Date: Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Time: 10:30 - 11:30 am
Location: Virtual via Zoom

About the event:

An understanding of mathematics is foundational for many programs in the Faculty of Science. This overview will provide information about the content and recommended pedagogy in secondary math courses required for science programs at 91亚色. There will also be a discussion of the connection to secondary science courses and the different ways in which students can acquire credits that serve as prerequisites for university programs.

Imtiaz Damji has been the Curriculum Coordinator of Math for the 91亚色 Region District School Board for the last eight years. In this role, he managed a team of math consultants and together provided math professional learning and support to the system, to schools, and to individual teachers. Prior to joining Curriculum, he was Department Head of Mathematics at a secondary school in Markham. In September, Imtiaz will begin a three-year secondment to EQAO.

The post Understanding Math Pre-Requisites for Science Programs at 91亚色 appeared first on Faculty of Science.

• Date: May 2, 2024
• Time: 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
• Location: Virtual (Zoom Link)

Hope to see you there!

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In this interactive lunch-and-learn for STEM educators at 91亚色 (particularly those from the Faculties of Science and Health, and Lassonde School of Engineering), we will guide you through these dilemmas and more. You will gain insight into the current state of GenAI and academic integrity, with a special focus on 91亚色鈥檚 policies and practices. You will also explore strategies for designing assessments that can either prevent GenAI cheating or integrate GenAI as part of the learning process. You will also engage with case studies and discuss with colleagues about how to deal with the uncertainty and opportunity of this transitional moment.

This workshop is co-hosted by Bethune College and the Committee on Teaching and Learning in the Faculty of Science, with the support of the Teaching Commons and the Office of the VP Academic. No prior knowledge or experience with GenAI is required.

• Date: April 15, 2024
• Time: 12PM - 2PM
• Location: Hybrid (in person & virtual) 
• Register by April 7th if you are attending in person
• Register by April 11th if you are attending remotely

Lunch for in-person participants is generously provided by Bethune College.

Register today and join us for an engaging and collaborative session!

The post GenAI: Friend or Foe? A Lunch-and-Learn on Academic Integrity and Assessment for STEM Faculty appeared first on Faculty of Science.

Please join us on Wednesday, March 6th, 2024 for a talk by on Promotion & Support of Teaching & Learning in Chemistry hosted by the Faculty of Science Committee on Teaching and Learning (CoTL). All FSc. instructors, post-docs, and graduate students are welcome. Light refreshments will be provided.

When: Wednesday, March 6
Time: 12pm-1pm in person only.
Location: Lumbers 306, in person only.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Robin Marushia (scicotl@yorku.ca).

Presentation Summary

Along with faculty members, graduate students fulfil a vital role in undergraduate education at the University of Toronto. In the Department of Chemistry, we have several formal and informal mechanisms in place to support educators becoming the best they can be. These include a graduate-level professional development course on aspects of research and teaching along with a formalized Chemistry Teaching Fellowship Program, quarterly department-wide Touch Base on Teaching sessions, and the organization of faculty teaching triads. This presentation will highlight these initiatives along with their strengths/weaknesses and will outline their potential transferability to other units.

Speaker: Dr. Andrew Dicks (University of Toronto)

Professor Andrew (Andy) Dicks joined the University of Toronto Department of Chemistry in 1997, following undergraduate and graduate studies in the United Kingdom at the University of Wales (Swansea) and Durham University respectively. Following promotion in 2006, he became Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies and developed an ongoing interest in improving the student experience in his department. He has research interests in undergraduate laboratory instruction that involve designing novel and stimulating experiments, particularly those that showcase green chemistry principles. In 2014 he was co-chair of the 23rd IUPAC International Conference on Chemistry Education which was held in Toronto and became a Canadian 3M National Teaching Fellow in 2016. He began a second term as Associate Chair of his department in 2019 and oversaw the transition to online instruction for 5000 students taking chemistry courses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The post EVENT POSTPONED: Promotion & Support of Teaching & Learning in Chemistry appeared first on Faculty of Science.

Session is open to all instructors, staff, and graduate students.

