Mathematics Teaching Seminar

Title: Indigenous Perspectives on Arithmetic (Recording)

Date/Time: November 4, 2025 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM

Speaker's Bio: Edward Doolittle is Kanyen’kehake (Mohawk) from Six Nations in southern Ontario.  He earned a PhD in pure mathematics (partial differential equations) from the University of Toronto in 1997.  From then until 2001 he worked for Queen’s University’s Aboriginal Teacher Education Program, helping to administer the program and teaching Indigenous mathematics education, and from 2000 to 2001 he studied the Mohawk language in immersion with Onkwewenna Kentsyohkwa (Our Language Group) on Six Nations.  From 2001 he has been on the faculty of First Nations University and the University of Regina, currently as Associate Professor of Mathematics and Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Programs.  He is a Fellow of the Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS), a recipient of the Adrien Pouliot Award from the CMS in recognition of significant contributions to mathematics education in Canada, and recipient of a Governor General’s Gold Medal.

Abstract: Arithmetic is a good choice of topic for Indigenizing mathematics because arithmetic is practiced by all human cultures, there is a great deal of documentation of the cultural aspects of arithmetic, and arithmetic is an important topic for pre-service teacher candidates to learn. In this talk, Edward Doolittle, Associate Professor of Mathematics at First Nations University of Canada, will give some examples of how he has integrated arithmetic into his Indigenized MATH 101 Introductory Finite Mathematics I course, which is a requirement for students in the Elementary Education program in the University of Regina system. Edward will show how we can integrate the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual into arithmetic, and will give examples of how Indigenous perspectives enrich our understanding of and the teaching and learning of certain topics in arithmetic.

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Title: Prompting the Professoriate: A Qualitative Study of Instructor Perspectives on LLMs in Data Science Education (Recording)

Date/Time: October 21, 2025 12 PM - 1 PM

Speaker's Bio: Dr. Tiffany Timbers is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Department of Statistics and Instructor in the Master of Data Science program at the University of British Columbia. She holds a PhD in Neuroscience from UBC and completed postdoctoral research in behavioral and neural genomics at Simon Fraser University, as well as a teaching Postdoctoral fellowship in Data Science at UBC. Dr. Timbers is co-author of three open educational resource textbooks, Data Science: A First Introduction (versions in R and Python) and Python Packages, all published through CRC Press. She is an internationally recognized leader in statistics and data science education, known for creating broadly accessible learning environments that welcome students from diverse backgrounds. In 2023, she received the Statistical Society of Canada's Early Career Educator Award for her innovative contributions to data science education.

Abstract: Large Language Models (LLMs) have shifted in just a few years from novelty to ubiquity, raising fundamental questions for data science education. Tasks once used to teach coding, writing, and problem-solving can now be completed by LLMs, forcing educators to reconsider both pedagogy and assessment. To understand how instructors are adapting, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 42 instructors from 33 institutions in 10 countries in June and July 2025. Our qualitative analysis reveals a pragmatic mix of optimism and concern. Many respondents view LLMs as inevitable classroom tools -- comparable to calculators or Wikipedia -- while others worry about de-skilling, misplaced confidence, and uneven integration across institutions. Around 58 per cent have already introduced demonstrations, guided activities, or make extensive use of LLMs in their courses, though most expect change to remain slow and uneven. That said, 31 per cent have not used LLMs to teach students and do not plan to. We highlight some instructional innovations, including AI-aware assessments, reflective use of LLMs as tutors, and course-specific chatbots. By sharing these perspectives, we aim to help data science educators adapt collectively to ensure curricula keep pace with technological change.

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Title: Foster a growth mindset using midterm test corrections for first-year math students (Recording)

Date/Time: October 7, 2025 1 PM - 2 PM

Speaker's Bio: Kelvin Chan is an Assistant Professor (Teaching Stream) in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Western Ontario. He teaches various streams of first-year calculus.

Abstract: Students in transition from high school to university learning often find their old study habits insufficient to achieve their goals in their math courses. Generic advice does not cater to every student's needs. We explore some ways to encourage the development of a study plan for individual students.

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Title: No Partial Marks! (Recording)

Date/Time: September 23, 2025 11 AM - 12 PM

Speaker's Bio: Ehsaan studied at UW for ten years, completing bachelors, masters, and PhD programs in the pure math department. Since 2020 he has served as an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream in the math department at the University of Toronto Mississauga. Currently, he coordinates two weekly Math Circles programs: one for high school students in Mississauga, and another for prisoners incarcerated at the Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton. Ehsaan has two cats and a corgi. He is a nerd about math (obviously), horror movies, guitar, and alternative grading.

