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Schedule for Tuesday, May 1, 2012

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For session descriptions click on concurrent session description

Note: Allowance made for 10 minute movement between each session
Time
Activity / Location
8:15 –8:45

Registration - Breakfast
8:45– 9:00

Introductions - Janet Wolstenholme, Chair, Teaching and Learning Innovations Conference Committee
Welcome- Serge Desmarais, Associate Vice President (Academic)

Opening Remarks - Julia Christensen Hughes, CME

ROZ 103
9:00 – 10:00

Keynote Speaker
Dr. Stephen Brookfield, University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis
"Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher"

ROZ 103
10:00 - 10:15
Break
Concurrent Sessions
Time Room 105 Room 107 Room 108 Room 109 Room 106

10:20 – 10:50

1

From Classroom to Boardroom: the Bridges to International Practice

Sylvain Charlebois

“Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher”

Brookfield In conversation with the Book Club

An Evolution of Teaching Complex Concepts

Lynn Carty

Digital Story Telling

Kyle Mackie

Participating in an Optional Lab Experience Enhances Self-Perceived Learning of Fourth Year Applied Human Nutrition Majors

Andrea Buchholz & Janis Randal Simpson

11:00 – 11:30

2

Embracing Competition in the Classroom

Elliott Currie & Sylvain Charlebois

Thinking Beyond the Page: Getting More out of Traditional Writing Assignments

Kerry Richie

Using Community Engaged Learning (CEL) Lite with 400 1st year Students

Mavis Morton

Preliminary Reflections on Reflections in Student ePortfolios

Anne Milne & Jason Thompson

Critical reflection as a means of Improving Group Dynamics in Student Research Teams

Jeji Varghese & Brianna Jarvis and Karen Skardzius

11:40 – 12:10

3

Curriculum Mapping ePortfolios and more: Evidencing student learning outcomes

Peter Wolf, Warren Stiver, Natasha Kenny, David Wilson, Rich Couto, Jerry An and Richard Gorrie

FOUND TIME:  Enhancing in-class learning through on-line content delivery

Sandra Scott

Making Connections Across Disciplines: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Interpreting Art, Music and Film for Sociological Theory Applications

Linda Hunter

Reflecting on Student Participation

Alice Hovorka

What is transformation learning, anyway?

Statia Elliot & Marion Joppe

Lunch 12:10 – 1:10

ELITE Session
1:10 – 2:10

Time

Session #

A

Room 105

B

Room 107

C

Room 108

D

Room 109

E

Room 106

2:20 – 2:50

4

The Pragmatics of Self-Reflection in Online Professional Development

Dina Meunier,
Melanie Misanchuk and Rudy Peariso

Just In Time Teaching: what it is, how it looks, why it works

Trent Tucker

Technology in the Classroom: Looking backward to go forward

Andy Robinson

Meaningful professional development:  Reflection on experiences with inner-city Elementary students in a university design class

Bernie Murray

Web-based Active Learning: Using Blogs as a Collaborative Learning and Peer-Review Tool

Calantha Elsby

3:00 - 3:30

5

The Use of a D2L Website to Serve as the Central Hub of a Network for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in an Academic Department

Nicolette Bradley, Lorraine Jadeski, Genevieve Newton, Kerry Ritchie and William Bettger

Soil Studies as a Focus for International Experiential Learning

– Reflections on Student Field Excursions in Brazil

Richard Heck & Paul Voroney

The case for a return to prevalence of examinations in student evaluation

Joe Barth

Facilitating Peer Reviews online with PEAR

Greg Sabatine & Rich Couto

From Active Students to Engaged Citizens:The Emergence of Student-Led Climate Change Movement

Ashlee Cunsolo Willox & Students
3:30 – 5:00

Celebration

Please join us at the Bullring

 

