This project will enhance large classroom learning through the development of a student-directed, re-useable, interactive content module pertaining to the administration of substances by injection. The module will be housed within specific skills-based courses in Nursing, Pharmacy and the Physician Assistant Program, and made available to students throughout their programs.

Tutorials are an integral part of large courses used to personalize learning experiences for undergraduate students. As increasing numbers of courses are delivered online, we propose a fundamental change in the approach to tutorial delivery across Arts & Science. Our model plans to exploit the increasing use and availability of online technologies by implementing re-usable deliverables and seminars to help train virtual educators (i.e. teaching assistants) to engage students in collaborative online environments in order to provide outstanding learning experiences.

St. Michael’s College Library

Students work together to create a multi-touch digital exhibit with the aim of educating their peers from the Book and Media Studies program and the SMC community on the Rare Book Collection. In the process, students will develop stronger research skills and learn how to develop an educational digital exhibit.

Our goal is to promote engagement in two large physiology courses. Interactive activities will be developed for use during lectures with a software program. LectureTools allows professors to view/display student answers and annotated diagrams. Students can also ask questions via their own electronic devices enabling immediate clarification.

This project is a first step towards the development of a rich media portal for Chinese studies. Initially, this will be developed in a first year Chinese course to build capacity to ultimately support Chinese instructors and students across 5 courses at 3 different levels with the longer-term goal of providing hybrid

We wish to develop a series of How-To instructional videos intended to help students better understand the most difficult fundamental concepts in introductory linguistics, topics that would benefit from a clear, concise explanation, illustration, and example. These videos would be high-quality reusable objects intended to support excellence in student learning.

Implementing a course within the environment of an Active Learning Classroom (ALC) requires a full course redesign with a focus on outcomes and activities that align with the space. This project will identify key supports for faculty teaching in ALCs and will produce material to support the transition to an ALC environment

Our project aims to provide digital tool kits for undergraduate and graduate education, and support digital literacy research related to contemporary drama, theatre and performance within a participatory and community-based framework. The Mobile Digital Technology Labs will aim to better serve the needs of current “digital native” students and better attract incoming students.

Computer and Mathematical Sciences

We propose to develop TAid — a mobile application to aid University of Toronto teaching assistants and to facilitate coordination between teaching assistants and course instructors. The application has great potential to save valuable teaching resources in a large teaching team.

We will combine Twitter with Blackboard discussion tools for IMC200, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, to allow small-group discussions in a large class of up to 500. The course is a high priority for the Impact Centre, giving students the skills needed to apply their university education upon graduation.

This project involves the development of three systems that try to achieve the objective stated in the tile. All three systems allow for multi-part randomized algorithmic questions. They also allow (or can easily be extended to provide) other question types such as MC, T/F, short answer, and in conjunction with a new assessment, which has been recently developed by a colleague (Graded Response – GR test), this tool will permit not only objective online evaluation but also support the development of Critical thinking skills. The exact types and the variety differ from tool to tool.

Chemical Engineering

Greg Evans

ITIF funding will support enhancement of on-line resources to support instruction of teamwork skills in large courses. Specifically ITIF support will bring together and extend work on the development on-line resources already underway as part of a PhD thesis funded in part through HEQCO and a three-year project funded through the Engineering Instructional Innovation Program (EIIP).

Biomedical Communications

Jodie Jenkinson

Biology students struggle with reconciling the random nature of the molecular world with the perceived efficiency of the cell, often developing misconceptions. We propose the development and evaluation of MolWorlds, a simulation-based, problem-solving mobile game that facilitates understanding of the relationship between molecular causal mechanisms and complex cellular systems.

Human Biology

Maria Papaconstantinou

This collaborative project proposes to develop innovative computer-based animations and computational 3D models to improve the classroom and learning experience of students in large introductory genetics courses. These multimedia resources are aligned closely with institutional and program goals and represent interactive learning opportunities for students allowing the development and use of higher-order learning skills.

Chemistry

We propose to develop and implement wireless access to modern computational chemistry based assignments for our large undergraduate chemistry courses. The implementation of the proposed courseware will leverage the recent Wi-Fi infrastructure installed on campus allowing the students to use their own laptops for advanced calculation in class and in the laboratory.

Cell and Systems Biology

Melody Neumann

Group Quiz Tool for Synchronous Online Learning

This project relates to an online group work tool (Group Quiz tool) to facilitate group dynamics and student-student interaction is proposed. Proper user and administrative tool interfaces, together with proper availability of the tool, could improve student learning in a range of online courses.

Nursing

Monica Parry

Developing Clinical Reasoning Skills in Large On-Line Classrooms using Virtual Interactive Case Presentations

The goal of this project is to collaborate to develop 50 virtual interactive cases (VIC) to build clinical reasoning skills in a large national on-line learning classroom for graduate Nurse Practitioner (NP) students and to facilitate the shareability and transferability of VIC to our interdisciplinary and inter-professional partners.

Biology

Sanja Hinic-Frlog

Interactive Biology Lab Manuals by UTM SEARCH Group

We will develop a template for interactive lab manuals in core biology courses. The template will allow for implementation of adaptable content and testing sensitive to individual student learning needs, and peer collaboration. This learning and teaching tool will improve student performance and engagement and allow for convenient yearly customization for developers.

Geography

Yuhong He

Developing an Effective Web-Based Platform for Large-scale Geospatial Learning

This project aims to develop a web-based geospatial learning platform that will enhance the undergraduate learning environment for a large number of students by increasing opportunities to access virtual geospatial labs when physical labs are not available or difficult to access. This virtual lab platform can reach across tri-campuses and beyond, to practically any student with internet access and an interest in geospatial education. The benefits of this platform include an improvement in our teaching abilities, transfer of knowledge, better quality learning strategies, and skill acquisition for students.