS
Sadia Sharmin, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Computer Science, FAS
Sustaining Resonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact
This session discusses our experience with “checkpoint quizzes”—a formative assessment strategy designed to help students self-regulate, monitor their learning, and get support well before high stakes evaluations. Checkpoint quizzes are short, low stakes assessments delivered regularly during our courses’ tutorials. By focusing on recently taught concepts and weighing only a small portion of the course grade, these quizzes give students frequent opportunities to gauge their understanding without the pressure associated with midterms.
A key feature of this model is its emphasis on accessibility and inclusion. Students are given ample time to complete each quiz and are offered a structured retake mechanism, ensuring that a single attempt does not determine their success. When students continue to struggle after a retake, an oral exam intervention provides personalized support and helps staff connect students with additional resources.
Beginning in the 2025–2026 academic year, we introduced automated testing for programming-based quizzes. This change provides students with near instant feedback while dramatically reducing the grading load for instructors and teaching assistants. Early indicators show that the shift to automated assessment has preserved the benefits of the oral exam intervention, with retake patterns comparable to previous years despite significant workload reductions.
2.6.1 Supporting Our Students’ Mental Health: Quercus-based Resources for the Classroom
Lauren Brown, Victoria College Vic One Hundred instructor, Health & Wellness, Division of Student Life
Allan McKee, Health Communications & Knowledge Translation Coordinator, Health & Wellness, Division of Student Life
Sustaining Resonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact
Supporting our Students’ Mental Health (SOSMH) is a Quercus-based resource hub for faculty and teaching assistants. SOSMH is a response to the increased interest in supporting student mental health and wellbeing. It recognizes that faculty and teaching assistants are often a first point of contact for students who are struggling and equips them with simple, easy to access information. By embedding this content right into Quercus instructors no longer need to search through multiple websites and resources. Faculty and TAs have full control over how much or how little they’d like to share with students. Resources can be shared 1:1 with students who have indicated a particular need, or, with the whole class by embedding slides or scheduling Quercus announcement or using video resources for mindfulness or movement breaks. In this Open Mic session, I will describe the inspiration, collaboration, and iteration process behind the development of SOSMH and share how to implement this in the classroom and online. Participants will be encouraged to make suggestions for additional content and implementation.
2.6.2 From Summative to Formative: Implementing and Refining Two-Stage Exams in a Large Undergraduate Course
Alice Gao, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Computer Science, FAS
Marina Tawfik, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Computer Science, FAS
Sustaining Resonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact
Timed, high-stakes assessments are often stressful experiences, leading students to focus on optimizing grades rather than learning from feedback. Two-stage testing uses a team-based learning approach to turn summative assessments into formative learning experiences (Latulipe et al., 2025). In a two-stage test, students first complete the test individually and then complete the same or a similar test collaboratively with a group of peers. The final test grade reflects performance in both stages, with the individual component carrying the majority of the weight. This two-stage structure offers multiple benefits, including preserving individual accountability, providing immediate feedback, correcting misconceptions in real time, reducing anxiety, and fostering a stronger learning community.
However, implementing two-stage testing requires careful design. For example, designing questions for the group stage is particularly challenging, as they must be sufficiently rigorous, promote meaningful discussion and remain feasible within the time constraints. Other challenges include deciding on a grading scheme that balances accountability with collaboration and managing logistical details such as timing, group formation, room setup, and coordination. These choices directly shape students’ experience and the pedagogical value of the assessment.
In this session, we share our experience implementing two-stage term tests in an upper-year machine learning course. We first outline our implementation process, including how we address common design and logistical challenges. Second, we present student survey feedback from our first iteration, reflecting on the implementation challenges and describing adjustments made in subsequent iterations. Finally, we offer recommendations for adapting the format to other disciplines, class sizes, and learning environments.
2.6.3 Mind the Gaps: An online “survival guide” for graduate students
Lori Ross, Associate Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Soumyaa Subranamium, former student
Amplifying the Signal: Connection, Engagement, and Civil Discourse
Research has indicated that graduate students face disproportionately high rates of poor mental health, and a variety of strategies and interventions have been introduced on university campuses in an attempt to address this problem. However, most of this research and the related interventions have approached student mental health through a biomedical lens that centers the mental health symptoms of individual students without attention to the wider social and structural context. Recently, our team carried out a research project at three Ontario universities to investigate graduate student mental health from a critical disability studies lens, which instead directs our attention to examine how the structures and processes of graduate education could be disabling for students.
Through focus groups and interviews, we learned from students and faculty how sanism (discrimination associated with one’s mental health status) operates on university campuses in ways that intersect with other experiences of structural oppression such as those associated with race, class, and citizenship status through what we call “”the wellness complex””. In addition, students and faculty shared their strategies for successfully navigating through these oppressive systems.
In this Open Mic presentation, we will share the product of this research: the “”Mind the Gaps”” website, an online “”survival guide”” developed to share these strategies and related resources with graduate students across Ontario to support them in navigating graduate education. Specifically, we will provide a brief overview of the guide, share our process of co-developing it, and discuss our plans for future dissemination and expansion of this resource. We will also offer suggestions for how faculty might consider using this resource in their own teaching practice.
3:30pm-4:30pm: Concurrent Sessions 3
Rotman School of Management (105 St. George)
Teaching in Trying Times: A Sounding Board for Pedagogies of Care
Jennifer Orpana, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Faculty of Information
Silvia Vong, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Faculty of Information
Amplifying the Signal: Connection, Engagement, and Civil Discourse
The ever-shifting socio-political landscape means that students are hearing or engaged in difficult conversations in and out of the classroom. For most disciplines, local and world events are connected to the knowledge and practices in the field, and this is even more pronounced for professional programs with responsibilities related to equity work. Emotions are a part of educating the whole student and thus, it is important to engage in pedagogies of care to acknowledge their affective experiences with learning. Julé (2019) identifies the need to acknowledge feelings through pedagogies of care (e.g., compassion) while building strength and persistence in navigating difficult topics. It moves students from feelings of hopelessness to empowerment.
This workshop will review different approaches to pedagogies of care by two different facilitators from two different but intersecting fields in professional education. This workshop is designed to be a sounding board for participants as pedagogies of care are expressed and practiced differently depending on the size of the class, positionality of the teacher, and discipline or field. Sounding boards reflect and amplify sound waves and much like that, this workshop provides time and space for discussion to sound out practices rooted in pedagogies of care.
hooks, b. (2003). Teaching community: A pedagogy of hope. Routledge.