Concurrent Session Descriptions

  Presenter Names Dept & College Session Title Abstract
Concurrent 1
A Sylvain Charlebois CME From Classroom to Boardroom: the Bridges to International Practice The College of Management and Economics (CME) launched a new program called Bridges to International Practice in 2012. International marketing students will travel abroad in June 2012 for some hands-on experience in global trades. The program organized by CME, is linked to an existing International Marketing course (MCS*4600). The corporate partner helps CME underwrite the cost of the program, which works out to $5,000 per student. Bridges to International Practice challenges fourth-year BComm marketing students to develop strategies to help Metalumen, a Guelph-based company and corporate partner, expand its operations in Brazil. The winning team of students will travel to Brazil on behalf of Metalumen to test and validate their marketing strategy first-hand. The design and rationale of the program will be presented. In addition, results of the competition and challenges will be shared
B Brookfield & Book Club Various Book: Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher In this session the Centre for Open Learning and Educational Support’s Brookfield Book Club will discuss key issues and concepts that arose from the reading of Brookfield’s Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. Session participants are also welcome to add to the conversation
C Lynn Carty CME An Evolution of Teaching Complex Concepts 1Teaching complex concepts can be frustrating for students and teachers.  Students can quickly become disinterested if they find the material hard to understand and often resort to surface learning techniques such as memorization.  This is frustrating for a teacher who is attempting to explain difficult concepts so that students understand them on a deeper level.  I was faced with this in my first years of teaching and began reflecting on my teaching practice.  The result is an evolution from a traditional lecture approach to a hands-on activity approach where students create a simulated factory in the classroom and use Lego blocks to calculate the cost of their product
D Kyle Mackie, Aldo Caputo & Giulia Forsythe COLES, U of W & Brock U Digital Story Telling  Using narrative in the classroom can be a powerful tool to make strong learning connections. This session will discuss how art of storytelling can assist in teaching and learning. In particular we'll explore how we can leverage technology to include digital storytelling online and in class. We'll showcase some simple & fun tools and examples of digital storytelling at UWaterloo, UGuelph, BrockU and beyond.
E Andrea Buchholz & Janis Randall Simpson FRAN Participating in an Optional Lab Experience Enhances Self-Perceived Learning of Fourth Year Applied Human Nutrition Majors This cross-sectional study sought to determine learning outcomes of nutrition undergraduates enrolled in an optional lab. Sixty-five of 82 fourth year Applied Human Nutrition (AHN) majors enrolled in Assessment of Nutritional Status in fall 2010 chose to partake in the lab.  Participants could undergo any or all of four tests: bone density (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry), body composition (air displacement plethysmography), and resting metabolic rate (metabolic cart, handheld indirect calorimetry).  The various learning outcomes were measured by survey. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages and Spearman correlations, and qualitative data using thematic analysis. Of the 65 students who participated, ≥80% agreed that: they were hands-on learners; participating enhanced their knowledge, and helped them appreciate clinical and research applications, of the various methods; and, such lab experiences would enhance their learning in the undergraduate program.  They enjoyed and valued the lab, particularly seeing the equipment and learning about their bodies. Fourth-year AHN majors are experiential learners who benefited, from several perspectives, from this lab.  Future research should explore learning styles of nutrition undergraduates, and the feasibility of providing more experiential learning opportunities suited to various learning styles, in curricula
Concurrent 2
A Elliott Currie & Sylvain Charlebois CME Embracing Competition in the Classroom A case study-based course was developed as a pilot by the College of Management and Economics last year. The students involved in this course were chosen through a selection process involving Jeux du Commerce (JDC) Central Co-Captains and Faculty.  This unique course focused on the critical analysis of current business practices through the use of case studies to develop integrative decision-making skills and presentation skills. Strategy formulation and implementation were investigated in the context of complex business case competitions. Students competed in Ottawa in January 2012 against other Business Schools and did very well. Some students were even offered career opportunities. The rationale and design of the course will be presented. Results of the competition and some suggestions on how to improve the program and the role of competitions and case competitions will be discussed
B Kerry Richie HHNS Thinking Beyond the Page: Getting More out of Traditional Writing Assignments Formal writing assignments are common in upper year courses, intended to further develop literacy skills, as outlined in the University of Guelph’s learning objectives.  However, term papers are often handed in at the end of the semester and students receive little feedback from them.  In addition, students report that term papers can feel separated from the rest of the course material.  In a recent re-design of an upper year course, (KIN*3600: Human Development and Aging) the formal research paper was replaced by a more comprehensive research assignment.  For the assignment, students were asked to write a scientific research paper on the topic of their choice, and then translate the research findings into a multi-media format in order to convey the information to a non-scientific audience in a useful way. This process was designed to mimic the Knowledge Translation and Transfer (KTT) information exchange process. The final applied projects were presented during an end-of-semester showcase. In addition, PEAR (peer-evaluation, assessment and review) software, created by COLES, was incorporated throughout the writing assignment. The PEAR software mimics the peer-review process, allowing students the opportunity to critically review each others written work and provide feedback for improvement before the final paper is due.  This session will discuss the design and implementation of the comprehensive research assignment. Quantitative data on the effectiveness of the PEAR software to improve literacy skills will be discussed and examples of successful applied projects, highlighting knowledge translation and transfer, will be presented
C Mavis Morton SOAN Using Community Engaged Learning (CEL) Lite with 400 1st year Students The University of Guelph’s mission includes “serving society” as its aim. In an effort to connect the academy’s mission, as well as discipline, college, department, and course specific objectives and learning outcomes, this presentation will highlight the challenges and opportunities of community engaged learning with large first year classes in sociology. Incorporating a small tightly tailored CEL project, students have an opportunity to personally contribute to, and critically reflect on, ways in which theory, policy and practice connect. This practice has the potential to enhance learning as well as encourage and support students to be community engaged and committed citizens
D Anne Milne & Jason Thompson COLES Preliminary Reflections on Reflections in Student ePortfolios This presentation is based on a research project that examines ePortfolio assignments from a third-year Arts and Sciences core course (ASCI 3000) offered at the University of Guelph in the Fall of 2010.

