Tag: Teaching and Learning

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Mathematicians pilot open-access homework platform for students

student writing math on chalkboard BANNER

By Elaine Smith

Thanks to the availability of WeBWorK, an online open educational resource (OER) provided to students at no cost, homework shouldn’t be as stressful as usual for the hundreds of York University students enrolled in the Linear Algebra (MATH 1025) course this term.

Andrew McEachern
Andrew McEachern

WeBWorK allows them to practise solving challenging problems as often as they’d like and provides instantaneous feedback.  

“In mathematics, you need to practise, and with this system, you can keep trying until you get it right,” said Andrew McEachern, an assistant professor and course director for linear algebra. “For retention, research shows that engaging with problems multiple times is best. We want students engaged and practising, and this system allows for low, no-stakes practice. There is no cost for failure.” 

Online homework platforms aren’t new, but many of them are costly for students since they are owned by textbook publishing companies.  

“Textbook companies have proprietary rights to their platforms and many of them have a lot of bells and whistles that we don’t need,” McEachern said. “This bare-bones system works and does 90 per cent of the job that expert systems do.” 

WeBWorK is open source and very customizable. This means it can be downloaded for free, although there are significant costs associated with the server and staff resources. The Faculty of Science is covering these costs to provide the software free of charge to students. 

The IT team photo shows (L to R): Steven Chen, Kalpita Wagh, Violeta Gotcheva
The information technology team photo (left to right):
Steven Chen, Kalpita Wagh and Violeta Gotcheva.

McEachern and other instructors approached the Faculty about installing WeBWorK and joined forces with Hovig Kouyoumdjian, associate dean of curriculum and pedagogy, and Violeta Gotcheva, director of information technology (IT) for the Faculty, to explore the idea. Gotcheva, along with Steven Chen, a systems administrator, and Kalpita Wagh, an IT learning technology support specialist in the Faculty of Science, met with instructors and IT support teams from other Canadian universities to discuss their experiences with WeBWorK. They also joined the worldwide WeBWorK user group to expand their understanding of its applicability and support requirements.  

Although faculty members assumed the IT staff could easily upload the software and run it, Gotcheva explained to them that supporting the platform was more complicated. 

“It’s essential to ensure any software we run has appropriate security, robustness, reliability and scalability,” she said. “This is accomplished by obtaining a server hosting service aligned with the software requirements and hiring skilled staff for system maintenance and user support. After determining this, we realized we needed to install the open-source WeBWorK platform relying on community support.” 

Gotcheva, in collaboration with Kouyoumdjian, McEachern, and Michael Haslam and Stephen Watson – current and former Chairs of the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, respectively – created a business case for running the platform. They outlined the financial requirements for hosting and maintaining it and the cost savings that would accrue to students compared to the need for a proprietary platform. The Faculty of Science IT team partnered with Pamela Mills, assistant manager of University Information Technology System Management Services, and her team to use the University enterprise virtual server hosting. The WeBWorK pilot received a grant from the Faculty of Science Academic Equipment Fund to cover the server hosting costs, and the Faculty of Science IT team proceeded with the installation. 

Now, the pilot is underway in all the linear algebra sections during the winter term. 

“Testing the platform across all sections of the course was a bold move, as initially, we anticipated it being piloted only in Andrew’s section,” said Koyoumdjian. “We eagerly look forward to hearing about the experiences from both the faculty and the students.” 

So far, said McEachern, instructors haven’t discovered any insurmountable problems with the platform, and the more than 700 students studying linear algebra this term seem satisfied. He has paired the homework platform with an online help forum on social media platform Discord to provide students with a means for asking questions and getting answers quickly. 

“It’s amazing how many times other students pitch in with answers before I even get to the question,” McEachern said. “They just do it out of the goodness of their hearts.” 

He also said his students are reporting much less anxiety about their homework than usual. 

After the term is over, he, the other instructors and the team will review the success of the pilot, examining usage statistics and trends. They are also considering an informal survey of participants. 

