2009 conference abstracts

Opportunities and New Directions:
A Research Conference on Teaching and Learning.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
University of Waterloo: Conrad Grebel College campus

Please note that the sessions are not listed in any particular order, other than by session length.

25 Minute sessions

Guided autobiographical writing: An effective strategy for engaging students in learning?

  • Charlene S. Shannon, Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick
  • Brenda J. Robertson, Recreation Management and Kinesiology, Acadia University

Autobiographical writing can be an opportunity for students to integrate their own life experiences with concepts they are expected to learn (Karpiak, 2000). The purpose of this paper is to highlight ways guided autobiographical writing activities in two different leisure studies courses engaged students in the course material. The texts of 50 autobiographical writing assignments in two different courses were evaluated to assess student understanding as well as whether and how connections were made between students’ lived experiences and the theories and concepts being taught. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with 20 of these students to explore their experiences with this form of learning. Discussion will focus on the roles story construction played in enhancing their understanding of key concepts and theories, why autobiographical writing may be particularly meaningful for students preparing to be practitioners, and factors need to be considered when using this learning tool.

Karpiak, I. (2000). Writing our life: Adult learning and teaching through autobiography. Canadian Journal of University Continuing Education, 26(1), 31-50.

Assessing the use of enhanced podcasts: Learning vs. attendance

  • Jane Holbrook, Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE), University of Waterloo
  • Christine Dupont, Department of Biology, University of Waterloo

It has become common practice for instructors to create audio podcasts of their lectures to supplement their course materials (Deal, 2007; Blaisdell, 2006). However, many instructors are concerned that providing students with alternate forms of lectures will have a detrimental effect on their students’ class attendance, which in turn may impact their students’ academic performance (Gump, 2006; Dollinger et al, 2007; Chen & Lin, 2008). Our research shows that although first year students are more likely to skip classes because podcasts are available, the availability of podcasts does not have a significant impact on the decision to miss class after first year. We will outline our preliminary findings on how helpful students of varying academic ability and year in program find enhanced podcasts for course related activities in several biology courses. Our presentation may be useful to instructors who are thinking of introducing podcasting into their teaching practice.

Blaisdell, M. (2006). Academic MP3s—is it time yet? Campus Technology. http://campustechnology.com/articles/40744/

Chen, J., & Lin, T. (2008). Class Attendance and exam Performance: A Randomized Experiment. Journal of Economic Education, 39(3), 213-227.

Deal, A. (2007) Teaching with Technology White Paper: Podcasting, Educause CONNECT available at http://connect.educause.edu/files/CMU_Podcasting_Jun07.pdf

Dollinger, S.J., Matyja, A.M., & Huber, J.L. (2008). Which factors best account for academic success: Those which college students can control or those they cannot? Journal of research in Personality, 42(4), 872–885.

Gump, S. E.(2006) Guess who's (not) coming to class: student attitudes as indicators of attendance. Educational Studies, 32(1),39-46.

Putting practice into theory: using student perceptions of REES 271-DE to refine theoretical approaches to engagement in e-learning

  • Sarah Turner, Germanic and Slavic Studies, University of Waterloo
  • Pia Marks, Centre for Extended Learning, University of Waterloo

Although engagement is considered a strong motivational factor in learning (Svinicki, 1999), it remains difficult to define (Farmer-Dougan & McKinney, n.d.). In this presentation, the elements of the e-learning community posited by Garrison and Anderson (2003) – cognitive, social, and teaching presence – are used as a basis for proposing three sub-types of engagement.

Pre- and post-course questionnaires conducted in the new course REES 271-DE showed that over the term students came to value its learning objectives more highly: their engagement with their educational experience increased. However, the communication logs demonstrate that they made little use of opportunities for interaction with other students and the instructor. Thus the researchers conclude that students’ positive reaction was prompted primarily by the pedagogical strategy employed to foster cognitive engagement.
The presentation gives conference participants an insight into the complex phenomenon of engagement and the relative efficacy of features of (online) course design which can foster it.

Farmer-Dougan, V., & McKinney, K. (n.d.). Examining student engagement at Illinois State University: An exploratory investigation. Retrieved January 27, 2009 from http://www.teachtech.ilstu.edu/resources/teachTopics/examEngage.php.

Garrison, D. R., & Anderson, T. (2003). E-learning in the 21st century: A framework for research and practice. London: RoutledgeFarmer.

Svinicki, M. D. (1999). New directions in learning and motivation. New directions for teaching and learning, 80, 5–27.

Supporting student engagement and active learning in introductory economics with learning technology

  • Trien T. Nguyen, Economics, University of Waterloo
  • Angela Trimarchi, Economics, University of Waterloo

We examine the role of learning technology in connection with the twin problems of student engagement and active learning. Our research (Nguyen & Trimarchi, 2009) with several classes of introductory economics in 2006-2008 shows that modern technology such as MyEconLab and Aplia can in general help students earn better marks. However, it also reveals that while the stronger students benefit from the technology, the weaker ones do not seem to catch up with the class, perhaps because of lack of participation or engagement or both. We discuss conceptual and implementation issues within the discipline of economics. The target audience includes educators and researchers interested in the subthemes of student engagement, active learning, and learning technology. The session provides participants with a better understanding of the challenges in promoting student engagement and active learning and the need for balancing technology with traditional teaching wisdom (Cameron, 1997; O’Dea, 2008; Ryan, 2008; Talley, 2005).

Cameron, B. J. (1997). Active and Cooperative Learning Strategies for the Economics Classroom. In W. B. Walstad & P. Saunders (Eds.). Teaching Undergraduate Economics: A Handbook for Instructors. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Nguyen, T. T., & Trimarchi, A. (2009). Active Learning in Introductory Economics: Do MyEconLab and Aplia Make Any Difference? In Allied Social Science Association and American Economic Association Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA.

O'Dea, W. P., & D. W. Ring (2008). The Impact of Aplia on Student Performance in Intermediate Microeconomics Theory. In American Economic Association Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.

Ryan, M. J. (2008). Observations on Using MyEconLab in Principles Courses. In Ahead of the Curve Technology Workshop. Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON: Pearson Education Canada.

Talley, D. A. (2005). Teaching and Technology: Learning in a High-Tech Environment Revisited. In American Economic Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.

Return to the agora: Small group work in a philosophy learning commons

  • Shannon Dea, Department of Philosophy, University of Waterloo
  • Kurt Holukoff, Department of Philosophy, University of Waterloo

Philosophy originated in conversations among small groups of people in the Athenian agora, but the realities of the modern university make it difficult to foster such conversations in class (Sadler, 2004). This session presents the interim results of a 2-year study, involving approximately 120 students, comparing three models (See Bolling, 1994; Silvermintz, 2006; Stanlick, 2007) of small-group work in a dedicated “Philosophy Learning Commons.” In the first stage of the study, students enrolled in a lower-division gateway course worked on group projects outside of class hours in the Learning Commons. Preliminary results indicate both advantages and disadvantages to the models tested. In particular, the methods used were labour intensive for the instructor and sometimes lacked sufficient structure for students. Despite this, anecdotal evidence, survey data, and grade tracking all indicate that the models tested improved student engagement and learning outcomes. Audience members will leave this session with strategies for using small-group work in teaching and research in their own disciplines.

Bolling, A. L. (1994). Using group journals to improve writing and comprehension. Excellence in College Teaching, 5 47-55.

Sadler, B. J. (2004). How important is student participation in teaching philosophy?” Teaching philosophy, 27(3), 251-267.

Silvermintz, D. (2006). Reading philosophy with friends: Introducing reading groups into the philosophy classroom. Teaching philosophy, 29(3), 237-244.

Stanlick, N. (2007). Individual-centred collaborative research: Method and theory. Teaching philosophy, 30 (1), 85-111.

