Workshops for Higher Education
Registration for 2021 Higher Education Sessions now closed!
Join us August 2022 for a mixture of face-to-face and online sessions. Contact [email protected] to receive information on Teaching & Learning with Technology 2022!
Monday August 16, 2021 10:00 am
Exploring Mobile Apps for Academic Success in Higher Education (60 min)
During this digital era, using mobile devices for higher education is essential. Many educators struggle to keep their students engaged in the course content and have not incorporated mobile devices and online resources to their maximum potential. This session will take you on a journey to learn about the challenges students face in an online academic setting as well as the different types of mobile applications that can facilitate their learning. In this session, attendees will learn: 1. To create an interactive, learner-focused environment via the use of mobile applications that cater to all types of learners. 2. To create lessons incorporating applications/programs and share ideas relevant to these with other educators for favourable learning outcomes. 3. To identify how mobile devices can significantly improve literacy skills and boost affectivity.
Amel Belmahdi (Ontario Tech)
During this digital era, using mobile devices for higher education is essential. Many educators struggle to keep their students engaged in the course content and have not incorporated mobile devices and online resources to their maximum potential. This session will take you on a journey to learn about the challenges students face in an online academic setting as well as the different types of mobile applications that can facilitate their learning. In this session, attendees will learn: 1. To create an interactive, learner-focused environment via the use of mobile applications that cater to all types of learners. 2. To create lessons incorporating applications/programs and share ideas relevant to these with other educators for favourable learning outcomes. 3. To identify how mobile devices can significantly improve literacy skills and boost affectivity.
Amel Belmahdi (Ontario Tech)
Thriving Online in Higher Education (90 min)
This workshop is for higher education and is built on over 15 years of experience in online and blended learning. I will focus on pre-course ideas, your first class/week, warm-up ideas, video creation tips, assessment, useful technology tools, engaging online activities, consolidation a class, home activities, and how to embrace a growth mindset. I will also leave you with a summary chapter of all the ideas shared.
Robin Kay
This workshop is for higher education and is built on over 15 years of experience in online and blended learning. I will focus on pre-course ideas, your first class/week, warm-up ideas, video creation tips, assessment, useful technology tools, engaging online activities, consolidation a class, home activities, and how to embrace a growth mindset. I will also leave you with a summary chapter of all the ideas shared.
Robin Kay
Monday August 16, 2021 1:00 pm
Deepening Engagement and Active Learning Using Alternative Online Discussion Tools (90 min)
In this interactive session, we will discuss and explore how instructors/teachers can go beyond text-based discussion boards to increase student engagement, interaction, and active learning in fully online and blended learning environments. We will actively experiment with a variety of tools including Piazza, Flipgrid, Perusall, and Kumospace. Not only are these tools alternatives to a text-based discussion in the classroom, but they are also opportunities to embed differentiated instruction and universal design for learning. Come and join the fun!
Alison Mann (Ontario Tech)
In this interactive session, we will discuss and explore how instructors/teachers can go beyond text-based discussion boards to increase student engagement, interaction, and active learning in fully online and blended learning environments. We will actively experiment with a variety of tools including Piazza, Flipgrid, Perusall, and Kumospace. Not only are these tools alternatives to a text-based discussion in the classroom, but they are also opportunities to embed differentiated instruction and universal design for learning. Come and join the fun!
Alison Mann (Ontario Tech)
Quizzes as Springboards to Metacognition + More (90 min)
Quizzes are a go-to for memory recall assessment, and it often ends there. Join us in this session where we will share a new approach being used among the Computer Programming faculty at Durham College to increase the value that quizzes provide by incorporating a highly weighted reflective practice into every quiz. Get students talking the talk in terms of content, sharing their current state of comprehension, and providing a direct window into the needs and learning processes of individual learners in their own words. As we share our lived experience and example, at nearly every step participants will be prompted to share their own thoughts so that I can connect what I am presenting to the thoughts and concerns of the audience wherever possible so that they/we may create a personal connection to keep them engaged. We will be looking at
Quizzes are a go-to for memory recall assessment, and it often ends there. Join us in this session where we will share a new approach being used among the Computer Programming faculty at Durham College to increase the value that quizzes provide by incorporating a highly weighted reflective practice into every quiz. Get students talking the talk in terms of content, sharing their current state of comprehension, and providing a direct window into the needs and learning processes of individual learners in their own words. As we share our lived experience and example, at nearly every step participants will be prompted to share their own thoughts so that I can connect what I am presenting to the thoughts and concerns of the audience wherever possible so that they/we may create a personal connection to keep them engaged. We will be looking at
- whether quizzes are valuable or not and why
- the integrity of quiz submissions in an online learning experience
- the value of quizzes as an indicator of learning
- pie in the sky: what do you wish a quiz result could tell you about your learners?
