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Capstone course opens up career possibilities for students

Group Of Students Meeting For Tutorial With Teacher

A new Educational Studies capstone course created by Faculty of Education Professor Celia Popovic is broadening students’ horizons into possible careers in educational policymaking, the psychology of education, teaching and adult education.

By Elaine Smith

James Garrish
James Garrish

Taking the capstone course for his Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Educational Studies program has exponentially increased James Garrish’s certainty that he’ll find employment post-graduation.

“I know if one door closes, another will open,” says Garrish, who will graduate from his BA program this year and earn his concurrent BEd next year. “I’m super happy I took this course. I have a better outlook on opportunities. When you are single-minded, you don’t realize the possibilities, but this course opened my eyes.”

Broadening her students’ horizons is one of the reasons Professor Celia Popovic created the fledgling capstone course in Educational Studies; she also wants them to apply all that they have learned from the program to the course’s projects.

Celia Popovic
Celia Popovic

“The BA Educational Studies differs from a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree, which trains students to be classroom teachers,” said Popovic, who teaches in the Faculty of Education. “The Educational Studies program looks at all aspects of education, including policy, the psychology of education, teaching and adult education.

“Of my 100 students each year, about two-thirds enter the program with the intent of doing a BEd, too, so they can teach. Many don’t think beyond that and aren’t familiar with other choices.”

To make her students aware of some of these choices, the course’s projects focus on exploring other career options by interviewing professionals in those related fields and creating a web product to offer information about those careers to other interested students. The class is assigned three of these projects during the full-year course, working in groups of four-to-six students to formulate interview questions, interview someone in a particular profession and collaborate on the product. The students are also responsible for a weekly guided reflection on their experiences. Popovic prompts them with questions that help them make sense of what they’re learning by doing the projects and of the program as a whole.

For the inaugural year of the course, Popovic reached out to her connections – people she felt would be willing to add an interview to their already busy pandemic schedules and would be comfortable being interviewed remotely. The careers her students investigated this year include educational developer, educational publishing, librarian, guidance counselling and university recruitment, as well as the classroom teacher.

“Next year, I have more ideas and am looking for contacts in other areas relevant to the BA Educational Studies, such as arts educators and youth workers,” she said. “I encourage anyone with connections in a related area to get in touch with me.”

Darren Duya, who is completing an honours BA Educational Studies this year, is trying to decide what type of position he wants to pursue after graduation and finds the capstone projects very useful.

Darren Duya
Darren Duya

“I originally wanted to be a teacher, but I’ve decided to take a different path,” Duya said. “It’s great to see these different perspectives and learn how the people got there. I’m finding that it’s common to just let things happen and to learn as you go along.”

The course also requires the students to do a community-based project such as creating lesson plans for a summer program or doing applied research – also as part of a group.

“Group work is such an important skill to have; it sets the students up for success,” Popovic said. “I want them to learn and to make mistakes in a safe environment.”

As for the website that contains the students’ distillation of what they’ve learned about various careers, Popovic believes it’s a more valuable product than standard essays would be.

“Traditionally, students put their effort into essays that are seen by only one or two people,” she said. “I wanted them to create something with value in its own right. Ostensibly, the audience for the website is high school students, but it’s also very useful to our students who are thinking about job opportunities.”

Garrish wholeheartedly agrees.

“I never even thought of these other options,” he said. “I didn’t realize there were so many possibilities with a general education degree. After this, I feel that even if I don’t get a teaching job, I’ll be able to pursue one of these positions and enjoy it.”

Research will help determine the safety of chronic fluoride exposure in developing brains

Water running from a kitchen tap

Emerging research from York University aims to address rising concerns about the safety of early-life exposure to fluoride, and whether chronic exposure to fluoride at current population levels could contribute to lower IQ and behavioural problems in children.