Abstract: Fifteen years ago, I was a math student taking MATH 247 at UW: multivariable calculus with proofs. That was where I really began to understand the concept of a polished, crisp, tasty mathematical proof. You know the ones I mean: the proof is not just correct, but actually pleasant to read. Now I teach the same course at UTM, and one of my prime directives is for students to know how to polish up their work and not accept 7/10. Towards this, I use a few ideas from alternating grading that help motivate students and keep them accountable. My goal is to explain how I’ve designed my course, and hopefully this serves as a helpful case study for anyone interested in the same things.

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Title: Math Teaching Seminar Spring Spotlight Series: Henry Shum (AMATH) (Recording)

Date/Time: July 17, 2025 11 AM - 11:30 AM

Speaker: Henry Shum, an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics.

Abstract: This is the final session of our new Spring Spotlight Series – an opportunity to highlight important and interesting teaching work conducted by our colleagues in UW’s Faculty of Mathematics. Each featured faculty member will present a 20-minute look into their work in and out of the classroom. This week we hear from Henry Shum, an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics, who reflects on what he wants students to learn, and how he's adapted over the years.

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Title: Math Teaching Seminar Spring Spotlight Series: Shane Bauman (CEMC) & Blake Madill (PMATH) (Recording)

Date/Time: June 26, 2025, 11 AM - 12 PM

Speaker: Shane Bauman, an Associate Professor (Teaching Stream) in the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing, and Blake Madill, an Associate Professor (Teaching Stream) in Pure Mathematics.

Abstract: Our third meeting of our Spring Spotlight Series – an opportunity to highlight important and interesting teaching work conducted by our colleagues in UW’s Faculty of Mathematics. Each featured faculty member will present a 20-minute look into their work in and out of the classroom. This week we will hear from Shane Bauman, an Associate Professor (Teaching Stream) in the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing, who focuses on community-building, and Blake Madill, an Associate Professor (Teaching Stream) in Pure Mathematics, who talks about mistakes, adapting, and the resulting improvements.

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Title: Math Teaching Seminar Spring Spotlight Series: Jeff Avery (CS) & Eddie Dupont (MUG) (Recording)

Date/Time: June 5, 2025, 11 AM - 12 PM

Speaker: Jeff Avery, an Associate Professor (Teaching Stream) in the Cheriton School of Computer Science, and Eddie Dupont, an Associate Professor (Teaching Stream) in the Mathematics Undergraduate Group.

Abstract: We continue our first Spring Spotlight Series – an opportunity to highlight important and interesting teaching work conducted by our colleagues in UW’s Faculty of Mathematics. Each featured faculty member will present a 20-minute look into their work in and out of the classroom. This week we will hear from Jeff Avery, an Associate Professor (Teaching Stream) in the Cheriton School of Computer Science, who talks about designing a teams-based project course, and Eddie Dupont, an Associate Professor (Teaching Stream) in the Mathematics Undergraduate Group, who discusses numerous strategies used in his courses - ranging from interactives to skeleton notes.

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Title: Math Teaching Seminar Spring Spotlight Series: Peter Balka (SAS) (Recording)

Date/Time: May 15, 2025 2 PM - 2:30 PM

Speaker: Peter Balka, an Associate Professor (Teaching Stream) in the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science.

Abstract: This is the first session of our new Spring Spotlight Series – an opportunity to highlight important and interesting teaching work conducted by our colleagues in UW’s Faculty of Mathematics. Each featured faculty member will present a 20-minute look into their work in and out of the classroom. This week we hear from Peter Balka, an Associate Professor (Teaching Stream) in the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, who focuses on his implementation of two-stage quizzes.

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Title: Practical Tips from UW's AccessAbility Services (Recording)

Date/Time: March 10, 2025 12 PM - 1 PM

Speakers: 

• Zina Bartolotta; Manager, Academic Accommodations
• Katie Damphouse; Manager, Academic Accommodations
• David Vanderhorst; Adaptive Educational Technologist

Abstract: Instructors can often feel overwhelmed with the number of accommodations they receive from students in their courses, especially for large classes. What can we do to make our lives (a little bit) easier when accommodating student needs? Join us to hear practical tips and advice from AAS.