“It’s easy to use and it’s cost-effective during tough economic times,” said McEachern. “In my opinion, if even one student benefits, it’s worth it.” 

Kouyoumdjian also sees it as a tool for student retention.  

Hovig Kouyoumdjian
Hovig Kouyoumdjian

“Mathematics is a foundational subject, and by enriching our students’ practice opportunities, we set them up for success and better equip them for future career endeavours” he said. “This pilot is a stepping stone, and we plan to extend the use of this platform to other math courses. We’ve also received positive feedback from colleagues outside our Faculty, who expressed enthusiasm for implementing WeBWorK at York University, which indicates a growing interest in adopting such powerful open-source platforms in their own courses as well.”  

In addition, noted Gotcheva, the United Nations considers OERs a public good, which aligns well with the York University Academic Plan’s commitment to furthering the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

“The Faculty of Science is committed to OERs,” said Kouyoumdjian. “Our aim is to promote the use of resources that are economically more feasible for our students and flexible enough to be reused, revised, remixed and redistributed. WeBWork aligns with these standards of OERs.” 

Inaugural GNL project brings students together

close up of china on a globe BANNER

By Elaine Smith

The COVID-19 pandemic made student mobility and exchange programs challenging, but Hugo Chen, director of international collaborations and partnerships for York University’s Faculty of Science, found a way to provide students with a global engagement opportunity nonetheless, by turning to globally networked learning (GNL). Now, post-pandemic, the GNL initiative – his Faculty’s first – is still going strong.

Hugo Chen
Hugo Chen

GNL, also known as collaborative online international learning virtual exchange (COIL-VE), refers to an approach to research, learning and teaching 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. It dovetails nicely with York’s University Academic Plan and its priority of advancing global engagement, as well as the Faculty of Science’s Strategic Plan with its goal of creating “more opportunities for all students to have international exchange and field course experiences.”  

It also reflects the University’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, by contributing to students’ overall mental health and resilience; SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, by promoting intercultural understanding and dialogue; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goal, by emphasizing the importance of global partnerships in achieving sustainable development. 

“Many students found the pandemic stressful because they were stuck at home and their opportunities for international exchange were curtailed,” Chen said. “Although I was relatively new to York, I was experienced in international education and knew the benefits of GNL, or COIL-VE, as it is often called.  

“The Faculty of Science hadn’t tried GNL previously, but I want to be an innovator and decided to facilitate some cross-cultural communication.” 

With support from York International, the office that supports GNL initiatives at York, Chen reached out to Xin Wang, an associate professor at Northeastern University in Shenyang, China. The duo, and an administrative colleague there, agreed to organize a series of Zoom sessions to bring students from York’s Faculty of Science together with students from Northeastern’s School of Information Science & Engineering to increase intercultural understanding.  

At York, Chen invited members of the group Global Leaders of York Science (GLYS) to participate. GLYS is a volunteer team that works closely with Chen’s office to support the Faculty’s international initiatives, provide undergraduate students with professional development opportunities to enhance their employability skills and help them develop a global mindset. A total of 35 GLYS members and Northeastern students took part in the initial cross-cultural sessions. They began with an international coffee chat over Zoom in November 2021. 

Participants in Hugo Chen's GNL project connecting through Zoom chat.
Participants in Hugo Chen’s GNL project connecting through Zoom.

“My objective was to have them meet and talk about their own experiences,” said Chen, who is a certified sociocultural competency training facilitator. “The important thing was to build understanding and exposure around different cultures.” 

A joint organizing committee comprising students from both universities created a series of virtual sessions, each lasting an hour and a half. The topics they chose included a comparison of their education systems; mental health, including pandemic challenges; artificial intelligence; and the opportunities and risks of globalization. Of course, there was also informal discussion about their favourite books and music, hobbies and interests. 

“I suggested ideas, provided advice and was there to facilitate their conversations,” said Chen. 