Julé, A. (Ed.). (2019). The compassionate educator: Understanding social issues and the ethics of care in Canadian schools. Canadian Scholars.
Noddings, N. (2012). The language of care ethics. Knowledge Quest, 40(5), 52–56.
Zembylas, M. (2019). The ethics and politics of precarity: Risks and productive possibilities of a critical pedagogy for precarity. Studies in Philosophy and Education, 38, 95–111. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11217-018-9625-4
Teaching with Claude: Lessons from a Cross-Disciplinary Pilot
Will Heikoop, Digital Learning Innovation & Engagement
Wilson Prichard, Gwen Wang, Aaron Wheeler, Naomi Levy Strumpf, Jaqueline Whyte Appleby, Sophia Bello, Phanikiran Radhakrishnan
Filtering the Noise: Tools, Trends, and Tensions
Generative AI tools are rapidly reshaping conversations about teaching and learning—but amidst the excitement and concern, it can be difficult to determine what meaningfully supports student learning and what simply adds noise. This interactive 60-minute workshop shares lessons from U of T’s Claude for Education pilot, in which instructors across disciplines experimented with AI in their courses.
Pilot participants explored diverse applications, including AI-supported course chatbots and tutors, structured assignment integration, and guided student use of Claude for research, drafting, and feedback. In this session, instructors will briefly share their approaches, what worked, what didn’t, and what surprised them. Together, we will surface concrete signals: design choices that enhanced engagement, clarified expectations, supported equity, or deepened learning. We will also reflect on challenges, unintended consequences, and areas where AI created distraction or complexity.
Through rapid sharing and facilitated discussion, participants will leave with practical insights, emerging design patterns, and critical questions to inform their own experimentation. Grounded in classroom experience rather than hype, this session invites attendees to tune in to what truly matters when integrating AI into teaching practice.
GenAI-Sensitive Assignment Design: Pedagogical Reflections for Human-Centred Teaching and Learning
Marci Prescott-Brown, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, New College Writing Centre, New College, FAS
Paola Bohórquez, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Woodsworth College
Finding the Frequency: Clarity, Purpose, and What Matters Most
As Writing Centre Directors at UTSG (one a new contributor and one returning), we are uniquely positioned to observe first-hand how course instructors across disciplines are rethinking assignment design to navigate the impacts of Gen-AI on student learning. It is a delicate dance that requires us to assess the risks and potential affordances of AI tools without compromising the development of critical reading, writing, and research skills. It requires, as this CFP notes, “amplify[ing] the signals that foster deep learning, equity, and engagement,” while refusing the “noise”—the “overwhelm[ing]” or “mislead[ing]” hype around GenAI that can lead to misaligned or counterproductive teaching practices.
Informed by Writing Studies and grounded in current observations of assignment-design, this in person or hybrid Jam session will facilitate an interactive exploration of crucial aspects of student learning that may be missed or obscured when Gen-AI is framed exclusively as an Academic Integrity challenge. We argue that broadening the frame to position writing as a technology for learning enables the development of process centred, student centred, and context responsive pedagogical approaches to GenAI in the classroom.
Through a review of sample assignments, we will introduce adaptable strategies and discipline specific considerations. Whether an instructor has begun integrating GenAI or has avoided it entirely, this session offers practical guidance for clarifying pedagogical purpose, centring student learning, and making deliberate, values aligned choices in a rapidly shifting educational landscape. In doing so, this session directly supports the aims of the Finding the Frequency: Clarity, Purpose, and What Matters Most stream.
Kotzeva, E., & Anders, B. (2023). Engineering a dialogue with Klara, or ethical invention with generative AI in the writing classroom. Journal of Academic Writing, 13(2), 73–80. https://doi.org/10.18552/joaw.v13i2.989
Medina, D. (2025). Generative AI in writing education: Policy and pedagogical implications (1st ed.). Taylor & Francis Group.
Plate, D., Melick, E., Hutson, J., & Edele, S. (2025). Generative AI in the English composition classroom: Practical and adaptable strategies (1st ed.). Taylor & Francis Group.
3.4.1 Competency-based learning and radical student agency in first year calculus courses
Micheal Pawliuk, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Mathematical and Computational Sciences, UTM
Eric Hart, Sessional Instructor, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, UTSC
Janelle Resch (co-author), Sessional Instructor, Mathematical and Computational Sciences, UTM
Finding the Frequency: Clarity, Purpose, and What Matters Most
If test scores are the primary “signal” students use to gauge their progress in a first-year large first-year math course at U of T, what happens when we deliberately amplify that signal by allowing students to retake assessments until they demonstrate competency, and by making expectations explicit and iterative? In this presentation, we examine a radical redesign of MAT135 Calculus 1 (offered in the second term) that pairs repeated test-taking with a dynamic, student-responsive classroom model, and we present evidence on how students navigated this structure and what it reveals about learning, pacing, and course design.
We have implemented two versions of a competency-based (sometimes called “mastery-based”) learning model across two campuses, which use radical approaches to both in-class learning and iterative assessment. Class time is dynamic, and students choose on a daily basis what they want to learn, and in what form (lectures, group work, problem solving). Tests can be taken multiple times until a prescribed level of expertise is achieved.
Our aim was to increase student agency and confidence, while providing clearer, more transparent expectations for success.
We will present both quantitative and qualitative evidence of how students experienced and navigated these courses, and how those findings inform our future course design. In particular, we draw conclusions consistent with the neuroscience of learning: that test performance decays over time. We also conclude that the large quantity of material in the courses makes it unrealistic for most students to learn in a single term.
Practice Track
Asher, M. W., Hartman, J. D., Blaser, M., Eichler, J. F., & Carvalho, P. F. (2025). The promise of mastery-based testing for promoting student engagement, self-regulated learning, and performance in gateway STEM courses. Computers & Education, 105387.
Gargac, J., Das, S., Degoede, K. M., & Atwood, S. A. (2025, June). Mastery-based learning inspires persistence and growth through failure. In 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
Guskey, T. R. (2022). Implementing mastery learning. Corwin Press.
Winget, M., & Persky, A. M. (2022). A practical review of mastery learning. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 86(10).
