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X-WR-CALNAME:2026 University of Toronto Teaching and Learning Symposium
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for 2026 University of Toronto Teaching and Learning Symposium
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TZID:America/Toronto
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T093000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130523Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130523Z
UID:4951-1778662800-1778664600@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Welcome to TLS2026
DESCRIPTION:President Melanie Woodin welcomes attendees to Signal to Noise: Tuning in to What Matters in Teaching\, the 20th Teaching and Learning Symposium. 
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/welcome-to-tls2026/
LOCATION:Name: McLeod Auditorium (MS 2158)\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T103000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130524Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130524Z
UID:4952-1778664600-1778668200@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Mixed signals: A conversation on building productive dialogue in the classroom
DESCRIPTION:Christopher Eisgruber\, Professor of Law\, President of Princeton University\nCharlie Keil\, Professor\, Cinema Studies Institute and Department of History\, Principal of Innis College\nIn 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?\nJoin 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.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/mixed-signals-a-conversation-on-building-productive-dialogue-in-the-classroom/
LOCATION:Name: McLeod Auditorium (MS 2158)\nAddress:
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T104500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T114500
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130524Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130524Z
UID:4953-1778669100-1778672700@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Teaching Excellence Unplugged with the President's Teaching Academy
DESCRIPTION:Join members of the President’s Teaching Academy (PTA) for anopen\, 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.\nThe PTA is comprised ofwinners of the President’sTeaching Award (https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/presidents-teaching-award/). 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of this award\, the highest honour forteaching at U of T. 
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/teaching-excellence-unplugged-with-the-presidents-teaching-academy/
LOCATION:Name: McLeod Auditorium (MS 2158)\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T114500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T130000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130524Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130524Z
UID:4956-1778672700-1778677200@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Lunch (registration is required)
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/lunch-registration-is-required/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T140000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130524Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130524Z
UID:4957-1778677200-1778680800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:1.2 Tuning In Sessions
DESCRIPTION:1.2.1Reflecting through Relationships: A Grounded Theory of Professional IdentityDevelopment in Work-Integrated Learning\nAinsley Goldman\,Experiential Learning & Professional Development\, Experiential LearningEducational Developer\, FAS\nAmplifyingthe Signal: Connection\, Engagement\, and Civil Discourse\nWork-integratedlearning (WIL) is regarded as a panacea for incorporating students into theworkforce\, but scholars have called for more explicit curriculum and reflectionrelated to professional identity development. Reflection is well-established inWIL curriculum\, predominantly through graded written reflection assignments\,but there is preliminary evidence that assessed reflections can becomeperformative.\nUsing aconstructivist grounded theory approach\, this research project explored thequestion: how is professional identity developed through reflection in WILcurriculum? Data was collected from 20 undergraduate WIL students and threeinstructors at a large urban university using a combination of semi-structuredinterviews and discourse analysis of students’ reflection assignments andcourse syllabi.\nMany studentsdiscussed the value of reflection through relationships (signals)\, as they hadthe opportunity to share ideas with one another while being disconnected from apermanent record they were handing in (noise). Patterns emerged related totheir relationships in WIL\, including relationships with classmates\, studentcolleagues\, co-workers\, supervisors\, and the school and workplace communitiesat large.\nThis researchmakes a significant contribution by emphasizing the importance of relationshipsin WIL. Relationships themselves are crucial\, and it is often throughrelationships that WIL students are engaging in dialogical reflection.Furthermore\, this research offers a theory of professional identity developmentthrough reflection and relationships in WIL that is not linear butcontextual.  This theory is very accessible to WIL educators and practitioners\,and specific approaches to theory application will be shared with allparticipants.\nResearchTrack\n1.2.2Signal over Stress: Designing Flexible Deadlines and Intentional GenAI Use inLarge Statistics Courses\nSamantha-Jo Caetano\,Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Statistical Sciences\, FAS \nEmily Somerset\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Statistical Sciences\,FAS   \nFilteringthe Noise: Tools\, Trends\, and Tensions\n \nIn an era shaped byincreasing student stress and the rapid uptake of generative AI\, instructorsface growing pressures around assessment design\, academic integrity\, andworkload sustainability. This session shares the redesign of a large (n≈600)third-year XX course – Surveys\, Sampling and Observational Data – built aroundstructured flexibility in deadlines\, grading-schemes\, and generative-AI policy.Rather than adding more rules in response to complexity\, the redesign amplifiedlearning goals while reducing administrative and policy “noise”.\n \nFlexible course design canbe understood as a form of kind pedagogy: it supports student autonomy\,acknowledges that students balance learning with complex lives\, and reducesreactive administrative burden. Across the term\, 97% of students used at least oneflexible deadline and 95% appreciated the availability of flexible policies.Self-perceived skill development outcomes were comparable between students whodid and did not use flexibility; while those who did not use extended deadlinesearned marginally higher grades (differences were not statisticallysignificant).\n \nThe course alsoincorporated a flexible generative-AI policy allowing use on take-homeassessments. Students were required to disclose and reflect on their AI use aspart of the rubric. Survey data indicated that 75% used AI tools\, 82% supportedthe AI policy\, and 98% viewed it as fair. Median assessment grades differed byless than 1% between AI users and non-users.\n \nThis session will explorehow structured flexibility and intentional AI integration can sustain academicrigor while reducing stress and focusing attention on what matters most:meaningful student learning.\n \nResearch Track
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/1-2-tuning-in-sessions/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T140000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130524Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130524Z
UID:4954-1778677200-1778680800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:1.6 A Conversation on Teaching with U of T’s Emerging Educators
DESCRIPTION:What does exceptional teaching look like at the start of anacademic career? Join recipients of the CherylRegehr Early Career Teaching Award (ECTA) (https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/university-of-toronto-early-career-teaching-award/) for a dynamic conversation oncreativity\, commitment and impact in the classroom. Representing diversedisciplines and approaches\, these early career educators will share insightsinto their teaching practices\, the challenges and opportunities they encounteras they grow as instructors\, and the strategies they use to engage students inmeaningful ways. Through candid reflections and practical ideas\, this paneloffers fresh perspectives on fostering impactful student learning whilenavigating the many demands of early academic life.\nPanelists will be announced soon.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/1-6-a-conversation-on-teaching-with-u-of-ts-emerging-educators/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T140000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130524Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130524Z
UID:4955-1778677200-1778680800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:1.4 Open Mic Sessions
