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Message from the Vice-Provost
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As we approach the final stretch of the Fall Term, I’m excited to share several initiatives and opportunities to support your teaching and learning activities. This month, I invite you to explore our newly published LEAF+ Profiles, showcasing equitable and inclusive teaching projects and to learn more about the launch of the U of T Co-op and other innovative programs. Read on for more details and further highlights from around the University.
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Reappointment of Susan McCahan as Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education
We are delighted to share that Susan McCahan has been reappointed as Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education for a five-year term, effective November 1, 2024. Professor McCahan has also been appointed to the new role of Associate Vice-President and Vice-Provost, Digital Strategies and will continue as Provostial Advisor on Artificial Intelligence.
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Teaching Awards & Grants
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Discovery Series: Transforming Student Engagement Through Targeted Curricular Innovation
Monday, January 13 from 10:00-11:30 a.m. via Governing Council Chambers (in-person) or Microsoft Teams (online)
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This Discovery Series session showcases two projects that emphasize how targeted, responsive curricular innovations can enhance student engagement, address knowledge gaps and reshape learning experiences in traditionally challenging subject areas. Examining learnings from these curricular projects – one in symbolic logic and another in engineering hardware design – we will consider how reframing subject matter and enhancing student engagement can bridge key disciplinary gaps within academic programs, simultaneously driving student success and program balance.
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- Alex Koo, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Philosophy , Faculty of Arts & Science and University of Toronto Mississauga
- Sean Hum, Professor, The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering , Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Moderator: Ken Derry, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Historical Studies, University of Toronto Mississauga
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Call for Nominations: Institutional Teaching Awards
These University-wide teaching awards acknowledge excellence and innovation in teaching and learning. They honour the accomplishments of faculty and staff engaged in innovative activities. Awards include:
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The Path to Recognition: Crafting a Compelling Teaching Award Nomination
Thank you to everyone who attended the session on Tuesday, November 19 entitled, The Path to Recognition: Crafting a Compelling Teaching Award Nomination. The slides and recording are available to those who were unable to attend. In this session, the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation and the Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education explored effective strategies for identifying potential candidates and strategies for crafting powerful nomination packages.
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Spotlight on LEAF+ Profiles
In conjunction with the call for Expressions of Interest for the Learning & Education Advancement Fund (LEAF) in spring 2024, the Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education welcomed proposals for projects addressing the theme of equitable and inclusive teaching as part of a special stream of funding, LEAF+.
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We're pleased to share that profiles from these projects have been published on our OVPIUE website. These profiles include project overviews, outcomes and resources. Learn more about each divisional project through the link below.
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If you're interested in pursuing a project that involves equitable and inclusive teaching, this is a current priority area for 2024-25 LEAF projects. Expressions of Interest for the LEAF spring cycle (Seed grants only) will be accepted from January 1 to February 27, 2025.
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Indigenous Initiatives LEAF Resource
The Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education has been working to better support Learning & Education Advancement Fund (LEAF) projects that include Indigenous initiatives. Our goal is to ensure these projects reflect respectful, reciprocal relationships and are guided by Indigenous knowledge and perspectives.
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In collaboration with institutional and divisional Indigenous initiatives offices, we developed a resource designed to support LEAF applicants. We extend our gratitude to numerous colleagues for their valuable input in the development of this resource.
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Teaching Assistant Training Program (TATP) Teaching Excellence Awards
Nominations are open for TATP Teaching Excellence Awards! Celebrate great teaching and nominate someone making a difference in the classroom.
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TA and BIPOC TA Teaching Excellence Awards
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CI Teaching Excellence Award
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Departments can nominate a course instructor by submitting an online form.
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Nominations close on February 14, 2025
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Generative AI
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Register for the next AI Roundup - Emerging Trends
Tuesday, December 17 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. via Microsoft Teams
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All U of T faculty, librarians and staff who would find this content helpful are welcome to attend.