Not peer-reviewed, but from a book that argues the limits/problems/issues of competency-based learning:
Smith, M. D. (2023). Masters of none: Why we standardize our teaching even though we know our students are unique. In The abundant university: Remaking higher education for a digital world. The MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/14247.001.0001
3.4.2 Cultivating Relational Competence: Teaching Behaviour Change Through Trauma Informed Pedagogy in Graduate Dietetics Training
Maria Ricupero, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Nutrition and Dietetics, DLSPH
Eric Ng, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Nutrition and Dietetics, DLSPH
Finding the Frequency: Clarity, Purpose, and What Matters Most
Master’s level dietetic students are expected to navigate complex clinical guidelines learned in classrooms, ethics of health professional practice, and practicum experiences with real clients under the supervision of dietitian preceptors in health care settings — these demands can be overwhelming and often contribute to imposter syndrome during clinical encounters.
Despite some undergraduate exposure to behaviour-change counselling, many graduate students continue to report difficulty navigating emotionally charged client interactions that extend beyond technical clinical nutrition interventions.
This 30-minute presentation describes how an identified curricular gap in a graduate course focused on behavioural counselling led to the integration of a trauma informed practice (TIP) framework and a complementary trauma informed pedagogical approach. The course now models core TIP principles—safety, predictability, trust, and relational connection—while explicitly teaching students how these principles inform effective behaviour counselling practice. By “teaching through doing,” students both experience and learn how to apply trauma informed approaches that they will later use in clinical settings. This session highlights TIP as an essential framework that benefits learners, clients, and health care organizations alike.
Practice Track
Carello, J., & Butler, L. D. (2015). Practicing what we teach: Trauma informed educational practice. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 35(3), 262–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2015.1030059
Hargreaves, K. (2023, November 28). Trauma-informed pedagogies in higher education. Teach & Learn. https://teach-learn.ca/2023/11/28/trauma-informed-pedagogies-in-higher-education/
Imad, M. (2021). Trauma informed pedagogy: A strengths based approach to teaching in times of trauma. Liberal Education, 107(1), 22–31.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). SAMHSA’s concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma informed approach (HHS Publication No. SMA 14-4884). Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
3.5.1 Evaluating the use of infographic instruction in undergraduate science classes
Naomi Levy-Strumpf, Assistant Professor Teaching Stream, Department of Cell & Systems Biology, Human Biology Program, FAS
Filtering the Noise: Tools, Trends, and Tensions
University education is increasingly embracing multimodal pedagogy, integrating visual, written, and other communication strategies to meet the diverse needs of today’s students. Research shows that student preferences for learning have shifted in recent decades, with a growing demand for concise, visually engaging resources, a trend driven by the volume of information students encounter and the deepening integration of technology in educational settings.
Visual information is often processed more quickly and efficiently than written or verbal content, and most learners use visual methods either exclusively or in combination with other modalities. Within science education, infographics — visual presentations that may incorporate figures, graphs, illustrations, and minimal text — offer a compelling tool for conveying complex information clearly and concisely.
Evidence supports the effectiveness of infographics beyond simple preference. In one study, participants exposed to infographic over a five-week period performed significantly better on comprehension and recall assessments than those receiving text-only materials, responding correctly 1.5 times more often. Infographics have also been shown to support skill acquisition, competency development, and student motivation, while their clarity and organization may foster greater confidence and self-efficacy.
Yet, student perceptions of infographics as instructional tools remain underexplored. This presentation shares findings from a study conducted in undergraduate biology classrooms, addressing two key questions:
- How effective and useful are infographics as instructional tools?
- What do students value in infographics compared to written instructions?
Instructors will be invited to reflect on how infographics might complement written instructions in their disciplines and share relevant experiences with the group.
Research Track
Arnold, M., Goldschmitt, M., & Rigotti, T. (2023). Dealing with information overload: A comprehensive review. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1122200. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1122200
Guo, L., Wang, C., & Williams, P. J. (2024). Integrating technology into school-wide adoption of flipped learning: Perceptions of a school principal. E-Learning and Digital Media, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/20427530241283961
Kharb, P., Samanta, P. P., Jindal, M., & Singh, V. (2013). The learning styles and the preferred teaching-learning strategies of first year medical students. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 7(6), 1089–1092. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2013/5809.3090
Rowsell, J., & Collier, D. R. (2017). Researching multimodality in language and education. In K. King, Y. J. Lai, & S. May (Eds.), Research methods in language and education: Encyclopedia of language and education. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02249-9_23
3.5.2 Tuning into Language Ideologies: A Case Study of Game-Based Collaborative Inquiry in Multilingual Education
Jade Kim, Instructor, New College, FAS
Kathy Zhou
Sustaining Resonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact
Game-based learning (GBL) is an innovative pedagogical approach characterized by artificial conflict and rules-based structures (Plass et al., 2016). While previous research has examined GBL’s impact on self-reflection (Taub et al., 2020), collaboration and competition (Ke, 2020), and identity (Tam & Pawar, 2020), its application in language education, particularly for exploring social justice issues, remain in its infancy (Yilmaz & Sogut, 2022). Drawing on a design-based research (DBR) framework, this case study (Yin, 2018) was conducted in a first-year undergraduate course on multilingualism. The study integrates the Knowledge, Community and Inquiry (KCI) model (Slotta, 2013) and knowledge building framework (Scardamalia & Bereiter, 2006) to investigate 1) the redesign and implementation of a hybrid dystopian game, The Fall of Artica: A way Back Home (FoA); and 2) how this game-based context supports students’ collaborative inquiry into language ideologies and systemic hierarchies.
Data were collected through audio-recordings of classroom interactions, end-of-course surveys, and semi-structured interviews, and were analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Findings indicate that the social conflicts in the game, such as systemic power hierarchies and language dominance, functioned as a safe space for students to critically examine real-world inequities. Rather than positioning game-based learning simply as a tool for mere entertainment, the hybrid game context was intentionally embedded in the curriculum to facilitate collaborative knowledge building. Moving beyond passive learning processes that may introduce ‘noise’, this study demonstrates how GBL can transform learning into a meaningful ‘signal’, promoting collaborative meaning making around social justice issues in language education.
Research Track
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Gee, J. P. (2013). Games for learning. Educational Horizons, 91(4), 16–20.
Ke, F. (2020). Collaboration and competition in game-based learning. In J. L. Plass, R. E. Mayer, & B. D. Homer (Eds.), Handbook of game-based learning (pp. 329–346). The MIT Press.
Plass, J. L., Homer, B. D., & Kinzer, C. K. (2016). Foundations of game-based learning. Educational Psychologist, 50(4), 258–283.
Saito, T. (2026). Redefining agency: A capability-driven research agenda for generative AI in education. Education Sciences, 16(1), 155.
Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (2006). Knowledge building: Theory, pedagogy, and technology. In K. Sawyer (Ed.), Cambridge handbook of the learning sciences (pp. 97–118). Cambridge University Press.