Tuesday August 17, 2021 10:00 am
Creating Engagement Through and Online Simulation - Negotiation (90 min)
In this session, I focus on the lessons learned in facilitating the fully online graduate course: Organizational Effectiveness, and especially the positive impact of an online Negotiation Simulation.
In this session, we discuss the positive impact of:
In this workshop, we will describe all of these components, and then participants will enact some of these components to support experiential learning. We will also spend a few minutes discussing observations, thoughts, and possible research venues arising from the session.
Rob Elkington (Ontario Tech)
In this session, I focus on the lessons learned in facilitating the fully online graduate course: Organizational Effectiveness, and especially the positive impact of an online Negotiation Simulation.
In this session, we discuss the positive impact of:
- Creating a social presence throughout the semester to support online simulations.
- Creating a robust knowledge framework to support the success of the simulation including key negotiation terms and tactics such as BATNA, ZOPA, RV, Anchoring, etc.
- Using Art and reflective discussion to unpack the process and impact of conflict management and negotiation.
- Ensuring we create enough space to effectively prepare for, and facilitate, the negotiation simulation.
In this workshop, we will describe all of these components, and then participants will enact some of these components to support experiential learning. We will also spend a few minutes discussing observations, thoughts, and possible research venues arising from the session.
Rob Elkington (Ontario Tech)
Alternative assessments: No-stakes, low-stakes, and “ungrading” in higher education (90 min)
Our education system most often measures a student’s success by means of exams, tests, quizzes, and/or graded work. Students are eager to see what they “got” on a test or assignment – is it cheers (an A!) or tears (a C!)? Research indicates that when students are provided with a grade and feedback from the instructor, they focus more on the grade than the feedback. But what if both faculty and students focused more on learning and less on grades? What if the process of exploration and risk-taking was more important than the result of a letter or number? This interactive session will describe what happened when Dr. Lauricella ditched grades in her university courses and will offer attendees practical strategies and rationale for incorporating low-stakes, no-stakes, and/or ungraded assignments in their higher education courses.
Sharon Lauricella (Ontario Tech)
Our education system most often measures a student’s success by means of exams, tests, quizzes, and/or graded work. Students are eager to see what they “got” on a test or assignment – is it cheers (an A!) or tears (a C!)? Research indicates that when students are provided with a grade and feedback from the instructor, they focus more on the grade than the feedback. But what if both faculty and students focused more on learning and less on grades? What if the process of exploration and risk-taking was more important than the result of a letter or number? This interactive session will describe what happened when Dr. Lauricella ditched grades in her university courses and will offer attendees practical strategies and rationale for incorporating low-stakes, no-stakes, and/or ungraded assignments in their higher education courses.
Sharon Lauricella (Ontario Tech)
Tuesday August 17, 2021 1:00 pm
Evidence-based Teaching Strategies in Higher Education (90 min)
In the last 100 years, medical practice, medical education, and medical research have grown from rather humble beginnings to astounding heights that include new understandings of the very building blocks of life, the complete mapping of the human genome, the capacity to study how brains function, and much more. The key to this remarkable progress has been a commitment to practice based on research evidence. This session will explore ways in which evidence-based educational practice might serve to make the 21st century the education century.
Bill Hunter (Ontario Tech)
In the last 100 years, medical practice, medical education, and medical research have grown from rather humble beginnings to astounding heights that include new understandings of the very building blocks of life, the complete mapping of the human genome, the capacity to study how brains function, and much more. The key to this remarkable progress has been a commitment to practice based on research evidence. This session will explore ways in which evidence-based educational practice might serve to make the 21st century the education century.
