Call for nominations for President’s University-Wide Teaching Awards
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The President’s University-Wide Teaching Awards honour those who, through innovation and commitment, have significantly enhanced the quality of learning for York students. Four awards are offered each year in the following categories:
full-time tenured faculty with 10 or more years of full-time teaching experience;
full-time faculty (tenured/tenure-stream/CLA) with less than 10 years of teaching experience;
contract and adjunct faculty; and
teaching assistants.
The purpose of these awards is to provide significant recognition for excellence in teaching, to encourage its pursuit, to publicize such excellence when achieved across the University and in the wider community, and to promote informed discussion of teaching and its improvement. The awards demonstrate the value York University attaches to teaching. Recipients of the awards, selected by the Senate Committee on Awards, receive $3,000 less applicable deductions, have their names engraved on the University-Wide Teaching Award plaques in Vari Hall and are recognized at convocation ceremonies.
Nominators are encouraged to approach the Teaching Commons to explore ways to best highlight the teaching strengths and accomplishments of the nominee. Nominators may schedule a consultation – by phone or Zoom – with an educational developer at the Teaching Commons to discuss the preparation of a nomination package by sending a request to teaching@yorku.ca.
Only online nominations for the 2023 Teaching Awards, submitted by 4:30 p.m. by March 17 will be accepted.
The Teaching Awards criteria and nomination form are available on the Senate Committee on Awards webpage.
President Rhonda Lenton leads delegation to Mexico
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By Elaine Smith
York University President Rhonda Lenton recently participated in a keynote fireside chat on the importance of virtual internationalization, at the ninth International Conference on Educational Innovation (CIIE) in Mexico.
Lenton led the delegation that attended the conference, which was hosted by York’s partner, Tecnológico de Monterrey (TEC), in January. The delegation provided the opportunity to connect with alumni and strengthen York’s partnerships in the region.
“Sharing the Vision for Online Internationalization”
During the fireside chat, titled “Sharing the Vision for Online Internationalization,” facilitated by José Escamilla, associate director of the Institute for the Future of Education at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Lenton shared lessons York has learned about the future of higher education during these past few years. She discussed examples of pedagogical innovation including globally networked learning (GNL), online internationalization and new technologies that have been further spurred by the pandemic.
Rhonda Lenton
“York’s vision as a high-quality, internationally recognized research university has been part of the University’s identity since it was founded in 1959. Ensuring that our students graduate with the knowledge and skills they need for success and strengthening our impact on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by working across sectors with local and global partnerships are central tenets of our academic plan,” Lenton said.
“Online internationalization has been crucial in enhancing access and lowering barriers to global learning initiatives throughout the pandemic and beyond as more students are able to engage with peers at home and around the world. It facilitates the exchange of ideas and knowledge, incorporates new perspectives, widens access to global competencies and co-creates sustainable and inclusive solutions.”
The delegation’s visit came on the heels of the Three Amigos summit in Mexico between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, American President Joe Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and offered a perfect opportunity to strengthen the University’s ties with Mexico and partners in Latin America.
Globally networked learning
York has been a strong proponent of online educational innovation initiatives such as GNL, an approach to teaching, learning and research that enables students, faculty and non-academic researchers from different locations around the world to participate in, and collaborate on, knowledge-making processes and concrete research projects.
To date, York faculty have implemented 25 projects between York and partners and engaged over 40 faculty members and more than 900 students from 15 countries.
James Simeon, an associate professor in the School of Public Policy and Administration, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS), has been one of the most enthusiastic GNL adopters at York, and TEC has been a regular collaborator in his seven GNL projects, based on his courses International Refugee Protection Regime I and II.
“The GNL relationship between our colleagues at TEC and myself will strengthen and deepen since actually meeting for the very first time in person and presenting together on a panel at CIIE 2023,” said Simeon.
Connecting with alumni and building partnerships
The trip to Mexico also featured York’s first alumni gathering in Mexico City.
“Getting to reflect on how York U shaped my future and career with Dr. Lenton and other alumni was very special, especially given that it is thanks to a York International internship that I now live in Mexico City and work for the Howard G. Buffett Foundation,” said alumna Ana Vianei, who assists the organization’s goals to improve quality of life for marginalized populations across the world.