Slotta, J. D. (2013). Knowledge community and inquiry: New opportunities for scripting and orchestration. OISE-University of Toronto, 1–15.
Squire, K. D. (2007). Games, learning, and society: Building a field. Educational Technology, 51–55.
Tam, F., & Pawar, S. (2020). Emerging design factors in game-based learning: Incentives, social presence, and identity design. In J. L. Plass, R. E. Mayer, & B. D. Homer (Eds.), Handbook of game-based learning (pp. 367–386). The MIT Press.
Taub, M., Azevedo, R., Bradbury, A., & Mudrick, N. (2020). Self-regulation and reflection during game-based learning. In J. L. Plass, R. E. Mayer, & B. D. Homer (Eds.), Handbook of game-based learning (pp. 239–262). The MIT Press.
Yilmaz, A., & Sogut, S. (2022). Language education for social justice: Reproductions or disruptions through technology. Computers and Education, 187, 104535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2022.104535
Yin, R. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). Sage.
Neurodivergent at University: A Documentary Short Pre-Screening
Julia Allworth, Manager, Innovation Hub
Irene Sullivan, Neurological Team Lead, Accessibility Services
An inside look at the lives of five neurodivergent students at U of T
This session features an exclusive early screening of a new documentary short produced by the Innovation Hub in partnership with Accessibility Services. The 25-minute documentary features five neurodivergent students who share their different experiences at U of T. Students share their stories through on-camera interviews, video diaries, voiceovers, and vlogs of their day-to-day lives. Throughout the documentary, student provide commentary about their unique university journeys. By highlighting the experiences of neurodivergent students, we aim to inspire conversations about more inclusive practices that support diverse students.
Following the screening, there will be a design thinking activity to brainstorm different ways to consider the needs of neurodivergent students in classrooms and in curriculum development. We hope that the personal stories of students in the documentary short and the conversations that follow will open doors for new ideas for inclusive classrooms.
Day 2: May 14
8:30am: Registration
Rotman School of Management (105 St. George Street)
9am-10am: Concurrent Sessions 4
Rotman School of Management (105 St. George)
Tuning In to Graduate Student Professional Development
Alli Diskin, Programs Coordinator, Teaching Assistants’ Training Program, Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation
Lisa Aikman, Educational Developer, Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars, CTL, UTSC
Jessica Bailey, Graduate Support Strategist
Joel Rodgers, Coordinator, Graduate Student Professional Development, Arts & Science
Finding the Frequency: Clarity, Purpose, and What Matters Most
Graduate student professional development is central to shaping thoughtful, confident, and well supported emerging scholars and professionals. Across the university, however, faculty and staff rarely have opportunities to reflect together on how departmental cultures, supervisory relationships, and institutional structures influence graduate students’ growth in their academic and professional roles.
This Jam Session invites colleagues into a roundtable conversation that begins with short opening reflections from a small panel who work closely with graduate students across U of T’s three campuses. These reflections set the stage for an open discussion about the conditions that support or hinder graduate student professional development, the kinds of messages graduate students receive about what matters, and the places where signal and noise shape their experiences.
The conversation centers the knowledge and experiences of participants. Broad questions guide the discussion, encouraging comparison across units, sharing of effective practices, and candid exploration of challenges related to mentorship, communication, workload, role expectations, and local departmental cultures. As participants speak with one another and with the panel, themes and insights emerge organically.
Participants will leave with a clearer sense of the supports that make the most difference in graduate student professional development, a better understanding of the pressures and obstacles that complicate it, and a short set of ideas or questions they can bring back to their own departments.
Cultivating Hope Through Critically Informed Contemplative Pedagogy
Jasjit Sangha, Educational Developer, Centre for Teaching and Learning, UTSC Paulina Rousseau, Liaison Librarian, UTSC
Kathleen Scheaffer, Strategic Initiatives and Liaison Librarian, UTM
Amplifying the Signal: Connection, Engagement, and Civil Discourse
Increasingly, higher education within Canada is facing shrinking resources and simultaneously educators are being challenged to engage larger class sizes with more diverse and complex needs, including the disruptions from AI. In response, the book “Hope Circuits”, Ridell (2024) invites us to reimagine the university to create campuses that are more inclusive, more human centered, less hierarchical, and more responsive to the needs of students and the context within and beyond the classroom. To achieve this, contemplative pedagogy, a critically informed and accessible teaching strategy that is rooted in Eastern wisdom and practice, is being leveraged to cultivate hope, focus, and resilience. Through a variety of contemplative practices, which explore several tools and strategies, staff, faculty, librarians, and students can begin to build aptitudes to help them stay grounded amid challenging situations, build a community of belonging, and reduce their stress and anxiety related to AI, world events, and ongoing uncertainty.
This interactive workshop will focus on contemplative pedagogy for deepened focus, self-awareness, intra and interpersonal relationships, self-management, empathy, and compassion that can be used by faculty, librarians, and staff in teaching and learning spaces (Kaplan, Review, H. B., Eurich, T., Goleman, D., & David, S., 2019). We will draw on neuroscience, Buddhist traditions, eastern spirituality and secular practices, as well as empirical research to demonstrate the history and impact of contemplative pedagogies on higher education. We will also draw from our experience holding a day long symposium for faculty, librarians and staff on this topic of “Cultivating Hope Through Critically Informed Contemplative Pedagogy” in the spring of 2026 at UTSC.
Arao, B., & Clemens, K. (2013). From safe spaces to brave spaces: A new way to frame dialogue around diversity and social justice. In L. M. Landreman (Ed.), The art of effective facilitation (1st ed., pp. 135–150). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003447580-11
Kaplan, H. B., Eurich, T., Goleman, D., & David, S. (2019). Self-awareness (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series). Harvard Business Review Press.
Neff, K., & Germer, C. K. (2018). The mindful self-compassion workbook: A proven way to accept yourself, build inner strength, and thrive. The Guilford Press.
Riddell, J. (2024). Hope circuits. McGill-Queen’s University Press.
Robinson-Morris, C. (2025, November 14). Contemplative audacity: Imagining new possibilities as acts of resistance [Conference presentation]. Concordia University.
4.3.1 Amplifying Support: A Low-Stakes Infographic Activity to Help Students Navigate Social Supports and Connect Emotional Topics to Community Resources
Odilia Yim, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Psychology, FAS
Amplifying the Signal: Connection, Engagement, and Civil Discourse
In undergraduate courses that address sensitive and emotionally-charged interpersonal topics, students often struggle to distinguish the core learning “signal” from the emotional and cognitive “noise” these themes can evoke. This session shares insights from implementing a new low-stakes “Community Resources Infographic” activity designed to help students translate abstract course concepts into real, actionable forms of support.