After each session, he and his Northeastern colleagues asked students to provide feedback and suggest potential improvements.  

“This was an opportunity to broaden their world views without a huge cost,” said Chen. “Not all students can afford to travel abroad, so this makes international opportunities accessible and inclusive. Having such an experience may also encourage students to study or travel abroad later. There are benefits to exploring different perspectives and this project opens the door to those possibilities.” 

The success of the program was apparent in the comments students provided on their post-GNL surveys. 

“Engaging with students from different countries was enlightening,” wrote one student. “It’s fascinating to see how our approaches to science and education differ and, yet, how much we can learn from each other.” 

Another student added, “This program opened my eyes to different cultural perspectives and has given me friends from across the globe. I’m still in touch with my group members and we often discuss our academic and personal life.” 

Since 2021, Chen and his colleagues in China have run the program annually, with participants drawn primarily from GLYS. The composition of the group changes each time, with a mix of returning and new participants, and it continues to be popular. 

“One of the program’s most gratifying outcomes has been the formation of ongoing relationships and friendships among the participants that have transcended the program’s duration,” said Chen. “This speaks to the depth of the students’ engagement and the program’s success in forming meaningful international ties.  

“We also hope the students will choose York for their further studies.” 

Teaching Commons helps navigate difficult classroom conversations

Teacher speaking too students in class

To help instructors navigate sensitive issues and challenging classroom dynamics, the Teaching Commons has launched a new toolkit and series of professional development sessions focused on difficult moments and conversations in the classroom.

Nona Robinson
Nona Robinson

On March 14, the Teaching Commons will host the second of a series of workshops in partnership with Nona Robinson, vice-provost students. Titled “Effective Classroom Facilitation: Managing disruptions, addressing controversial topics and supporting equity-deserving students,” this virtual session will offer concrete tools, strategies and resources for facilitating productive conversations in the classroom.

“I’m always happy to work with faculty members on student support, inclusion, and preventing and managing conflict” says Robinson. “I know this can be a source of stress for many of us, and this is a great opportunity for colleagues to share experiences and helpful ideas.” 

The session accompanies a new Facilitating Dialogue and Challenging Conversations in the Classroom resource site, also referred to as a toolkit, housed on the Teaching Commons website. and led by educational developer Shani Kipang.

“One of the goals has been to help members of the University community revisit commonly used terms like ‘safety’ and ‘comfort,’ and to think critically and collaboratively about what it means and looks like to build accountable spaces,” says Kipang, who has worked with the Teaching Commons over the past year to support initiatives in decolonizing, equity, diversity and inclusion (DEDI).

The toolkit provides a range of resources to support productive dialogue and collaborative learning in the classroom. Included in it are topic-specific resources such as strategies for facilitating discussion, addressing harm and creating community guidelines.

Shani Kipang
Shani Kipang

“Our hope is to help instructors walk into the classroom with clear goals and responsive strategies, so students can be motivated to engage and have the sense that it will be worthwhile,” she explains. “We want to help instructors address unanticipated situations with intention, and to support meaningful and carefully guided opportunities for learners to engage with critical issues in ways that shape how they learn and work and interact in the world.”

Ameera Ali
Ameera Ali

In addition to the March 14 workshop, the Teaching Commons offers a variety of other opportunities to explore strategies for teaching in times of crisis and integrating DEDI-informed pedagogies. Among these are a workshop series on trauma-informed pedagogies and a DEDI community of practice – a space where teachers can come together to learn, share, and question a wide array of topics related to DEDI in teaching and learning.

In partnership with York’s Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion and faculty co-facilitators, these initiatives are led by Ameera Ali, an educational developer in the Teaching Commons with a portfolio focused on equity, diversity and inclusion.

“These offerings invite folks to come together to collectively reflect on and discuss various aspects of trauma, race, disability, gender, wellness, belonging and more,” she says. “And through this work, building understanding in these areas, we can better support meaningful dialogue and connection within the classroom.”