Bill Hunter (Ontario Tech)
Sustaining Change: The Pivotal Role of Virtual Communities in Ed Tech Adoption (Leadership) (90 min)
Communities of practice are key to long-term educational change, yet are often under-utilized in professional learning at the post-secondary level. Virtual spaces, in particular, offer a natural connection space for faculty to ask questions, share, and learn together as peers, yet organizations may lack dedicated resources to support virtual faculty communities. As colleges and universities pivoted to remote learning during the pandemic, many faculty rose to the challenge of adopting new technologies with the help of available virtual learning communities.
This session will share one college's experience using professional learning communities (PLCs) and communities of inquiry (CoI) to help faculty sustain technology adoption in their teaching practice. Join this session to hear relevant research and tips, and to share ideas that may help further how your organization could support faculty through virtual learning communities.
Jesslyn Wilkinson (Ontario Tech), Kimberlee Carter (Conestoga College) and Elan Paulson (Conestoga College)
Communities of practice are key to long-term educational change, yet are often under-utilized in professional learning at the post-secondary level. Virtual spaces, in particular, offer a natural connection space for faculty to ask questions, share, and learn together as peers, yet organizations may lack dedicated resources to support virtual faculty communities. As colleges and universities pivoted to remote learning during the pandemic, many faculty rose to the challenge of adopting new technologies with the help of available virtual learning communities.
This session will share one college's experience using professional learning communities (PLCs) and communities of inquiry (CoI) to help faculty sustain technology adoption in their teaching practice. Join this session to hear relevant research and tips, and to share ideas that may help further how your organization could support faculty through virtual learning communities.
Jesslyn Wilkinson (Ontario Tech), Kimberlee Carter (Conestoga College) and Elan Paulson (Conestoga College)
Wednesday August 18, 2021 10:00 am
Putting Your Students at the Centre of your LMS (60 min)
The need for a student-centric design for your course page has never been so apparent as it was this past year, where almost all courses were conducted in a fully online mode and face-to-face interaction was non-existent or minimal. I have taken my own experiences as a student in a fully online program, my years of teaching almost 20 different courses ranging from small to large, from in-person to fully online, and ongoing student feedback to ensure that the design of my LMS page is easily navigated and accessible to all.
Elita Partosoedarso (Ontario Tech)
The need for a student-centric design for your course page has never been so apparent as it was this past year, where almost all courses were conducted in a fully online mode and face-to-face interaction was non-existent or minimal. I have taken my own experiences as a student in a fully online program, my years of teaching almost 20 different courses ranging from small to large, from in-person to fully online, and ongoing student feedback to ensure that the design of my LMS page is easily navigated and accessible to all.
Elita Partosoedarso (Ontario Tech)
Reading and Academic Vocabulary Technologies for English Language Learners (60 min)
Modern students’ abilities to learn and process information are vastly different from those of previous generations as they are heavily immersed in and reliant on digital technologies and social media. Educators and policymakers have started to realize the benefits of keeping language and literacy instruction aligned with the interests of today's technologically savvy students.
For this talk, Dr. Jia Li will introduce the recent trends and her research of integrating emerging technologies into vocabulary instruction for English learners. She will address key elements for the designs of technology-based programs and interventions that reflect the principles of vocabulary acquisition as well as meet their needs of improving subject content knowledge. The talk strikes a balance between examining vocabulary research and discussing its innovative teaching and learning practice. Some instructional materials developed by Dr. Li will be shared.
Jia Li (Ontario Tech)
Modern students’ abilities to learn and process information are vastly different from those of previous generations as they are heavily immersed in and reliant on digital technologies and social media. Educators and policymakers have started to realize the benefits of keeping language and literacy instruction aligned with the interests of today's technologically savvy students.
For this talk, Dr. Jia Li will introduce the recent trends and her research of integrating emerging technologies into vocabulary instruction for English learners. She will address key elements for the designs of technology-based programs and interventions that reflect the principles of vocabulary acquisition as well as meet their needs of improving subject content knowledge. The talk strikes a balance between examining vocabulary research and discussing its innovative teaching and learning practice. Some instructional materials developed by Dr. Li will be shared.