In the activity, students in an upper-level undergraduate course select a course concept from one of the weekly themes related to interpersonal dynamics and create an infographic highlighting relevant campus or local community services. They may work individually or in small groups, and they share their creations through online discussion spaces or informally in class presentations. This practice aimed to reduce emotional overload by foregrounding agency, interpersonal connection, and social support; increase clarity by asking students to focus on one concept at a time and enhance engagement through creative, collaborative knowledge translation. Student reflections revealed that creating infographics helped them better understand the course material, recognize the breadth of local supports and resources, and feel more empowered should they encounter sensitive or distressing topics. This Tuning In session will describe the motivation for the activity, its design, early student feedback, and key reflections about how such innovative, community-oriented assignments can amplify clarity and connection for learners.
Participants will be invited to experience a brief version of the exercise and reflect on how similar low-stakes, flexible tasks might support their own students, particularly in courses involving the discussion of content which may be linked to negative personal or interpersonal experiences. The session foregrounds inclusive design, accessible communication, and meaningful engagement as core pedagogical signals.
Practice Track
Calimeris, L., & Kosack, E. (2024). A picture is worth a thousand words: The effectiveness of infographics in microeconomic principles courses. International Review of Economics Education, 47, 100300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iree.2024.100300
Dunlap, J. C., & Lowenthal, P. R. (2016). Getting graphic about infographics: Design lessons learned from popular infographics. Journal of Visual Literacy, 35(1), 42–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/1051144X.2016.1205832
Guanlao, R., Pax, J., Wei, Y., & Zhang, W. (2025). A meta-analysis of community engaged learning and thriving in higher education. Frontiers in Education, 10, 1525176. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1525176
Jaleniauskiene, E., & Kasperiuniene, J. (2022). Infographics in higher education: A scoping review. E-Learning and Digital Media, 20(2), 191–206. https://doi.org/10.1177/20427530221107774
4.3.2 Beyond Apprenticeship in Undergraduate Economics: K.R.L a Co-Authored Research Lab Model for Experiential Learning and Scholarly Dialogue
Nazanin Khazra, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Economics, FAS
Amplifying the Signal: Connection, Engagement, and Civil Discourse
This session presents and analyzes a novel undergraduate research lab model in economics (K.R.L for Applied Economics and Data Science) designed to strengthen human connection, engagement, and inclusive dialogue through sustained collaborative research. Bridging traditional faculty-led apprenticeships and course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), the lab positions undergraduates not as task executors but as junior research colleagues working toward co-authored scholarly outputs.
Operating without external funding, the model relies on weekly collaborative meetings that create compressed experiential learning cycles, peer scaffolding through domain specialization, and selection based on research disposition rather than prior achievement. These structures intentionally cultivate trust, belonging, and active participation, supporting civil discourse, feedback-rich learning, and training on real world research. Students further develop communication and research identity by presenting ongoing work in a monthly open seminar for undergraduates promoting inclusive dialogue and community-wide engagement.
Drawing on qualitative evidence from seven RAs over one year, the session demonstrates how this model amplifies clarity, empathy, and inclusion while accelerating learning and producing authentic scholarship. The session contributes to social sciences education by offering a scalable, accessible, and relational approach to undergraduate research that strengthens connection, engagement, and meaningful academic conversation in both formal and open learning spaces.
Practice Track
Auchincloss, L. C., Laursen, S. L., Branchaw, J. L., Eagan, K., Graham, M., Hanauer, D. I., Lawrie, G., McLinn, C. M., Pelaez, N., Rowland, S., & others. (2014). Assessment of course-based undergraduate research experiences: A meeting report. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 13(1), 29–40. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.14-01-0004
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.
Lopatto, D. (2007). Undergraduate research experiences support science career decisions and active learning. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 6(4), 297–306. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.07-06-0039
McGoldrick, K. M. (2008). Doing economics: Enhancing skills through a process-oriented senior research course. The Journal of Economic Education, 39(4), 342–356. https://doi.org/10.3200/JECE.39.4.342-356
In Conversation with the Graduate Student Course Instructors
Moderator: Moaz Shoura, PhD Candidate, Course Instructor Coordinator, Teaching Assistants’ Training Program
Course Instructor Teaching Excellence Award Shortlisted Candidates
In this roundtable session, we will engage in conversation with graduate student course instructors at the University of Toronto’s and hear their approach to teaching challenges and building learning communities. Panelists include the Course Instructor Coordinator at the Teaching Assistants’ Training Program (TATP) and shortlisted candidates for the 2026 Course Instructor Teaching Excellence Award, which is given annually by the TATP to the top graduate student course instructors across the University of Toronto campuses. The panelists will join us to reflect on their teaching experience and share with us their top strategies for engaging, supporting, and motivating their students. Panelists will also reflect on their journeys of becoming effective educators and designing transformative teaching strategies. The roundtable will conclude with a live Q&A, giving participants an opportunity to ask questions.
What’s Cooking in the AI Kitchen?
The university’s AI Task Force report (Toward an AI-Ready University) called for a proactive approach to AI adoption: one that prioritizes literacy, ethical use, and accessible, human-centred tools. The AI Kitchen (AIK) is a core recommendation for delivering on that vision, providing the ingredients, appliances, and guidance for faculty, staff, and librarians who choose to bring AI into their work.
In this session, members of the AIK team will share what they’re learning as they build out these supports, including where the clearest needs are emerging. There will be time for conversation and questions, so come ready to surface your own challenges and help shape what the AI Kitchen develops next.
10:15am-11:15am: Concurrent Sessions 5
Rotman School of Management (105 St. George)
Assignment Makeover: Designing for AI Literacy, Not AI Avoidance
Safieh Moghaddam, Associate Professor, Language Studies, Centre for Teaching and Learning
Dina Soliman, Educational Developer, Digital Pedagogies
Filtering the Noise: Tools, Trends, and Tensions
Generative AI can introduce “noise” into assessment: polished text that masks learning, unclear authorship, overconfident claims supported by weak or fabricated evidence, and tasks that inadvertently reward fluency over intended learning outcomes. This interactive workshop supports instructors in redesigning one existing assignment so the “signal” (reasoning, evidence use, and decision-making) becomes visible and assessable, whether or not students use GenAI.