During the trip, York was able to deepen its relationships with its two Mexican partners, TEC and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). York delegates participated in the Hemispheric Universities Consortium (HUC) meeting that followed the conference; York was the only Canadian university to be a member.
“The visit has not only strengthened our partnerships with universities in Mexico, but reinforced York University’s commitment to advancing global engagement and to our cutting-edge work in GNL,” said Vinitha Gengatharan, assistant vice-president, global engagement and partnerships. “The conference itself has highlighted to us the world’s common interest in the future of education. It was not only high quality, but also accessible, flexible and underscored the importance of strengthening ties and sharing insights with our outstanding partners in Mexico and elsewhere.”
Drumroll… jazz virtuoso Terri Lyne Carrington this year’s Oscar Peterson Artist-in-Residence at York University
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The Grammy-winning drummer and educator will offer masterclasses, public performances and workshops geared at mentoring students who will be the future of jazz.
Terri Lyne Carrington (Photo Credit: Jacobs)
Following the 65th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, acclaimed music composer, producer and educator Terri Lyne Carrington’s next stop will be flying to Toronto, where she will engage with York University students and the public as this year’s Oscar Peterson Artist-in-Residence at the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD), from Feb. 7 to 9.
Carrington was last at York University in June 2022, when she received an honorary doctorate during AMPD’s convocation.
Carrington has won three Grammy awards and was the first woman to win a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album. As an acclaimed musician, she has a track record for being a dedicated educator and an advocate for racial and gender justice.
Read more about Carrington, and her role as the Oscar Peterson Artist-in-Residence,here.
New task force on future of pedagogy seeking participants
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The Senate Academic Policy, Planning & Research and the Academic Standards, Curriculum & Pedagogy committees are establishing a Future of Pedagogy Task Force. The task force is seeking faculty and student representatives.
The mandate of the task force is to re-examine the 2020-2025 University Academic Plan priority on “21st Century Learning: Diversifying Whom, What, and How We Teach” in light of learnings from the shift to online delivery of programming during the COVID-19 pandemic and pedagogical reform initiatives currently underway in academic units. The task force will make high-level recommendations on teaching and learning plans for the University moving forward.
Universities across Ontario are engaging in the exercise of redefining their pedagogy plans and York University needs to articulate a teaching and learning agenda that will advance its distinctive vision, core values and academic goals.
Full information about the task force mandate, deliverables and composition is posted on a dedicated Task Force webpage. The task force will launch in early March and continue until its final report is issued in December 2023.
The Senate committees are issuing a call for expressions of interest for its faculty and student positions. Interested candidates are asked to complete this form. The deadline for submission of completed forms is Friday, Feb. 17. The submissions will be reviewed by the Chairs of APPRC and ASCP together with the provost who will confirm a representative membership for the task force by the end of February to enable its start in March.
Questions about this initiative can be directed to Cheryl Underhill, secretary of Academic Policy, Planning & Research committee.
New survey on climate change shows youth most motivated to take action
The survey, administered by Leger Research Intelligence, assesses Canadians’ knowledge, understanding and perceptions of climate change and its risks; explores views on climate change education; and provides a snapshot of education practices regarding climate change in K-12 classes across Canada.
The report includes 4,035 survey responses from four participant groups: educators K-12; parents K-12; students 7-12; and the general public. Results show that 73 per cent of Canadians feel that we are experiencing a climate emergency and 50 per cent of all Canadians believe that climate change is causing mental health issues or making them worse. Almost one-quarter of educators, parents and students surveyed indicate that their worries about climate change are affecting their daily life. Students are more likely than any other respondent group to report feeling anxious (41 per cent) and frightened (32 per cent).
Canadians are still hopeful though, and 69 per cent think the work and voices of young people can inspire important climate action with 76 per cent of educators feeling the most strongly about the inspiration provided by youth.
“It is not surprising to see a rise in support for the environment, sustainability and climate change being driven by younger generations and by their teachers,” said LSF President and CEO Pamela Schwartzberg. “We find that engaging kids in real issues empowers them. It lets them know that they can make a difference in their communities, which can also reduce some of the anxiety they may be feeling.”