By Krista Davidson

Christine Till
Christine Till

Associate Professor at the Faculty of Health, Christine Till, and her team, are collaborating with Professor Bruce Lanphear at Simon Fraser University’s Faculty of Health Sciences and the Manish Arora at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, to measure fluoride exposure levels using baby teeth collected in a Canadian birth cohort. Tooth dentin – the tissue that lies beneath enamel – forms between 16 weeks’ gestation up to 2.5 years of age. As teeth mineralize, they accumulate chemicals that have been ingested, including fluoride from drinking water. Using modern techniques, the team will extract a historical record of exposure by measuring fluoride in layers of hydroxyapatite, similar to how tree rings accumulate to indicate the passage of time.

“Sampling tooth layers that correspond to specific life stages will provide critical information for when exposure occurred and how much reached the developing brain,” explains Till.

“Most toxic chemicals, like lead and pesticides, are promoted by industry. Fluoride is promoted by health agencies, so it is imperative to verify if fluoride is toxic to the developing brain,” says Lanphear.

The research, which received close to $2 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health, builds on the findings of an earlier study published by Till’s team, including York graduate student, Rivka Green, in JAMA Pediatrics in 2019. This study examined 512 mother-child pairs from six cities in Canada using data from the Maternal Infant Research on Environment Chemicals (MIREC). The researchers found that higher fluoride exposure in pregnancy was associated with lower IQ in children. The study was the first of its kind to be conducted in children and women living in communities where fluoride is intentionally added to drinking water or not.

“Our earlier research measured urinary fluoride levels in pregnant women, which does not tell us how much fluoride reached the fetus and when,” says Till. “The tooth dentin is an optimal biomarker because it will provide evidence that fluoride crosses the placenta. This will give a better understanding of the critical window of when exposure becomes harmful to the developing brain.”

In addition to assessing the neurotoxicity of early-life exposure to fluoride using teeth, the team is assessing the thyroid-disrupting effects of fluoride in pregnancy. This work will shed light on potential mechanisms of fluoride neurotoxicity.

Till and her team, together with researchers in Toronto and Mexico, have contributed some of the key studies related to fluoride neurotoxicity in the prenatal and early postnatal period. Still, more research is needed to fully understand the impact of low-level exposure to fluoride on cognitive development.

“The question is whether fluoride ingestion is safe for everyone, including fetuses and young infants, and this research aims to develop a solid understanding to support evidence-based decision-making around the safety of fluoride,” says Till.

Welcome to the November 2021 issue of ‘Sustainable YU’

Sustainable YU Approved Header for YFile

Welcome to the November 2021 issue of “Sustainable YU,” a special edition of YFile that showcases stories about sustainability in action at York University.

This special issue, which is published on select Fridays during the academic year, offers compelling and accessible feature-length stories. The articles and features contained in this publication illustrate the work underway by students, faculty and staff across all Faculties and divisions at York University to achieve the 17 United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – a key pillar of Building a Better Future: York University Academic Plan 2020-2025.

The editors of “Sustainable YU” and I want to hear from you. Do you have a story you can share with us that showcases an initiative or project happening at York University that supports our efforts to achieve the UN SDGs?

We welcome stories from students, faculty, staff and other groups in the York University community. You can share your stories here and include a narrative, photos and/or videos. We welcome all contributions, no matter how big or small – everything has an impact.

We look forward to hearing from you. Please let us know what you think about “Sustainable YU” by contacting me at sustainability@yorku.ca. “Sustainable YU” is produced out of the Office of the Sustainability in partnership with Communications & Public Affairs.

Nicole Arsenault
Program Director, Sustainability

Featured in this issue of “Sustainable YU”

Answering the call for action on the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Planting the seeds for a better tomorrow

‘UNHack’ to build Sustainable Development Goals into experiential learning

Fair Trade Campus Week 2021 draws attention to the power of making trade fair for all

Sustaining our future through the power of trees

Bike Share offers a sustainable way to travel on York’s campuses

Sustaining our future through the power of trees

Image by Althea Reyes

The Office of Sustainability, in partnership with Regenesis@York, Grounds, Facilities Services, the SDG Student Hub and the Division of Students, hosted two community tree-planting events on York’s campuses. 