The session opens with a brief “noise map” activity: participants identify where GenAI most interferes with assignment effectiveness (e.g., product-over-process, unclear contribution, unverifiable claims, misalignment with outcomes, equity/hidden advantages). Results are surfaced quickly (e.g., via polls) to identify shared pain points.
Next, the facilitator demonstrates a brief before/after assignment makeover. The “before” version highlights where AI noise can creep in (broad designs, vague expectations for evidence, no process visibility). The “after” version shows how three design moves reduce noise and amplify the signal: visible thinking (students show reasoning and choices), verification/evidence (students substantiate and check claims), and a brief process note (students document decisions and tool use, if any).
Participants then complete an Assignment Makeover Lab, using a guided template to revise their own assignment (or a provided sample). In peer consult pairs or small groups, they refine drafts using a short checklist and add one transparent AI-use pathway (AI as a brainstorming partner, critic/editor, or comparator). Participants leave with a concrete, implementable draft assignment design.
Kasneci, E., Sessler, K., Küchemann, S., Bannert, M., Dementieva, D., Fischer, F., Gasser, U., Groh, G., Günnemann, S., Hüllermeier, E., Krusche, S., Kutyniok, G., Michaeli, T., Nerdel, C., Pfeffer, J., Poquet, O., Sailer, M., Schmidt, A., Seidel, T., … Kasneci, G. (2023). ChatGPT for good? On opportunities and challenges of large language models for education. Learning and Individual Differences, 103, 102274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2023.102274
Mollick, E. R., & Mollick, L. (2023). Using AI to implement effective teaching strategies in classrooms: Five strategies, including prompts. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4391243
Rudolph, J., Tan, S., & Tan, S. (2023). ChatGPT: Bullshit spewer or the end of traditional assessments in higher education? Journal of Applied Learning and Teaching, 6(1), 342–363. https://doi.org/10.37074/jalt.2023.6.1.9
Finding the Signal through Story: Arts-Based Practices for Metacognitive Sense-Making at the Intersection of Career and Academic Learning
Nicole Birch-Bayley, Educational Developer, Career Exploration & Education
Kelci Archibald, Lead Coordinator, Career Education, Career Exploration & Education
Amplifying the Signal: Connection, Engagement, and Civil Discourse
Postsecondary students are asked to make sense of both their academic learning and career futures in environments saturated with competing priorities. In career education, noise often takes the form of grim labour‑market statistics, anxieties about AI, climate change, and skills gaps, and prescriptive narratives emphasizing outcomes over process. Academic learning is similarly noisy with performance pressures, unclear expectations, and accelerated timelines that leave little space to connect learning across contexts. When career and academic learning remain siloed, students are left to navigate complexity in both domains without a shared framework for sense‑making.
Recent scholarship (Bailey & Belfield, 2019; Bridgstock, Grant-Imaru, & McAlpine, 2019; Sari Camadan, & Özmen, 2025) shows how integrating career and academic learning can support students’ metacognitive development, which in turn enhances student confidence, clarity, and motivation. This workshop shares an arts‑based approach that treats metacognitive development as the signal that bridges academic and career contexts, helping students notice patterns, interpret experience, and discern what matters amid competing demands.
Participants will engage in a series of short, low‑stakes arts‑based activities (collage, creative micro-writing, crafting) that move from surfacing complexity to constructing meaning. Through these activities, participants externalize sources of “noise,” observe key metacognitive moves, and make tangible the threads that support coherence across academic and career learning contexts. Each activity is followed by brief guided reflection that explicitly connects the creative process to metacognitive strategies such as noticing, choosing, connecting, prioritizing, and interpreting. Drawing on experiences from students and career educators, the session will share how these practices support engagement, reduce anxiety, and create meaningful connections across learning contexts, while highlighting inclusive, adaptable, and low‑lift applications for curricular and co‑curricular integration. The session positions arts‑based practice as a dynamic way to help students develop metacognitive strategies to connect academic and career learning, navigate uncertainty, and make intentional choices for their personal and professional trajectories.
McIntosh, P. (2019). Creative and visual methods to facilitate reflection and learning through research. In Creative spaces for qualitative researching (pp. 87–96). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6091-761-5_9
Moreno, R., Guthrie, K. H., & Strickland, K. (2023). Incorporating arts-based pedagogy: Moving beyond traditional approaches to teaching qualitative research. Teaching & Learning Inquiry, 11. https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.11.15
Sari, S. V., Camadan, F., & Özmen, S. (2025). Relationship between metacognitive skills and career exploration outcome expectations: Mediating role of parental and peer attachment styles. BMC Psychology, 13, Article 257. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02594-3
Tuning into Threshold Concepts: Reflective Practices for Identifying Threshold Concepts
Chris Eaton, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Institute for Scholarship in University Pedagogy (ISUP), UTM
Claire Gouveia, PhD candidate, OISE
Sheliza Ibrahim, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, ISUP, UTM
Kathleen Scheaffer, Librarian, UTM
Joanna Szurmak, Librarian, UTM
Michelle Troberg, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, DLS, UTM
Finding the Frequency: Clarity, Purpose, and What Matters Most
As learners, we have experienced moments in which we tuned into a previously difficult concept as it resolved into a clear and resonant signal. Such moments took us from a noisy liminal state into a place of conceptual clarity. As instructors, many of us are trying to help our own students pass those “threshold” moments in our classrooms. As Timmermans and Meyer (2019) noted, however, this is far from a straightforward process. Today’s jam session is designed to help teachers facilitate these moments of clarity for learners.
The idea of threshold concepts (TCs) was first proposed by Meyer and Land (2003) to characterize conceptual gateways leading to new ways of understanding core concepts in a discipline. They have since been applied across disciplines, including computer programming (Kallia, 2020), literary studies (Corrigan, 2019), and writing pedagogy (Adler-Kassner & Wardle, 2015). TCs have been characterized as initially troublesome to grasp, but ultimately transformative, irreversible, and crucial for further learning and full academic participation (Cousin, 2008; Meyer & Land, 2005). Threshold concepts have also proven useful because they lend themselves to catalyzing cross-disciplinary scholarship areas such as metacognitive skills development and critical thinking (McLean, 2009).
In today’s workshop, we will introduce, scaffold, and apply reflective practices that lead to the identification of threshold concepts (TCs) within and across disciplines. We will start with an introduction to TC scholarship drawing principally on Meyer and Land (2003) and several other recent applications, followed by an opportunity to complete a guided individual reflection facilitating TC awareness through a Decoding the Disciplines framework to approaching threshold concepts following Middendorf & Pace (2004). The workshop will conclude with a group debrief focused on both the process and the outcomes.