DESCRIPTION:1.4.1 ThePower of Presence: Centering In‑Person Communication in a Digital‑Heavy Era\nAlexandra Motut\,Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Rotman School of Management  \nFilteringthe Noise: Tools\, Trends\, and Tensions        \nI describehow my commitment to in-person\, real-time assessment in a second-year businesscommunications course cuts through the noise of a digital-heavy teachinglandscape and helps students understand what matters most in communicatingeffectively with others.\nIn an era ofoverwhelming AI-powered tools and asynchronous convenience\, I structure mycourse around one core principle: students learn communication best when theymust communicate in real time\, in person\, with real people. This singlestrategic commitment underpins every major assessment and helps students tuneout digital noise and tune in to authentic human interaction.\nAll majorassignments require students to perform\, collaborate\, or connect live. Studentsdeliver small-group presentations in rooms with a TA and five peers\, respondingto audience cues and managing real-time dynamics. Each student meets with meindividually during office hours—a deliberately analog\, relationalassessment—to practice professional one-to-one communication of feedback. A“coffee chat” assignment requires students to conduct a real-world conversationwith someone outside the classroom and record it for feedback\, emphasizingreal-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 coachingappointments at the writing and communications centre.\nBy makingpresence—not paperwork—the central mode of assessment\, students developgrounded\, practical communication skills that written\, asynchronous taskscannot capture\, while overall engagement and focus increase. This approach iseasily adaptable to other disciplines seeking meaningful\, high-impact learningexperiences.\n1.4.2 Indigenizationof Higher Education Curriculum – Insights from a collaborative initiative of“One Dish One Spoon” faculty mentorship project\nTanzina Mohsin\,Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Physical and Environmental Sciences\, UTSC          \nElizabeth O’Brien\, Librarian\, UTSC\nDonald Butler\, Anthropology\nHeidi Daxberger\, Physical and Environmental Science\nSustainingResonance: Lessons\, Insights\, and Impact\nThis sessionshares lessons and a practical\, transferable model from a completed UTSCfaculty mentorship initiative grounded in One Dish\, One Spoon responsibilitiesand relationship-centered approaches to teaching and learning. The projectsupported faculty\, librarians\, staff (and some students) in building confidenceand competence to integrate Indigenous Knowledges and decolonizing pedagogiesinto curriculum without tokenism\, by prioritizing relationship\, place\,reciprocity\, and reflective practice.\nAninterdisciplinary team of faculty-librarian convened a sequence of land- andplace-based learning circles: one multi-day retreat in a natural setting andseveral one-day gatherings on/off campus sessions\, each guided by IndigenousKnowledge Keepers\, Elders\, and Indigenous scholars. Across formats\, the samecore 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 byprotecting the signal (relational learning\, cultural safety\, accountablepartnership) while reducing the noise (logistics\, honoraria processes\,unsuitable spaces\, communication constraints on protocols).\nAttendeeswill receive practical “Retreat-to-Course Mapping Ideas” that helps educatorsmove from learning experience → course touchpoints → student activities →reflection/feedback\, alongside a short implementation checklist. The sessionwill also highlight the value of interdisciplinary and library partnership forethical resource pathways and sustainable curation of teaching resources.Participants will leave with concrete options to adopt the model at differentcontexts\, a short list of do’s/don’ts for Indigenous relationship-centeredengagement\, and options for sustainable scaling such as recurring retreats\, book club models\, and shared repositories ofvetted resources while keeping the principles intact.\n1.4.3 Connectionat Scale: Efficient Strategies for Personalized\, Empathic Feedback\nKathleen Yu\,Associate Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Economics\, UTM\nAmplifyingthe Signal: Connection\, Engagement\, and Civil Discourse          \nIn manyclassrooms\, students often wonder whether their professors truly see them orcare about their individual learning experiences. This session explores ascalable\, relationship‑centeredcommunication strategy that strengthens human connection in large‑enrollment courses by making feedbackpersonal\, timely\, and grounded in care through personalized emails to studentsafter every major assessment.  Thesession highlights how intentional\, individualized outreach can amplifyclarity\, empathy\, and (most importantly) be efficiently accomplished even whenhundreds of students are involved. Although this session draws on experiencesfrom a high‑enrollmentcourse\, the strategy can be easily adapted to small- and medium-sized coursesas well.\nThe approachcenters on acknowledging students’ efforts\, recognizing their progress\, andoffering supportive pathways forward after key assessments. It reframesfeedback as an opportunity to build trust\, foster dialogue\, and affirmstudents’ sense of belonging. Students consistently report feeling seen\,supported\, and motivated when they receive personalized communication thatmeets them where they are\, whether they excelled\, struggled\, or simply madeincremental gains. These messages become touchpoints that humanize the learningexperience and open doors to deeper conversations about study strategies\,challenges\, and a growth mindset.\nParticipantswill consider how this model can be adapted across disciplines\, modalities\, andclass sizes to encourage meaningful engagement. The session will also addresspractical strategies for implementing individualized communication efficientlyand sustainably. Ultimately\, this approach demonstrates that even in largeclasses\, small acts of personalized connection can profoundly shape students’confidence\, resilience\, and willingness to engage in the shared work oflearning.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/1-4-open-mic-sessions/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T140000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130525Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130525Z
UID:4958-1778677200-1778680800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:1.5 Open Mic Sessions
DESCRIPTION:1.5.1 AnInteractive Module to Prepare Nursing Students for Their First ClinicalPlacement: The transformation of an idea\nMary Ann Fegan\,Associate Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing\nSustainingResonance: Lessons\, Insights\, and Impact\nNursingstudents begin clinical practice within a month of entering the program. With agoal to improve students’ preparation for their first clinical placement andhelp demystify the clinical learning environment\, we reimagined and redesignedour orientation approach. Over the past four years\, what was once a large classdiscussion with PowerPoint slides transformed into an interactive\, media-richonline clinical orientation module\, with an accompanying student clinicalhandbook. This new approach is supported by a large group in-person follow-upsession.\nDesigned toaccommodate varied learning styles and provide meaningful learning\, the moduleintegrates audio\, visual\, and text-based content. Key documents\, policies\, andresources are embedded to give students immediate access to essentialinformation. Reflective prompts and knowledge checks encourage activeengagement and help validate learning. Short testimonial clips from seniornursing students offer practical insights\, including how to prepare for aclinical shift and what they wished they had known before starting their firstplacement. Longer role play videos illustrate the flow of a clinical shift -from initial patient interaction to end of day debriefing – highlighting thesupport provided by clinical instructors and opportunities to optimize learningthroughout the day.\nThis open micsession tells a story of teaching innovation\, reflection\, and adaptation thatbegan with one simple idea. Student feedback\, faculty experiences\, and lessonslearned will be shared. Attendees will be encouraged to consider ways theymight use a similar strategy to engage learners and can explore the moduleusing a QR code.\n1.5.2Stop\, Breathe\, Dwell: Assessment Practices That Cut Through Pedagogical Noise\nShelley O’Brien\,Administrative Staff\, Centre for the Study of Pain                          \nFindingthe Frequency: Clarity\, Purpose\, and What Matters Most   \nTeachingtoday operates in time scarcity: students race toward correct answers\,educators rush through packed curricula\, and the noise of competing demandsoften drowns out learning objectives of deep learning\, critical reflection\,relational engagement. Rather than adding more strategies to an alreadyoverwhelming load\, what if we could filter noise by attending differently towhat’s already present?                \nI’ll shareStop\, Breathe\, Dwell—three practices that help educators tune in to signalbeneath noise\, with primary focus on the “Stop/Dwell pop-upevaluation”: a high-impact assessment technique that produces measurabletransformation in student thinking.\nTheTechnique: During case-based or problem-based learning\, at the moment studentsare moving toward solution/diagnosis\, I interrupt with three questions: (1)What assumptions are you making? (2) What tensions do you notice in yourthinking? (3) What questions would you now ask? This 5-10 minute disruptionforces students to stop (examine their reasoning process)\, breathe (sit withdiscomfort)\, and dwell (stay with complexity instead of rushing to resolution).\nThe Impact:Results from ~200 interprofessional healthcare students show: 60% demonstratedsystems-based thinking (recognizing institutional barriers\, time pressure\,access issues)\, 70% showed interprofessional learning (understanding otherprofessions’ approaches)\, and 80% developed new patient-centered clinicalquestioning strategies. The interruption creates space for critical reflectionthat doesn’t emerge in linear case progression.\nTheFramework: These results emerge from operationalizing contemplative pedagogyand feminist new materialist theory as assessment practice and act as concretetechniques that work across disciplines. Beyond the pop-up evaluation\, I’llshare how to use stopping\, breathing\, and dwelling.\nTakeaway:Participants leave understanding how to design strategic interruptions in theirown courses.\n1.5.3 OptimizingInstruction in the MD Anatomy Curriculum Using Backward-Design andStudents-as-Partners to Design a Pilot Dissection Program\nKristina Lisk\,Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Division of Anatomy\, Department ofSurgery\, TFoM        \nParsa Razeghi\, 2nd year medical student\, TFoM  \nFindingthe Frequency: Clarity\, Purpose\, and What Matters Most               \nIn an era ofincreasingly complex curricula and competing educational priorities\, it isessential 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 andbackward curriculum design to create a focused\, high-impact learning experiencewithin constrained curricular space.            \nSATRA wasintroduced in 2025 as a pilot initiative offering medical students theopportunity to perform faculty‑guidedsurgical dissections and create reusable teaching specimens for the MD program.While cadaveric learning has diminished due to time\, cost\, and resourcelimitations\, SATRA was intentionally designed — through direct studentcollaboration — to amplify what students value most: hands-on clinicalcontextualization\, deep learning\, and opportunities to meaningfully contributeto their learning community.\nUsing abackward-design approach\, faculty anatomists\, surgical residents\, and studentpartners jointly identified key learning outcomes related to clerkshipreadiness\, surgical reasoning\, and peer teaching. Design decisions\, includingone dissection per pair\, structuring guided supervision\, and producing teachingspecimens\, reduced curricular “noise” and ensured each component supportedlearning outcomes.\nFindings from the pilot SATRA cohort showed that82% of participants reported increased interest in musculoskeletal surgery\, andall reported improved anatomic understanding and confidence in peer teaching.This Open Mic session will be present faculty and student perspectives\, andoffer transferable insights into co-designing experiential learningopportunities\, optimizing limited resources\, and meaningfully engaging studentsas collaborators in curriculum development.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/1-5-open-mic-sessions/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T140000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130525Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130525Z
