2.5 Open Mic Sessions

2.5.1 Aboutbinomial theorem I am teeming with a lot of news: oral tests in a first-yearmath class
Shai Cohen, AssistantProfessor, Teaching Stream, ISTEP, FASE                                            

Findingthe Frequency: Clarity, Purpose, and What Matters Most   

In trying tofocus on the most important elements of the pedagogy, a remedial calculus classhas used many unusual elements - competency-based grading, weekly quizzesinstead of a single midterm, team assignments, etc.  This year, we have added a 15-minute oraltest to the course.  Fully customizable(due to the grading system), this test allows students to go back to theweakest elements of their studies and have an opportunity to raise their marksby showing their ability in these attributes. This talk will discuss the overall procedure and some of the preliminaryobservations about the successes and failures - the students' and theinstructor's - of this experiment.       

2.5.2 Useof OneNote Class Notebook as a Combined Electronic Laboratory Notebook andContent Delivery Tool
Ahlia Khan-Trottier,Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Biochemistry, TFoM 
Calvin Watts, 4th year FAS student, Biochemistry & Immunology Majorsprograms

Filteringthe Noise: Tools, Trends, and Tensions 

Prompted bythe COVID-19 pandemic which forced many aspects of laboratory course deliveryto become virtual or digitized, the OneNote Class Notebook (ONCN) wasimplemented in an introductory-level laboratory course. Though not designed asan electronic laboratory notebook (ELN), per se, the ONCN has many usefulfeatures that are well suited for use in a laboratory course and overcomes manybarriers including cost, accessibility, student reception, and lack ofteaching-appropriate features which have discouraged instructors from adoptingELNs in their undergraduate courses. This workshop will describe the featuresand uses of the ONCN, the experiences and benefits from both the teacher andstudent perspectives, and considerations for implementation by instructors inother courses and disciplines.

2.5.3 Assessingstudents at regular checkpoints at scale    
Paul He, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Computer Science, FAS
Sadia Sharmin, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Computer Science, FAS        

SustainingResonance: Lessons, Insights, and Impact

This sessiondiscusses our experience with “checkpoint quizzes”—a formative assessmentstrategy designed to help students self-regulate, monitor their learning, andget support well before high stakes evaluations. Checkpoint quizzes are short,low stakes assessments delivered regularly during our courses’ tutorials. Byfocusing on recently taught concepts and weighing only a small portion of thecourse grade, these quizzes give students frequent opportunities to gauge theirunderstanding without the pressure associated with midterms.

A key featureof this model is its emphasis on accessibility and inclusion. Students aregiven ample time to complete each quiz and are offered a structured retakemechanism, ensuring that a single attempt does not determine their success.When students continue to struggle after a retake, an oral exam interventionprovides personalized support and helps staff connect students with additionalresources.

Beginning inthe 2025–2026 academic year, we introduced automated testing forprogramming-based quizzes. This change provides students with near instantfeedback while dramatically reducing the grading load for instructors andteaching assistants. Early indicators show that the shift to automatedassessment has preserved the benefits of the oral exam intervention, withretake patterns comparable to previous years despite significant workloadreductions.