A young man plants trees on the Keele campus
York University community members plant trees on the Keele Campus. Image by Althea Reyes

On Wednesday, Oct. 27, on the lower part of the Glendon Campus, the first tree-planting event took place; the second event was held on Wednesday, Nov. 3, on the grounds that surround the Stong Pond.   

The trees were purchased through a tree-planting grant received by Regenesis@York from the City of Toronto. The grant was provided to purchase native trees to advance the city’s strategic priorities to invest in people and neighbourhoods, tackle climate change and build resilience. 

Participants worked together, creating a greener campus while helping to restore ecosystems to aid in the mitigation of climate change. As trees grow, they help mitigate the effects of climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the air, storing that carbon within the trees and soil, and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.  

The tree-planting event provided an opportunity for community members to enjoy the outdoors, connect with nature, and benefit both mentally and physically, all while advancing York’s efforts to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Climate Action (SDG 13) and Life on Land (SDG 15).    

The event was oversubscribed, with an overwhelming number of registrants. Participant spaces were limited due to the current COVID-19 health and safety restrictions and protocols in place. More events of this kind will be added in the future by the Office of Sustainability so that community members can enjoy the beauty of the University’s Keele and Glendon campuses. Each event advances the University’s progress towards meeting its goal of carbon neutrality on or before 2049.   

Answering the call for action on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals

Featured image for stories related to sustainability

When Provostial Fellow Cheryl van Daalen-Smith issued a call to faculty to let her know about their work to infuse the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their classrooms and courses, she received an incredible response from across the University’s campuses and the result is a new community of practice.

Cheryl van Daalen-Smith
Cheryl van Daalen-Smith

“We are thrilled to announce the overwhelming response from faculty who are infusing the SDGs into their classrooms/courses, as well as others who want to learn more about how they might also,” said van Daalen-Smith, associate professor, School of Nursing in the Faculty of Health, and associate professor, School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies/Children, Childhood & Youth Studies Program in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.

“From dance to kinesiology, psychology, Earth science, fine art, gender studies – and the marvellous list goes on – York faculty are seeing the SDGs’ relevance to the real-world issues they want their students to consider through a myriad of rich lenses,” said van Daalen-Smith.

In response, van Daalen-Smith has established a community of practice, which will hold its first meeting on Friday, Nov. 26 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. over Zoom. Co-hosted by the Teaching Commons and the Provostial Fellows program, the meeting will provide an opportunity for those attending to see examples of how faculty across York’s campuses are embedding the SDGs into their classrooms. It will also serve to initiate discussions about how an SDG-focused community of practice might look at York University. The discussions will be supported by Michael Johnny, manager of knowledge mobilization with Innovation York.  

Faculty interested in attending the meeting should register here. Once registered, a Zoom link will be provided.

To learn more, contact van Daalen-Smith by email at cvandaal@yorku.ca.

Planting the seeds for a better tomorrow 

Photo by Akil Mazumder from Pexels

The actions of Sovann Muon and the Grounds Maintenance team at the Glendon Campus show that with passion, innovation and just a seed of an idea, anything can grow.  

Muon is a certified arborist, horticulturist, master gardener of Ontario and the team leader of Grounds Maintenance at the Glendon Campus. In 2018, he had an idea that would help incorporate more sustainable practices at Glendon’s community gardens. Instead of letting annual flowers wither away, together with his team he decided to recycle, propagate and nurture seedlings to be replanted the following year. Not only would this help reduce costs, but it would also lay the groundwork for an initiative that promotes environmental stewardship.  

Sovann Muon (left) talks about a plant on York University's Glendon Campus during a tour of the grounds
Sovann Muon (left) talks about a plant on York University’s Glendon Campus during a recent tour of the grounds and green space. Image by Lauren Castelino

After successfully piloting the project in 2019, more than 1,000 plants were nurtured and ready to be planted at Glendon Campus by February 2021. By making a simple yet transformative change, the team’s vision of blooming gardens with flourishing flowers and edible plants came to life. Today, the gardens at Glendon are more than just thriving plants; they are an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to connect with the community and environment.  