UID:4959-1778677200-1778680800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:1.3 Tuning In Sessions
DESCRIPTION:1.3.1Learning from the Development and Evaluation of Better Together: A LongitudinalHybrid Interprofessional Pressure Injury Prevention and Management Curriculumfor Health and Social Care Students\nSharon Gabison\,Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Physical Therapy\, TFoM\nSustainingResonance: Lessons\, Insights\, and Impact\nThis sessionwill present the reflections related to the development and evaluation of alongitudinal hybrid interprofessional pressure injury curriculum for health andsocial care students at the University of Toronto. More specifically\, theobjectives of this session are:\n·     Toshare reflections on the development of a longitudinal hybrid interprofessionalpressure injury curriculum for health and social care students.\n·     Toshare reflection on the evaluation of a longitudinal hybrid interprofessionalpressure injury curriculum for health and social are students\n·     Toshare opportunities for further development and evaluation of longitudinalinterprofessional curricula\nAttendeeswill learn about the motivation and educational theories underpinning thedevelopment and evaluation of the longitudinal hybrid curriculum.\nPracticeTrack\n1.3.2Junior and Senior Faculty Reflections on Building Experiential Learning ThatEndures\nHaley Zubyk\,Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Human Biology Program/Department of Celland Systems Biology\, FAS\nFranco Taverna\, Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Human Biology Program\, FAS\nSustainingResonance: Lessons\, Insights\, and Impact\nExperientiallearning (EL) is widely recognized as high-impact pedagogy\, yet less attentionis given to what it takes to build and sustain EL over time in real courses\,under real constraints\, and within evolving community partnerships. Alignedwith Sustaining Resonance: Lessons\, Insights\, and Impact\, this session sharespractical lessons from EL development through two complementary perspectives: ajunior instructor launching new initiatives and a senior instructor withextensive EL experience.\nWe presentconcrete insights from implementation\, redesign\, and ongoing adaptation. Ratherthan highlighting only successes\, we also examine where early approaches fellshort\, including mismatched expectations\, partnership strain\, uneven studentreadiness\, and scope challenges amid competing demands. We then show how thesechallenges informed meaningful redesign: clearer student onboarding\, strongerreciprocal partnership structures\, closer alignment between studentdeliverables and partner priorities\, and more realistic definitions of success.\nOurreflective analysis draws on EL scholarship and lived instructional experienceacross multiple iterations. We argue that sustaining EL depends less on gettingthe first design “right” and more on responsive pedagogy: relationship-centredplanning\, transparent communication\, iterative refinement\, and values-informeddecision-making.\nAttendeeswill leave with transferable tools for sustaining EL in their own contexts\,including practical redesign checkpoints\, strategies for repairing andstrengthening partnerships\, approaches for evaluating lasting impact\, andactionable guidance for moving from one-off EL activities to durable\,program-level practice across disciplines.\nPracticeTrack
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/1-3-tuning-in-sessions/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T140000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130525Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130525Z
UID:4960-1778677200-1778680800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:1.1 Is this good? Supporting learner evaluations of written texts across disciplines and technologies
DESCRIPTION:ErinVearncombe\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Institute for the Study ofUniversity Pedagogy (ISUP)\, UTM \nChris Eaton\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream & Associate Director\,Research\, ISUP\, UTM\nSarah Flood\, 3rd-year undergraduate in Sociology; Research Assistant\, ISUP\, UTM\nTalla Enaya\, undergraduate alumna\, UTM; Program Assistant\, Institute for theStudy of University Pedagogy\, UTM\nFilteringthe Noise: Tools\, Trends\, and Tensions             \nEvaluativejudgment refers to the capability to make informed\, defensible decisions aboutthe quality of work (Tai et al.\, 2018). This capability has always been centralto academic success and professional practice\, yet it has remained largelyimplicit in our teaching and learning activities (Eaton et al.\, 2025). Learnersare regularly asked to find credible sources\, provide peer feedback\, and revisetheir work\, but they are rarely taught how to judge quality in these contexts.The increasing influence of generative AI has brought evaluative judgment intosharper focus (Bearman & Ajjawi\, 2023). While GenAI brings noise into ourteaching\, it can also filter out pedagogical clatter\, helping us see moreclearly which capabilities we need to prioritize.\nThisinteractive workshop invites participants to practice evaluative judgment andthen design ways to teach it. Through activities including experimentation witha shared genre and collaborative revision using “revision dice\,”participants will experience how judgment becomes visible and debatable when wemake criteria explicit. Working individually and in small groups\, participantswill surface tacit standards experts use when evaluating work\, identify whereevaluative judgment already exists (or could exist) in their courses\, anddesign concrete teaching interventions suited to their disciplinary contexts.Participants will leave with revised course materials and discipline-specificstrategies for scaffolding evaluative judgment\, strengthening a core learningoutcome fundamental to thinking and working in our fields. Please note that apersonal laptop may be useful for participation in selected researchactivities.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/1-1-is-this-good-supporting-learner-evaluations-of-written-texts-across-disciplines-and-technologies/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T141500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T151500
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130525Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130525Z
UID:4962-1778681700-1778685300@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:2.3 GenAI and teaching integrity
DESCRIPTION:MerandaSalem\, Sessional Instructor\, PhD\, Electrical and Computer Engineering\, FASE                 \nFilteringthe Noise: Tools\, Trends\, and Tensions        \nThe rapidadoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools in highereducation presents both opportunities and challenges for maintaining teachingand assessment integrity. Rather than viewing GenAI solely as a threat toacademic honesty\, this proposal frames it as a pedagogical tool that must beintentionally integrated through evidence-informed course design. Teachingintegrity in the GenAI era is supported not by surveillance or detectiontechnologies\, but by transparent expectations\, authentic assessments\, andstudent accountability.\nThis approachemphasizes clearly defining acceptable and unacceptable uses of GenAI\, aligningAI use with learning goals\, and designing assessments that require students todemonstrate understanding\, reasoning\, and decision-making. Iterative assessmentstructures\, 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 criticallyevaluate and validate any AI-generated output.\nBy focusingon process-oriented assessment and professional communication\, this frameworkpromotes ethical engagement with GenAI while maintaining fairness and rigor. Italso addresses equity concerns by recognizing differences in access to AI toolsand emphasizing learning outcomes over tool proficiency. Ultimately\, thisapproach supports academic integrity by reinforcing the principle that GenAIshould augment\, rather than replace\, student thinking\, thereby preparinglearners for responsible professional practice in AI-enabled environments.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/2-3-genai-and-teaching-integrity/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T141500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T151500
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130525Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130525Z
UID:4961-1778681700-1778685300@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:2.1 Conversations in Beta: An Interactive Workshop on AI‑Generated Simulations