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Title: Creating a Vibrant and Inclusive Community (Recording)

Date/Time: February 24, 2025 12 PM - 1 PM

Speaker's Bio: Dr. Dave Kung has worked in the intersection of mathematics and equity at numerous levels over the last three decades. He currently serves as the Executive Director of Transforming Post-Secondary Education in Mathematics (TPSE-Math). Prior to that, he served as the Director of Policy at the Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin. In this role, Kung led the Launch Years Initiative, working with state teams to modernize math options for students across the high school / higher ed transition – and ensure equitable access and success.

Kung directed MAA Project NExT (New Experiences in Teaching), the math community’s premiere professional development program for early-career professors, from 2014 to 2023. He also works closely with K-12 and higher ed organizations, especially concentrating on equity issues in mathematics. Two Great Courses lecture series, on math/music and mind-bending paradoxes, have engaged audiences around the world. He has authored a variety of articles and books on topics in harmonic analysis and mathematics education. Kung was awarded the Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award, the MAA’s highest award in college math teaching, for his work at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, a public honors college outside Washington, D.C.  He resides there, coaching local high school teachers, as well as playing violin and running–never simultaneously, but sometimes alongside his partner and daughter. 

Abstract: All humans long to be accepted members of a community - including our students. In this interactive workshop, we'll look at success stories - the many ways programs have transformed themselves from being the unwelcoming gatekeepers of the STEM fields, to creating vibrant departments that welcome all students into the STEM community. No matter what you teach, you'll pick up tips and tricks for creating more cohesive (and successful!) classes, departments, and communities.

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Title: Polling Software Experiences in Math (Recording)

Date/Time: February 10, 2025 12 PM - 1 PM

Speakers:

• Eddie Dupont (Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, MUG) 
  • MathMatize in MATH 138 and CS 116
• Eric Bembenek (Instructional Support Coordinator, MUO) 
  • MathMatize in MATH 137
• Judith Koeller (Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, CEMC) 
  • Vevox in MATH 135
• Minzee Kim (Graduate Student, SAS) 
  • Vevox in STAT 202

Abstract: Have you ever considered implementing polling software in your courses? Four members of our community will share their experiences using MathMatize and Vevox polling software. This is a fantastic opportunity to hear, and ask questions, about polling software implementation in math courses that vary in class size and subject matter.

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Title: Grading for Growth: Toward more humane, authentic, and trustworthy ways to evaluate student work (Recording)

Date/Time: January 27, 2025 12 PM - 1 PM

Speaker's Bio: Robert Talbert is a Professor of Mathematics at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from Vanderbilt University. Through over 25 years of being a classroom instructor at small liberal arts colleges and regional public universities, Robert has experimented with and advocated for research-based, student-focused innovation in teaching and learning. He was an early adopter of computer-based learning in mathematics and helped to pioneer the use of flipped instruction at the college level. He turned these experiences into a blog, Casting Out Nines, in 2006 which catalyzed a global online community around instructional innovation. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Robert holds the position of Senior Faculty Fellow for Learning Futures at Grand Valley State, where he works on behalf of the university president to coordinate institution-wide pedagogical innovation projects. He is the author of Flipped Learning: A Guide for Higher Education Faculty and the co-author (with his GVSU colleague Dr. David Clark) of Grading For Growth, and gives keynote addresses and workshops to faculty groups throughout the US and abroad. Robert lives in western Michigan with his wife, teenage children, and three cats.

Abstract: Grading as we know it is significantly broken. The traditional approach involving one-and-done assessment, points, partial credit, and averaging is demotivating for students, demoralizing for faculty, time-consuming, disconnected from science, and of questionable statistical validity. But it is changeable, and in fact there is no better time than now to explore alternatives that prioritize student growth and align better with how humans learn. In this talk, we will explore the history and issues of traditional grading, propose a framework for "alternative" grading practices, and see how to implement alternative grading without massive requirements of time or energy.

Title: Teaching Hysteresis (Recording)

Date/Time: October 22, 2024 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Speaker's Bio: Amenda Chow is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at York University. She obtained her PhD at the University of Waterloo, and her Bachelor's and Master's degrees were completed at the University of Alberta. All of these degrees were in Applied Mathematics. She has been a member of the Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group since 2017, and some of her areas of interest include mathematics education, math-art, hysteresis, dynamical systems and control theory.

Abstract: In this talk, we will explore approaches and examples of teaching advanced mathematical concepts at an introductory level. The example I will present is a phenomenon known as hysteresis. I will explain what this is and some of the approaches I have taken to teach hysteresis to a general audience.  After this, I hope those in attendance at the talk will share their own examples and approaches for teaching complex mathematical concepts in an understandable and introductory way.