These students used ePortfolio extensively throughout the course submitting it three times. Most of this group of students had not used ePortfolio in a previous course.  This cycle was designed deliberately by the course instructor to address pedagogical goals such as developing writing and other communication skills through incremental and process-based exercises and generally increasing student accountability and pride in their work.  As part of their final assignment, students were also asked to reflect on the use of the ePortfolio tool by means of a series of five reflective questions. The fact that each student filled out the question form and put it into their ePortfolio as an artifact enabled us to understand in more detail and at a deeper level how students in this course experienced using the ePortfolio.

But we will also engage in our own reflective processes as part of this presentation (both individually and collectively) in order to generate a multi vocal character to the work and to implicate ourselves more fully in the project.  We will use a reflection scale similar to the one used to grade the student reflections.  In this way we hope to improve the relationship between teaching and reflection and highlight the importance of engaging in a reflective pedagogical practice.  We demonstrate that it is not just students who need to engage in their own reflective practices: teachers and teaching support staff benefit from engaging in their own reflective processes as they design, assess, and respond to students' reflective writing (and this ultimately benefits students).
E Jeji Varghese, Brianna Jarvis & Karen Skardzius SOAN Critical reflection as a means of Improving Group Dynamics in Student Research Teams This semester, weekly observation memos was piloted to try to improve group dynamics of student research teams (consisting of 8-10 students) within one section of a 3rd year undergraduate qualitative methods course. The students enrolled in the course use community-based research to learn qualitative methods via experiential and service learning. During weekly workshops from Week 2-11, team members rotate the role of observer. This gives all students an opportunity to practice their observation skills (a method within qualitative methods) as well as contributing to improving their team dynamics by critically reflecting on their observations. The intent of this talk is to highlight the role that these observation memos made (both highlights and challenges) from a student perspective and the instructor will contrast it with the one-two line critical reflections posted weekly in meeting minutes in the past
Concurrent 3
A Peter Wolf, Warren Stiver, Natasha Kenny, David Wilson, Rich Couto, Jerry An & Richard Gorrie COLES Curriculum Mapping ePortfolios and more: Evidencing student learning outcomes The University of Guelph prides itself on the quality of its learning environment and has been recently engaged in unprecedented efforts to renew the undergraduate curriculum. The University's Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP) places strong emphasis on the importance of learning outcomes. Our vision is to provide a comprehensive set of tools that support intentional curriculum mapping and portfolio development at the student, educator and program level to support and develop an evidenced-based, student-centred and faculty-driven approach to curriculum development and renewal. The result will be an academic community that embraces learning outcomes in a thoughtful, intentional manner
B Sandra Scott CME FOUND TIME:  Enhancing in-class learning through on-line content delivery Numerous studies have shown that students learn more effectively when they are engaged in active learning activities during contact hours.  This session examines the use of on-line content delivery in making space for increased engagement during class time.  A third year intermediate accounting course was an ideal candidate for this trial:  constrained by the content demands brought on through ever-expanding accounting standards and the accreditation requirements of professional accounting bodies, the class time needed to deliver course content was encroaching on the active learning time.  With the on-line delivery trial, the three weekly contact hours were divided so that two were spent with the full class, in mostly problem-based interactive activities, and the remaining one with groups of 9-12 students presenting and discussing cases.  This session will describe the challenges faced in implementing this trial, the unanticipated level of its success, and areas for future improvement