DESCRIPTION:MichaelCournoyea\, PhD\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Faculty of Kinesiologyand Physical Education\nTolulola Taiwo-Hanna\, MSW\, RSW\, PhD Candidate\, Factor-Inwentash Faculty ofSocial Work\nJoelleann Forbes\, MSW\, RSW\, Sessional Instructor\, Factor-Inwentash Faculty ofSocial Work\nFilteringthe Noise: Tools\, Trends\, and Tensions                    \nEducatorsacross disciplines are increasingly exploring how Large Language Models (LLMs)might support richer forms of experiential learning. One emerging use case isthe development of interactive simulations—dynamic\, responsive scenarios thatallow students to practice discernment\, apply concepts\, and experiment withdifferent approaches in a low‑stakesenvironment.\nIn thisinteractive Jam Session\, we share insights from a classroom pilot in whichCopilot generated a conversational mental health scenario for second-yearMaster of Social Work students. The simulation prompted learners to navigateuncertainty and make contextually sensitive decisions while receivingimmediate\, adaptive feedback. Participants will have an opportunity to engagedirectly with this classroom pilot\, as well as an alternative Copilot-generatedsimulation\, to experiment with its affordances and limitations.\nTheseactivities will be followed by a guided discussion on pedagogical design.Together\, we will examine the “signal” and “noise” in LLM adoption: What kindsof learning do LLM-powered simulations genuinely support? How do theycomplement or complicate existing instructional strategies? Where do ethicalconcerns—including bias\, emotional impact\, and the transparency ofLLM-generated personas—require deliberate safeguards? How do we designLLM-enhanced learning experiences that prioritize equity\, critical thinking\,and deep learning?\nParticipantswill then collaboratively explore how LLM-powered simulations might be adaptedwithin their own disciplines\, from clinical cases to conflict resolutionexercises. By experimenting\, reflecting\, and co-designing\, attendees will leavewith practical strategies and concrete examples for using LLMs to supportmeaningful\, thoughtfully structured learning experiences that extend beyondnovelty and toward deeper engagement. Participants are encouraged to bringtheir laptop or connected devices to fully participate in the simulation.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/2-1-conversations-in-beta-an-interactive-workshop-on-ai-generated-simulations/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T141500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T151500
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130526Z
UID:4963-1778681700-1778685300@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:2.4 Tuning In Sessions
DESCRIPTION:2.4.1 Aframework for balancing equity\, pedagogy\, and management of a multi-sectioncourse\nLindsey Shorser\,Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Mathematics and Computer Science\, FAS\nFilteringthe Noise: Tools\, Trends\, and Tensions\nBuilding onthe theme for this year’s symposium\, the signal to noise ratio of things acourse coordinator *could* be doing and the things they *should* be doing caneasily lead to burnout. In this talk\, I will present a conceptual tool forfocusing on one aspect of a course at a time\, once perspective at a time\, andone subset of a “to do” list at a time for anyone running anundergraduate course. The three-role framework for conceptualizing coursecoordination provides a way to cut through the noise\, balance priorities\, andimprove intentionality as opposed to making reactive decisions.\nThedevelopment of this three-role framework was the result of a systematicreflection on the tasks required to coordinate a first-year multi-section mathcourse. The responsibilities of a course coordinator can be divided into threecoherent roles\, each with its own tasks\, priorities\, and motivations — theEducator\, the Communicator\, and the Manager. The intention behind thisconceptualization is to ensure pedagogically sound and equitable experiencesfor all students while effectively managing course resources.\nIn this talk\,we will explore the framework’s roles\, the conflicting motivations of each\, andthe resulting benefits to time-management and intentional decision-making whenusing this framework.\nPracticeTrack\n2.4.2Teaching Judgment Through Examples: Communication\, Critical Thinking\, and CivilDiscourse in AI-Rich Learning Environments\nWilliam Ju\,Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Cell and Systems Biology/Human Biology Program\, FASJulia Gallucci\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, FIS\nAmplifyingthe Signal: Connection\, Engagement\, and Civil Discourse\nIn AI-richlearning environments\, students regularly encounter fluent explanations andarguments\, yet often struggle to evaluate their quality effectively. Whenexpectations for reasoning and evidence are implicit\, discussion can drifttoward surface agreement\, defensiveness\, or disengagement\, thus amplifyinginstructional noise rather than true learning.\nThis sessionshares a communication-focused teaching practice that uses short examples toteach judgment through discussion\, positioning critical thinking and discourseas learnable skills. Implemented in large second- and third-year undergraduatecourses\, the practice centers on examining\, comparing\, and deconstructing briefresponses (i.e. AI-generated\, novice\, as well as instructor-curatedexplanations) during lectures or tutorials. Rather than using AI for producinganswers\, students practice articulating what makes an explanation strong orweak\, which criteria they are using\, and how evidence supports claims.\nStructureddiscussion prompts guide students to justify judgments\, respond to alternativeinterpretations\, and revise their thinking respectfully. These activities makedisciplinary 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: itserves as one source of examples\, not as the sole tool that students should beusing as a form of fluency/proficiency.\nEarlyreflections suggest that teaching judgment through example-based discussionamplifies instructional signal by clarifying standards for reasoning\,strengthening critical thinking\, and improving the quality of academic dialoguewithout adding assignments or complexity.\nPracticeTrack
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/2-4-tuning-in-sessions/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T141500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T151500
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130526Z
UID:4964-1778681700-1778685300@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:2.5 Open Mic Sessions
DESCRIPTION:2.5.1 Aboutbinomial theorem I am teeming with a lot of news: oral tests in a first-yearmath class\nShai Cohen\, AssistantProfessor\, Teaching Stream\, ISTEP\, FASE                                            \nFindingthe Frequency: Clarity\, Purpose\, and What Matters Most   \nIn 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.       \n2.5.2 Useof OneNote Class Notebook as a Combined Electronic Laboratory Notebook andContent Delivery Tool\nAhlia Khan-Trottier\,Associate Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Biochemistry\, TFoM \nCalvin Watts\, 4th year FAS student\, Biochemistry & Immunology Majorsprograms\nFilteringthe Noise: Tools\, Trends\, and Tensions \nPrompted 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.\n2.5.3 Assessingstudents at regular checkpoints at scale    \nPaul He\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Computer Science\, FAS\nSadia Sharmin\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Computer Science\, FAS        \nSustainingResonance: Lessons\, Insights\, and Impact\nThis 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.\nA 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.\nBeginning 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.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/2-5-open-mic-sessions/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T141500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T151500
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130526Z
UID:4965-1778681700-1778685300@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:2.6 Open Mic Sessions
DESCRIPTION:2.6.1 SupportingOur Students’ Mental Health: Quercus-based Resources for the Classroom\nLauren Brown\,Victoria College Vic One Hundred instructor\, Health & Wellness\, Division ofStudent Life                                                                                                                                     \nSustainingResonance: Lessons\, Insights\, and Impact\nSupportingour Students’ Mental Health (SOSMH) is a Quercus-based resource hub for facultyand teaching assistants. SOSMH is a response to the increased interest insupporting student mental health and wellbeing. It recognizes that faculty andteaching assistants are often a first point of contact for students who arestruggling and equips them with simple\, easy to access information. Byembedding this content right into Quercus instructors no longer need to searchthrough multiple websites and resources. Faculty and TAs have full control overhow much or how little they’d like to share with students. Resources can beshared 1:1 with students who have indicated a particular need\, or\, with thewhole class by embedding slides or scheduling Quercus announcement or usingvideo resources for mindfulness or movement breaks. In this Open Mic session\, Iwill describe the inspiration\, collaboration\, and iteration process behind thedevelopment of SOSMH and share how to implement this in the classroom andonline. Participants will be encouraged to make suggestions for additionalcontent and implementation.\n2.6.2 FromSummative to Formative: Implementing and Refining Two-Stage Exams in a LargeUndergraduate Course\nAlice Gao\, AssistantProfessor\, Teaching Stream\, Computer Science\, FAS\nMarina Tawfik\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Computer Science\, FAS        \nSustainingResonance: Lessons\, Insights\, and Impact\nTimed\,high-stakes assessments are often stressful experiences\, leading students tofocus on optimizing grades rather than learning from feedback. Two-stagetesting uses a team-based learning approach to turn summative assessments intoformative learning experiences (Latulipe et al.\, 2025). In a two-stage test\,students first complete the test individually and then complete the same or asimilar test collaboratively with a group of peers. The final test gradereflects performance in both stages\, with the individual component carrying themajority 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 astronger learning community.\nHowever\,implementing two-stage testing requires careful design. For example\, designingquestions for the group stage is particularly challenging\, as they must besufficiently rigorous\, promote meaningful discussion and remain feasible withinthe time constraints. Other challenges include deciding on a grading schemethat balances accountability with collaboration and managing logistical detailssuch as timing\, group formation\, room setup\, and coordination. These choicesdirectly shape students’ experience and the pedagogical value of theassessment. \nIn thissession\, we share our experience implementing two-stage term tests in anupper-year machine learning course. We first outline our implementationprocess\, including how we address common design and logistical challenges.Second\, we present student survey feedback from our first iteration\, reflectingon the implementation challenges and describing adjustments made in subsequentiterations. Finally\, we offer recommendations for adapting the format to otherdisciplines\, class sizes\, and learning environments.