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Title: Teach Them How to Learn (Recording)

Date/Time: October 8, 2024 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Speaker's Bio: Dan Wolczuk, a distinguished instructor and education researcher within the University of Waterloo's Faculty of Mathematics, is know for his commitment to enhancing students' learning skills and his innovative, evidence-based teaching methods. In 2022, he was honored with the prestigious Excellence in Teaching Award from the Canadian Mathematical Society in recognition of his exemplary contributions to mathematics education in Canada.

Abstract: The standard recommendation is that students should spend two to three hours studying on their own for every hour of class time. Given that our contact time with students accounts for at most one-third of their total learning time, how they choose to study independently will ultimately have a much greater impact than anything we can achieve during class. In this presentation, I will explore the benefits and transformative impact of teaching students how to learn. As I like to say: “Teach students content, and they succeed for a day; teach them how to learn, and they succeed for a lifetime.”

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Title: Statistics in the Age of Data Science: Insights from an Introductory Course at Duke University (Recording)

Date/Time: September 23, 2024 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Speaker's Bio: Mine is a Professor of the Practice and the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the Department of Statistical Science and an affiliated faculty in the Computational Media, Arts, and Cultures program at Duke University. Mine’s work focuses on innovation in statistics and data science pedagogy, with an emphasis on computing, reproducible research, student-centered learning, and open-source education. Mine works on integrating computation into the undergraduate statistics curriculum, using reproducible research methodologies and analysis of real and complex datasets. For more information about Mine, please check out Mine's website.

Abstract: In the age of data science, traditional statistical methods are crucial, but they are increasingly combined with computational tools and predictive modeling techniques. This talk highlights Duke University's large introductory data science course, which provides students with a strong foundation in exploratory data analysis encompassing data importing, visualization, transformation, and summarization, as well as statistical inference and descriptive and predictive modeling techniques using the R programming language. The course emphasizes real-world applications, ethical considerations, and the importance of reproducibility in data analysis. By integrating classical statistical theory with modern computational approaches, the course equips students to succeed in a data-driven world. We will share the pedagogical strategies, challenges, and successes in preparing students for careers in data science.

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Title:  Panel Discussion on Teaching Excellence in Mathematics (Recording)

Date/time: May 26, 2024 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

A hybrid panel on Teaching Excellence in Mathematics at the University of Waterloo. Our panelists will answer questions related to teaching mathematics based on three perspectives: the past (How far have we come?), present (Where are we currently?), and future (Where do we hope to go?). Please feel free to submit any questions you have in advance of the event or to come prepared with them. We hope to see you there!

Panelists include:

• Alfred Menezes
• Diana Skrzydlo
• Zack Cramer

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Title: Managing Large Classes - Instructional Support Coordinator's Lens (Recording)

Date/time: March 26, 2024 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Abstract: In the realm of mathematics education, managing large classes presents unique challenges that demand innovative instructional strategies and effective support structures. This seminar delves into the multifaceted role of instructional support coordinators (ISCs) in navigating the complexities of large-class environments. Drawing upon their insights and experiences, this seminar explores a range of practical approaches and pedagogical techniques aimed at fostering student engagement, promoting conceptual understanding, and ensuring equitable learning outcomes.

Our guest speakers include:

• Karen Anderson (CS)
• Matthew Babela (SAS)
• Eric Bembenek (MATH)
• Barbara Daly (CS)
• Patrick Roh (CS)

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Title: The Math That Defines Us (Recording)

Date/Time: March 12, 2024 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Speaker's Bio: Ted Dintersmith, a Partner Emeritus with Charles River Ventures, was ranked by Business 2.0 as the top-performing venture capitalist in the U.S. for the years 1995-1999. In 2012, he was appointed by President Obama to represent the U.S. at the United Nations General Assembly, focusing on education and entrepreneurship. Ted earned a Ph.D. in Engineering from Stanford University with a focus on math modeling, after completing his undergraduate degree at the College of William and Mary, receiving High Honors in Physics and English. Ted has spent the past decade immersed in education. His acclaimed films (including Most Likely to Succeed) and top-selling books (including What School Could Be) showcase uplifting learning experiences that equip students with competencies essential in the innovation era. His WhatSchoolCouldBe non-profit supports the teacher-led transformation of education at the school, district, and state level, including work done across the province of New Brunswick. His disruptive views are received enthusiastically, yet contrast sharply with the data-driven policies that — to this day — define America’s education system, impairing the futures of millions and jeopardizing our democracy. Ted’s currently working on a new book, tentatively titled The Math That Defines Us. His talk will preview what themes he’s drawing out in this new work.