Increasing student engagement through classroom integration of personalized digital interviews with leading international scholars

  • Josh D. Neufeld, Department of Biology, University of Waterloo

Building on previous research demonstrating an increase in student involvement through the virtual involvement of experts (Hemphill and Hemphill, 2007), this presentation highlights preliminary data suggesting that obtaining digital interviews from leading international scholars can increase student engagement with existing course material. Supported by an internationalization teaching grant, a fourth-year biology course was modified to integrate personalized videos of world-renowned scientific researchers who commented on the significance and challenges of their research discoveries, and their personal motivation for pursuing careers in research and academia. These videos guided in-class discussions and helped students place the concepts learned in class within a broader context, recognizing the link between the presented data and the real-world relevance of scientific research. This presentation will summarize responses from anonymous student surveys and participating interviewees, and describe the possible impact of this novel interdisciplinary teaching initiative on a range of classrooms from first- to final-year undergraduate courses.

Hemphill, L.S., & Hemphill, H.H. (2007). Evaluating the impact of guest speaker postings in online discussions. British Journal of Educational Technology, 38, 287-293.

Résumé writing skills as a measure of subjective and objective student learning

  • Kerry Mahoney, Career Services, University of Waterloo
  • Armand Munteanu, Psychology, University of Waterloo
  • Research team also includes:
    • Maureen Drysdale, St. Jerome’s University/University of Waterloo
    • Tracy Penny Light, St. Jerome’s University/University of Waterloo
    • Nicola Simmons, Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Waterloo

A recent review of the literature on the efficacy of career interventions (Magnussen & Roest, 2004) uncovered little analysis of the efficacy of specific treatment/program components, and few studies that compared interventions and their treatment effects. In an effort to evaluate and improve Waterloo student learning on the topic of résumé writing, Career Services staff, along with several faculty members, took a systematic look at the educational benefits acquired through participation in résumé training (online and in person). Students’ résumé knowledge was assessed (subjective and objective measures) at three points in time -- before guidance, after the completion of an online module, and after an in-person, one-on-one résumé critique. Although our research involves career interventions, our results have broad applicability to anyone interested in a structured assessment of student learning, comparing online and in-person results through the use of both self-report and objective measures.

Magnusson, K., & Roest (2005). Canadian research working group for evidence-based practice in career development (CRWG): The state of practice in Canada in measuring career service. The Canadian Career Development Foundation.

Engaging students in internationalization

  • Anne Banks Pidduck, School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo

How can we engage students in global issues, ideas and discussion? To answer this research question, we prepared and implemented a Course Internationalization Matrix to incorporate active international components into an existing course. The matrix was developed by exploring eight internationalization strategies ranging from international database use and encouragement of international student perspectives to joint projects with students at international universities. (Altbach & Knight, 2007) These strategies were cross-referenced with diverse engagement methods including debates, poster sessions, industry visitors, and games. (Carini et al, 2006) The matrix was used in a fourth-year Computer Science course with 50 students who participated in online discussions, international research, quizzes and presentations. Both international knowledge and student engagement were improved as measured by quality and quantity of discussions, research and class attendance. The session objective is to present an overview of the complete matrix and results followed by active audience involvement with one component. Participants will discover interesting international and engagement ideas.

Altbach, P.G., & Knight, J. (2007). The internationalization of higher education: Motivations and realities. Journal of Studies in International Education, 11(3-4), 290-305.

Carini, R.M., Kuh, G.D., & Klein, S.P. (2006). Student engagement and student learning: Testing the linkages. Research in Higher Education, 47(1), 1-32.

Closing the distance in distance education: How communication affects the online learning experience at University of Waterloo

  • Sheila Hannon, Department of English, University of Waterloo
  • Sally Heath, Department of English, University of Waterloo

In 2008, we administered an online survey to University of Waterloo students who had taken a distance education course through the Department of English within the past year. Our goal was to assess student satisfaction rates in the areas of communication and assessment. Our results validated existing research that students want regular and timely interaction with their instructional contacts (Rovai & Barnum, 2003; Richardson & Swan, 2003; Brown, 2001; Swan, 2002). In addition, students expect timely, constructive, and dialogic feedback as part of their assessment (Carless et al, 2006; Knight, 2002; Higgins et al, 2001).

In this 25-minute presentation, we will report on our findings to highlight the necessity of effective communication practices in distance education courses. Participants in this session will learn the value that students place on interaction and communication in an online environment, and be able to apply this information to their own online course design and teaching practices.

Brown, R.E. (2001). The process of community-building in distance learning classes. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 5, 18-35.

Carless, D., et al. (2006). Learning-oriented assessment: principles and practice. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(4), 395-8.

Higgins, R., Hartley, P., & Skelton, A. (2001). Getting the message across: The problem of communicating assessment feedback. Teaching in Higher Education, 6, 269-74.

Knight, P. (2002). Summative Assessment in Higher Education: practices in disarray. Studies in Higher Education, 27, 275-286.

Richardson, J.C., & Swan, K. (2003). Examining social presence in online courses in relation to students’ perceived learning and satisfaction. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks. Retrieved 22 February 2009, from http://www.sloanc.org/publications/jaln/v7n1/v7n1_richardson.asp

Rovai, A.P., & Barnum, K.T. (2003). Online course effectiveness: An analysis of student interactions and perceptions of learning. Journal of Distance Education, 18, 57-73.

Swan, K. (2002). Building learning communities in online courses: The importance of interaction. Education, Communication & Information. 2 (1), 23-49. Retrieved 27 May 2008, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1463631022000005016

Getting engaged in engineering: Holding on to good students once you’ve found them

  • Nicola Simmons, Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE), University of Waterloo
  • Gord Stubley, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo
  • Jolyn Lee, School of Accounting, University of Waterloo

Failure rates amongst first year engineering students at the University of Waterloo have undergone a noticeable rise from the 2004 post double cohort class and onwards. While other mostly American studies (Acker, Hughes, & Fendley, 2002; Anderson-Rowland, 1996; Felder, 1998; Laing, Robinson, & Johnston, 2005; Santiago, & Einarson, 1998) outlined factors affecting first-year retention/attrition rates, our results add an Ontario context to this literature.

In this session we will present findings from our study investigating factors affecting Waterloo engineering student retention and success. While the context is engineering, the discussion is expected to shed light on some generic characteristics of student success: personal factors of student success; the importance of programme supports, both academic and extracurricular; and secondary school preparation. Further, we will explore suggested supports to assist in mitigating challenges to student retention and success. Ultimately, we will consider implications for future research in this area.

Acker, J. C., Hughes, W., & Findley, W. R. (2002). Implementing a recursive retention assessment system for engineering programs. Paper presented at AIR conference, Toronto, Ontario. Downloaded on October 19, 2007 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1a/c4/c4.pdf
Anderson-Rowland, M. R. (1996). A first year engineering student survey to assist recruitment and retention. Proceedings, Frontiers in Education Conference. Salt Lake City, UT. Downloaded on October 19, 2007 from http://fie.engrng.pitt.edu/fie96/papers/182.pdf

Felder, R. M., Felder, G. N., & Dietz, E. J. (1998). A longitudinal study of engineering student performance and retention versus comparisons with traditionally-taught students. Journal of Engineering Education, 87(4), 469-480. Also available at: www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Papers/long5.html

Laing, C., Robinson, A., & Johnston, V. (2005). Managing the transition into higher education. Active Learning in Higher Education, 6(3), 243-255.

Santiago, A. M., & Einarson, M. K. (1998). Background characteristics as predictors of academic self-confidence and academic self-efficacy among graduate science students and engineering students. Research in Higher Education, 39(2), 163-198.

