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Message from the Vice-Provost
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I hope you've all enjoyed the first few weeks of the Fall Term and the lively buzz of students returning to campus. This month, I'd like to draw your attention to the extended Learning & Education Advancement Fund Expression of Interest deadline, invite you to explore our new and updated Generative AI FAQs, and bring your attention to the first Forum for Experiential Learning on October 10. Read on to discover these highlights and more university happenings that are shaping our academic community this season.
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Teaching Awards & Grants
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Deadline Extension: Learning & Education Advancement Fund (LEAF)
We’re pleased to share that the deadline for the Learning & Education Advancement Fund (LEAF) Expression of Interest has been extended to Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.
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LEAF aims to enhance the learning experiences of undergraduate students in first-entry divisions by supporting projects that anticipate, leverage and create positive changes in classrooms and curricula. Our 2024-25 priority areas include: Student Success, Equitable and Inclusive Teaching, Technology in the Classroom, and Experiential Learning.
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- Seed grants (up to $10,000 per year for 3 years) are intended to encourage experimentation at the local level, either within a course or a set of courses, as a means of fostering small-scale enhancements or pilots with the potential for future scalability.
- Impact grants (up to $100,000 per year for 3 years) are designed to support large-scale projects with the potential to significantly enhance core elements of undergraduate education within or across academic units and divisions at the University.
Learn more and submit an Expression of Interest on our website
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We look forward to learning more about your projects!
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Teaching Awards: Call for Nominations and Upcoming Workshop
Supporting a teaching award nomination? Join our workshop, The Path to Recognition: Crafting a Compelling Teaching Award Nomination on November 21 from 10:00-11:30 a.m. via MS Teams. This session is intended for academic administrators and University staff involved in the nomination process.
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Spotlight on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Curriculum and Pedagogy Fund Project Profiles
In 2022-23, the OVPIUE announced a one time fund to support equitable and inclusive teaching. These funds were distributed to divisions to support special projects that address a range of approaches to advancing equity and inclusion in courses or programs. As these projects wrap up, we've compiled a webpage dedicated to showcasing project overviews, outcomes, and resources. Read more about each divisional project through the link below.
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Generative AI
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Register for the next AI Roundup - Emerging Trends
Wednesday, September 25 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. via Microsoft Teams
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All U of T faculty and staff who would find this content helpful are welcome to attend.
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Updates to Generative AI in the Classroom: FAQs
Please note recent updates and additions to the Generative AI in the Classroom FAQs on the Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education website. These updates clarify that the use of generative AI tools to summarize information about a topic or to generate study materials is generally acceptable. Additionally, they encourage instructors to acknowledge when AI is used to develop course or teaching materials, in order to model such practices for students.
New FAQs:
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- Are students permitted to use AI tools as a learning aid?
- Can students use generative AI to generate study and learning aids derived from course materials?
- Would the University classify use of generative AI systems as an academic offence?
- As an instructor, can I use generative AI to generate content for my courses?
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Upcoming CTSI Generative AI Programming
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The Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation (CTSI) presents the 2024-25 launch of two series focused on integrating generative AI in teaching and learning. On Wednesday, October 23 from 1:00-2:00p.m. via MS Teams, Assistant Professor Ji-young Shin will lead a session on "Promoting Students' GenAI Literacy Through GenAI-Incorporated Assignments in Education-Related Courses." This session, part of the GenAI Works-in-Progress Series, showcases examples from UTM's education and language-teaching programs. Participants will explore designing assignments that incorporate GenAI to enhance students' critical engagement and literacy with this technology.
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CTSI is also launching the "Designing for Powerful Learning in the Age of GenAI Workshop Series." This comprehensive three-part series unpacks the practical implementation of GenAI in course design. From rethinking learning outcomes (November 7) to hands-on assessment design (December 6) and creating meaningful learning activities (January 16), participants will gain valuable insights into incorporating GenAI into effective teaching and learning.
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Community-Engaged Learning
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Announcing the Centre for Community Partnerships 2024-2025 Community-Engaged Learning Faculty Fellows
The Centre for Community Partnerships (CCP) Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) Faculty Fellowship Program recognizes and supports innovative instructors across the University of Toronto who plan to develop new (or enhance existing) CEL courses. Our fellowship also recognizes and draws upon the expertise and contributions of experienced CEL instructors, who are invited to participate in our fellowship as senior faculty fellows.
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CCP CEL Faculty Roundtable: Community Places as Classroom Spaces: Reflecting, Disrupting, Re-Imagining
Friday, October 18 from 2:30- :00 p.m. via Microsoft Teams
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What are the implications of envisioning community places as spaces of student learning? What does imagining community as classroom enable, and what tensions emerge? How might community-based approaches to teaching and learning disrupt–or reify–inequities? How might we move the dial from transactional to transformational engagement, at individual, collective and systemic levels? Seasoned community-engaged professors address these questions through their varied teaching practices and interactive discussion.
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Facilitated by Jennifer Esmail, Director, Centre for Community Partnerships, with Professors Aditi Mehta, Maggie Hutcheson, Maria Assif, Reid Locklin and Suzanne Sicchia.
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CCP CEL Course Development Workshops Series
Happening virtually this Fall and Winter, these Centre for Community Partnerships (CCP) Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) participatory workshops can be stand alone or completed as a series.
Course Development Workshop 1: Fundamentals of CEL
In this workshop, best suited to instructors who are new to CEL, we focus on the fundamentals of CEL pedagogy and practice.
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Course Development Workshop 2: Designing a Successful CEL Course
In this second workshop we focus on the three ‘Ps’ of CEL course development: pedagogy, partnerships and student preparation.
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Course Development Workshop 3: Designing a Successful CEL Course
In this third workshop, we focus on working respectfully and equitably with partners from community, grassroots, nonprofit, or public organizations.
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Experiential Learning
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Forum on Experiential Learning
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Thursday, October 17, 2024 from 10:00-11:30 a.m. via MS Teams (online) and Governing Council Chambers (in-person)
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A reminder that the first 2024-25 Forum on Experiential learning (FEL) meeting will be held next month in hybrid format with an in-person meeting at the Governing Council Chambers and online via Microsoft Teams.
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News from the OVPIUE
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Congratulations to Nilton Gaspar, Recipient of the Simcoe Hall Vice-Presidential Staff Award
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We are excited to announce that Nilton Gaspar, Systems & Product Lead, Experiential Learning at the Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education (OVPIUE), has received the Simcoe Hall Vice-Presidential Staff Award. This award recognizes staff in service of the President’s Office, the Division of the Vice-President & Provost, a Vice-Presidential Division, or the Office of the Governing Council who have made outstanding contributions to their division or the broader University. Please join us in congratulating Nilton on this well-deserved honor!
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A Warm Welcome to Jennifer Evans, Incoming Manager, Teaching Initiatives
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Please join us in welcoming Jennifer Evans to the role of Manager, Teaching Initiatives. Jen has been with OVPIUE for two and a half years in the role of Special Projects Officer, Teaching Initiatives and has, amongst other things, taken a leadership role supporting our awards and grants portfolio, led the development of our now annual Student Advisory Committee and launched the Undergraduate Research Hub.
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Data Security
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U of T 30-day MS Teams Chat Retention Policy
As an important element in records management and data security, the University of Toronto will be implementing a 30-day retention policy for all individual Teams chat messages that occur outside of a designated Microsoft Teams Channel. This policy took effect September 16, 2024. The policy is designed to streamline data storage, enhance security and promote efficient communication practices within the university.
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