Wednesday, January 20, 2021

University announces details for spring term

Instruction will continue to be delivered online in the upcoming spring term, which will start a week later than previously scheduled, according to an announcement circulated yesterday.

"With the winter term underway, leaders have been working to plan what our approach to learning and instruction will be for the spring term," wrote President Feridun Hamdullahpur in a memo circulated to employees. "We are also making some changes to the calendar dates for the spring term." 

Online learning will be the primary mode of instruction 

"All of us might have hoped for a transition to more in-person learning and instruction this spring," President Hamdullahpur writes. "The recent surge in COVID cases in Ontario makes it clear that the virus and our collective efforts to stop the spread need our continued attention posing ongoing difficulties in planning for in-person learning."  

"With this in mind, our plans for the spring term will be in keeping with our current approach. This means that we must prepare for instruction to continue primarily online and in-person in limited situations as the regulations allow. If you have questions about plans for instruction in your faculty or unit, please discuss them with your supervisor." 

Spring term will start one week later than planned 

"We recognize that instructors and students need more time to transition between terms than the current academic calendar allows," President Hamdullahpur writes. "To create more time between terms, the Senate has agreed that the spring term will now start a week later on Monday, May 10, 2021. Classes will end on Thursday, August 5 with exams starting Saturday, August 7 and ending by Monday, August 16 (the original last day of exams)." 

The University's Senate voted to approve the revised calendar dates at its meeting on Monday. More details on the revised academic dates for the term are available online. 

"I know that many of us would prefer to be making plans for a return to in-person activities, wrote the president. "With deep regret, we cannot safely plan for that given what we know about the pandemic today. Please be assured that we are continuing to revise our plans for a safe and staged return to in-person activities as soon as the conditions allow."  

"As always, thank you for everything you are doing to keep this University operating for our students, faculty staff and partners.  Your health and wellbeing is our priority. Please remember to take care of yourselves and each other. If you need support, our Employee and Family Assistance Program is available 24/7 for counselling, coaching and support. We encourage you to access this valuable service by calling 1-800-663-1142 or visiting Homeweb.ca. Wellness Together Canada (1-866-585-0445) is also available to anyone needing support, including friends and family." 

Virtual simulation a game changer for climate science

by Natalie Heldsinger.

A new simulation game delivers an educational experience that sheds light on strategies to fight climate change.

With growing awareness of the devastating impacts of climate change, inspiring hope and highlighting solutions are key to managing the climate crisis.  To help people understand the science, the risks and (most importantly) the solutions, the Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change (IC³) at the University of Waterloo is launching Illuminate.

Illuminate is an educational simulation game where players learn about the impacts of climate change and explore ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and respond to climate risks. IC³ developed Illuminate in partnership with the University of Waterloo’s Games Institute, and a multi-disciplinary team of students, staff and faculty from across campus.

When seeing is believing

“Games can be useful tools for communicating research and enabling people to engage with complex concepts” says Neil Randall, executive director of the Games Institute. “Illuminate was created to help educate players about climate science in a way that is engaging and interactive. In Illuminate, players are presented with real-world issues and have to decide where to direct their efforts. This gaming model, known as “choice-and-consequence,” allows players to learn about the situation they're trying to resolve and provides feedback about their actions through changes in the game’s outcomes.”

In Illuminate, players must complete two missions to finish the game. In mission one, players explore ways to reduce GHG emissions and prevent global temperatures from rising to dangerous levels. Once players have completed mission one, their actions lead them either to a high carbon or low carbon future where they will move on to mission two. In mission two, players visit three types of Canadian communities (coastal, rural and urban) where they are asked to help prepare communities for the impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels, extreme heat and extreme weather. 

Expanding its reach beyond the UWaterloo community, IC³ is launching Illuminate with support from Protect our Winters (POW) Canada and Hot Planets Cool Athletes (HPCA), national organizations that advocate for policy solutions to climate change and focus on educational programing to inspire leadership in the fight against climate change.

Changing the game on climate solutions

IC³ is releasing Illuminate as part of HPCA’s newly developed Climate Educator’s Portal, an educational platform designed to empower teachers across Canada to educate their students about climate change.

Illuminate was designed for Canadian classroom settings to supplement guided lessons and for remote learning independently or with families at home. It also aims to teach players about the impacts of climate change while inspiring hope and motivating Canadians to take action and find effective solutions that will help shape our future.