C Linda Hunter SOAN Making Connections Across Disciplines: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Interpreting Art, Music and Film for Sociological Theory Applications How can one bring classical sociological theory and the ideas of classical theorists and philosophers to life? The presentation will focus on how the discipline of sociological theory can be taught and understood with the use of classical fine art, film, and music. Art portraying the Industrial Revolution, the French Revolution and the Enlightenment period depict political ideology and social sentiment.  I will demonstrate through the use of art, film and music how students come to better understand the time period and theoretical concepts such as alienation, division of labour, class conflict and bureaucracy. As well, I show photographs of people and environments taken by photographers of particular periods. These images also enhance the students’ learning experience, as often the socio-political statements expressed by classical theorists also resonate in the photographs of the 1800’s and early 1900’s.   This research presentation will provide a synthesis of knowledge concerning the use of visual and aural technologies as a pedagogical tool in the provision of course materials. The presentation will explore findings on student’s ability to learn course materials in a class on sociological theory through the use of these technologies. I will discuss how the structural and cultural contexts that are offered in the teaching of sociological theory assist students in understanding the course content, as well as the meanings and interpretations of theories.  Further, I will demonstrate how multimedia technologies will permit a more comprehensive educational experience for both instructors and students. Participants will learn in an interactive manner, the benefits of using art, music and film in teaching the sometimes dry material of classical sociological theory. The workshop will engage participants and they will be able to apply this method of teaching to many disciplines
D Alice Hovorka GEOG Reflecting on Student Participation How do we assess student participation? This showcase explores systematic measurements of participation, discusses objective/subjective pitfalls, and offers avenues for thinking more broadly about what ‘participation’ entails. It specifically argues that what we observe as course instructors is often just the tip-of-the-iceberg. When given opportunity, student reflections on their course participation are insightful, wide-ranging and inspired. This showcase provides an assessment rubric to capture the depth and breadth of student engagement, and offers empirical insights from student reflections on their course participation
E Statia Elliot & Marion Joppe CME What is transformation learning, anyway? To explore possible methods of transformational learning, a small, special reading course was developed for the winter 2012 term within the Hospitality & Tourism Management Bachelor of Commerce program (HTM*4500).  Rather than focus on a particular tourism subject or skill, the course is built around educational values established by the Tourism Education Futures Initiative (TEFI), an international group of tourism academics, dedicated to excellence in teaching and practice. The TEFI course focuses on critical tourism issues, challenging students to build and reflect upon shared knowledge construction including ethics, mutual respect, stewardship and professionalism. TEFI offers the opportunity to benefit from interactivity and communication with a learning network of other students and faculty internationally.  Participants include the Universities of Guelph, Southern Denmark, Haaga-Helia, Finland, Modul University, Austria, and the University of Tasmania, Australia
  ELITE GROUP   Session with breakouts

The ELITE program is nearing the end of the first year of offering. In this session we will begin with a brief overview of the program and rationale then we will move into smaller sessions based on the topics of the program.
These are:
Assessment in room 105; Technology in the classroom in room
106; Power and Authority in the Classroom in room
107; Critically Reflective Teaching Practice in room
108 and combined topics Student Engagement with Learning /& Collaborative Learning in room
109. The sessions will be facilitated by current ELITE participants and committee members.

ELITE
The Educational Leadership in Teaching Excellence (ELITE) program is designed to promote educational leadership through faculty engagement in the principles, practice and scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education. The program supports the University of Guelph's exemplary teaching and learning community by fostering on-going professional development and engagement in the scholarship of teaching and learning, and by promoting a learner-centred approach to teaching in higher education. It has been developed to establish and support a faculty community of practice which provides mentorship and leadership in implementing scholarly approaches to teaching and learning in higher education.

