Thursday, February 15, 2024

The Work-Learn Institute needs your input

A message from the Work-Learn Institute.

Are you supervising Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) students? Help shape the new supervisor training certificate!

Your feedback guides program development, ensuring it meets the needs of WIL student (co-op, internship, placements) supervisors.  Effective supervision is crucial for student success and organizational growth. By participating, you'll have a chance to influence the program and can be entered to win one of four $50 CAD Amazon gift cards!

Your insights are invaluable in fostering effective WIL student supervision practices. Don't miss out on this opportunity to make a difference. Complete the survey now.

Questions? Contact Tina Hobbins.

Grade 10 Info Night set for next Thursday

A message from the Registrar's Office.

Grade 10 students and their supporters are invited to learn more about applying to university and what they can do now to prepare. Our university experts will share information on topics like admissions and finances while current students will share what it was like to go from high school to university. Also sharing advice with these future university students is our keynote speaker, Dr. Christine Barbeau from the Faculty of Environment. 

Grade 10 may seem a little early to be talking to students about their future plans, but they’ll soon be selecting courses for Grade 11, which will greatly influence their pre-requisites for university. This information will be helpful regardless of which universities or programs a student is interested in, and the main event will not focus on Waterloo’s faculties or academic programs, though students looking for this information will be able to connect with campus partners at our information fair or through a live Q&A if watching virtually. 

Presentation: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Humanities Theatre and Virtual Livestream) 
Information fair: 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (In-person only, Hagey Hall Hub)

Grade 10 Info Night (formerly Grade 10 Family Night) takes place on Thursday, February 22. For details and to register, visit the Grade 10 Info Night website. 

Reminder: Board and Senate nominations are open

The Secretariat is reminding faculty and staff that Senate and Board of Governors Nominations are still open, and the University encourages all eligible students, faculty and staff to consider putting their name forward. To appear on the ballot, nominees must provide a brief statement (100 words maximum) along with a completed nomination form. Terms for newly elected Senators and Governors begin May 1, 2024.

• Faculty and grad students interested in becoming a Senator can visit https://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat/nominations-elections.
• Full-time staff members interested in becoming a Governor can visit https://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat/staff-vacancies-board-governors.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email the Secretariat.

Would you let your kid play with a robot? If so, have we got a research study for you!

PhD candidate JaeEun Shin of the Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering department is recruiting participants for a research study entitled “Perceptions of Parents and Children with an Educational Humanoid Robot for Children.”  This study aims to identify insights into children’s interactions with an educational humanoid robot called NAO. Additionally, we are seeking to understand parents’ perceptions of educational robots. 

Children aged between ages 7 to 12 are eligible to take part in this study with a parent. The child participants will interact with a NAO through activities such as storytelling, sign language learning, and tell jokes, and answer questions about their experience and perceptions towards NAO. The parent will observe their child interacting with the robot, then complete a demographics questionnaire, a robot perception questionnaire, and participate in a short followup interview. The study takes around 60 minutes and will take place at the University of Waterloo.  

Location: University of Waterloo, Engineering 5 Building, 3^rd floor E5-3052.

Participants will receive a $25 Amazon gift card (per family) for participating in this study. (This amount includes a $5 parking fee at the Q Lot, University of Waterloo)

If you are interested in the study, please sign up for a study session via Calendly, you will receive an automated confirmation email after you book your session. 

This study has been reviewed and received clearance by the University of Waterloo Research Ethics Board.