Jia Li (Ontario Tech)
Making Online Learning Accessible for All (90 min)
This workshop will explore best practices that help to ensure that 'all' students are able to access online learning materials, with a particular focus on students with learning disabilities. Google Chrome is required, and the Read&Write extension will be highlighted during the session.
Tricia Dwyer-Kuntz (Ontario Tech)
This workshop will explore best practices that help to ensure that 'all' students are able to access online learning materials, with a particular focus on students with learning disabilities. Google Chrome is required, and the Read&Write extension will be highlighted during the session.
Tricia Dwyer-Kuntz (Ontario Tech)
Wednesday August 18, 2021 1:00 pm
Making Canvas Mobile - A Hands On Workshop to Help Bring Your Teaching Online (60 min)
Mobile devices are being used now, more than ever, and that means in education too! This introductory workshop will provide an overview of Mobile Learning, or mLearning, and how you can adapt your existing materials to be mobile-friendly. A high-level summary of Mobile-First Instructional Design concepts will be explored, resources provided, and most importantly – we will practice! Participants will need to create a ‘Canvas Free for Teachers’ account and have access to their computers as well as a mobile device (smartphone/tablet).
Mel Pigozzo (Ontario Tech)
Mobile devices are being used now, more than ever, and that means in education too! This introductory workshop will provide an overview of Mobile Learning, or mLearning, and how you can adapt your existing materials to be mobile-friendly. A high-level summary of Mobile-First Instructional Design concepts will be explored, resources provided, and most importantly – we will practice! Participants will need to create a ‘Canvas Free for Teachers’ account and have access to their computers as well as a mobile device (smartphone/tablet).
Mel Pigozzo (Ontario Tech)
Access+ : Growing inclusive pedagogy the Intersection of Universal Design and Accessibility Services (60 min)
With increased attention paid to the social model of disability - inaccessibility caused by the environment instead of individual deficit - as part of the experience of virtual learning in Canadian higher education there are important lessons learned about the pitfalls and potential of the digital learning space. This workshop will introduce familiar concepts such as accessibility, disability accommodations, and inclusion but will also integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into a larger intersectional understanding of Equity, Diversity, Decolonization, and Inclusion (EDDI). UDL is a huge benefit to students with disabilities but also supports English Language Learners, Parents, Indigenous students, and many other nontraditional populations that are part of our campus community. Access+ proposes a paradigm where accessibility is core to our vision for inclusion both online and offline. There is so much we have learned from the pandemic. Let’s not “snap back” to what wasn’t working before, and instead build a vision of what is truly accessible for our students and community: together, apart.
Stephanie Cork, Tina Murray (Ontario Tech)
With increased attention paid to the social model of disability - inaccessibility caused by the environment instead of individual deficit - as part of the experience of virtual learning in Canadian higher education there are important lessons learned about the pitfalls and potential of the digital learning space. This workshop will introduce familiar concepts such as accessibility, disability accommodations, and inclusion but will also integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into a larger intersectional understanding of Equity, Diversity, Decolonization, and Inclusion (EDDI). UDL is a huge benefit to students with disabilities but also supports English Language Learners, Parents, Indigenous students, and many other nontraditional populations that are part of our campus community. Access+ proposes a paradigm where accessibility is core to our vision for inclusion both online and offline. There is so much we have learned from the pandemic. Let’s not “snap back” to what wasn’t working before, and instead build a vision of what is truly accessible for our students and community: together, apart.
Stephanie Cork, Tina Murray (Ontario Tech)
Building Community in the Virtual Environment (90 min)
"Students don't care what you know until they know that you care.' Effective teachers are masters at creating safe and caring classrooms where students are empowered to take risks. But how do you create this environment in an online space? This workshop will explore tips and tricks on how to build community virtually.
Tricia Dwyer-Kuntz (Ontario Tech)
"Students don't care what you know until they know that you care.' Effective teachers are masters at creating safe and caring classrooms where students are empowered to take risks. But how do you create this environment in an online space? This workshop will explore tips and tricks on how to build community virtually.