For further information about the program visit the website: http://www.tss.uoguelph.ca/id/elite/index.cfm
Concurrent 4
A Dina Meunier
Melanie Misanchuk &
Rudy Peariso		 U of W The Pragmatics of Self Reflection: Online Professional Development What is the role of critical reflection in professional development? How transferable are critical thinking skills to workplace environments? What strategies used in online learning can improve critical reflection in professional situations? This session explores how critical thinking outcomes can be achieved in a fully online professional development context.
Our understanding of critical thinking connects with Dewey’s framing of inquiry as trans-formation. Dewey (as cited in Garrison, 1999) understood inquiry as an intimate relationship, a relationship in which experience -- based on happenings and possibilities within the environment -- and education become entangled in an effort to move the learner beyond what was previously understood. Specifically, the courses/programs we explore during our presentation trans-form learning by having students
  • engage in critical and analytical thinking, both within and outside the discipline,
  • apply learning from one or more areas outside the discipline,
  • solve authentic problems,
  • work effectively with others, and
  • recognize the limits of their own knowledge and ability (Ontario Council of Academic Vice-Presidents’ guidelines on undergraduate degree level expectations).
The two online contexts we explore are:
ADAPT (“Adapting pharmacists’ skills Approaches to maximize Patients’ drug Therapy effectiveness”)
Due to changes in legislation, pharmacists are becoming more directly involved in patient care, in particular with respect to in medication management. Students in this program are practicing pharmacists working to improve their knowledge and skills with respect to these new roles.