McLean, J. (2009). Triggering engagement in SoTL through threshold concepts. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning, 3(2), Article 24. https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2009.030224
Meyer, J. H. F., & Land, R. (2003). Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Linkages to ways of thinking and practising within the disciplines. In ISL10 improving student learning: Theory and practice ten years on (pp. 412–424). Oxford Brookes University.
Middendorf, J., & Pace, D. (2004). Decoding the disciplines: A model for helping students learn disciplinary ways of thinking. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 98(1), 1–12.
Timmermans, J. A., & Meyer, J. H. F. (2019). A framework for working with university teachers to create and embed “integrated threshold concept knowledge” (ITCK) in their practice. International Journal for Academic Development, 24(4), 354–368.
5.4.1 Back to the 90s: Investigating Engagement, Interaction, and Thinking in a Screenless First-Year Writing Class
Mustafa Siddiqui, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy, UTM
Ryan Shuvera, Sessional Lecturer, Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy, UTM
Sustaining Resonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact
Earlier this term, I conducted a first-year writing class a bit differently—I went screenless. The two sections I taught for three hours each did not use any technology. This meant there were no slides, no laptops, and no phones, and I called it a “Back-to-the-90s Class.” As an instructor, I relied on handouts, boardwork, and hard copies of books; meanwhile, students engaged through annotation, reflection, and small-group exercises. Special accommodations were also made for students registered with accessibility services. The goal of this class was to diminish what tech writer Mihov (2025) calls “lazier” (para. 14) thinking by temporarily unplugging digital and AI noise and instead exploring what students gain when they work with paper, pens, and conversations.
Through a session at the TLS, I plan to discuss the outcomes of this three-hour, tech-free class. I will share not only my observations but also students’ responses captured through an end-of-class feedback survey, which sought students’ perspectives on and preferences regarding occasional tech-free classes. Overall, by presenting the class structure and the preliminary findings, this session intends to highlight how “teach[ing] for real” (Geppert, 2019, p. 3) may foster focused thinking, deeper peer connections, and stronger engagement. At the end of the session, I will share my plans for how I wish to take this research forward while inviting teaching and learning enthusiasts from other fields to collaborate on future stages of this work.
Practice Track
Geppert, A. (2019). Let us teach for real! A plea for traditional teaching. Transactions of the Association of European Schools of Planning, 3, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.24306/TrAESOP.2019.01.001
Lee, D., Arnold, M., Srivastava, A., Plastow, K., Strelan, P., Ploeckl, F., Lekkas, D., & Palmer, E. (2024). The impact of generative AI on higher education learning and teaching: A study of educators’ perspectives. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 6, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100221
Mihov, B. M. (2025, February 11). AI is making you dumber, Microsoft researchers say. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/dimitarmixmihov/2025/02/11/ai-is-making-you-dumber-microsoft-researchers-say/
Otman, S. B., & Adali, G. K. (2025). The impact of generative AI on university students’ learning experience: A study on cognitive and affective outcomes. Journal of Information and Organizational Sciences, 49(2), 329–344. https://doi.org/10.31341/jios.49.2.10
5.4.2 From knowing to doing: The role of experience in health professions student learning
Emily Wood, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Speech-Language Pathology
Sustaining Resonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact
This session discusses the planning, implementation, and results of a SOTL study, evaluating a novel education program carried out in the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) Master of Health Science (MHSc) curriculum. The program combined (i) a didactic lecture addressing theoretical, psychometric and practical issues of assessment; and (ii) a one-day hands-on learning experience where students practiced assessment skills and reflected on their experience with registered clinicians.
A mixed methods analysis of assignment data was carried out to evaluate whether the program achieved its intended learning outcome of developing student assessment competencies. Quantitative student self-ratings of competencies pre-lecture, post-lecture and post-experiential learning opportunity were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to examine student self-rated learning across the program. Qualitative analysis of student written reflections is ongoing and will contribute to understanding students’ perceptions.
Students’ self-rated competence in all assessment skills increased throughout the program, with clear improvements after the in-class lecture and even larger gains following the hands-on learning experience. The combination of learning in class and practicing in real settings led to the greatest growth. Preliminary qualitative findings suggest that students valued hands-on experience early in their academic coursework and felt that the program contributed meaningfully and uniquely to their learning.
The session will also briefly explore and invite discussion around optimal levels of confidence and training required for hands-on independent practice; the limitations and alternatives to self-ratings as data sources; barriers to implementation of experiential learning; and potential ideas for next steps or ideas to scale such programs.
Research Track
Affoo, R. H., Bruner, J. L., Dietsch, A. M., Nellenbach, C. E., Jones, T. M., & Lehman, M. E. (2020). The impact of active learning in a speech-language pathology swallowing and dysphagia course. Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.30707/TLCSD4.2/POPG6689
Ash, S. L., & Clayton, P. H. (2009). Generating, deepening, and documenting learning: The power of critical reflection in applied learning. Journal of Applied Learning in Higher Education, 1, 25–48.
Black, M. M., Perkins, N. A., & McDaniel, V. F. (2024). Unlocking the power of experiential learning: Student reported changes following combined NICU instruction. Pacific Journal of Health, 7(1), Article 8. https://doi.org/10.56031/2576-215X.1055
Halls-Mills, S. (2022). Effects of experiential learning on students’ use of facilitative language techniques during shared book reading with young children. Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences and Disorders, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.30707/TLCSD6.1.1649037808.661764
Kim, E. S., & Garcia, J. (2019). “That’s so much more important than the grades”: Learning client centered care through experiential learning at aphasia camp. Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.30707/TLCSD3.2Kim
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.
5.5.1 Beyond the Literature Review: Modernizing Scientific Writing Assignments
Naijin Li, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Human Biology Program, FAS
Sustaining Resonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact
This session showcases a novel scientific manuscript assignment that has been developed for an advanced undergraduate neuroscience course. The assignment replaces traditional literature reviews with an authentic simulation of the research process whereby students formulate a focused neurobiological question, design an experimental pipeline, analyze three provided datasets based on core neuroscience methodologies, and communicate their findings in a professional manuscript format. Students also complete structured peer reviews that mirror scholarly publishing practices. Since the assignment requires students to engage in authentic research reasoning rather than produce summaries, it inherently limits the potential for inappropriate use of generative AI, as students must interpret raw experimental findings and integrate them into a cohesive scientific narrative. Furthermore, the assignment supports students in their preparation for graduate school or careers in research by strengthening competencies in data interpretation and scientific communication. This session will share the structure of the assignment, examples of the workflow, reflections on implementation, and student responses. Participants will gain concrete strategies for designing assignments that promote authentic learning and address academic integrity concerns in the context of generative AI. The approach is adaptable across disciplines that incorporate empirical data, analytical reasoning, and research communication.