For more information on resources and upcoming sessions, visit the Teaching Commons website or contact them via email at teaching@yorku.ca.

Astronomer in Residence program offers hands-on experience to stargazers

Starry sky reflecting on lake at Lost Lake, USA

Applications are now open for York University’s 2024 Astronomer in Residence (AIR) program, an initiative led by the Allan I. Carswell Observatory in partnership with Killarney Provincial Park allowing qualified individuals to enjoy astronomy under the park’s dark skies and lead programming using its observatory. This year’s program runs from May 13 to Oct. 20.

Launched in 2022, the program calls on qualified astronomers – both professional and amateur – to apply to be an astronomer in residence at Ontario’s Killarney Provincial Park for a period of one to three weeks this summer and fall. The selected individuals will be expected to run in-person tours two to five times a week and create observatory shows, YouTube livestreams and recorded video sessions, as well as author a blog. Participants are offered free parking and lodging, as well as a $400-per-week stipend for their residency.

The full summer schedule can be found on the program’s website.

Those interested in applying can do so via the application form. For more information about qualifications, visit the Candidate Expectations page.

Throughout the duration of the program, passionate stargazers can follow along through the Astronomer in Residence Blog and livestreams on the Allan I. Carswell Observatory YouTube page, or by attending live viewings and programming at Killarney Provincial Park.

Open Education Month puts spotlight on accessible education

Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change students in class

March is Open Education Month, a time to celebrate open educational resources (OER), which are openly licensed, freely available educational materials that can be used, accessed, adapted and redistributed with limited restriction. York University’s engagement with OER has continued to expand and grow over the recent years, helping faculty create inclusive and adaptable learning environments while advancing a number of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) – specifically, UN SDG 4: Quality Education, UN SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, and UN SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

In an upcoming series of webinars scheduled for this month, Dominique Scheffel-Dunand, an associate professor in linguistics at York and co-lead for Camerise, York’s French-as-a-second-language (FSL) hub, will spearhead efforts to promote the use of Camerise, H5P, and Pressbooks for developing inclusive OER for FSL and English as a second language (ESL). Supported by a $5,000 award from eCampusOntario, Scheffel-Dunand and her co-presenter, education technology consultant Sushumna Rao Tadinada, will deliver these webinars in both English and French.

“The events that York is hosting and participating in for Open Education Month show that the University is making great strides to support the University Academic Plan’s priority of Access to Success,” said Sarah Coysh, associate dean of digital engagement and strategy at York University Libraries. “Open educational practices in the classroom help provide students with access to course learning materials from the first day of classes. Our York eCampusOntario OER Rangers have also been instrumental in helping to spread awareness of open education on campus and providing faculty, staff, and graduate students with training and guidance on embedding these practices into their teaching and outreach programs,”

The first webinar, titled “Creating Accessible Interactive OER with H5P for Language Teaching (FSL and ESL),” on March 14 from 8 to 9 a.m., will demonstrate the use of the Canvas (LMS) and H5P platforms to design massive open online courses (MOOCs) – open-access courses with unlimited participation – in both English and French, focusing on the values of openness and diversity.

The subsequent events will delve deeper into using Pressbooks and H5P to publish interactive and inclusive learning modules.

The second and third event, titled “Libérer la puissance de l’apprentissage interactif et inclusif avec Pressbooks et H5P en FLS et ESL,” will be offered first as a webinar and then as a hands-on workshop by Scheffel-Dunand and Tadinada Ra. Delivered in French, the sessions will illustrate using Pressbooks to publish collections of training modules developed with H5P and made accessible on Lumi, H5P.com, HTML or in PDF format. The two events focus on how to conceptualize the interoperability between various tools and publishing platforms such as H5P or Pressbooks to foster accessible and interactive learning, from K-12 to post-secondary education.

Interested individuals can attend the March 21 webinar from 8 to 9 a.m. or the March 28 hands-on workshop from 8 to 9:30 a.m.