PD 20 (Developing Reasoned Conclusions)
Undergraduate Engineering students participating in their co-op term in various locations continue their professional development with this mandatory online course that is situated within a program on professional development. Students have the opportunity to use observation, critical thinking, and self-reflection to interpret technical and non-technical evidence in order to develop reasoned conclusions. The course emphasizes developing awareness, making accurate interpretations of typical engineering workplace scenarios, and effectively communicating findings. Garrison, J. (1999). John Dewey. Encyclopaedia of philosophy of education. Retrieved 24 February 2010, from http://www.ffst.hr/ENCYCLOPAEDIA/doku.php?id=dewey_john.  
B Trent Tucker CME Just In Time Teaching: what it is, how it looks, why it works Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) uses Web-based materials to create a rapid feedback loop between students' learning inside and outside the classroom" [Davis 2009]. In MGMT*1000, I used quizzes in CourseLink to provide information about muddy concepts from the textbook for further discussion in the lecture which followed the day after the quiz. After a mid-term 'start-stop-continue' survey, I further extended my JiTT approach to include YouTube videos to preface the quiz and further tightened the linkage of the lecture content to the quiz material
C Andy Robinson OAC Technology in the Classroom: Looking backward to go forward The session will emphasize the toys (of course) but will also bring in the reflective piece and the design of the learning activity / element / object before the choice of technology.   I realized this semester that I fell in the trap of getting new classroom presentation technology with a loose goal of improved podcast production. Once I implemented the new system, I had a big "aha" moment when I discovered that the technology was driving my teaching and the presentation I was making on the material was more focused on recording a good podcast than on explaining the material to the students in front of me. I quickly stopped using the new toys and went back to my more traditional and flexible multi-tech approach between PowerPoint, various media and the document camera. I will use the new toys to make learning objects when I can focus on production of smaller topic-specific media and not simultaneously try to do media production while teaching
D Bernie Murray U of T Meaningful professional development:  Reflection on experiences with inner-city Elementary students in a university design class The purpose of this showcase is to reflect on rewarding professional development experiences of building community and sharing knowledge about design process with Elementary school students who attended a post-secondary design class. Presentation information of this session will inform educators of the benefits and perceptions from teachers who experienced this event. Expected outcomes for attendees of this session include learning about new opportunities to consider for professional development.  This presentation may help to contribute to professional practice by recognizing opportunities and support for mentoring, sharing knowledge, and community building. Information disseminated will benefit academic administrators, educational developers, and faculty members who may seek alternative forms of professional development. Elementary school students attended a post-secondary design class to learn and experience a studio class at the university level. Design students used this meaningful experience as a mentoring opportunity. Elementary and post-secondary students may use this experience for continued growth and development. A demonstration of artistic design practice was shared with the visiting group. The idea of knowledge sharing was viewed as a valuable experience from students and faculty. This professional development experience was enriching and may lead to further research. Objectives: 1. Describe the importance and benefits of meaningful professional development and sharing knowledge with Elementary students who visited a post-secondary design class 2.      Explore how mentoring young individuals may lead to future artists and designers 3. Report teacher’s perceptions of rewarding professional development and the studio experience 4.Discuss how sharing information and mentoring may improve students’ experiences in the learning environment   Session Format: 1.Describe experiences of an Elementary students’ visit to a post-secondary design class. 2.Describe how meaningful professional develop opportunities can be personally and professionally rewarding. 3.Explain the benefits of connecting different levels of education for mentoring and exchange of design process information. 4.Report teachers’ experiences that may impact other faculty members’ decisions about professional development choice and experiences.
E Calantha Elsby COLES Web-based Active Learning: Using Blogs as a Collaborative Learning and Peer-Review Tool Given that blogs are most commonly associated with web-based personal journaling, using blogs in education as more than a tool for self-reflection is perhaps not intuitive. However, when used effectively, blogs can create interactive environments that foster collaborative, peer-driven learning, facilitate peer review, and strengthen student assessment, writing and communication skills, in addition to encouraging students to engage in critical self-reflection.   The purpose of this session will be to arouse curiosity and generate discussion around the use of blogs as a collaborative learning and peer-review tool.  We will examine briefly the theoretical reasons for using blogs in education, how to effectively use them to achieve particular learning objectives, as well as look at real-world examples of how they are being used successfully.
Concurrent 5
A Nicolette Bradley, Lorraine Jadeski, Genevieve Newton, Kerry Ritchie & William  Bettger HHNS The Use of a D2L Website to Serve as the Central Hub of a Network for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in an Academic Department Traditionally, Departmental Curriculum Committees, consisting of appointed faculty and student representatives, have served as the sole departmental vehicle for investigating, discussing and promoting the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) within an academic department.  However, with the universal demand for greater accountability on all aspects of evidence-based teaching and on the totality of student learning and career outcomes, some academic departments have encouraged the formation of additional organizations to support their SoTL mandate.  In the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, the approach taken was to combine the interests of the faculty who had a sustained interest in the ‘scholarship of knowledge translation and transfer’ in the health sciences with those who had a developing interest in SoTL. These faculty members would then form the foundation of a ‘network’ which has been called the K*T3net. The central hub of the network is on a D2L site which is accessed by all faculty members in the net and by a growing number of staff and senior PhD students in the Department. The features and potential uses of the K*T3net hub will be discussed. The development of the K*T3net hub has already supported the proposal for a new undergraduate course on SoTL and is opening the possibility for graduate students to add a SoTL component to their thesis research