\n2.6.3 Mindthe Gaps: An online “survival guide” for graduate students\nLori Ross\, AssociateProfessor\, Dalla Lana School of Public Health               \nSoumyaa Subranamium (now alumni\, was a student at the time of the work)       \nAmplifyingthe Signal: Connection\, Engagement\, and Civil Discourse          \nResearch hasindicated that graduate students face disproportionately high rates of poormental health\, and a variety of strategies and interventions have beenintroduced on university campuses in an attempt to address this problem.However\, most of this research and the related interventions have approachedstudent mental health through a biomedical lens that centers the mental healthsymptoms of individual students without attention to the wider social andstructural context. Recently\, our team carried out a research project at threeOntario universities to investigate graduate student mental health from acritical disability studies lens\, which instead directs our attention toexamine how the structures and processes of graduate education could be disablingfor students.\nThrough focusgroups and interviews\, we learned from students and faculty how sanism(discrimination associated with one’s mental health status) operates onuniversity campuses in ways that intersect with other experiences of structuraloppression such as those associated with race\, class\, and citizenship statusthrough what we call “”the wellness complex””. In addition\,students and faculty shared their strategies for successfully navigatingthrough these oppressive systems.\nIn this OpenMic presentation\, we will share the product of this research: the””Mind the Gaps”” website\, an online “”survivalguide”” developed to share these strategies and related resourceswith graduate students across Ontario to support them in navigating graduateeducation. Specifically\, we will provide a brief overview of the guide\, shareour process of co-developing it\, and discuss our plans for future disseminationand expansion of this resource. We will also offer suggestions for how facultymight consider using this resource in their own teaching practice.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/2-6-open-mic-sessions/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T141500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T151500
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130526Z
UID:4966-1778681700-1778685300@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:2.2 It Takes a Village: Fostering Hope and EnvironMental Wellness in the University Classroom through Collaboration
DESCRIPTION:SimonAppolloni\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, School of the Environment           \nOlivia Allen\, Wellness\, Fitness and Recreation Programs Coordinator\, Hart House\nLois Boody\, PhD Candidate\, OISE\, University of Toronto (also Lead TA of ENV100)\nJermane Hall\, Program Coordinator\, Dialogue and Expression\, Hart House\nClara Kim\, Team Lead\, MultiFaith Centre      \nSustainingResonance: Lessons\, Insights\, and Impact           \nClimateanxiety and related emotions are increasingly manifest among universitystudents. Students learning about the state of the environment encounterdifficult statistics that cannot easily be grasped\, generating feelings ofpowerlessness\, fear\, anxiety or grief. Add to this the zeitgeist of emotionsthat 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 theseemotions are suppressed\, left unaddressed\, or unchanneled\, they can evokeapathy rather than desire and hope\, impeding student learning and generativeaction.\nConsideringthis\, this session responds to two questions: (1) how can we empower studentswith hope and resilience to thrive in their futures\, and not merely survive?(2) How can collaborations across university organizations and unions supporttransformative pedagogical practices and enhance student learning?\nAs part ofENVxxx—a first-year environmental studies class of 500 students—a group offaculty\, student\, and staff collaborators from across the university planned an“EnvironMental Wellness Jam\,” an experiential learning event where studentsengaged with various arts-based\, land-based\, therapeutic\, and reflectiveactivities to help foster hope.\nBased on thesuccess of this collaborative endeavour\, this interactive workshop willreplicate the class – in miniature – so that session participants canthemselves experience similar evidenced-based activities. A collaborativediscussion will follow\, to share and reflect on the theoretical and practicalaspects that undergird the pedagogy and activities\, and the benefits and bestpractices of collaborating across the university.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/2-2-it-takes-a-village-fostering-hope-and-environmental-wellness-in-the-university-classroom-through-collaboration/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T163000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130526Z
UID:4967-1778686200-1778689800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:3.5 Tuning In Sessions
DESCRIPTION:3.5.1 Evaluatingthe use of infographic instruction in undergraduate science classes\nNaomi Levy-Strumpf\,Assistant Professor Teaching Stream\, Department of Cell & Systems Biology\,Human Biology Program\, FAS\nFilteringthe Noise: Tools\, Trends\, and Tensions\nUniversityeducation is increasingly embracing multimodal pedagogy\, integrating visual\,written\, and other communication strategies to meet the diverse needs oftoday’s students. Research shows that student preferences for learning haveshifted in recent decades\, with a growing demand for concise\, visually engagingresources\, a trend driven by the volume of information students encounter andthe deepening integration of technology in educational settings.\nVisualinformation is often processed more quickly and efficiently than written orverbal content\, and most learners use visual methods either exclusively or incombination with other modalities. Within science education\, infographics —visual presentations that may incorporate figures\, graphs\, illustrations\, andminimal text — offer a compelling tool for conveying complex informationclearly and concisely.\nEvidencesupports the effectiveness of infographics beyond simple preference. In onestudy\, participants exposed to infographic over a five-week period performedsignificantly better on comprehension and recall assessments than thosereceiving text-only materials\, responding correctly 1.5 times more often.Infographics have also been shown to support skill acquisition\, competencydevelopment\, and student motivation\, while their clarity and organization mayfoster greater confidence and self-efficacy.\nYet\, studentperceptions of infographics as instructional tools remain underexplored. Thispresentation shares findings from a study conducted in undergraduate biologyclassrooms\, addressing two key questions:\n·     Howeffective and useful are infographics as instructional tools?\n·     Whatdo students value in infographics compared to written instructions?\nInstructorswill be invited to reflect on how infographics might complement writteninstructions in their disciplines and share relevant experiences with thegroup.\nResearchTrack\n3.5.2 Tuninginto Language Ideologies: A Case Study of Game-Based Collaborative Inquiry inMultilingual Education\nJade Kim\, Instructor\,New College\, FAS\nKathy Zhou\nSustainingResonance: Lessons\, Insights\, and Impact\nGame-basedlearning (GBL) is an innovative pedagogical approach characterized byartificial conflict and rules-based structures (Plass et al.\, 2016). Whileprevious 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 socialjustice issues\, remain in its infancy (Yilmaz & Sogut\, 2022). Drawing on adesign-based research (DBR) framework\, this case study (Yin\, 2018) wasconducted in a first-year undergraduate course on multilingualism. The studyintegrates the Knowledge\, Community and Inquiry (KCI) model (Slotta\, 2013) andknowledge building framework (Scardamalia & Bereiter\, 2006) to investigate1) the redesign and implementation of a hybrid dystopian game\, The Fall ofArtica: A way Back Home (FoA); and 2) how this game-based context supportsstudents’ collaborative inquiry into language ideologies and systemichierarchies.\nData werecollected through audio-recordings of classroom interactions\, end-of-coursesurveys\, and semi-structured interviews\, and were analyzed using thematicanalysis (Braun & Clarke\, 2006). Findings indicate that the socialconflicts in the game\, such as systemic power hierarchies and languagedominance\, functioned as a safe space for students to critically examinereal-world inequities. Rather than positioning game-based learning simply as atool for mere entertainment\, the hybrid game context was intentionally embeddedin the curriculum to facilitate collaborative knowledge building. Moving beyondpassive learning processes that may introduce ‘noise’\, this study demonstrateshow GBL can transform learning into a meaningful ‘signal’\, promoting collaborativemeaning making around social justice issues in language education.\nResearchTrack
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/3-5-tuning-in-sessions/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T163000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130526Z
UID:4968-1778686200-1778689800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:3.3 GenAI-Sensitive Assignment Design: Pedagogical Reflections for Human-Centred Teaching and Learning
