Events

2.2.1 A Just-In-Time, Blended Approach to Prerequisite Review Lisa Zhang, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Mathematical and Computational Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga, Alice Gao, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Computer Science, Faculty of Arts & Science Many upper-year courses have prerequisites, but students often struggle to retain prerequisite knowledge, e.g., due to gaps in time and difficulty transferring knowledge to new contexts. While prerequisite review is a well-established educational practice, we believe that its timing, modality, and level of support help ensure that no one is left behind. Thus, this session describes a teaching strategy used in our third-year machine learning courses [...]

2.1.1 The Social Justice Classroom: Dismantling racism and Destabilizing Power Structures in Curriculum with Students as Partners Leanne De Souza-Kenney, Assistant Professor, Global and Public Health in the Human Biology Program and Health Studies Program, Faculty of Arts & Science, Yuchen Jia, Undergraduate Research Student, Nutritional Science Department, Human Biology Department, Statistical Sciences Department This session explores the transformative potential of anti-racist, inclusive curriculum development using a students as partners (SaP) partnered approach. Rooted in social justice principles, this project highlights how co-creating curriculum with students can dismantle systemic inequities and foster empowered learning environments. By engaging diverse voices, from students [...]

2.4.1 Developing Students’ Economics Writing Skills through Scaffolded AI-Assisted Feedback Nazanin Khazra, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Economics, Faculty of Arts & Science, Victoria Sheldon,Faculty Liaison Coordinator, Generative AI Pedagogies, Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation This session introduces an innovative assessment method for a Microeconomics theory course (ECO200) that combines economic analysis with reflective writing, supported by critically engaging with AI-assisted feedback. The assessment includes pre-exam preparation, a pre-test assignment with reflection on AI feedback, and an in-person writing exam on real-world economic scenarios. This approach leverages generative AI to provide personalized feedback on students' pre-exam essays, with the aim of [...]

Gurnit Kaur, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michelle Arnot, Professor, Teaching Stream & Associate Chair, Undergraduate Education, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Raveen Christian Joy Rajakumar, Graduate Student, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine Nurturing learning systems that are respectful and welcoming to diverse individuals is a step towards improving the experience of all students. This roundtable discussion will focus on strategies to re-evaluate the undergraduate curriculum with a critical lens towards the incorporation of content that is Equitable, Diverse, Inclusive, acknowledges Indigeneity, and is Accessible (EDIIA). We will share how a curriculum mapping approach examined the undergraduate Pharmacology and Toxicology [...]

3.4.1 The ‘wellness complex’: Studying graduate education in Ontario through a critical disability studies lens Dr. Lori Ross, Associate Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Dr. Savitri Persaud, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Health and Society, University of Toronto Scarborough In Canada and internationally, high rates of poor mental health reported among postsecondary students have raised concern; however, research on this topic has primarily centred on undergraduate students. Our study aimed to address this gap through a critical disability-informed examination of graduate student mental health in three Ontario universities. A critical disability studies orientation turns our attention away from the individual [...]

Jessica Dere, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Psychology,Ashmita Mazumder, PhD student, Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Student-centered approaches are an integral part of inclusive and equitable pedagogies. At the same time, promoting flexibility, sustained engagement, and student participation alongside considerations of assessment integrity, fairness, and workload is often daunting. Balancing these factors in the context of a Credit/No Credit (CR/NCR) course raises unique challenges and opportunities. Without traditional grade incentives, how can we ensure students remain engaged? In this roundtable discussion, we will share insights into how an approach of structured flexibility - including scaffolded assignments, flexible grading structures, and student-driven [...]

3.2.1 Our Journey to "Noor's Journey": Documenting our multi-year process of flourishing while creating a learning game focused on diversity, resiliency, and empowerment Kosha    Bramesfeld, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, Denise Ysabel Silva, Project Manager, Authentic Learning Lab, Master of Social Work Student (Combined Degree HBSc & MSW), Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work Learning games provide an effective tool for teaching about complex social issues (Bramesfeld & Good, 2016). The creation of these games can also create high-impact experiential learning opportunities for students across a range of disciplines (Burling et al., 2020). But engaging students in [...]

3.1.1 Against All Odds: The Sandbox’s Asynchronous Collaboration across Disciplines William Ryan, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Psychology, Steven Coyne, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Philosophy/Computer Science, Faculty of Arts & Science What does meaningful collaboration across courses look like? What if the courses are different sizes, at different times, from different disciplines, and the students are completing different assignments? In this short session, we describe an approach we piloted to facilitate asynchronous collaboration across philosophy and psychology courses as part of The Sandbox multidisciplinary experiential learning initiative. As part of the course, students from both courses worked on projects for UNICEF. Philosophy students [...]

Sherry   Fukuzawa, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Elder Carolyn King, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Elder Garry Sault, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Elder Margaret Sault, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Councillor Veronica King-Jamieson, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Jordan Jamieson, Field Liaison, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Nicole Laliberte, Associate Professor Teaching Stream, Geography, University of Toronto Mississauga This roundtable will focus on relationship building in support of educational initiatives of Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) as territorial host of all UofT campuses. Indigenous Action Group (IAG) representatives, a collective [...]

4.3.1 Cultivating Wisdom Through Self-Reflection: A Personal Life Philosophy Assignment Amanda Sharples, Assistant Professor, Psychology, Faculty of Arts & Science There has been a call from scholars of pedagogy to encourage the cultivation of wisdom in higher education (Bruya & Ardelt, 2018; Ferrari & Kim, 2019; Jakubik, 2023).  Indeed, wisdom has consistently been linked to greater well-being and may buffer against the stressful experiences that undergraduate students frequentlyencounter (Liu & Sharples, in prep; Ardelt & Jeste, 2016). Research on the pedagogy of wisdom suggests that self-reflection may be particularly important for enhancing wisdom (Bruya & Ardelt, 2018). Many undergraduate students are [...]

Sania Hameed, Special Projects Officer, Teaching Initiatives, OVPIUE,  Jessica Dere, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream and Associate Chair Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Psychology, University of TorontoScarborough, Sanja Hinić-Frlog, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Biology and Interim Associate Dean, Teaching & Learning, University of Toronto Mississauga, JudithPoë,Professor Emerita, Olivier St-Cyr, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream and the Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning, Faculty of Information, Rebecca Laposa, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine This roundtable session brings together a group of instructors working on LEAF+ funded projects focused on advancing equitable and inclusive teaching in order to share some of [...]

SPECIAL SESSION: In Conversation with the Graduate Student Course Instructors (including Teaching Excellence Award Shortlisted Candidates)   Presenters: Donald McCarthy, Classics, PhD Candidate, Course Instructor, Faculty of Arts & Science, Liza Igoshina, Psychology, PhD Candidate, Course Instructor, Faculty of Arts & Science, Stacey J Butler, PhD, Course Instructor Coordinator, Teaching Assistants’ Training Program Moderator: Cristina D'Amico, PhD, Faculty Liaison Coordinator, Graduate Student Development & TA Training In this roundtable session, we will engage in conversation with three graduate student course instructors at the University of Toronto’s and hear their approach to teaching challenges and building learning communities. Panelists represent Graduate Education Developers and [...]