Technology education and middle school teaching in Ontario

  • Christine Moresoli, Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo (presenter)
  • Chantal Guillemette, Faculty of Education, Université de Sherbrooke
  • Bernard Marcos, Chemical Engineering Department, Université de Sherbrooke
  • Abdelkrim Hasni, Faculty of Education, Université de Sherbrooke

The importance of technology education has increased over the years. In Canada, technology education is diverse (Gradwell & Welch, 2003). Ontario has adopted a combined science and technology curriculum. In spite of the prevalence of technology in today’s society, limited research has examined technology education in Canada (Gradwell & Welch, 2003). Also, a common misconception still exists that technology education is limited to computers (Baker et al, 2007).

The purpose of our work is to examine how technology is defined in the Grade 7 and Grade 8 Ontario Science and Technology Curriculum; to see how the teaching of technology relates to the design process and university engineering programs and to develop real problems for the teaching of technology in the classroom.
We will use a problem based learning activity developed by undergraduate engineering students with science and technology teachers of the Waterloo region to illustrate the teaching of technology and the design process.

Baker, D., Yasar-Purzer, S., Robinson Kurpius, S., Krause, S., & Roberts, C. (2007). Infusing design, engineering and technology into K-12 teachers' practice. International Journal of Engineering Education, 23(5), 884-893.

Gradwell, J., & Welch, M., (2003). Technology Education in Canada: A Mosaic. Canadian Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 3(1), 17-35.

Research in an interdisciplinary context: A consultancy model of research

  • Catherine Schryer, Department of English Language and Literature, University of Waterloo
  • Marlee Spafford, School of Optometry, University of Waterloo

Of interest to higher education researchers, this paper discusses the methodological issues encountered by an interdisciplinary team investigating health care education. Specifically, the paper identifies the interrelation between a theoretical model (based on structuration theory— Bourdieu & Wacquant, 1992) and its methodological implementation in fields such as pediatric medicine, optometry and social work. By including external (to the discipline) and internal accounts of practice, this model allowed the researchers to identify specific educational genres (such as case presentations) and to explore their “hidden curriculum” (Schryer, Lingard, & Spafford, 2005; Spafford, Schryer, Campbell, & Lingard, 2007). The paper concludes with evidence of the knowledge translation processes that have resulted from this collaboration.

Bourdieu, P., & Wacquant, L. (1992). An invitation to reflexive sociology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Schryer, C.F., Lingard, L., & Spafford, M. M. (2005). Techne or artful science and the genre of case presentations in healthcare settings. Communication Monographs, 72(2), 234-260.

Spafford, M.M., Schryer C.F., Campbell, S.L., & Lingard, L. (2007). Towards embracing clinical uncertainty: Lessons from three healthcare fields. Journal of Social Work, 7(2), 155-178.

The Chevruta Initiative: Preliminary findings

  • Daniel Maoz, Jewish Studies program, Department of Religious Studies, University of Waterloo

Chevruta engages pairs of students in discussion about common text to isolate and intensify focus of learning and facilitate personal transformation, investigating to what degree non-traditional adaptation of this study-method transforms thought processes of students who until now have never been introduced to it. It is too early in the data analysis to determine what contributions the research makes to the practice of teaching or to research scholarship, but participants will be introduced to problems encountered in the first stage of the initiative and patterns that appear to provide basis for a moving-scale working hypothesis. The study questions if transformation in learning that is observed can be measured, how confident can we be in to what degree and in what specific ways does this ancient, non-critically analyzed Rabbinic learning method mirror transformative learning among adults according to methodologies developed by the likes of Mezirow (1991), O’Sullivan and Morrell (2002) and Saaverda (1995)?

Mezirow, J. D. (1991). Transformative dimensions of adult learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

O'Sullivan, E.V., Morrell, A., & O’Connor, M. A. (Eds.)(2002). Expanding the boundaries of transformative learning: Essays on theory and praxis. New York: Palgrave Press.

Saavedra, E. R. (1995). Teacher transformation: Creating texts and contexts in study groups. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Arizona, Tucson.

An investigation of how the teaching of reading and writing metacognition influences second language writing expertise.

  • Maggie Heeney, Ontario Institute of Studies in Education at the University of Toronto

This paper presentation investigates how the teaching of metacognition in an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) writing course at a Canadian university occurs and relates to students’ engagement in comparable course writing tasks. Reading and writing metacognition can be understood as knowing about the skills’ functions and purposes while being able to monitor and construct one’s own meaning making (Pressley & Afflerbach, 1995; Grabe & Kaplan, 1996). These interconnected skills reciprocally support proficiency development (Hirvela, 2004), which may be enhanced by directly teaching metacognitive awareness raising strategies (Wenden, 1998). Observations and interviews investigate teaching while retrospective think-alouds, questionnaires and interviews explore five focal students’ perceived metacognitive awareness when writing. The results of this study indicate explicit teacher task modeling facilitates learner task awareness when writing thereby giving insights to researchers and educators as to the importance of the relationship between actively teaching metacognition and how learners’ problem-solve or apply learning.

Grabe, W., & Kaplan, R. (1996). Theory and practice of writing. Harlow, U.K.: Addison Wesley Longman.

Hirvela, A. (2004). Connecting reading and writing in second language writing instruction. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Pressley, M., & Afflerbach, P. (1995). Verbal protocols of reading: The nature of constructively responsive reading. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Wenden, A. (1998). Metacognitive knowledge and language learning. Applied Linguistics, 19(4), 515-537.

Task-based teaching in a technology-rich environment

  • Mathias Schulze, Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies, University of Waterloo

This paper discusses the learning design and the learning objects which were developed and implemented for an intermediate, university-level German language course in a technology-rich classroom. In this project, we studied the development and implementation of group-oriented and task-based learning designs (Bygate et al., 2001; Skehan, 1998) in a technology-rich language learning environment (e.g., tablet PCs, wireless network). The goals of the project were: to implement task-based learning designs for small groups Edwards & Willis, 2005), to record a wealth of learner data, and to investigate the nature of learning processes in such an environment (Lantolf & Thorne, 2006). In this paper, I am going to focus on role technology played in this task-based group work design (Ellis, 2005) and how students perceived it. A mixed-method research design (including quantitative analysis of questionnaire data and a qualitative textual analysis of student writing and interviews) provided us with insight into patterns of student perception and use.

Bygate, M., Skehan, P., & Swain, M. (2001). Researching pedagogic tasks: Second language learning, teaching and testing. Harlow: Pearson Education.

Edwards, C., & Willis, J. R. (2005). Teachers exploring tasks in English language teaching. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire , New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Ellis, R. (Ed.)(2005). Planning and task performance in a second language. Philadelphia: John Benjamins Pub. Co.

Lantolf, J. P., & Thorne, S. L. (2006). Sociocultural theory and the genesis of second language development. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press.

Skehan, P. (1998). A cognitive approach to language learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Combining human tutors with a computer quizzing system to improve tutorial delivery

  • Gregory Niestrawski, Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo
  • Carol Hulls, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo

A pilot project involving a computer based approach to tutorial delivery was undertaken in first year engineering for an introductory circuits course starting in January 2008. The project was then extended to include introductory programming. In a tutorial session, the Maple teaching assistant (TA) system is used to present a series of exercises that the students are asked to complete. The computer handles the routine tasks of presenting the questions and grading them, similar to Griffin (2006) and Hulls (2005). In this approach though, a group of TAs is available in the tutorial for students to engage for clarification or explanation of the material. The approach has been enthusiastically received by students and instructors. This presentation will reflect on the effectiveness of this approach as indicated by student surveys and instructor interviews, highlight the successes, and discuss the challenges encountered. Success is measured qualitatively based on surveys and interviews, and quantitatively with the data available from the courses and Maple TA.

Griffin, F., & Gudlaugsdottir, S. (2006). Using online randomised quizzes to boost student performance in mathematics and operations research. 7th International Conference on Information Technology Based Higher Education and Training, July, pp. 481-489.