DESCRIPTION:MarciPrescott-Brown\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, New College WritingCentre\, New College\, FAS       \nPaola Bohórquez\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Woodsworth College\nFindingthe Frequency: Clarity\, Purpose\, and What Matters Most               \nAs WritingCentre Directors at UTSG (one a new contributor and one returning)\, we areuniquely positioned to observe first-hand how course instructors acrossdisciplines are rethinking assignment design to navigate the impacts of Gen-AIon student learning. It is a delicate dance that requires us to assess therisks and potential affordances of AI tools without compromising thedevelopment of critical reading\, writing\, and research skills. It requires\, asthis CFP notes\, “amplify the signals that foster deep learning\, equity\,and engagement\,” while refusing the “noise”—the “overwhelm” or“mislead” hype around GenAI that can lead to misaligned orcounterproductive teaching practices.\nInformed byWriting Studies and grounded in current observations of assignment-design\, thisin person or hybrid Jam session will facilitate an interactive exploration ofcrucial aspects of student learning that may be missed or obscured when Gen-AIis framed exclusively as an Academic Integrity challenge. We argue thatbroadening the frame to position writing as a technology for learning enablesthe development of process centred\, student centred\, and context responsivepedagogical approaches to GenAI in the classroom.\nThrough areview of sample assignments\, we will introduce adaptable strategies anddiscipline specific considerations. Whether an instructor has begun integratingGenAI or has avoided it entirely\, this session offers practical guidance forclarifying pedagogical purpose\, centring student learning\, and makingdeliberate\, values aligned choices in a rapidly shifting educational landscape.In doing so\, this session directly supports the aims of the Finding theFrequency: Clarity\, Purpose\, and What Matters Most stream.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/3-3-genai-sensitive-assignment-design-pedagogical-reflections-for-human-centred-teaching-and-learning/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T163000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130527Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130527Z
UID:4969-1778686200-1778689800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:3.4 Tuning In Sessions
DESCRIPTION:3.4.1 Competency-basedlearning and radical student agency in first year calculus courses\nMicheal Pawliuk\,Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Mathematical and Computational Sciences\,UTM\nEric Hart\, Sessional Instructor\, Computer and Mathematical Sciences\, UTSC\nJanelle Resch (co-author)\, Sessional Instructor\, Mathematical and ComputationalSciences\, UTM\nFindingthe Frequency: Clarity\, Purpose\, and What Matters Most\nIf testscores are the primary “signal” students use to gauge their progress in afirst-year large first-year math course at U of T\, what happens when wedeliberately amplify that signal by allowing students to retake assessmentsuntil they demonstrate competency\, and by making expectations explicit anditerative? In this presentation\, we examine a radical redesign of MAT135Calculus 1 (offered in the second term) that pairs repeated test-taking with adynamic\, student-responsive classroom model\, and we present evidence on howstudents navigated this structure and what it reveals about learning\, pacing\,and course design.\nWe haveimplemented two versions of a competency-based (sometimes called”mastery-based”) learning model across two campuses\, which useradical approaches to both in-class learning and iterative assessment. Classtime 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 takenmultiple times until a prescribed level of expertise is achieved.\nOur aim wasto increase student agency and confidence\, while providing clearer\, moretransparent expectations for success.\nWe willpresent both quantitative and qualitative evidence of how students experiencedand navigated these courses\, and how those findings inform our future coursedesign. In particular\, we draw conclusions consistent with the neuroscience oflearning: that test performance decays over time. We also conclude that thelarge quantity of material in the courses makes it unrealistic for moststudents to learn in a single term.\nPracticeTrack\n3.4.2 CultivatingRelational Competence: Teaching Behaviour Change Through Trauma InformedPedagogy in Graduate Dietetics Training\nMaria Ricupero\,Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Nutrition and Dietetics\, DLSPH\nEric Ng\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Nutrition and Dietetics\, DLSPH\nFindingthe Frequency: Clarity\, Purpose\, and What Matters Most\nMaster’slevel dietetic students are expected to navigate complex clinical guidelineslearned in classrooms\, ethics of health professional practice\, and practicumexperiences with real clients under the supervision of dietitian preceptors inhealth care settings — these demands can be overwhelming and often contributeto imposter syndrome during clinical encounters.\nDespite someundergraduate exposure to behaviour-change counselling\, many graduate studentscontinue to report difficulty navigating emotionally charged clientinteractions that extend beyond technical clinical nutrition interventions.\nThis30-minute presentation describes how an identified curricular gap in a graduatecourse focused on behavioural counselling led to the integration of a traumainformed practice (TIP) framework and a complementary trauma informedpedagogical approach. The course now models core TIP principles—safety\,predictability\, trust\, and relational connection—while explicitly teachingstudents how these principles inform effective behaviour counselling practice.By “teaching through doing\,” students both experience and learn how to applytrauma informed approaches that they will later use in clinical settings. Thissession highlights TIP as an essential framework that benefits learners\,clients\, and health care organizations alike.\nPracticeTrack
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/3-4-tuning-in-sessions/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T163000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130527Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130527Z
UID:4970-1778686200-1778689800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:3.2 Teaching with Claude: Lessons from a Cross-Disciplinary Pilot
DESCRIPTION:Teachingwith Claude: Lessons from a Cross-Disciplinary Pilot\nWill Heikoop\, Digital Learning Innovation & Engagement                            \nWilson Prichard\, Gwen Wang\, Aaron Wheeler\, Naomi Levy Strumpf\, Jaqueline WhyteAppleby\, Sophia Bello\, Phanikiran Radhakrishnan\nFilteringthe Noise: Tools\, Trends\, and Tensions                    \nGenerative AItools are rapidly reshaping conversations about teaching and learning—butamidst the excitement and concern\, it can be difficult to determine whatmeaningfully supports student learning and what simply adds noise. Thisinteractive 60-minute workshop shares lessons from U of T’s Claude forEducation pilot\, in which instructors across disciplines experimented with AIin their courses.\nPilotparticipants explored diverse applications\, including AI-supported coursechatbots and tutors\, structured assignment integration\, and guided student useof Claude for research\, drafting\, and feedback. In this session\, instructorswill briefly share their approaches\, what worked\, what didn’t\, and whatsurprised them. Together\, we will surface concrete signals: design choices thatenhanced engagement\, clarified expectations\, supported equity\, or deepenedlearning. We will also reflect on challenges\, unintended consequences\, andareas where AI created distraction or complexity.\nThrough rapidsharing and facilitated discussion\, participants will leave with practicalinsights\, emerging design patterns\, and critical questions to inform their ownexperimentation. Grounded in classroom experience rather than hype\, thissession invites attendees to tune in to what truly matters when integrating AIinto teaching practice.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/3-2-teaching-with-claude-lessons-from-a-cross-disciplinary-pilot/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260513T163000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130527Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130527Z
UID:4971-1778686200-1778689800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:3.1 Teaching in Trying Times: A Sounding Board for Pedagogies of Care
DESCRIPTION:JenniferOrpana\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Faculty of Information       \nSilvia Vong\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Faculty of Information   \nAmplifyingthe Signal: Connection\, Engagement\, and Civil Discourse          \nTheever-shifting socio-political landscape means that students are hearing orengaged in difficult conversations in and out of the classroom. For mostdisciplines\, local and world events are connected to the knowledge andpractices in the field\, and this is even more pronounced for professionalprograms with responsibilities related to equity work. Emotions are a part ofeducating the whole student and thus\, it is important to engage in pedagogiesof 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 difficulttopics. It moves students from feelings of hopelessness to empowerment. \nThis workshopwill review different approaches to pedagogies of care by two differentfacilitators from two different but intersecting fields in professionaleducation. This workshop is designed to be a sounding board for participants aspedagogies of care are expressed and practiced differently depending on thesize of the class\, positionality of the teacher\, and discipline or field.Sounding boards reflect and amplify sound waves and much like that\, thisworkshop provides time and space for discussion to sound out practices rootedin pedagogies of care.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/3-1-teaching-in-trying-times-a-sounding-board-for-pedagogies-of-care/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T100000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130527Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130527Z
UID:4973-1778749200-1778752800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:4.2 Cultivating Hope Through Critically Informed Contemplative Pedagogy