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Title: Teaching the Social Implications of Mathematics:Why, how, and what’s ahead? (Recording)

Date/Time: February 27, 2024 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Speaker's Bio: Judith has been a lecturer in the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing at the University of Waterloo since 2003. Besides teaching in the Masters of Mathematics Teaching program, she conducts workshops in mathematics for high school students and teachers, across Canada and internationally. She firmly believes in the importance of having many identities represented in STEM, and has worked on many equity initiatives.  Before joining UW, Judith worked in the software industry for seven years. She is particularly interested in showing students how math can make a difference in the world.

Abstract: Judith Koeller co-developed and first co-taught the course “Math for Good and Evil” with Peace Studies scholar Lowell Ewert in 2019. Course examples include predatory lending, casino slot machines that misrepresent the probability of winning, how the Body Mass Index promotes racial inequities, and how graph theory has made organ donations more equitable. These examples show that mathematics is not the peace-neutral discipline that many people believe it to be.  The history and impact of this course are described, along with some ideas of what’s next and a case for making such courses available to more students.

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Title: Lessons from Social Media: Engaging Students Online vs In Person (Recording)

Date/Time: February 13, 2024 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Speaker's Bio: Dr. Trefor Bazett (pronounced ‘Trevor’) is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Math & Stats department at the University of Victoria. Trefor also moonlights as a “YouTuber”, making educational math videos that are viewed around the world. 

Abstract: As a math professor and a math YouTuber, I teach mathematics in two very different contexts. In classrooms I can make deep connections with students who slowly transform their abilities over a semester. On YouTube there is the scale to help educate and inspire millions of students globally, but those connections are often shallower and transient. These two learning environments are superficially very different, but they also have a lot of similarities. In this talk, I want to focus on the lessons I’ve learned from working in social media and how that has evolved my pedagogical practices in the classroom.

Title: OER- Open Educational Resources (Recording)

Date/Time: November 14, 2023 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Speakers' Bios:

Faisal Al-Faisal, PhD, Lecturer, Faculty of Mathematics
Faisal is a lecturer in the Mathematics Undergraduate Group. He is passionate about spreading his love of mathematics to his students. He is co-director of the Math Faculty Tutoring Centre and has been involved in the organization of the Grad Student Teaching Training Seminar (MATH 900). Faisal holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Toronto and BMath and MMath degrees in Pure Mathematics from the University of Waterloo. Outside of math education, his research interests include arithmetic geometry and computational commutative algebra.

Gitanjali Shanbhag, PhD, Online Learning Consultant, The Centre for Extended Learning
Gitanjali is a proud UW alumnus, holding both an MASc and PhD in Mechanical Engineering. She works as an online learning consultant with the Centre for Extended Learning. As part of her role, she collaborates with faculty members to create engaging online courses. She is also actively engaged in teaching undergraduates as a sessional instructor in the Faculty of Health.

Abstract: OER are freely accessible, openly licensed materials that can be used for teaching, learning, research and related purposes. Examples can range from textbooks, websites and multimedia to fully developed courses. In this talk, we will introduce the concept of OER, discuss the benefits and challenges of both creating and adopting OER, and share some examples of OER that are relevant to the context of a university mathematics course. There will be an open discussion period at the end where we will explore barriers that the seminar participants foresee in attempting to adopt OER into their own teaching, and we will try to brainstorm strategies for overcoming such barriers.

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Title: A Distributed Model for Teaching at Scale (Recording)

Date/Time: October 31, 2023 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Speaker's Bio: David Joyner is Executive Director of Online Education & OMSCS in Georgia Tech's College of Computing. His research focuses on online education and learning at scale, especially as they intersect with for-credit offerings at the graduate and undergraduate levels. His emphasis is on designing learning experiences that leverage the opportunities of online learning to compensate for the loss of synchronous collocated class time. This includes leveraging artificial intelligence for student support and assignment evaluation, facilitating student communities in large online classes, and investigating strategies for maintainable and interactive presentation of online instructional material. He is also Chair of the Steering Committee for the ACM Learning @ Scale conference, as well as the General Chair for the 2019, 2020, and 2024 conferences.
Joyner has received several awards for his work in teaching online, including the 2023 Georgia Tech Outstanding Professional Education Award, the 2022 College of Computing Outstanding Faculty Leadership Award, the 2019 USG Regents' Teaching Excellence Award for Online Teaching, the 2018 Georgia Tech Center for Teaching & Learning Curriculum Innovation Award, and the 2016 Georgia Tech College of Computing Lockheed Excellence in Teaching Award. He was also named to the Georgia Tech Alumni Association's 40 Under 40 in 2022.