B Richard Heck & R. Paul Voroney SES Soil Studies as a Focus for International Experiential Learning – Reflections on Student Field Excursions in Brazil All of us can relate to soil. As infants and youngsters, we were drawn to it – fascinated and entertained with its textures, creating sandcastles, mud pies and clay figurines; then, at the end of the day, our ‘filthy’ bodies were unceremoniously dragged into the bath to be expeditiously cleansed of ‘dirt’. The broader history of our civilizations is firmly rooted in soil, and while fewer of us remain as tillers, our lifestyles, our very continuity, is sustained by this wonderfully intricate and dynamic ‘critical zone’ of our earth. From an ecological perspective, the formation of soil is the manifestation of many, complex natural and anthropogenic processes, and, in turn, soils regulate ecosystem behavior. As such, soils are an ideal focal point for study and learning. Over the past four years, we have led end-of-semester student field excursions to tropical Brazil, to study soils across diverse biogeoclimatic settings. This special credit course, entitled ‘Soils in Tropical Ecosystems’, was open to both undergraduate and graduate students from various programs at the University of Guelph – the only prerequisites being an introductory course in environmental sciences, as well as a desire to study tropical soilscapes, to explore the issues associated with sustainable land use, and to experience local culture. To date, approximately 60 students have participated in the course and, considering their feed-back, have learned and benefited much, including an appreciation for a different culture and language, from this opportunity. Our discussion will provide insight to the evolution of this course, its objectives and pedagogy, as well as logistical aspects. Particular attention will be given to the engagement of colleagues in collaborating Brazilian universities and research institutions, including the use of distance education technologies. Finally, we will consider the student learning experience
C Joe Barth CME The case for a return to prevalence of examinations in student evaluation Many years ago, it was the norm to “sit for examinations” where a single final exam would cover the material for an entire year-long course.  Since those days, the use of written examinations has been steadily reduced.  Up to two-thirds of the students in any year have no final exam, or a final exam with a low grade weight.  Examinations have been replaced by individual and group projects, hand-in assignments, participation grades and the so-called “take home” examination.   Despite the shared dislike of examinations by both students and faculty, the pedagogical literature identifies many reasons why examinations are beneficial to learning and evaluation.   Particularly among today’s internet and social media savvy student population, cheating through plagiarism and copying issues are on the rise.  Examinations can provide a highly controlled and effective environment for student evaluation.   In this presentation, a synopsis of the reasons for and against exams is presented, along with ideas for in-class review, setting, conducting and grading examinations
D Greg Sabatine & Rich Couto COLES Facilitating Peer Reviews online with PEAR The use of peer review in the classroom has a recognizable benefit with the potential to improve both students' critical thinking and writing skills. However, the management of such a project (especially with large class sizes) can prove overwhelming with limited resources and staff. To cope with this problem, the University of Guelph’s Teaching Support Services (TSS) has developed an online peer review application called PEAR (Peer Evaluation, Assessment & Review). With the use of PEAR, much of the administration of a peer review project is facilitated and automated by the system. The application includes:
  • predefined automated dates (submission start, due, late and release)
  • accepting and tracking of submission of multiple documents and formats throughout the stages of the project
  • assignment and distribution of submissions to peer-reviewers (anonymously if desired) and/or instructors
  • email confirmations and notifications throughout the process
  • creation of custom grading forms by the instructor for each state of the review, allowing for group and self-assessment
  • grade calculation and export functions
PEAR has also been integrated with our learning management system (CourseLink) through its web services. This has made development easier, more functional and practical than it would have been on its own, allowing us to pull class, group, role and user information from D2L as an authoritative source. In short, PEAR has simplified the administration of peer review projects, not only freeing time and resources but also opening peer review to larger first- and second-year courses which may have been too large to manage without such a system
E Ashlee Cunsolo Willox & Students SEDRD From Active Students to Engaged Citizens: The Emergence of Student-Led Climate Change Movement Small group learning opportunities such as the First Year Seminars (FYS) provide students with the environment to critically engage with and reflect upon real-world issues. Often, this critical analysis and reflection leads to unexpected events, connections, or initiatives, such as what emerged from the FYS class, Cool Heads for a Hot Planet: Canada and Climate Change (UNIV 1200*16). After a semester of learning about climate change issues in Canada and globally from within an interdisciplinary context, the students were no longer satisfied to keep their academic learning within a classroom setting. Educated, engaged, and enraged, in March 2012, the students decided to unite their academic learning and create an extra-curricular event to raise awareness about the importance of climate change issues in Canada, and to encourage people to get evolved and exercise their democratic citizenry abilities. As a result, Robcall Steve for Climate Action was born!   Throughout this process of organizing a voluntary, extracurricular event, the students utilized the skills and knowledge gained through active participation, critical analysis, and group collaboration through the small-group learning framework of the First Year Seminar courses, and applied them to real-world issues by making their voices heard and getting their message out. In addition, and going beyond the course curriculum, the group sought out training in active advocacy techniques, media dissemination, social media usage, message framing, and public speaking.    This presentation will describe the evolution of the Robocall Steve for Climate Action movement from course curriculum to citizen engagement, and discuss how learning environments and curriculum can be structured to encourage and support students critically engage with and analyze real-world issues and problems in a manner that is applicable beyond the classroom setting. Students from the course will share what they learned from this process, how they have developed as learners and academic citizens throughout this experience, and how it has changed the ways in which they frame their learning experiences and values in University.

 

 

Sponsored By: CME, The Learning Commons, Centre for Open Learning and Educational Support

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 Centre for
Open Learning and Eductional Support
Banner image background: Digital Vision/Thinkstock

Archived Materials T&Li 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002

For any other questions, please contact Janet Wolstenholme, ext. 58084.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012 • University of Guelph • Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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