“Education is an essential part of the global response to climate change” says Daniel Scott, executive director of IC³ and board member of POW Canada. “The University of Waterloo has been a pioneer in climate change higher education and has partnered with Protect Our Winters and their amazing motivational team of athletes to support teachers to increase climate literacy among Canadian youth and empower them to develop future climate change solutions.”

Illuminate and the Climate Educator’s Portal are hoping to reach over 500 schools and 15,000 students across Canada.

IC³ is the focal point for climate change research, training and knowledge mobilization at the University of Waterloo. IC³ facilitates interdisciplinary research and education that empowers business, government and civil society to respond effectively to climate change and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient society.

Graduate diploma offers an interdisciplinary approach to computational and big data methods

This article was originally published on the Faculty of Arts website.

The Department of Economics is proud to introduce a new graduate option, the Graduate Diploma (GDip) in Computational Analytics for the Social Sciences and Humanities (CDASH), offered to current graduate students in a wide range of programs at Waterloo.The diploma offers an interdisciplinary approach to computational and big data methods.

As a type-two diploma, CDASH is available to any graduate student across the university at the master’s or doctorate level to supplement their graduate experience. Courses will have a teams-based learning approach where relevant, which will allow students from different disciplines to collaborate on projects to simulate real-world work.

“With no comparable big data or computational diploma in a faculty of arts within Canada, this diploma offers a unique opportunity for students to enhance their coding, data analysis and visualization skillset using a multi-disciplinary lens,” says Economics and Master of Public Service Professor Anindya Sen. Using a variety of theoretical frameworks rooted in the social sciences and humanities, students will be able to assess the ways in which data collection is used, positioning them well for further educational or industry opportunities in a wide range of sectors.

Professor Sen continues, “We developed the CDASH diploma in response to the growing demand for experts in social sciences and humanities who can critically assess and manage data. Students that are looking to add a refreshing new element to their graduate experience that will equip them with the skills to critically analyze data with state of the art methods and its application in real-world environments should strongly consider working toward the completion of the Graduate Diploma in Computational Analytics for the Social Sciences and Humanities.”

Learn more about the graduate diploma: Graduate Diploma (GDip) in Computational Analytics for the Social Sciences and Humanities

Register to complete the diploma: Registration form for Diploma in Computational Analytics for the Social Sciences and Humanities

Start your warmup now: livestream exercise classes for Waterloo staff coming

UW Fitness, part of CCCARE – Centre for Community, Clinical and Applied Research Excellence, is launching livestream exercise classes to UW staff. Thanks to the Staff Excellence Fund, they are able to offer these programs at a 50 per cent subsidy.

Participants can register for either of the popular Express Home Workout or Bootcamp programs with lunch hour and after work sessions available. Sessions are six weeks long with energizing 30-minute once-weekly livestream workouts delivered over Microsoft Teams. Small group sizes ensure staff are closely monitored during livestream sessions.

6-week sessions will be starting on January 25, March 8 and April 19. Spaces are limited and staff will be registered on a first come, first served basis.

For more information and how to register, visit the website at https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-community-clinical-applied-research-excellence/uw-fitness-services/staff-and-faculty-training.

Wednesday's notes

Warrior Rec Free Programs for Students will run January to February, according to an announcement from Athletics. There is a wide range of free opportunities available to keep students active and healthy including: Fitness Classes (On-Demand), Health and Mindfulness Webinars, Personalized Nutrition Guides, Personal Training Consultations, Small Group Training and Warrior Reset. Register today.

The Healthy Workplace Committee has published its Winter 2021 Newsletter. Topics include:

• #WellnessWednesdays;
• Wellness Workshops for Winter 2021; and
• Advice from Athletics and Recreation about how to stay active during the provincial shutdown.

The Healthy Workplace Committee is also encouraging employees to register for the next Employee Wellness Session: Everyday Accessibility Tools for Everyone.

"Have you ever used an elevator to get to a different floor? How about a power door operator to open a door? Have you ever read a caption to a muted video? Accessibility tools designed for persons with disabilities makes everyone’s lives easier. Join us to learn about other free accessibility tools that can help you balance your work, manage your stress, reduce fatigue, and work more efficiently."

This session, facilitated by Joyce Barlow, workplace accessibility specialist and Ryan Lahti, adaptive educational technologist, is offered through Portal and will take place on Monday, January 25 at 11:00 a.m. The session will focus on software tools for computer work. Please register by January 22.