The grounds team is dedicated to expanding their impact, with an emphasis on increasing educational and learning opportunities. Muon says that gardening is beneficial not only for the environment but also for the community, as it promotes nutrition, physical activity and team building.  

On Thursday, Oct. 21, Muon led a tour of the Glendon Campus to introduce attendees to the various plants growing on the grounds. The event nurtured a sense of community for participants and marked the first official tour of its kind for Glendon. During the tour, Muon shared his expansive knowledge of plant life on campus – specifically, edible plants like spruce, serviceberry and dandelion. The tour was initially designed for each of the four seasons, but there are plans to conduct more tours if community demand increases.   

A collaborative effort between the Grounds Maintenance team, students and Glendon leadership helped to make the tour a success. Duncan Appleton, technical co-ordinator and course director of the Drama and Creative Arts program, worked with students from his course to help with the construction of planters at the garden. Maureen Plantec, Kariane Saint-Gelais and Amanda Murray – all students in the Master of Conference Interpreting program – performed research and interpreted the tour, with technical support from Aurélien Muller. Geneviève Quintin, associate director of the Glendon Centre for Cognitive Health, organized publicity for the tour to increase awareness of the opportunity. Muon’s colleague Sean James acted as a support system for the garden and tour. All of the efforts were supported and encouraged by Glendon Superintendent John Ljubicic.  

This innovative team intends to move forward with their vision; to employ best practices for the next season. Muon said that the long-term goal is to enhance engagement with students, staff, and faculty members to encourage “mutual respect between humans and nature.”

The University community and Grounds Maintenance team at Glendon demonstrate how one small act can make a significant impact towards building positive change for a better, more sustainable tomorrow.

Fair Trade Campus Week 2021 draws attention to the power of making trade fair for all

Fair Trade Campus week banner

An annual event on the Keele Campus, York University’s Fair Trade Campus Week, which took place Oct. 25 to 29, draws attention to the growing instability in the global economy. Fair trade is a movement for change that works directly with businesses, consumers and campaigners to make trade fair for farmers and workers.

York University’s Fair Trade Campus Week featured a combination of virtual and in-person events, including a virtual panel discussion focused on the theme “Fair Trade, Sustainability and Universities.” Panellists were Sean McHugh, executive director, Canadian Fair Trade Network; Madison Hopper, marketing manager, Equifruit; Pippa Rogers, director of communications, Fairtrade Canada, and Mark McLaughlin, chief commercial services officer, Simon Fraser University. Joining the panellists from York University were Tom Watt, director, food services, Ancillary Services Department and Chad Saunders, director, bookstores, print and mailing services, Ancillary Services Department. The panel was hosted by students, faculty and staff and organized by Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies Associate Professor John Simoulidis.

Panellists shared their experiences, stories and successes working within the fair trade movement. The theme throughout the discussion was power in numbers – when groups of people and organizations share a common goal, they can exert influence to create positive change and universities can be a big part of that change. In Canada, the population of university campuses is close to three million, this accounts for almost seven per cent of the overall Canadian population. This gives campuses tremendous leverage through its purchasing power by demanding that fair trade certified products are included in its food services contracts.

Zoom panel discussing Fair Trade
Participants in the Fair Trade panel addressed the theme of “Fair Trade, Sustainability and Universities”

Attendees were encouraged to participate by posing questions to the panel and by taking part in a fair trade trivia quiz. Giulia Rosano from the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change was the winner of the trivia quiz and received a fair trade gift prize.

Fair trade products are available on York University’s campuses. Fair trade apparel is available at the University’s Bookstore, in partnership with Green Campus Co-Op. Food Services’ partner Aramark offers fair trade coffee, teas and bananas.

To learn more about fair trade apparel, visit the Bookstore website. York students can get involved in the fair trade movement on campus by signing up using this form. 

To learn more about the Fair Trade Campus program, fair trade products or about how to get involved in advancing an economy that is fair and sustainable, visit the Fair Trade Campus website or the Fairtrade Canada website.