Abstract: In the wake of both new technologies and new demand for lifetime learning, new approaches are necessary for expanding access to college education. In this talk, Dr. David Joyner will explore two of these ideas: the first, the distributed classroom, is an approach to leveraging existing offerings and new technologies to reduce barriers to entry and reduce costs in order to expand access to new populations. The second, teaching at scale, is an exploration of the different challenges that come when attempting to teach more students through new technologies, coupled with the observation that many of these challenges are actually opportunities to improve the learning experience for all participants.

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Title: Principles Behind Visually-Driven Lessons (Recording)

Date/Time: September 26, 2023 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Speaker's Bio: Grant Sanderson is the creator of 3Blue1Brown, a YouTube channel about mathematics with over 5.4 million subscribers. The videos focus on visualizing mathematics, covering various topics including calculus, linear algebra, physics, deep learning, number theory, and more. He also wrote the open-source Python library manim used to create mathematical visualizations, which has since been used by thousands of others in making their own math lessons online. 
He studied math and computer science at Stanford, graduating in 2015, after which he worked as a content creator for Khan Academy, creating a curriculum for multivariable calculus. In 2017 his work on 3blue1brown became a full-time pursuit, and since that time he's contributed to a number of other educational organizations, including Quanta, Udacity, the Julia Lab at MIT, and numerous other YouTube channels.

Abstract: The right diagram can clarify a complicated topic, but a picture for picture's sake can sometimes distract more than it adds. This talk explores a few principles categorizing how different types of visuals can aid a lesson in different ways, and how best to tailor a given diagram to the function it's serving. Some diagrams motivate, some serve as examples of abstract concepts, some serve to clarify, and others still might implicitly act as an exercise. The right stylistic choice, such as knowing how much detail to include or how best to use color, can depend on recognizing which role a diagram is supposed to play.

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Title: Effective Teaching and Learning: Dramatic Insights from Neuroscience (All day, in-person workshop)

Date/Time: August 16, 2023

Speaker's Bio: Dr. Oakley is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Oakland University (MI) and a New York Times best-selling author. Her book, A Mind for Numbers, has sold over one million copies worldwide; and another of her titles, Uncommon Sense Teaching, is a critically acclaimed guide to teaching based on insights from neuroscience. She co-teaches Coursera's "Learning How to Learn", one of the world's most popular massive online open courses (MOOCs) with some four million registered students. She is the recipient of numerous teaching accolades and her research has been described as "revolutionary" by the Wall Street Journal.

Abstract - A growing body of research insight from neuroscience has revealed many surprises when it comes to teaching. For example, some forms of teaching can engage students’ sophisticated pattern recognition systems. This type of learning, long dismissed as simple “rote,” can be invaluable in making learning easier, particularly at more advanced levels. Sophisticated drill, as it turns out, leads to skill! And there are further surprises, for example, just because students know how to solve a problem does not necessarily mean that they can or should be able to explain it. In fact, forcing some neurally diverse students to explain their reasoning when they can already demonstrate their understanding can actually kill their motivation for deeper learning.

In this workshop, we will explore these and other counterintuitive insights from research that can allow you to intelligently use students’ differing underlying approaches to learning. We will also explore the intimate connection between retrieval practice and the metaphors used in art, music, and poetry. Teachers often place their focus on fast learners, the “smart ones.”  But as you will discover, slower learners can have real advantages at a neural level that allow them to be more accurate and flexible in what they learn.

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Title: Aligning Grading with Outcomes (Recording)

Date/Time: June 27, 2023 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Speaker's Bio: Dr. Ehsaan Hossain is Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream (CLTA) (MATH) at University of Toronto, Mississauga.

Abstract: In this talk, we will examine the shortcomings of our traditional grading structure in meeting the evolving needs of education today. Through a brainstorming session, we will decide what we need out of a new grading methodology, and then develop the beginnings of a system that is aligned with those criteria. Let’s also see how to incorporate some of the popular examples of alternative grading from the literature. Here is some inspiration on alternative grading. 

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