Pamela Schwartzberg
The findings indicate that Canadians are more knowledgeable about climate change when compared to survey results from 2019. More Canadians passed the 10-question knowledge and understanding quiz (67 per cent in 2022 versus 57 per cent in 2019), and every participant group – educators, parents, students and the general public – answered more questions correctly. However, there is still work to be done in the area of climate science literacy, as just over half of Canadians (55 per cent) knew that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are the primary cause of climate change. According to 80 per cent of respondents, Canadians still feel they need more information about climate change. Students continue to be the group wanting information the most (85 per cent).
The survey results indicate that Canadians increasingly think schools need to give climate change education a high priority (67 per cent in 2022 versus 59 per cent in 2019). Some 64 per cent of Canadians also think the education system should be doing “a lot more” to educate young people about climate change. When Canadians were asked “How do you think education systems should further contribute to climate change education?” the top answer was climate change should be included in the curriculum.
Despite global advocacy for incorporating environmental education in all grades and subjects, 35 per cent of Canadian educators indicated they do not cover climate change topics in any subject that they teach. Of those that do, just 13 per cent taught more than 10 hours of climate change content in the school year. Only one-third (34 per cent) of educators feel that they have the knowledge and skills needed to teach climate change. And, while they would like to include climate change education in their classroom, a growing majority agree that they need professional development to learn about how to effectively teach this complex topic (64 per cent in 2022 versus 50 per cent in 2019).
“The need for better climate change education is clear. In order to prepare our young people for a climate-altered future, our school system needs to do more. Our teachers need to be better equipped with climate knowledge and resources, and our students need more opportunities to learn about and take action on climate change,” said Schwartzberg.
The survey follows up on a baseline study undertaken in 2019 by LSF and Leger Research Intelligence, in collaboration with Lakehead University. The 2022 survey was updated and included questions from the original survey for comparison purposes, in addition to including new questions to gather information about some of the salient issues related to climate change, including the mental health impacts of climate change, the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge, the impacts of COVID-19, and the importance of youth engagement.
LSF has been located at York University since 1999. Its mission is to promote, through education, the knowledge, skills, values, perspectives and practices essential to a sustainable future.
For more information contact Schwartzberg at pam@LSF-LST.ca.
Announcement of appointment of interim assistant vice-president, continuing studies (AVP)
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La version française suit la version anglaise.
Dear colleagues,
I am pleased to inform members of the York University community of the appointment of Christine Brooks-Cappadocia as interim assistant vice-president (AVP), continuing studies, effective Feb. 1, until the completion of the search for the next AVP has concluded.
Christine Brooks-Cappadocia
Christine previously served as the executive director, programs & partnerships, the director of professional education and director of marketing & enrolment management in the School of Continuing Studies.
The school’s Continuing Professional Education division is considered to be among the most innovative in the country, receiving unprecedented enrolment and program growth during her tenure. Recently, she has been focusing on supporting the transformation of the English Language Institute in the post-pandemic market. Christine is especially proud of the success of the school’s international students who have built careers in Canada and of the programs that help recent and mid-career professionals thrive in emerging roles.
Prior to joining York’s School of Continuing Studies in 2014, Christine spent six years building and managing the marketing department at McMaster’s Centre for Continuing Education. Her career highlights include supporting the launch of the York University School of Continuing Studies; the establishment of two endowed bursaries to support non-traditional students; the creation of several programs which are the first of their kind in Canada; launching a foundation to support at-risk youth; the development of the communications department for St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation in Hamilton; and the management of a high-profile event featuring former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Ontario Premier Bob Rae.
She has been privileged to serve in several governance roles in non-profit organizations including as president and founding board member of the International Association of Business Communicators’ (IABC) Golden Horseshoe chapter, the vice-president of Community Arts Ontario, and as a founding board member of the Coalition of Ontario Voluntary Organizations.
Christine has earned several awards for marketing from the Association of Healthcare Philanthropists, the International Business Communicators, and the Learning Resources Network (LERN). Christine holds a bachelor of fine arts from York University and a master of management, innovation and entrepreneurship from Queen’s.