DESCRIPTION:Jasjit Sangha\,Educational Developer\, Centre for Teaching and Learning\, UTSC\nPaulina Rousseau\, Liaison Librarian\, UTSC\nKathleen Scheaffer\, Strategic Initiatives and Liaison Librarian\, UTM            \nAmplifyingthe Signal: Connection\, Engagement\, and Civil Discourse          \nIncreasingly\,higher education within Canada is facing shrinking resources and simultaneouslyeducators are being challenged to engage larger class sizes with more diverseand complex needs\, including the disruptions from AI. In response\, the book“Hope Circuits”\, Ridell (2024) invites us to reimagine the universityto create campuses that are more inclusive\, more human centered\,less hierarchical\, and more responsive to the needs of students and the contextwithin and beyond the classroom. To achieve this\, contemplative pedagogy\, acritically informed and accessible teaching strategy that is rooted in Easternwisdom and practice\, is being leveraged to cultivate hope\, focus\, andresilience. Through a variety of contemplative practices\, which explore severaltools and strategies\, staff\, faculty\, librarians\, and students can begin tobuild aptitudes to help them stay grounded amid challenging situations\, build acommunity of belonging\, and reduce their stress and anxiety related to AI\,world events\, and ongoing uncertainty.\nThisinteractive workshop will focus on contemplative pedagogy for deepenedfocus\, 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 onneuroscience\, Buddhist traditions\, eastern spirituality and secular practices\,as well as empirical research to demonstrate the history and impact of contemplativepedagogies on higher education. We will also draw from our experience holding aday 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.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/4-2-cultivating-hope-through-critically-informed-contemplative-pedagogy/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T100000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130527Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130527Z
UID:4974-1778749200-1778752800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:4.4 In Conversation with the Graduate Student Course Instructors
DESCRIPTION:Moderator:Moaz Shoura\, PhD Candidate\, Course Instructor Coordinator\, Teaching Assistants’Training Program\nCourse Instructor Teaching Excellence Award Shortlisted Candidates\nIn thisroundtable session\, we will engage in conversation with graduate student courseinstructors at the University of Toronto’s and hear their approach to teachingchallenges and building learning communities. Panelists include the CourseInstructor Coordinator at the Teaching Assistants’ Training Program (TATP) andshortlisted candidates for the 2026 CourseInstructor Teaching Excellence Award (mailto:https://tatp.utoronto.ca/awards/ci-award/)\, which is given annually by the TATP tothe top graduate student course instructors across the University of Torontocampuses. The panelists will join us to reflect on their teaching experienceand share with us their top strategies for engaging\, supporting\, and motivatingtheir students. Panelists will also reflect on their journeys of becomingeffective educators and designing transformative teaching strategies. Theroundtable will conclude with a live Q&A\, giving participants anopportunity to ask questions.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/4-4-in-conversation-with-the-graduate-student-course-instructors/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T100000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130527Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130527Z
UID:4972-1778749200-1778752800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:4.1 Tuning In to Graduate Student Professional Development
DESCRIPTION:Alli Diskin\, Programs Coordinator\, Teaching Assistants’ Training Program\, Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation                        \nLisa Aikman\, Educational Developer\, Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars\, CTL\, UTSC\nJessica Bailey\, Graduate Support Strategist\nJoel Rodgers\, Coordinator\, Graduate Student Professional Development\, Arts & Science\nFinding the Frequency: Clarity\, Purpose\, and What Matters Most    \nGraduate 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.\nThis 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.\nThe 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.\nParticipants 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.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/4-1-tuning-in-to-graduate-student-professional-development/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T100000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130528Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130528Z
UID:4975-1778749200-1778752800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:4.5 What's in the AI Kitchen?
DESCRIPTION:Learn moreabout U of T’s AI Kitchen.\nMoreinformation to come.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/4-5-whats-in-the-ai-kitchen/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T100000
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130528Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130528Z
UID:4976-1778749200-1778752800@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:4.3 Tuning In Sessions
DESCRIPTION:4.3.1 AmplifyingSupport: A Low-Stakes Infographic Activity to Help Students Navigate SocialSupports and Connect Emotional Topics to Community Resources\nOdilia Yim\, AssistantProfessor\, Teaching Stream\, Psychology\, FAS\nAmplifyingthe Signal: Connection\, Engagement\, and Civil Discourse\nInundergraduate courses that address sensitive and emotionally-chargedinterpersonal topics\, students often struggle to distinguish the core learning“signal” from the emotional and cognitive “noise” these themes can evoke. Thissession shares insights from implementing a new low-stakes “Community ResourcesInfographic” activity designed to help students translate abstract courseconcepts into real\, actionable forms of support.\nIn theactivity\, students in an upper-level undergraduate course select a courseconcept from one of the weekly themes related to interpersonal dynamics andcreate an infographic highlighting relevant campus or local community services.They may work individually or in small groups\, and they share their creationsthrough online discussion spaces or informally in class presentations. Thispractice aimed to reduce emotional overload by foregrounding agency\,interpersonal connection\, and social support; increase clarity by askingstudents to focus on one concept at a time and enhance engagement throughcreative\, collaborative knowledge translation. Student reflections revealedthat creating infographics helped them better understand the course material\,recognize the breadth of local supports and resources\, and feel more empoweredshould they encounter sensitive or distressing topics. This Tuning In sessionwill describe the motivation for the activity\, its design\, early studentfeedback\, and key reflections about how such innovative\, community-orientedassignments can amplify clarity and connection for learners.\nParticipantswill be invited to experience a brief version of the exercise and reflect onhow similar low-stakes\, flexible tasks might support their own students\,particularly in courses involving the discussion of content which may be linkedto negative personal or interpersonal experiences. The session foregroundsinclusive design\, accessible communication\, and meaningful engagement as corepedagogical signals.\nPracticeTrack\n4.3.2 BeyondApprenticeship in Undergraduate Economics: K.R.L a Co-Authored Research LabModel for Experiential Learning and Scholarly Dialogue\nNazanin Khazra\,Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Economics\, FAS\nAmplifyingthe Signal: Connection\, Engagement\, and Civil Discourse\nThis sessionpresents and analyzes a novel undergraduate research lab model in economics(K.R.L for Applied Economics and Data Science) designed to strengthen humanconnection\, engagement\, and inclusive dialogue through sustained collaborativeresearch. Bridging traditional faculty-led apprenticeships and course-basedundergraduate research experiences (CUREs)\, the lab positions undergraduatesnot as task executors but as junior research colleagues working towardco-authored scholarly outputs.\nOperatingwithout external funding\, the model relies on weekly collaborative meetingsthat create compressed experiential learning cycles\, peer scaffolding throughdomain specialization\, and selection based on research disposition rather thanprior 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 andresearch identity by presenting ongoing work in a monthly open seminar forundergraduates promoting inclusive dialogue and community-wide engagement.\nDrawing onqualitative evidence from seven RAs over one year\, the session demonstrates howthis model amplifies clarity\, empathy\, and inclusion while acceleratinglearning and producing authentic scholarship. The session contributes to socialsciences education by offering a scalable\, accessible\, and relational approachto undergraduate research that strengthens connection\, engagement\, andmeaningful academic conversation in both formal and open learning spaces.\nPracticeTrack
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/4-3-tuning-in-sessions/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T101500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T111500
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130528Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130528Z
UID:4978-1778753700-1778757300@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:5.2 Finding the Signal through Story: Arts-Based Practices for Metacognitive Sense-Making at the Intersection of Career and Academic Learning
DESCRIPTION:NicoleBirch-Bayley\, Educational Developer\, Career Exploration & Education                    \nKelci Archibald\, Lead Coordinator\, Career Education\, Career Exploration& Education               \nAmplifyingthe Signal: Connection\, Engagement\, and Civil Discourse    \nPostsecondarystudents are asked to make sense of both their academic learning and careerfutures in environments saturated with competing priorities. In careereducation\, noise often takes the form of grim labour‑market statistics\, anxieties about AI\,climate change\, and skills gaps\, and prescriptive narratives emphasizingoutcomes over process. Academic learning is similarly noisy with performancepressures\, unclear expectations\, and accelerated timelines that leave littlespace to connect learning across contexts. When career and academic learningremain siloed\, students are left to navigate complexity in both domains withouta shared framework for sense‑making.\nRecentscholarship (Bailey & Belfield\, 2019; Bridgstock\, Grant-Imaru\, &McAlpine\, 2019; Sari Camadan\, & Özmen\, 2025) shows how integrating careerand academic learning can support students’ metacognitive development\, which inturn enhances student confidence\, clarity\, and motivation. This workshop sharesan arts‑basedapproach that treats metacognitive development as the signal that bridgesacademic and career contexts\, helping students notice patterns\, interpretexperience\, and discern what matters amid competing demands.\nParticipantswill engage in a series of short\, low‑stakesarts‑basedactivities (collage\, creative micro-writing\, crafting) that move from surfacingcomplexity to constructing meaning. Through these activities\, participantsexternalize sources of “noise\,” observe key metacognitive moves\, andmake tangible the threads that support coherence across academic and careerlearning contexts. Each activity is followed by brief guided reflection thatexplicitly connects the creative process to metacognitive strategies such asnoticing\, choosing\, connecting\, prioritizing\, and interpreting. Drawing onexperiences from students and career educators\, the session will share howthese practices support engagement\, reduce anxiety\, and create meaningfulconnections across learning contexts\, while highlighting inclusive\, adaptable\,and low‑liftapplications for curricular and co‑curricularintegration. The session positions arts‑basedpractice as a dynamic way to help students develop metacognitive strategies toconnect academic and career learning\, navigate uncertainty\, and makeintentional choices for their personal and professional trajectories.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/5-2-finding-the-signal-through-story-arts-based-practices-for-metacognitive-sense-making-at-the-intersection-of-career-and-academic-learning/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T101500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T111500