Hulls, C. C. W., Neale, A. J., Komalo, B. N., Petrov, V., & Brush, D. J. (2005). Interactive online tutorial assistance for a first programming course. IEEE Transactions on Education, Special Issue on Web-based Instruction, 48(4), 719-728.

Supporting students with disabilities studying at a distance

  • Veronica Brown, Professional Development Program, University of Waterloo

Distance education can provide many students with disabilities with the flexible, accessible learning environment they need to achieve success at the post-secondary level (Paist, 1995). It is not without barriers, however, and modifications to course delivery that assist one student might create a barrier for another. Disability support services are provided at most Canadian institutions to help students with disabilities overcome these barriers (Fichten et al., 2003). Research was conducted to explore students with disabilities’ experience with disability-specific support services, including their choices related to disclosure, participation in services, and the impact of their disability on their studies (Brown, 2008). This presentation will highlight the benefits and challenges of studying at a distance for students with disabilities, their choice not to participate in formal disability support services, distance education’s contribution to enable students to support themselves, and provide suggestions of areas for future research.

Brown, V.M. (2008). Experience with support services of graduate students with disabilities studying at a distance: A Case study. (Master’s thesis, Athabasca University, 2008). Retrieved from http://library.athabascau.ca/drr/download.php?filename=MDE/VeronicaBrownThesis.pdf).

Fichten, C. S., Asuncion, J. V., Barile, M., Robillard, C., Fossey, M. E. & Lamb, D. (2003). Canadian post-secondary students with disabilities: Where are they? Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 33(3), 71-114.

Paist, E. (1995). Serving students with disabilities in distance education programs. American Journal of Distance Education, 9(1), 61-70.

Experimenting with technology in the public speaking class

  • Robert Price, Media Studies Program, University of Guelph-Humber

In the public speaking class, video and Web technologies allow teachers to do as Neil Postman (1969) advised—that is, to make the students the subject matter of the class. By recording students delivering speeches, the students become the texts of the class and the subject of our analyses. And as the texts and the subject of the class’s analysis, students open up to a less critical, more productive style of evaluating communications. In this kind of classroom, the teacher must develop skills to lead a dynamic, sometimes anxious workshop environment. In a 25 minute paper presentation, participants will learn how technology in the public speaking class builds speaking skills, amplifies fears of public speaking and positions students in the centre of the class. Researchers interested in discussing how technologies enable student-centred curricula are encouraged to attend.

Postman, N., & Weingartner, C. (1969). Teaching as a Subversive Activity. New York: Delacourte Press.

Is resistance futile? Designing the humanities curriculum in the 21st century

  • James M. Skidmore, University of Waterloo

The debate about humanities education continues (Bugeja, 2009; Bunge, 2008; Cohen, 2009; Coté & Allahar, 2007; Jackson et al., 2006; Musgrove, 2009; Redden, 2009). Should university humanities programs educate students for jobs or focus on their disciplines, leaving practical career preparation to others? Any useful discussion of humanities curriculum design is challenged by this question.

After outlining the public face of this debate, this presentation will examine the humanities curriculum at the University of Waterloo and its relationship to the broader issue. This abbreviated case study will establish a ‘real-world’ context for the theoretical debate. Attendees will learn that research into the role of university curricular processes in program development is necessary; without it, a realistic understanding of both the potential for change in humanities curricula and the possible impact of curricular change on pedagogic practice cannot be attained.

The presentation will conclude with a discussion about how university humanities education might best serve twenty-first-century Canadian society.

Bugeja, M. (2008). How to fight the high cost of curricular glut. Chronicle of Higher Education. February 1.

Bunge, N. (2008) Assign books and students will read. Chronicle of Higher Education, October 17.

Cohen, P. (2009) In tough times, the humanities must justify their worth. New York Times, February 24.

Côté, J. E., & Allahar, A. L. (2007). Ivory tower blues: A university system in crisis. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Jackson, N., et al., (Eds.)(2009). Developing creativity in higher education. New York: Routledge.

Musgrove, L. (2009, January 15). iCranky. Inside Higher Ed, January 15.

Redden, E. (2009). Mapping student learning with precision. Inside Higher Ed, January 15.

Technology for teaching and learning: Moodle as a tool for participation and performance

  • Shaunda Wood, Education, St. Thomas University

Educational Psychology classes currently emphasize and model constructivist teaching practices in addition to integrating the notion of connectivity and Web 2.0 into educational theory (Prensky, 2001; Tapscott, 2009; Vygotsky, 1978). How can a program of learning be assisted with structuring the delivery and organization of knowledge?

This study examines ‘Moodle’ as a technological tool to further enhance participation and performance in addition to the regularly used ‘semiotic tools’ and social-dialogical activities found in a teacher education program (Koper & Tattersall, 2005; Wells, 1999).

The main research questions that guided this study are:
1. To what extent are teacher education students Web 2.0 learners; users or adapters?
2. How effective is Moodle as way to structure a course?

The findings of this study are applicable to multiple disciplines and will illustrate how these technologies are compatible with learning styles in higher education as well as providing a framework for further research.

Koper, R. & Tattersall, C. (2005). (Eds.) Learning design: A handbook on modeling and delivering networked education and training. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9 (5), 1-6.

Tapscott, D. (2009). Grown up digital. Toronto, ON: McGraw-Hill.

Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society. The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Wells, G. (1999). Dialogic inquiry: Toward a sociocultural practice and theory of education. NY: Cambridge University Press.

Evaluating the effect of contrasting visual presentation styles on student comprehension, confidence, and interest.

  • Eric Durrant, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University
  • Christopher Teeter, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University

Slideshow presentations are widely used as a visual aid in modern university classrooms, and the advent of online lectures provides an expanded use for this medium. Although such instructional multimedia tools have pedagogical utility (Chandler, 2009), best practice methods must be tested scientifically. We presented subjects with a sample science-based lecture using three contrasting slideshow templates: (1) text heavy notes; (2) summary notes combined with appealing visuals; and (3) a rapid-visual presentation, consisting of several hundred minimalist slides (single word or image), each presented briefly. We will present data demonstrating that both comprehension and self-confidence in comprehension, as measured by a test and questionnaire, were significantly higher for individuals viewing the rapid-visual presentation (3). Our session will promote the scientific study of effective presentation techniques, and will encourage attendees to consider how the development of their own presentations can be improved and adapted to specific audiences or subject areas.

Chandler, P. (2009). Dynamic visualisations and hypermedia: Beyond the "wow" fact. Computers in Human Behavior, 25, 389-392.

Evaluating the use of ‘none of the above’ in multiple choice testing

  • Matthew Pachai, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University
  • Yvonne Chen, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University

Recently, a number of guidelines have been published for the creation of multiple choice test items (Frey et al., 2005; Haladyna & Downing, 1989; Haladyna et al., 2002). However, little has been done to empirically examine the justification for these rules (Frey et al., 2005). One particular source of controversy has been ‘none of the above’ (NOTA), which 48% of authors believe should not be used (Haladyna et al., 2002). To resolve this issue, we systematically varied a subset of questions on our Introductory Psychology examinations such that NOTA was not present, was the correct answer, or replaced a distractor on different versions of the test. We find that when NOTA is used as the correct answer, question difficulty increases compared to controls. In this session, we will discuss the implications of our data for the creation of multiple choice questions in any classroom and the implications for research in this area.