“These webinars and workshop have been co-designed with Ontario educators to ensure stakeholders in FSL and ESL in the province and beyond explore how to author high-quality content and why it matters that such content be discoverable, reproducible and modified for localized contexts to meet community needs for language and culture,” said Scheffel-Dunand.

During the first week of March, eCampusOntario – a nonprofit organization supporting technology-enabled teaching, learning and innovation at Ontario’s publicly funded universities, colleges and Indigenous institutes – will also be hosting several webinars to promote OER and open educational practices. Charlotte de Araujo, an assistant professor in York’s Faculty of Science, and Stephanie Quail, acting director of the Libraries’ Open Scholarship department, were accepted into eCampusOntario’s OER Ranger program last August, making them York’s institutional champions of the use of OER.

De Araujo will be speaking at the eCampusOntario Zoom webinar titled “Designing and Publishing OERs: Creator Panel Discussion” on March 7 from noon to 1 p.m.

“The OER Ranger program has provided us with the opportunity to share the benefits of OERs with our academic community, promoting a collaborative dialogue between stakeholders and encouraging OER integration in our teaching practices,” says de Araujo. “Being able to implement OERs, whether it is a textbook chapter or an ancillary resource to review course content, can be one solution to help alleviate cost challenges, enabling students to freely revisit course material, fostering lifelong learning for all stakeholders.”

Quail adds, “Being an eCampusOntario OER Ranger has provided me with the opportunity to build my network of open education advocates across Ontario, while also co-creating events at York University with my fellow ranger to support faculty, staff and student engagement with open educational practices.”

As York University continues to champion OER and open educational practices, it exemplifies its commitment to accessible and inclusive education, paving the way for innovative pedagogy and community-driven learning initiatives.

Student Support Certificate launches new course offerings

York students walking in Accolade Building on Keele Campus

Since its launch in January 2023, over 120 York University staff and faculty members are on track to complete the Student Support Certificate, a series of YU Learn workshops offered by experts across the University who share insights on student resources and how to make informed and effective referrals to York’s available student services.

York tapped into the wealth of knowledge across the University to create a professional development opportunity for faculty and staff to support York’s diverse student population in reaching their goals and dreams. With new courses added for 2024, and more to come, the impact of the program is expected to continue to grow.

The Student Support Certificate program involves a series of self-paced and instructor-led courses, which can be completed within about 10 hours. To receive the certificate, participants must complete three core courses covering topics including conflict mediation, effective communication and student referrals, as well as additional electives that offer insights into more specialized populations, such as international student advising and immigration, and working with students with disabilities.

“By learning about student supports available across the University and how to help students access them, we strengthen our collective capacity to respond to student needs and to foster a more caring and positive community,” says Nona Robinson, vice-provost students.

Participants learn how to respond to student issues and concerns, helping to strengthen York’s student-service focus. They are encouraged to apply this knowledge in their interactions with students, to help promote and foster a caring and supportive environment for learning at York.

“Delivering the practical, student-centred, ‘appreciative advising’ approach demonstrates York’s commitment to providing an excellent quality of care and service to our students, but also ensures that our community is united, aligned, and committed to supporting the unique needs of our diverse student body and meeting them where they are,” says Derrick Fairman, director academic advising, student petitions and student relations in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and an instructor for the certificate’s course on appreciative advising. “Everyone has a role in advising – students, staff, faculty and administration.”

Additional courses will continue to be added, and all staff and faculty are invited to take part. Those interested in registering can visit YU Learn to find out more. Once completed, the certificate will appear on the employee’s learning record.

“My experience with the workshops has been positive, as they are engaging and focused on many aspects of the student experience,” says Mazen Hamadeh, an associate professor in the School of Kinesiology & Health Science and associate dean for students. “The workshops support student success and I recommend them to any staff, faculty and administrators who interact with students regularly.”

Lassonde, Schulich form new international partnership

York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering and the Schulich School of Business have deepened their international relationships through a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) in Shenzhen, China.