Tricia Dwyer-Kuntz (Ontario Tech)
Thursday August 19, 2021 10:00 am
Essential Online Learning Tools for Higher Education Instructors (90 min)
This workshop focuses on essential online tools to support higher education instructors. I first review key resources for finding new tools. I then look at the key questions that need to be asked before using any tools. Next, we work with tools focusing on graphics, polling, video creation, assessment, in-class activities, website creation, organization, learning module creation, and home activities. You will gain experience using key tools and receive guidance about growing your online toolbox.
Robin Kay (Ontario Tech)
This workshop focuses on essential online tools to support higher education instructors. I first review key resources for finding new tools. I then look at the key questions that need to be asked before using any tools. Next, we work with tools focusing on graphics, polling, video creation, assessment, in-class activities, website creation, organization, learning module creation, and home activities. You will gain experience using key tools and receive guidance about growing your online toolbox.
Robin Kay (Ontario Tech)
Building Community with Piazza and Discord (60 min)
Research has shown that interpersonal interactions are vital to the overall student learning experience. While the interactions that occur between the student and teacher are important, the interactions that occur between students should not be forgotten or diminished in their importance. Students naturally create a sense of community within their everyday lives, both in-person and online. Utilizing technologies, both familiar and unfamiliar to students, can help to promote a sense of student community and self-advocacy within our classrooms. This workshop will explore how two community-building online platforms, Piazza and Discord, might be incorporated into the secondary or higher education classrooms to foster a sense of student community, both for in-person or online teaching.
Shannon Hill (Trent University)
Research has shown that interpersonal interactions are vital to the overall student learning experience. While the interactions that occur between the student and teacher are important, the interactions that occur between students should not be forgotten or diminished in their importance. Students naturally create a sense of community within their everyday lives, both in-person and online. Utilizing technologies, both familiar and unfamiliar to students, can help to promote a sense of student community and self-advocacy within our classrooms. This workshop will explore how two community-building online platforms, Piazza and Discord, might be incorporated into the secondary or higher education classrooms to foster a sense of student community, both for in-person or online teaching.
Shannon Hill (Trent University)
Applying the Coaching Mindset to Teaching Online (90 min)
The Coaching Mindset workshop will explore the need and potential of applying coaching skills to online teaching and learning. This interactive session will explore how to bring more connection, support, and empowerment to engage with technology.
Quinn Simpson, McKenzie Cerri (Graydin)
The Coaching Mindset workshop will explore the need and potential of applying coaching skills to online teaching and learning. This interactive session will explore how to bring more connection, support, and empowerment to engage with technology.
Quinn Simpson, McKenzie Cerri (Graydin)
Thursday August 19, 2021 1:00 pm
How to Increase Student Engagement and ConnectEDness in Online Courses (60 min)
"Moving lectures and labs to online can create student engagement challenges for educators. Instructors teaching online may be missing in-person student realities such as laughter and non-verbal cues including eye contact and facial expressions. Because of this new reality, instructors and students alike may feel disconnected during online delivery. Join Dr. Jory Basso for an evocative discussion on how to break the disconnect and create better student engagement and connectedness.
Jory Basso (Southern California University)
"Moving lectures and labs to online can create student engagement challenges for educators. Instructors teaching online may be missing in-person student realities such as laughter and non-verbal cues including eye contact and facial expressions. Because of this new reality, instructors and students alike may feel disconnected during online delivery. Join Dr. Jory Basso for an evocative discussion on how to break the disconnect and create better student engagement and connectedness.
Jory Basso (Southern California University)
Are we Having Fun Yet? Retaining, Teaching, and Engaging Students using Ed Tech (60 min)
This 60-minute session will introduce attendees to the Ludic Pedagogy model. This philosophy incorporates fun play, playfulness, and humour in an authentic manner that engages students and improves their learning outcomes. Attendees to this session will become familiar with the theory of the model, its outcomes, and how to use Ed Tech to implement it in their own classrooms.
Sharon Lauricella, Keith Edmunds (Ontario Tech)
This 60-minute session will introduce attendees to the Ludic Pedagogy model. This philosophy incorporates fun play, playfulness, and humour in an authentic manner that engages students and improves their learning outcomes. Attendees to this session will become familiar with the theory of the model, its outcomes, and how to use Ed Tech to implement it in their own classrooms.
Sharon Lauricella, Keith Edmunds (Ontario Tech)