Frey, B. B., Petersen, S., Edwards, L. M., Teramoto Pedrotti, J., & Peyton, V. (2005). Item-Writing Rules: Collective Wisdom. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21, 357-364

Haladyna, T. M., & Downing, S. M. (1989). A taxonomy of multiple-choice item-writing rules. Applied Measurement in Education, 2, 37–50

Haladyna, T. M., Downing, S. M., & Rodriguez, M. C. (2002). A review of Multiple-Choice Item Writing Guidelines for Classroom Assessment. Applied Measurement in Education, 15(3), 309-334

Information literate students: Faculty and librarians collaborate on a shared commitment

  • Anne Fullerton, Biology & Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo
  • Kathy MacDonald, Optometry Librarian, University of Waterloo

Students assigned a paper arrive at our Information desks unsure how to start or because Google and Wikipedia have failed them. An information literate student selects appropriate information sources, understands the structure or purpose of different sources, critically evaluates and uses the retrieved information ethically. When information literacy (IL) is an integral part of the educational process rather than an incidental training issue, student writing and academic integrity improve.

Drawing from current research, we present examples of successful collaborations between faculty and librarians who have embedded IL into the curriculum (vertically and horizontally) and highlight what factors have enabled these collaborations (McGuiness,2007; Webber & Johnston, 2006; Ryce & Dodson, 2007). We describe IL at Waterloo and highlight a Waterloo librarian-faculty collaboration in 3rd year Optometry which uses the evidence-based practice model of IL (Straus et al., 2005). Participants will apply the model to IL in their own discipline and discuss how Waterloo could become an Information Literate University.

McGuinness, C. (2007). Exploring strategies for integrated information literacy: from academic champions to institution-wide change. Communications in Information Literacy, 1(1), 26-38.

Webber, S., & Johnston, B. (2006). Working towards the information literate university. In G. Walton & A. Pope (Eds.) Information literacy: recognising the need (pp. 47-58). Oxford: Chandos.

Ryce, A., & Dodson, S. (2007). A partnership in teaching evidence-based medicine to interns at the University of Washington Medical Center. Journal of the Medical Librarian Association 95(3), 283-286.

Straus, S.E., Richardson, W.S., Glasziou, P., & Haynes, R.B. (2005). Evidence-based medicine: How to practice and teach EBM. (3rd ed.) Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

Student pre and post understanding of control systems concepts

  • Michele Heng, Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo
  • Gordon Stubley, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo
  • Kaan Erkorkmaz, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo
  • Jan Huissoon, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo
  • Bill Owen, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo
  • Steven Waslander, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo

The use of concept inventories as diagnostic tests of conceptual understanding of foundation science and engineering is well established (Halloun & Hestenes, 1985; Hestenes, Wells, & Swackhamer, 1992; Wage, Buck, Welch, & Wright, 2000). Control system theory is an advanced engineering subject involving analysis and design of systems like automobile cruise control systems. Two learning challenges in this advanced subject not faced by students in foundation courses are the uses of interdisciplinary background knowledge and abstract analysis techniques. Focus on these challenges often masks teaching and learning of the underlying conceptual framework. This study addresses the development of a diagnostic test, administrable pre and post learning, to measure student understanding of fundamental control system concepts. Progress on the test development based on trial runs, student interviews, and correlation with traditional measures of understanding will be reported in this presentation.

Halloun, I. A., & Hestenes, D. (1985). The initial knowledge state of college physics students, American Journal of Physics, 53, 1043-1056.

Hestenes, D., Wells, M., & Swackhamer, G. (1992). Force Concept Inventory, The Physics Teacher, 30, 141-158.

Wage, K.E., Buck, J.R., Welch, T.B., & Wright, C.H.G. (2000). Testing and validation of the signals and systems concept inventory. Proceedings of the lEEE Signal Processing Education Workshop, Pine Mountain, GA.

Grade inflation at the University of Waterloo

  • Gregory Mayer, Department of Applied Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics, University of Waterloo

I have recently shown that, on average, undergraduate grades in all academic faculties at the University of Waterloo have significantly increased from 1988/89 to 2006/07 (Mayer, 2008; Mayer, 2009). My session objectives are to 1) describe where and how much grade inflation (GI) occurred at Waterloo, 2) describe possible sources of GI based on grading practices at Waterloo (Faculty Association of Waterloo, 2009; Miller & Goyder, 2000), 3) discuss the purpose of grading and how it may have changed at Waterloo over the past twenty years, 4) discuss the impact of GI at Waterloo, and 5) discuss fixed grading distributions (Côté & Allahar, 2007; Kamber, 2008)and other solutions that have been proposed in the GI literature. While it seems likely that grades will continue to rise in many academic departments at Waterloo in the future, I hope that this talk will increase awareness and generate discussion on the problems associated with this controversial subject.

Côté, J., & Allahar, A. (2007). Ivory tower blues. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo Forum. E.

Vrscay (Ed.), see issues 104, 105, 106, 111, 112, 113, and 116, at http://www.uwfacass.uwaterloo.ca

Kamber, R (2008). Combating grade inflation: Obstacles and opportunities. In L Hunt (Ed.) Grade inflation, academic standards in higher education, (Chapter 9). New York: State University of New York Press.

Mayer, G. (2008, December). Grade inflation at the University of Waterloo. FAUW Forum, Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo, 140, 7-10.

Mayer, G. (2009). Does grade inflation affect how students choose their courses? Centre for Teaching Excellence Blog (http://cte-blog.uwaterloo.ca/), post for Tuesday, January 27 2009.

Miller, S., & Goyder, J. (2000). The eroding standards issue: A case study from the University of Waterloo. CJHE, 30(3).

Designing supports for student engagement

  • Debra Langan, York University
  • Ron Sheese, York University

We have been involved for several years in a participatory action research project to develop and evaluate “constructive teaching and learning strategies” (see Langan, Sheese, & Davidson, 2009). We develop strategies aligned with our commitment to five principles: deep learning, reflexivity, engagement, caring and collaboration. Our session focuses on our implementation of supports to enhance student engagement with course curricula in the context of two full-year courses at York University. Debra incorporated experiential education projects with not-for-profit community organizations. Ron recruited former students from his first-year Introductory Psychology course to return as discussion facilitators for the same course in a subsequent term. The audience will engage with us in a discussion of strategies they would like to develop, with respect to the five guiding principles. The session will highlight the importance of this kind of research for engaging students with the course material, each other, and the professor.

Langan, D., Sheese, R., & Davidson, D. (in press). Beginning with values: Constructive teaching and learning in action. In J. Mezirow & E. Taylor (Eds.).Transformative Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

We thank the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the York University Faculty of Arts, and the York University Faculty Association for their generous support of our research.

50 Minute sessions

Teaching and learning strategies for increased understanding: Promoting active engagement with assigned readings.

  • Susan E. Elliott-Johns, Faculty of Education, Nipissing University

Many college and university students still need guidance in comprehending assigned texts (Nist & Simpson, 2000). Teacher education candidates (TECs) need to acquire and develop knowledge and practices to become effective teachers (Darling-Hammond, 1996). TECs also need to develop knowledge and understanding of comprehension strategies in order to assist children and adolescents they will ultimately be teaching to read and understand print texts (L’Allier & Elish-Piper, 2007; Pressley, 2002; Keene, 2008).

An initial inquiry into ways to increase active student engagement with assigned readings led to redesign of course content, in-class activities, and required course assignments. Preliminary findings of ‘research in process’ with a number of teaching/learning strategies the presenter currently utilizes in literacy education classes with pre-service teachers will be presented and discussed. Participants will work in small groups to better understand specific strategies ‘in-action’, and discuss how research might also inform teaching and learning across all disciplines.

Darling-Hammond, L. (1996). What matters most: A competent teacher for every child. Phi Delta Kappan, 78, 193-200.

L’Allier, S. K., & Elish-Piper, L. ( 2007). “Walking the walk” with teacher education candidates: Strategies for promoting active engagement with assigned readings. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(5), 338-353.

Keene Oliver, E. (2008). To understand: New horizons in reading comprehension. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Neufeld, P. (2005). Comprehension instruction in content area classes. The Reading Teacher, 59(4), 302-312.