Lassonde and Schulich have opened their doors to students from SUSTech’s College of Engineering with what’s known as a 3+1+1 agreement. Civil engineering, materials science and engineering, or mechanical engineering students will first complete three (3) years of undergraduate studies at SUSTech in China. Then, they will be able to complete their fourth year (+1) at Lassonde. Then, in their fifth year (+1), they can enrol in one of four master’s programs at Schulich: Management, Business Analytics, Artificial Intelligence or Supply Chain Management.

Detlev Zwick
Detlev Zwick
Jane Goodyer
Jane Goodyer

For Lassonde, in particular, the MOU is an exciting development, marking its first international 3+1+1 agreement. Dean Jane Goodyer, who travelled to Shenzhen to sign the agreement, praised the future possibilities of the partnership. “It offers mutual benefits not only for our students but also for our esteemed institutions, creating a unique platform for cross-cultural exchange and learning,” she said in remarks given during her visit. “We welcome these future SUSTech students in our family.”

In the process, up to 10 SUSTech students at a time will be obtaining two degrees within a five-year period: a bachelor of engineering from SUSTech and a master’s degree from Schulich.

Detlev Zwick, dean of Schulich, who also was present for the signing, noted in his own remarks, “The program is designed to open valuable career pathways and opportunities for your students.” He added, “The 3+1+1 program brings together the strengths of your institution with the business and engineering strengths of Schulich and Lassonde.”

This partnership builds on York’s existing institutional relationships in China, including with Peking University, the University of Hong Kong and Fudan University. It came together not only through SUSTech’s College of Engineering Dean Zhenghe Xu’s long-standing connections with faculty from Lassonde but through his relationship with Goodyer, with whom he sits on the executive committee of the Global Engineering Deans Council. The two deans decided to put their heads together and come up with a way to take advantage of the two schools’ natural compatibility, due to both being relatively new and dynamic schools with powerful drives to innovate.

From left to right: Lassonde Dean Jane Goodyer, SUStech Dean of Engineering Zhenge Xu, Schulich Dean Detlev Zwick.
The three deans at the official signing of the 3+1+1 agreement.
From left to right: Lassonde Dean Jane Goodyer; Dean of SUStech’s College of Engineering, Zhenge Xu; and Schulich Dean Detlev Zwick.

“The distinctiveness of this model lies not only in its international aspect but also in its interdisciplinary approach,” says Goodyer. “It combines the strengths of two engineering schools with a business school, creating a pathway for international students to attain both a top-tier engineering degree and a premier business master’s degree. It’s a win-win.”

The 3+1+1 partnership is expected to fully come into effect with the arrival of students at York by Fall 2025.

For questions regarding this program and partnership, contact Professor Richard Hornsey, associate dean academic and students at the Lassonde School of Engineering, at adas@lassonde.yorku.ca.

Lassonde School of Engineering: shaping the student experience 

Header banner for INNOVATUS

Welcome to the February 2024 edition of Innovatus, a special issue of YFile devoted to teaching and learning at York University. This month we showcase the Lassonde School of Engineering and highlight its unique and exemplary approaches to pedagogy.

Innovatus is produced by the Office of the Vice-Provost, Teaching & Learning in partnership with the Communications & Public Affairs Division.

In this issue, the Lassonde School of Engineering invites York community members to read stories about co-op leadership and innovation, work-integrated learning and more.

As we work to nurture and empower our community of interdisciplinary creators, we are committed to fostering creativity and innovation. We do this by providing transformative education along with research and lifelong learning opportunities aimed to cultivate new ideas, knowledge and contribute toward a more sustainable world for all. 

Jane Goodyer
Dean Jane Goodyer

These efforts are demonstrated through the Lassonde School of Engineering 2022-23 Impact Report, a comprehensive microsite encapsulating our community’s remarkable journey and accomplishments. The achievements underscore our collaborative efforts, showcasing our commitment to excellence in engineering education and research as we make strides toward realizing our Strategic Academic Plan.

