Daniel Gaspar
“During the Fall 2020 term I completed synthesized course notes, creating weekly summaries of key takeaways based on selected readings and content. I also began the daunting task of scouring social media to find messaging related to the COVID-19 pandemic from provincial and federal governments. The endless stream of Instagram and Twitter posts as well as the varied comments and reactions kept me busy and thoughtful. I got the opportunity through it all to build connections with very cool people who I hope to see in person one day.”
Oneeb Khan
“I did a lot of interesting things, such as helping professors and TAs organize course content and discuss strategies to reach students more effectively. The best part was getting a behind-the-scenes view at how a course is really organized and the hours that go into planning and delivering a course online (it is a lot harder than people imagine!). The biggest takeaway I have is that during these times of remote learning and online classes, we should learn to appreciate professors and TAs more. This is also a different transition for them as it is for students.”
Dora Pripon
“This past co-op term I had the pleasure of working as an OLA. During the term, I mostly helped with two courses, ENVS 201 and ENBUS 408. I helped edit PowerPoint presentations, making them more suitable for online consumption. I also took care of various administrative tasks such as managing student groups and helping students with technical issues. My biggest take away from this work term experience is that good communication is critical in an online environment. I quickly learned that communicating with specific and detailed emails or messages was very important for mutual understanding and productive outcomes.”
Angela Lin
"Over the work term, I worked as a Senior Online Learning Assistant (SOLA). In one of the main tasks, I was involved in sending emails, following up with students, and transcribing exam recordings for a graduate course. I was able to learn and develop a lot of skills that can advance my career. For example, I was able to research and experiment the functions of the transcription software. It was interesting to explore which functions and shortcuts can effectively complete the task faster and easier. A take-home message is to practice effective and efficient management that can enable individuals to complete more in a short time. Overall, I had a great time engaging with the OLAs and helping professors of the Faculty of Environment. It was fascinating to see the behind-the-scene and the amount of work and dedication that was put into transitioning all the courses and students to online-remote learning. From my time as a SOLA, I hope to utilize my leadership, organization, teamwork, and computer skills in my future careers and academic life."
Sam Rehan
“The best part of my fall term was working for, and with, the students at different levels and programs and learning about their experiences. When working with the undergraduate students in the International Development program I was excited to hear more about their placement opportunities, in exotic locations, and the work they did pairing up with another organization performing benefit work for its citizens. When working with students in the PhD programs I learned more about the student contributions on the form of the research they conducted, or assisted in, and the various publications they worked on to make it visible for the rest of the scholars to learn from their findings. Working with the communications committee taught me about the intricacies of releasing content and how it would reflect on our educational institution’s reputation as a whole. The experience I got from creating, editing and delivering media and content to the world were the best takeaways of this position.”
Learn more about SEED’s undergraduate program in Environment and Business.