Nist, S.L., & Simpson, M.I. (2000). College studying. In M.L. Kamil, P.B. Mosenthal, P.D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading research (Vol. 3, pp. 646-666). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Pressley, M. (2002). Reading instruction that works: The case for balanced teaching (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford.

The scholarship of teaching and learning and measures of student engagement

  • Allen Pearson, Faculty of Education, University of Western Ontario
  • Ken N. Meadows, Teaching and Learning Services, University of Western Ontario

The involvement of universities in standardized measures of student engagement may present special and interesting challenges for researchers pursuing the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) (see, e.g., Kuh, Nelson Laird & Umbach, 2004). In our interactive session we will argue that the involvement of universities in the National Study of Student Engagement (NSSE) will ultimately have a direct and positive impact on SoTL. As NSSE results become a performance indicator for institutions, there will be increased institutional efforts in research on teaching. We will also investigate how, and to what extent, NSSE and CLSSE results can be used in SoTL. Through the use of case studies, participants will work to design research questions and procedures that seek to answer questions about SoTL and the use of measures of student engagement in SoTL.

Kuh, G.D., Nelson Laird, T.F. & Umbach, P.D. (2004). Aligning Faculty Activities. Liberal Education, 90, 25-31.

Findings from a cross-disciplinary canadian study of practicum/clinical programs across the professions: New directions

  • Edwin G. Ralph, Professor, College of Education, University of Saskatchewan

The importance of the practical/clinical component of professional training requires that professional-education institutions explore how to optimally deliver the practicum phase of their programs. The presenter will synthesize an interdisciplinary, three-year, pan-Canadian SSHRC study investigating the role of the clinical/practical phase of pre-service preparation of professionals (Ralph, Walker, & Wimmer, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c). Attendees will compare their own perspectives and related research-findings regarding their particular practicum programs with the results derived from this study. The session is designed for educators from all disciplines interested in applying research to enhancing the practicum/clinical component of professional undergraduate preparation.

By means of dyads/triads and whole-group participation, the presenter will facilitate participants’ input in thinking about their own practicum research in the light of this SSHRC-study. By the end of the session, participants will gain valuable inter-disciplinary insights regarding current research on practicum/clinical education and future practicum innovations.

Ralph, E., Walker, K., & Wimmer, R. (2008a). Clinical and practicum education in the professions: The student voice. In A. Wright, S. Murray, & M. Wilson (Eds.), Collection of Essays on Learning and Teaching, Vol. 1 (CELT, pp. 55-60). Hamilton, ON: Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.

Ralph, E., Walker, K., & Wimmer, R. (2008b). The clinical/practicum experience in professional preparation: preliminary findings. McGill Journal of Education, 43(2), 157-172.

Ralph, E., Walker, K., & Wimmer, R. (2008c). The pre-service practicum: Perspectives of students from three disciplines. Higher Education Perspectives, 4(1) [21 pp.].

Narratives of diversity: A multidimensional approach to teaching international students

  • Leora Freedman, English Language Learning Project, University of Toronto

This interactive session will begin with a self-reflective, private questionnaire that focuses participants’ attention on understanding their own attitudes toward language learning. Following this, participants will read a series of original narratives that portray the complexities of international students’ attempts to cope with the multiplicity of demands in academic work. In small groups, participants will discuss these narratives, which raise the dilemmas of grading (Ferris, 2006); cultural differences between instructors and international students (Matsuda & Cox, 2004; Zamel, 2004); and the need to take a “multidimensional” approach to language learning so that students’ curricular learning is deepened through co-curricular and extra-curricular activities (Khoo, 2007). The use of “fictional” narratives helps participants to gain insight into the need to transform current models of curricular learning and the importance of further research into teaching “discourses” (Chanock, 2004; Kutz, 2004). A brief overview of the new English Language Learning Project at the University of Toronto will conclude the session.

Chanock, K. (2004). Identifying the 'academic purposes' in writing across the curriculum. WAC Journal, 15, 19-32.

Ferris, D. (2006). Does error feedback help student writers? New evidence on the short and long-term effects of written error correction. In K. Hyland & F. Hyland (Eds.), Feedback in second language writing: Contexts and issues (pp. 81-104). Cambridge University Press.

Khoo, E. (2007). Beating the odds: Success stories of students overcoming English language challenges. (Booklet). University of Toronto Scarborough, The Writing Centre, Teaching and Learning Services.

Kutz, E. (2004). From outsider to insider: Studying academic discourse communities across the curriculum. In V. Zamel & R. Spack (Eds.), Crossing the curriculum: Multilingual learners in college classrooms, (pp. 76-93). Mahwah, New Jersey: Earlbaum.

Matsuda, P.K., & Cox, M. (2004). Reading an ESL writer’s text. In S. Bruce and B. Rafoth (Eds.), ESL writers: A guide for writing centre tutors (pp.39-47). Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/ Cook.

Zamel, V. (2004). Strangers in academia: The experiences of faculty and ESOL students across the curriculum. In V. Zamel & R. Spack (Eds.), Crossing the curriculum: Multilingual learners in college classrooms (pp.3-37). Mahwah, New Jersey: Earlbaum.

Teaching and researching peer editing groups

  • John Currie, Professional Writing and Communication, University of Toronto at Mississauga
  • Robert Price, Professional Writing and Communications, University of Toronto at Mississauga

Students in our undergraduate writing classes meet face to face outside of class in groups of three to four. They read work aloud, provide and evaluate feedback, and amend their drafts. Our students come to care about their writing and see themselves as editors. We teach Elbow’s (1998) approach to giving Reader-based feedback.

A peer editing group’s success can be measured not only by looking at writing improvement, but by monitoring the quality of the group experience and the quality of our own modeling.

This 50-minute interactive team-led session invites researchers of student engagement, writing pedagogy and narrative, among others, to begin the session by participating in a simulated peer editing workshop. The seminar’s overall objectives are to present and discuss methodologies for researching peer editing activity in multidisciplinary settings. Approaches by Topping (2001) and others will be included.

Elbow, P. (1998). Feedback. In Writing with power: Techniques for mastering the writing process (pp. 237-277). New York: Oxford University Press.

Topping, K. (2001). Peer assisted learning: A practical guide for teachers. Newton: Brookline Books.

Engaging and motivating students in large classes with “clickers”

  • Lori A. Jones, Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph

Students entering their first-year of university face large classroom environments. How can we effectively use technology to enhance the learning environment and student learning in classes of 300 or more students? Mounting evidence indicates that methods that actively engage students result in substantial gains in learning over traditional lectures (Hake, 1998). With the availability of classroom response systems (i.e., “clickers”), instructors are provided with a tool to sample the thinking of all students, at any time, within large classes (Duncan, 2005; Broida, 2007). This session will engage participants in a demonstration of the use of a classroom response system, present survey data on students’ perceptions regarding clickers and draw correlations between student participation data and grades. Participants will develop ideas on how to effectively use a student response system in their classroom as well as realize the potential of clicker data for classroom research.

Broida, J. (2007). Classroom Use of a Classroom Response System: What Clickers Can Do For Your Student. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hill.

Duncan, D.K. (2005). Clickers in the Classroom: How to Enhance Science Teaching Using Classroom Response Systems. San Francisco: Pearson-Addison Wesley; Pearson-Benjamin Cummings.

Hake, R.R. (1998). Interactive engagement vs. traditional methods: A six thousand student survey of mechanics test data for introductory physics courses. American Journal of Physics, 66(66), 64-74.