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130528Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130528Z
UID:4979-1778753700-1778757300@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:5.3 Tuning into Threshold Concepts: Reflective Practices for Identifying Threshold Concepts
DESCRIPTION:ChristopherEaton\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Institute for Scholarship inUniversity Pedagogy (ISUP)\, UTM                                                  \nClaire Gouveia\, PhD candidate\, OISE\nSheliza Ibrahim\, Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, ISUP\, UTM\nKathleen Scheaffer\, Librarian\, UTM\nJoanna Szurmak\, Librarian\, UTM\nMichelle Troberg\, Associate Professor\, Teaching Stream\, DLS\, UTM\nFindingthe Frequency: Clarity\, Purpose\, and What Matters Most   \nAs learners\,we have experienced moments in which we tuned into a previously difficultconcept as it resolved into a clear and resonant signal. Such moments took usfrom 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” momentsin our classrooms. As Timmermans and Meyer (2019) noted\, however\, this is farfrom a straightforward process. Today’s jam session is designed to helpteachers facilitate these moments of clarity for learners.\nThe idea ofthreshold concepts (TCs) was first proposed by Meyer and Land (2003) tocharacterize conceptual gateways leading to new ways of understanding coreconcepts 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 beencharacterized 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 provenuseful because they lend themselves to catalyzing cross-disciplinaryscholarship areas such as metacognitive skills development and critical thinking(McLean\, 2009).\nIn today’sworkshop\, we will introduce\, scaffold\, and apply reflective practices that leadto the identification of threshold concepts (TCs) within and acrossdisciplines. We will start with an introduction to TC scholarship drawingprincipally on Meyer and Land (2003) and several other recent applications\,followed by an opportunity to complete a guided individual reflectionfacilitating TC awareness through a Decoding the Disciplines framework toapproaching threshold concepts following Middendorf & Pace (2004). Theworkshop will conclude with a group debrief focused on both the process and theoutcomes.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/5-3-tuning-into-threshold-concepts-reflective-practices-for-identifying-threshold-concepts/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T101500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T111500
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130528Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130528Z
UID:4977-1778753700-1778757300@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:5.1 Assignment Makeover: Designing for AI Literacy\, Not AI Avoidance
DESCRIPTION:SafiehMoghaddam\, Associate Professor\, Language Studies\, Centre for Teaching andLearning\nDina Soliman\, Educational Developer\, Digital Pedagogies                                                    \nFilteringthe Noise: Tools\, Trends\, and Tensions        \nGenerative AIcan introduce “noise” into assessment: polished text that masks learning\,unclear authorship\, overconfident claims supported by weak or fabricatedevidence\, and tasks that inadvertently reward fluency over intended learningoutcomes. This interactive workshop supports instructors in redesigning oneexisting assignment so the “signal” (reasoning\, evidence use\, anddecision-making) becomes visible and assessable\, whether or not students useGenAI.\nThe sessionopens with a brief “noise map” activity: participants identify where GenAI mostinterferes with assignment effectiveness (e.g.\, product-over-process\, unclearcontribution\, unverifiable claims\, misalignment with outcomes\, equity/hiddenadvantages). Results are surfaced quickly (e.g.\, via polls) to identify sharedpain points.\nNext\, thefacilitator demonstrates a brief before/after assignment makeover. The “before”version highlights where AI noise can creep in (broad designs\, vagueexpectations for evidence\, no process visibility). The “after” version showshow three design moves reduce noise and amplify the signal: visible thinking(students show reasoning and choices)\, verification/evidence (studentssubstantiate and check claims)\, and a brief process note (students documentdecisions and tool use\, if any).\nParticipantsthen complete an Assignment Makeover Lab\, using a guided template to revisetheir own assignment (or a provided sample). In peer consult pairs or smallgroups\, they refine drafts using a short checklist and add one transparentAI-use pathway (AI as a brainstorming partner\, critic/editor\, or comparator).Participants leave with a concrete\, implementable draft assignment design.
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/5-1-assignment-makeover-designing-for-ai-literacy-not-ai-avoidance/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T101500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260514T111500
DTSTAMP:20260416T082547
CREATED:20260415T130529Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T130529Z
UID:4980-1778753700-1778757300@tls.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:5.4 Tuning In Sessions
DESCRIPTION:5.4.1 Backto the 90s: Investigating Engagement\, Interaction\, and Thinking in a ScreenlessFirst-Year Writing Class\nMustafa Siddiqui\,Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream\, Institute for the Study of UniversityPedagogy\, UTM\nSustainingResonance: Lessons\, Insights\, and Impact\nEarlier thisterm\, I conducted a first-year writing class a bit differently—I wentscreenless. The two sections I taught for three hours each did not use anytechnology. This meant there were no slides\, no laptops\, and no phones\, and Icalled it a “Back-to-the-90s Class.” As an instructor\, I relied on handouts\,boardwork\, and hard copies of books; meanwhile\, students engaged throughannotation\, reflection\, and small-group exercises. Special accommodations werealso made for students registered with accessibility services. The goal of thisclass was to diminish what tech writer Mihov (2025) calls “lazier” (para. 14)thinking by temporarily unplugging digital and AI noise and instead exploringwhat students gain when they work with paper\, pens\, and conversations.\nThrough asession 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 soughtstudents’ perspectives on and preferences regarding occasional tech-freeclasses. Overall\, by presenting the class structure and the preliminaryfindings\, this session intends to highlight how “teach for real” (Geppert\,2019\, p. 3) may foster focused thinking\, deeper peer connections\, and strongerengagement. At the end of the session\, I will share my plans for how I wish totake this research forward while inviting teaching and learning enthusiastsfrom other fields to collaborate on future stages of this work.\nPracticeTrack\n5.4.2 Fromknowing to doing: The role of experience in health professions student learning\nEmily Wood\, AssistantProfessor\, Teaching Stream\, Speech-Language Pathology\nSustainingResonance: Lessons\, Insights\, and Impact\nThis sessiondiscusses the planning\, implementation\, and results of a SOTL study\, evaluatinga novel education program carried out in the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP)Master of Health Science (MHSc) curriculum. The program combined (i) a didacticlecture addressing theoretical\, psychometric and practical issues ofassessment; and (ii) a one-day hands-on learning experience where studentspracticed assessment skills and reflected on their experience with registeredclinicians.\nA mixedmethods analysis of assignment data was carried out to evaluate whether theprogram achieved its intended learning outcome of developing student assessmentcompetencies. Quantitative student self-ratings of competencies pre-lecture\,post-lecture and post-experiential learning opportunity were analyzed usingdescriptive and inferential statistics to examine student self-rated learningacross the program. Qualitative analysis of student written reflections isongoing and will contribute to understanding students’ perceptions.\nStudents’self-rated competence in all assessment skills increased throughout theprogram\, with clear improvements after the in-class lecture and even largergains following the hands-on learning experience. The combination of learningin class and practicing in real settings led to the greatest growth.Preliminary qualitative findings suggest that students valued hands-onexperience early in their academic coursework and felt that the programcontributed meaningfully and uniquely to their learning.\nThe sessionwill also briefly explore and invite discussion around optimal levels ofconfidence and training required for hands-on independent practice; thelimitations and alternatives to self-ratings as data sources; barriers toimplementation of experiential learning; and potential ideas for next steps orideas to scale such programs.\nResearchTrack
URL:https://tls.utoronto.ca/event/5-4-tuning-in-sessions/
LOCATION:Name: Rotman School of Management\nAddress:
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