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Generative AI Assessment Design Clinic
Friday, December 6 from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. in person in the Blackburn Room, 4th Floor Robarts Library
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As we navigate the evolving landscape of education in the age of generative AI, it is important to align our assessment strategies with the distinctly human skills and AI literacy we aim to foster. In this interactive, in-person workshop, instructors will work collaboratively in small groups to revise and develop assessments that reflect their updated learning outcomes. We will explore innovative approaches to assessment that not only acknowledge the presence of AI tools but may also leverage them to support student learning.
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Experiential Learning
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Centre for Community Partnerships Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) Course Development Workshops
Happening virtually this winter, these participatory workshops can be stand alone or completed as a series.
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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
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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
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In this third workshop, we focus on working respectfully and equitably with partners from community, grassroots, nonprofit, or public organizations.
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Centre for Community Partnerships Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) TA Training
CEL course instructors who have TAs can apply to have their TAs undertake 10 hours of training and support from Center for Community Partnerships (CCP) staff in a multicourse, multidisciplinary online cohort running alongside course delivery. Participating TAs will be able to better support CEL course instructors with elements of teaching specific to CEL courses including liaising with community partners, assessing reflection assignments, and preparing students for their engagement.
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If you are interested in having TAs participate in a Winter 2025 CEL TA Training while they TA your CEL course(s), please reach out to Adrienne Glasgow Harte, Coordinator, Faculty Development, at a.glasgowharte@utoronto.ca with an expression of interest by Friday, December 6, 2024.
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Introducing U of T Co-op
We are pleased to announce that after three years of planning and collaboration the Tri-Campus Co-op Partnership has officially been formalized and have launched the U of T Co-op community.
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U of T Co-op includes the following:
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- Arts & Science Co-op program at U of T Scarborough
- Arts & Science Internship Program (ASIP) at St. George campus
- Engineering Professional Experience Year (PEY) Co-op program at St. George campus
- Management Co-op program at U of T Scarborough
- University of Toronto Mississauga Co-op Internship Program
Thanks to everyone who has supported this process.
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Working together as a U of T Co-op community will increase opportunities for our students. U of T Co-op is a talent hub where employers can go to access students from more than 100 academic disciplines across three campuses through one portal.
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Teaching & Learning
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New EDIA Resource on the Undergraduate Research Hub
We're pleased to announce the launch of a new resource "Shaping Equitable and Inclusive Undergraduate Research Opportunities" on the Undergraduate Research Hub. Recognizing the value of fostering equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible environments in research, this resource promotes inclusive practices that ensure research opportunities are accessible to all students, particularly those from equity-deserving communities.
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Engaging students from varied backgrounds enriches research by reducing biases, inspiring innovation, and addressing complex challenges with a broader lens. The Hub outlines key considerations for inclusive hiring, onboarding, and mentoring practices while addressing unconscious bias and its impact on equitable decision-making.
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Quercus Data Insights: Inform Your Course Planning through Student Activity
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The University’s Learning Analytics Initiative offers a series of dashboards designed to visualize course-level student activity data from Quercus (“Quercus Data Insights”). These dashboards provide instructors with valuable insights into student engagement and behaviour in their courses. Dashboards are currently available with data from past courses for the period from September 2022 to August 2024. These dashboards enable instructors to reflect on past courses by analyzing trends in student activity to inform their preparation of Quercus elements of their courses for the upcoming Winter term.
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Get started with these resources:
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Themed Workshop Requests for Generative AI or Universal Design for Learning
The Centre for Teaching Innovation & Support (CTSI) is accepting requests from departments and divisions for locally-delivered CTSI-facilitated sessions focused on either of two high-priority areas:
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- Generative Artificial Intelligence (generative AI)
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
These sessions are intended to offer opportunities to instructors to learn together in the contexts where they teach. At a unit’s/division’s request, a CTSI facilitation team will deliver as a one-hour webinar or two-hour interactive workshop.
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