Making connections: reflection as a tool for deep learning

  • Bob Sproule, School of Accounting and Finance, University of Waterloo
  • Tracy Penny Light, Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies and History, St. Jerome’s University
  • Katherine Lithgow, Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE), University of Waterloo

Reflection is the cornerstone of deep learning and also of effective e-portfolio practice (Barrett, 2005; Chen, 2009; Penny Light, 2008; Yancey, 1998). The reflective thinking that students are encouraged to complete to demonstrate their learning is perhaps the most important part of developing one’s e-portfolio. However, what exactly does reflection look like? What evidence is needed to “prove” that students have truly internalized, transferred or had a transformative learning experience? This session outlines four criteria (Rodgers, 2002) for reflection and presents longitudinal evidence from student e-portfolios in the Accounting and Financial Management program to demonstrate how students “make connections” between their learning experiences. These reflections, completed throughout a co-op program, suggest that this ability is developmental and acquired over time. The implications of this for faculty designing learning experiences will be discussed. Participants will have focused time to consider the types of reflective activities which might be suitable for use in their own courses/programs and how best to collect and present evidence of that learning.

Barrett, H. (2005). Researching electronic portfolios and learner engagement: White paper. http://www.electronicportfolios.org/reflect/whitepaper.pdf

Chen, H. L. (2009). Using eportfolios to support lifelong and lifewide Learning. In D. Cambridge et. al (Eds.), Electronic portfolios 2.0: Emergent research on implementation and impact. Stylus.

Penny Light, T. (2008). Making connections: Developing students’ historical thinking with electronic portfolios. Academic Intersections, 2 .

Rodgers, C. (2002). Defining reflection: Another look at John Dewey and reflective thinking. Teachers College Record, 104(4), 842-866.

Yancey, K. (1998). Reflection in the writing classroom. Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah State University Press.

Learning as scholarship: Developing integrative learning in the first year and beyond

  • Tracy Penny Light, Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies and History, St. Jerome’s University
  • Lorna Rourke, Library, St. Jerome’s University
  • Jessica Brunton, Arts, St. Jerome’s University

This session discusses a first-year transition course developed to engage learners and set them up for success at university (Terenzini, 2005; Kuh, 2005). Students became “scholars of learning” (Cambridge, 2008) as they demonstrated effective learning in e-portfolios by integrating their learning experiences to meet course outcomes. The course design framework as well as faculty, librarian and student perspectives will be discussed. Participants will work in small groups to apply the model and research approach to their own contexts. These approaches will be shared and discussed.

Cambridge, B. (2008). Electronic Portfolios and the Scholarship of Learning. Keynote Address to the St. Jerome’s e-portfolio Conference, St. Jerome’s University/University of Waterloo, July.

Kuh, G. D., & Associates (2005). Student Success in College: Creating Conditions that Matter, Washington: Jossey-Bass.

Terenzini, P. et al., (1996). Making the transition to college. In R. J. Menges, M. Weimer and Associates (Eds.), Teaching on Solid Ground: Using Scholarship to Improve Practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

45 Minute roundtables

Fostering a culture of informed teaching practice

  • L.M. Wahl, Applied Mathematics, University of Western Ontario

At the post-secondary level, many of the "best" instructors "treat their teaching as they already teach their own scholarly or artistic creations: as serious and important intellectual and creative work, as an endeavor that benefits ... from dialogues with colleagues and the critique of peers" (Bain, 2004, p.21). In contrast, many faculty members receive little training in teaching, and continue to teach "without ever going beyond insights derived from individual experience" (Weimar, 2006, p. 195). In this roundtable session, we will discuss the impact of informed practice on our teaching, and describe ways in which a culture which expects informed practice might be fostered in our own departments, units or institutions. I will offer some insights gleaned from a "grassroots" pedagogical reading group in my own faculty, and participants may contribute their own experience. Research directions which might deepen our understanding of the factors which encourage or discourage the scholarship of teaching will be discussed.

Bain, K. (2004). What the Best College Teachers Do. Boston: Harvard University Press.
Weimar, M. (2006). Enhancing scholarly work on teaching and learning. San Francisco: Wiley.

Stirring the pot: Studying potentially contentious learning environments

  • Donna Ellis, Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE), University of Waterloo

When faculty members change an instructional method to one that is new or unexpected for students in the context of a given course, one common result is that students resist (Allen, Wedman & Folk, 2001; Keeney-Kennicutt, Gunersel & Simpson, 2008). This resistance can come in various forms, including refusal to participate in class, complaints to department Chairs, and low course evaluation scores (Kearney & Plax, 1992). Faculty members can become defensive, students may become hostile, and you want to study what’s going on and why. If you want to learn about others’ research experiences, join this discussion where we will share possible research designs and consider the dilemmas that may arise when trying to study potentially contentious or uncomfortable environments. Proposed discussion questions include:
How do you study these situations without causing further problems for the course instructor?
How do you unearth the reasons behind the negativity when they may be at the unconscious level?

Allen, G.K., Wedman, J.F., & Folk, L.C. (2001). Looking beyond the valley: A five-year case study of course innovation. Innovative Higher Education, 26 (2), 103-119.

Kearney, P. & Plax, T.G. (1992). Student resistance to control. In V.P. Richmond & J.C. McCroskey (Eds.), Power in the classroom: Communication, control, and concern (pp.85-100). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Keeney-Kennicutt, W., Gunersel, A.B., & Simpson, N. (2008). Overcoming student resistance to a teaching innovation. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 2 (1).

Development of a state-of-the-art patient safety curriculum: From classroom to co-op and vice versa

  • Certina Ho, School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo
  • Vicki Sills, School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo
  • Nancy Waite, School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo
  • Heather Chase, School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo

A group of patient safety experts were brought together to develop a patient safety curricular template that could be applied longitudinally to the School of Pharmacy across the four-year curriculum. In class, students were introduced to the Canadian Patient Safety Institute’s Safety Competencies (http://www.patientsafetyinstitute.ca/uploadedFiles/Safety_Competencies_16Sep08.pdf) on culture, teamwork, communication, risk management, human and environmental factors in patient safety, and the disclosure of adverse events. During co-op, students applied their knowledge and skills in the “real world” and shared reflections on patient safety issues through their e-portfolio reflective exercises and their self-assessments in the Professional Learning Outcome Tracker. Students’ feedback, reflections (Schutte, 2007; Hayward, Blackmer, & Raelin, 2007), and insights together brought forward a valuable resource for curriculum development. This cycle of events, from classroom teaching to students’ activities and reflections during their co-op multi-faceted experiential learning, will subsequently inform/reform the evolving curriculum, not only in patient safety, but also in other disciplines.

Hayward, L., Blackmer, B., & Raelin, J. (2007). Teaching students a process of reflection: a model for increasing practice-based learning outcomes during cooperative education. Journal of Cooperative Education and Internships, 41, 35-47.

Schutte, K. (2007). Journey or destination: a study of experiential education, reflection and cognitive development. Journal of Cooperative Education and Internships, 41, 117-128.

Collaborating across disciplines: Opportunities and ideas

  • Rob Gorbet, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo
  • Vivian Schoner, Centre for Communication Leadership and Social Innovation (CLSI), University of Waterloo

Technology Art Studio is a unique multi-disciplinary collaborative course between Engineering and Fine Arts at the University of Waterloo. Engineering and arts students form interdisciplinary groups and collaborate on technology-mediated sculptures. This creates opportunities for transformational experiences in learning (Mezirow, later Cranton, 2002) that engender new ways of thinking and approaching problems.

I will introduce the course structure and summarize our research to date on using guided student reflection to gauge students' transformative learning experience (Schoner, Gorbet, Taylor, Spencer, 2007), correlation between transformation and grades (Gorbet, Schoner, Spencer, 2008a), and some best practices we believe contribute to a more effective classroom experience (Gorbet, Schoner, Spencer, 2008b). I will then describe future directions for expanding this research, thus far limited to our Arts/Engineering experiment, to other disciplinary contexts. I hope then to engage in a productive discussion about potential research partners doing similar things in other contexts, at Waterloo and elsewhere.

Cranton, P. (2002). Teaching for transformation. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 93, 63-72.