Please join me in welcoming Ms. Brooks-Cappadocia to the School of Continuing Studies. We are looking forward to working with her and benefitting from her leadership and experience.
Sincerely,
Lisa Philipps Provost & Vice-President Academic
Annonce de la nomination de la vice-présidente adjointe à la formation continue (VPA) par intérim
Chers collègues, chères collègues,
J’ai le plaisir d’informer les membres de la communauté de l’Université York de la nomination de Christine Brooks-Cappadocia au poste de vice-présidente adjointe (VPA) à la formation continue par intérim, à compter du 1er février et jusqu’à ce que la recherche du ou de la prochaine VPA soit terminée.
Christine Brooks-Cappadocia
Elle a précédemment occupé les postes de directrice générale des programmes et des partenariats, de directrice de la formation professionnelle et de directrice du marketing et de la gestion des inscriptions à l’École de formation continue.
La division de formation professionnelle continue de l’École est considérée comme l’une des plus innovantes du pays et a connu une croissance sans précédent des inscriptions et des programmes pendant son mandat. Récemment, elle s’est attachée à soutenir la transformation de l’Institut de langue anglaise sur le marché post-pandémique. Elle est particulièrement fière de la réussite des étudiantes et étudiants internationaux de l’École qui ont bâti leur carrière au Canada et des programmes qui aident les professionnels récents et en milieu de carrière à s’épanouir dans des carrières émergentes.
Avant de se joindre à l’École de formation continue de York en 2014, Mme Brooks-Cappadocia a passé six ans à mettre sur pied et à gérer le service de marketing du Centre de formation continue de McMaster. Parmi les faits saillants de sa carrière, citons le soutien au lancement de l’École de formation continue de l’Université York, la création de deux bourses d’études pour soutenir les étudiantes et étudiants non traditionnels, la création de plusieurs programmes qui sont les premiers du genre au Canada, le lancement d’une fondation pour soutenir les jeunes à risque, le développement du département des communications de la St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation à Hamilton et la gestion d’un événement très médiatisé mettant en vedette l’ancien président américain Bill Clinton et l’ancien premier ministre de l’Ontario Bob Rae.
Elle a eu le privilège d’assumer plusieurs rôles de gouvernance au sein d’organismes sans but lucratif, notamment en tant que présidente et membre fondatrice du conseil d’administration de la section Golden Horseshoe de l’International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), vice-présidente de Community Arts Ontario et membre fondatrice du conseil d’administration de la Coalition of Ontario Voluntary Organizations.
Mme Brooks-Cappadocia a remporté plusieurs prix de marketing de l’Association for Healthcare Philanthropists, de l’International Association of Business Communicators et du Learning Resources Network. Elle est titulaire d’un baccalauréat en beaux-arts de l’Université York et d’une maîtrise en gestion, innovation et entrepreneuriat de l’Université Queen.
Veuillez vous joindre à moi pour accueillir Christine Brooks-Cappadocia à l’École de formation continue. Nous avons hâte de travailler avec elle et de nous enrichir de son leadership et de son expérience.
Sincères salutations,
Lisa Philipps Rectrice et vice-présidente aux affaires académiques
Faculty invited to Globally Networked Learning info session
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The Globally Networked Learning (GNL) team at York University will host the first GNL information session on Monday, Feb. 6 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The session is open to all York faculty members who are interested in innovative pedagogies that combine internationalization, experiential education and co-teaching a course with an international partner.
Session participants will learn how to integrate GNL-enhanced activities in their courses by developing new, or enhancing existing, partnerships through GNL. York GNL faculty course leaders will share their experiences, as well as student learning outcomes and feedback, and will provide information about GNL supports and resources available to York faculty members, including the GNL Award.
The GNL approach engages faculty and students from different locations around the world to participate in collaborative class discussions, joint lectures, assignments and/or research projects through innovative pedagogies and the use of online communication and information technologies. In addition to innovative pedagogical approaches, GNL promotes and facilitates intercultural communication and global learning for both faculties and students.