5.5.2 Using an Anatomy Museum Visit to Support Learning in a First-Year Pathophysiology and Pharmacology Course for Nursing Students
Judith Coulson, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing
Jana Lok, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing
Amplifying the Signal: Connection, Engagement, and Civil Discourse
This session presents a focused experiential teaching strategy involving a visit to a university anatomy museum for first-year students in a second-entry accelerated nursing program as part of their Pathophysiology and Pharmacotherapeutics course. With the increasing use of clinical simulation in health professions training, opportunities for learners to directly work with human specimens that show variability in anatomical abnormalities are becoming more limited. Our aim was to introduce real-world anatomical specimens that aligned with course topics while integrating ethical and psychological considerations.
The experiential learning opportunity was first implemented in the Winter 2026 semester with 236 students. Students signed donor respect declarations prior to the one-hour visit. Each visit followed a structured sequence (adapted from the INACSL Simulation Standards) consisting of a pre-brief to establish expectations and normalize emotional responses, self-directed museum exploration supported by a faculty-developed guidebook, and a guided debrief to consolidate learning and process emotional responses. Students completed a self-reflection assignment after the visit, and those uncomfortable visiting the museum received an alternative assignment.
Student feedback collected through an anonymous survey indicated meaningful educational impact. Learners indicated the experience significantly enhanced their understanding of anatomical structures compared to traditional learning methods. They valued the opportunity to explore real specimens and described the experience as meaningful and highly relevant to clinical learning. Identified challenges included crowding around specimens, limited time, and emotional discomfort.
The session will illustrate how a structured pedagogical practice can support engagement, donor respect, and deeper conceptual understanding in settings involving sensitive subject matter.
5.5.3 Amplifying Connection Through Poetry: Teaching Academic Writing as a Human Practice
Kanika Verma, Sessional Instructor, Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy (ISUP), UTM
Amplifying the Signal: Connection, Engagement, and Civil Discourse
In first-year academic writing classrooms, students often experience writing as a rigid, anxiety-producing task governed by rules rather than meaning. This Open Mic session presents a creative teaching practice that uses poetry to amplify clarity, connection, and inclusive dialogue in writing instruction.
The session features a short performance of an original lyrical–narrative meta-poem that reflects on my pedagogical practice as an academic writing instructor who comes to teaching through poetry. The poem itself functions as a teaching strategy: it performs key writing concepts—such as writing as process, metacognition, rhetorical awareness, and community—rather than explaining them abstractly. Through rhythm, repetition, and reflective pauses, the poem models attentive listening, empathy, and relational meaning-making.
Following the performance, I briefly explain how I use poetry in undergraduate writing classrooms to foster trust, reduce fear around academic writing, and create space for meaningful conversation. By reframing academic writing as a human and dialogic practice, this approach supports civil discourse and inclusive engagement, particularly among students who feel alienated by prescriptive writing norms. Poetry becomes a shared entry point that invites multiple voices, experiences, and literacies into the learning space.
This Open Mic session speaks directly to the symposium stream “Amplifying the Signal: Connection, Engagement, and Civil Discourse” by demonstrating how creative, arts-based pedagogy can cut through distraction and polarization, strengthen classroom climate, and engage students in reflective, respectful dialogue. Participants will leave with a concrete, adaptable strategy for using poetry to build connection and belonging in writing-focused courses.
Introduction to Cogniti: U of T’s AI Tool to Support Student Learning
Jordan Holmes, Senior Manager, Teaching, Learning, and Technology, CTSI
Research shows that generative AI tool design matters for learning. The OECD Digital Education Outlook 2026 finds that AI tools with clear educational guardrails may support learning outcomes, while unstructured use of AI risks becoming a shortcut that may hamper genuine learning gains.
Through Cogniti, U of T is giving instructors control over how AI is used for learning. Cogniti is an AI platform embedded directly in Quercus — no separate accounts required — that lets you shape AI interactions around your course content, your learning objectives, and your pedagogical approach, with built-in safety features to protect student wellbeing.
In this session, you’ll explore how Cogniti enables you to:
- Deploy course-specific generative AI learning experiences in Quercus that reflect your syllabus, learning objectives, and content
- Guide students toward productive learning rather than answer-seeking
- Monitor how students are engaging with AI in your course
Whether you’re curious about AI’s potential, concerned about its risks, or ready to experiment, we’ll work through how Cogniti can fit within your teaching context.
11:30-12:30pm: The Encore
Desautels Hall, Rotman School of Management
The sessions are over. The conversation isn’t.
At every conference, there are moments that stay with you: an idea that shifts your thinking, a question you didn’t get to ask, a practice you want to try but aren’t sure where to start. The Encore is where those moments get a second life. It’s the closing session of TLS2026, and it’s built entirely around what mattered most to you.
Before the session: Throughout the Symposium, a shared digital board invites you to capture what’s resonating: key takeaways, lingering questions, ideas worth exploring further. Contributions are anonymous, and you can upvote others’ posts to help surface the topics generating the most energy across the community.
During the session: The most-upvoted topics become themed conversation tables. Choose the one that speaks to you and join a short, focused round of discussion. Every 10 minutes, you’ll have the option to move to a new table or stay where you are for a deeper conversation. Each rotation brings new voices and new perspectives, and presenters will be moving between tables too, so there’s space to continue conversations that started earlier in the Symposium.
The goal is simple: leave TLS2026 with more than good ideas. Leave with the people who want to work on them with you.
The Encore is followed by closing remarks and a raffle draw.
If you have any questions concerning TLS2025, please email tls@utoronto.ca.
What is TLS2026? TLS2026 is a tri-campus celebration of teaching and learning at the University of Toronto, hosted by the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation in partnership with the Education Technology Office in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering and the Desautels Centre for Innovative Thinking at the Rotman School of Management. Bringing together instructors, librarians, and staff from across Divisions, TLS2026 creates space for genuine exchange that highlights the insights, experiments, and experiences that make teaching meaningful. More than a conference, TLS is a cross-divisional forum for connection, curiosity, and collaboration. It invites participants to tune in to what truly matters in teaching, celebrate our shared commitment to learning, and spark new ideas that resonate across the university.