Gorbet, R. B., Schoner, V., & Spencer, G. (2008a). Impact of learning transformation on performance in a cross-disciplinary project-based course. IEEE Frontiers in Education, October 22-25. Saratoga Springs, NY.

Gorbet, R. B., Schoner, V., & Taylor, B. (2008b). Best practices for enabling effective cross-disciplinary learning in interdisciplinary project groups. International Journal of Engineering Education,24(3), 495-508.

Schoner, V., Gorbet, R. B., Taylor, B., & Spencer, G. (2007). Using cross-disciplinary collaboration to encourage transformative learning. IEEE Frontiers in Education, October 10-13, Milwaukee, WI.

Concept mapping: Brickbats & bouquets

  • Josephine MacMurray, Department of Health Studies & Gerontology, University of Waterloo

Concept mapping, used in the context of a before-and-after assessment tool for graduate students’ conceptual understanding of a domain, will be discussed during this roundtable. The author will provide brief background information on an online, case-based course in public health management taught during the winter semester, 2009. Orientation materials, the concept mapping assignment and a marking schema will be shared.

Results of an ex-post survey of participating students and analysis of factors which may influence students’ development of an integrated understanding of a domain will be discussed. While theoretically sound (Novak, 1990; Novak & Cans, 2008), operational issues dominate recent concept mapping literature (for example, Novak & Canas, 2008; Besterfield-Sacre, 2004; Alias & Suradi, 2008) – roundtable participants will exchange ideas on issues such as appropriate use, student engagement and assessment criteria.

Alias, M., & Suradi, A. (2008). Concept mapping: A tool for creating a literature review. Concept Mapping Connecting Educators: Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Concept Mapping, Tallinn, Estonia and Helsinki, Finland.

Besterfield-Sacre, M. (2004). Scoring concept maps: An integrated rubric for assessing engineering education. Journal of Engineering Education, 93(2).

Novak, J. D. (1990). Concept maps and vee diagrams: Two metacognitive tools to facilitate meaningful learning. Instructional Science, 19, 29-52.

Novak, J. D., & Canas, A. J. (2008). The theory underlying concept maps and how to construct and use them. Florida: Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition.

Factors affecting students’ and instructors’ experiences with clickers

  • Nancy J.M. Pearce, Health Studies & Gerontology Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo
  • Glenn Ward, Lecturer, Health Studies & Gerontology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo
  • Katherine Lithgow, Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE), University of Waterloo

During the fall term, instructors in six courses representing a variety of class sizes, disciplines and course levels in Applied Health Sciences introduced clickers into the classroom to engage and/or challenge students. The ‘Clicker Use Survey- Self Evaluation Tool‘ (Pelton & Pelton, 2007) was run in each of these classes. Feedback from both students and instructors indicated that responses to the use of clickers depended upon a number of factors ranging from the way they are used, whether the use impacted grades, how the clickers were integrated into the lecture and the types of questions asked. During this session, we’ll discuss how the incorporation of clickers impacted the instructors as well as the students.

Pelton, F. L., & Pelton, T. (2008). Examining personal practice: A sample self-evaluation of clicker use. In K. McFerrin et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference 2008 (pp. 1078-1083). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

Can technology tame the 3000 strong student body in the virtual hall?

  • Joseph A. Kim, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University
  • Matt Pachai, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University
  • Chris McAllister, Science Media Lab, McMaster University

Instructors teaching large introductory classes face several emerging challenges. Enrollment demands are creating larger classes with students from varying academic backgrounds and learning styles. One solution may involve incorporating technology to create so-called "blended learning environments" that augment traditional course offerings (Chandler, 2009). In this RoundTable session, we will use the McMaster IntroPsych courses as a case study (enrollment up to 3000 students/semester) to discuss the use of several technologies to create online learning tools used in combination with face-to-face instruction. These technologies include a wide variety of commercial software for media production as well as a number of open source web-based software solutions. In particular, we will focus on the benefits (engage materials at a chosen time of convenience through self-paced learning and experience unique opportunities for review via discussion boards and instant chat) and pitfalls (impersonal, decreased face-to-face instructor time) of this strategy.

Chandler, P. (2009). Dynamic visualisations and hypermedia: Beyond the "wow" fact Computers in Human Behavior, 25, 389-392.

On-campus and service learning: Comparing the quality of students' learning experiences in an undergraduate communication course.

  • Diana Denton, Communication, Leadership and Social Innovation, Faculty of Arts, University of Waterloo
  • Vivian Schoner, Communication, Leadership and Social Innovation, Faculty of Arts, University of Waterloo
  • Katherine Lithgow, Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE), University of Waterloo

During the winter 2008 term, students in an upper year Organizational Communications course self selected into two groups; an on-campus (OC) section and a community service-learning (CSL) section. Course materials, requirements and assignments were identical for both groups; the settings in which the learning took place and the interactions the groups had with their instructor and classmates differed. During this session we will present the findings of a mixed-mode study of students’ reflections, and eportfolios using a scoring rubric (see Entwistle & Ramsden, 1983) for aspects of Deep, Strategic and Surface Learning adapted from the work of Britain’s Enhancing Teaching-Learning Environments (ETL) Research Group (Entwistle, 1997; 2003; Marton & Saljo, 1997). The research analysis focused on how setting impacts learning in these categories.

Participants will engage in a roundtable discussion of the findings and how these may be used to enhance the course design to foster knowledge/experience integration, what that might mean to future instructional approaches for the two different groups, and the relative impacts of these on learning.

Entwistle, N.J. (1997). Contrasting perspectives on learning. In F.Marton,D. Hounsell & N.J. Entwistle (Eds). The Experience of Learning (2nd ed.). Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press.

Entwistle, N. & Ramsden, P. (1983). Understanding student learning. London: Croom Helm.

Entwisle, N.J. (2003). Concepts and conceptual frameworks underpinning the ETL project. (ETL Occasional Reports, no. 3). Universities of Edinburgh, Durham and Coventry, ETL Project.

Marton, F., & Saljo, R. (1997). Approaches to learning. In F. Marton, D.J. Hounsell & N.J. Entwistle (Eds.). The experience of learning (2nd Edn.). Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, pp. 39-58.

Exploring teaching assistant and student responses to collaborative models in an undergraduate drama classroom

  • Kim Solga, Department of English, The University of Western Ontario
  • Jen Boman, Department of Psychology, King’s College at The University of Western Ontario
  • Elan Paulson, Department of English, The University of Western Ontario
  • Allison Hargreaves, Department of English, The University of Western Ontario

Educators have identified drama as a useful teaching tool across a wide range of subjects (e.g. Mattevi 2005; Doolittle & Kulig, 1995; Bollag 2005). For example, Edminston (2007) finds that drama activities position students with different learning abilities as capable participants in shared literary practices. Our study explores the effects of faculty/TA team teaching and collaborative activities on student learning and TA development in an undergraduate drama classroom. In this roundtable session, conference participants will learn about the results and methodology of our research on teaching project and be invited to discuss - the challenges and benefits of using reflective journaling as a method for obtaining a richer understanding of student learning; measuring and assessing TA involvement in the classroom; the benefits of keeping a teaching journal to reflect on course events and outcomes and for use as a touchstone for future course design and best teaching practices.

Bollag, B. (2005). Classroom drama. The Chronicle of Higher Education [H.W.Wilson - EDUC], 51(47), A12.

Doolittle, L., & Kulig, J. C. (1995). Lethbridge: Interactive theatre in the nursing classroom. Canadian Theatre Review, (85), 66.

Edmiston, B. (2007). Mission to mars: Using drama to make a more inclusive classroom for literacy learning. Language Arts, 84(4), 337.

Mattevi, Y. (2005). Using drama in the classroom: The educational values of theatre in second language acquisition. (Ph.D., State University of New York at Stony Brook).

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