York University faculty members who will integrate GNL in their courses will have access to many supports, including York International, the Teaching Commons, University Information Technology (UIT) and the York Libraries along with resources from the partner university. To further encourage York faculty members to co-develop resources for their GNL course and support GNL initiatives, there is also an award of $1,000.
The GNL award application deadline for Fall 2023 and Winter 2024 terms is Feb. 28. The GNL award application is available online.
Find out more and register for the GNL faculty information session:
New web resources focus on Artificial Intelligence and academic integrity
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A new webpage dedicated to helping instructors and teaching assistants navigate Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT and academic integrity is now available.
The AI Technology and Academic Integrity webpage provides information about the capabilities and limitations of generative AI technology, such as ChatGPT. The webpage offers strategies for leveraging AI technology as a learning tool and it includes strategies to help students avoid using AI to engage in academic misconduct.
For additional strategies and resources that help raise awareness of academic integrity and assessment design, visit the Academic Integrity webpage.
Experiential Education celebration for faculty offers network and learning opportunities
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The 2023 EE Faculty Celebration will highlight diverse examples of classroom-focused, community-focused and work-focused experiential education (EE) and how faculty members have engaged employer and community partners in facilitating innovative EE opportunities.
This event is focused primarily for York University faculty and staff who are engaged with and interested in experiential education. The EE Faculty Celebration event will provide a chance for participants to network with other faculty members who have developed and facilitated experiential education opportunities for their students. The EE Faculty Celebration event takes place Feb. 9 from 1 to 3 p.m. and will be presented over Zoom.
Register online online to join this worthwhile opportunity to share and learn more about the variety of ways experiential education can be integrated into courses through stories of examples, lessons learned, and important campus resources available.
Welcome to the January 2023 issue of ‘Innovatus’
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Happy New Year! Welcome to the January 2023 issue of “Innovatus,” a special issue of YFile dedicated to teaching and learning innovation at York University.
This month, we offer an overview of the Academic Innovation Fund, a unique experiential learning initiative coming out of the Glendon campus, two unique forms of professional development and ChatGPT.
Will Gage
This issue offers a digest of sorts in that it does not have a specific Faculty in the spotlight. Instead, we opted to provide a wide array of interesting stories. The lead story focuses on the Academic Innovation Fund. The deadline for submissions is approaching and we thought you would find an overview of some of the past projects that received funding. It is interesting to see how the innovations arising out of the projects are now part of the fabric of the teaching and learning tapestry at York University.
There are also two interesting stories on professional development. One focuses on a reading group and the other on how a development tool known as Sandbox is inspiring new forms of professional development.
As well, Glendon, through its work with the Toronto French School, is deepening the experiential education for students who are studying French language with a view of a possible teaching career.
And finally, ChatGPT, a new artificial intelligence platform, has dominated the news of late. This story explores how York University is harnessing the power and potential of this new technology.
I hope the ideas presented in this issue are both informative and inspiring.
Sincerely,
Will Gage Associate Vice-President, Teaching and Learning
Faculty, course directors and staff are invited to share their experiences in teaching, learning, internationalization and the student experience through the “Innovatus” story form, which is available at tl.apps01.yorku.ca/machform/view.php?id=16573.
In this issue:
AIF funds a wide range of teaching and learning projects Over the years, York University’s Academic Innovation Fund (AIF) has promoted an inspired shift in teaching, learning, the student experience and internationalization of the curriculum.
Glendon’s partnership with Toronto French School is an EE success The partnership offers a win-win for students at Glendon and the Toronto French School. The collaboration between the two institutions has led to a full-year experiential education opportunity in the form of a professional work placement course.
Reading for teaching offers new perspectives and connections The new Reading for Teaching program offers an informal, collegial space to engage with colleagues from across York University and it is the result of an inspired collaboration between an educational developer and a teaching and learning librarian.
Coming soon: Innovative professional development online Although she realizes that faculty members across Ontario may never binge-watch professional development videos focused on learning innovations, Michelle Sengara hopes the learning modules being created will still be a hit with dedicated teachers.
How will AI tools such as ChatGPT shape teaching and learning? ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that has dominated the headlines of late, has been labelled as a transformational force in academia. How are York faculty harnessing this powerful tool?