Topic: Navigating IT Support at 91亚色
Host: Violeta Gotcheva, Director, ITS
When: Thursday, February 29, 2024, 12pm 鈥� 1pm
Where: via Zoom

• Meeting ID: 923 4329 8842
• Passcode: 798433

We hope to see you there!

The post Drop-In Help Session on IT Navigation appeared first on Faculty of Science.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Robin Marushia (scicotl@yorku.ca)

When: Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Where: 12pm-1pm on ZOOM

Assessment and evaluation in post-secondary may serve as an opportunity to document and evaluate the achievements of learners, measure the effectiveness of our teaching choices, and provide feedback to motivate further student learning. Is it also a necessary 鈥渆vil鈥� by which we rank and file students on pursuit to future endeavors? Enter 鈥楢lt(ernative) grading鈥�, a phrase that is probably best thought of as methods for evaluation that don鈥檛 follow the traditional points-based approach. During the discussion, reflect on what you want grades to represent, think critically about whether current grading aligns with that goal, and share what worries you about implementing new grading approaches. Learn about the alt grading methods (including various incarnations of 鈥淪pecs grading鈥�, flexible grading, and mastery grading).

Speaker: Jennifer Peter

Jennifer Peter is a Lecturer at Western University (London ON) since 2008; she is currently cross-appointed in the Department of Biology, and Department of Statistical & Actuarial Sciences. She originally came from a background in Biology (BScH in Environmental Biology, Queen鈥檚 University; MSc in Plant Community Ecology, Queen鈥檚 University) but found a love in teaching early on (BEd, with qualifications in Intermediate/Senior Biology and Math, Queen鈥檚 University). While she has taught a variety of courses in the Ecology and Evolution stream, including first-year biology, ecology, evolutionary genetics, and community ecology, Jennifer鈥檚 current teaching role is focused on the large enrollment, multi-section course in introductory statistics for students in non-statistics programs. She has a wide range of expertise in undergraduate pedagogy, and also provides support to undergraduate students in the Department of Statistical & Actuarial Sciences as a departmental advisor. Jennifer has been actively involved in the organizational team of the biennial Western Conference on Science Education () since its inception, transitioning to co-organizer (alongside colleague Dr. Nicole Campbell, Western University) of the conference in 2019. Jennifer has also been an active member of the Open Consortium of Undergraduate Biology Educators () from early on, routinely holding Executive Board positions for the community of practice.

The post Courage in the time of Alt(ernative) Grading: successes and failures in specs grading, flexibility, and other strange stories appeared first on Faculty of Science.

Dr. Marcel Pinheiro is a Lecturer and Teaching Fellow in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo.

When: Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Where: 12pm-1pm
Location: Virtual, Zoom

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Robin Marushia (scicotl@yorku.ca).

The post Developing Diverse Study Skills in our Students: Reflecting on Changes appeared first on Faculty of Science.

Secure your spot by . 

The post Science Graduate Student Workshop: Elevating your Lab Teaching Skills appeared first on Faculty of Science.

• Clark, D., & Talbert, R. (2023). Grading for Growth: A Guide to Alternative Grading Practices that Promote Authentic Learning and Student Engagement in Higher Education. . 

Open to all instructors, postdocs and graduate students in the Faculty of Science.

Meetings will take place once per month. View the EdSci Bookclub schedule below.

EdSci Bookclub Schedule:

The post EdSci Book Club 鈥� Grading for Growth appeared first on Faculty of Science.

Join Stephanie Quail, Director of the Open Scholarship Department at 91亚色 Libraries, for a two-hour online workshop to learn about open educational resources (OER) and open education, with a specific focus on OER and the sciences.

Date: September 28, 2023
Time: 2:00-4:00PM EST 
Location: Zoom ()

During the workshop, faculty members will learn about the following topics:

- How to define OER
- The benefits open education provide for students and faculty
- What is open licensing, as well as Creative Commons basics
- How to find and locate OER focused on the sciences
- What open pedagogy is and some examples of open pedagogy assignments

About Stephanie Quail

Stephanie Quail has completed the . She used the skills she developed in this program to build awareness and advocacy for open educational practices at 91亚色. Currently, she is a member of 91亚色's . Additionally, she co-teaches the . She supports the broader open education movement by serving as a member of the . 

The post Exploring Open Education in the Sciences appeared first on Faculty of Science.