As a school centred on engineering and science, our ideas and conversations consistently revolve around exploring innovative, cross-disciplinary teaching methods that integrate technology and humanistic approaches. We actively involve our students in exciting projects, ranging from the OSIRIS-REx mission to the $318.4-million Connected Minds initiative, and through our two new, recently-established organized research units.  

Our faculty members are focused on addressing global issues, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, empowering our students to work together to build a better future. Interdisciplinary collaboration is ingrained in the essence of Lassonde, evident not only in our labs and classrooms but also in our innovative modes of learning, like C4: The Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom and tech stewardship. 

C4 is a unique feature at York, allowing students to develop and hone transferrable skills while learning the value of multiple perspectives in research and problem solving. In addition, our faculty members, including professors Franz Newland and Hossam Sadek, are reimagining engineering capstones, contributing to publications and practical tools to support the design and facilitation of such future projects.  

Additionally, tech stewardship is crucial for students to get involved in shaping the arc of technology toward positive ends, teaching them valuable skills. Collaborating with partners like the Engineering Change Lab, we’ve integrated their tech stewardship practice program into one of our courses, an initiative led by Professor Jeffrey Harris. As co-investigators into its potential impact, Lassonde recently received a $998,000 grant from the Suncor Energy Foundation to continue this vital work. 

The fall of 2023 witnessed the launch of our Engineering Block Model, transforming how students engage with coursework. This unique model allows deep immersion in each subject, reducing the need for multitasking and fostering a more focused classroom environment. As we examine its impact on our inaugural cohort of 70 students, we eagerly anticipate its potential to shape the future of engineering education. 

Students are at the heart of what we do, and this year, we reimagined the academic orientation experience, engaging hundreds of first-year students in a more interactive and dynamic way. We’ve also introduced the Lassonde Undergraduate Student Advisory Council to give students a direct voice to help improve our academic programs and their experience. The council has already facilitated important discussions on critical topics such as student enrolment, academic advising and degree progression. To enhance our processes, we’ve implemented a new case management system, saving hours of administrative work and allowing us to invest more in student support through this process, leading to a more positive student experience. We are working to expand its application to the petition process as well. Concurrently, we’ve established a group specifically for women students, fostering open dialogue in a safe environment.  

It’s important that our students can identify with the varied backgrounds of our faculty members and can envision themselves engaging in the research pursuits they are undertaking. The diversity of our faculty members is a key strength, helping us break down systemic barriers. Our researchers, who actively engage students in experiential learning while serving as mentors, include, among others, Professor Alvine Boaye Belle in electrical engineering and computer science; Professor Satinder Kaur Brar in water-related research; Professor Solomon Boakye Yiadom in advanced materials and manufacturing; Professor Uyen Trang Nguyen in anti-financial crime solutions; and Professor Regina Lee in advancements in nanosatellite technologies. 

Together, we are not just adapting to change in engineering and science education; we are driving it, shaping the future of teaching and learning at the Lassonde School of Engineering and beyond. I hope you enjoy this issue of Innovatus, discovering how we’re making a positive impact on our students, our community and the world through experiential education, technology-enhanced learning and internationalization. 

Sincerely,  

Jane Goodyer
Dean, Lassonde School of Engineering

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 here.

In this issue:

York’s k2i academy creates co-op leadership opportunities
Lassonde’s k2i academy is reimagining what science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education can look like by enlisting student mentors from its co-op program, offering paid work experience.

Lassonde’s digital technologies WIL program is off and running
This past year, Lassonde’s paid Work-Integrated-Learning (WIL) program – the first in Canada – saw students and faculty pioneer a new way to advance studies and careers. 

BEST summer co-op offers insights into entrepreneurship
The Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology (BEST) program is empowering students through a summer a co-op to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.

Creating accessibility through both research and training
The Practices in Enabling Technologies Lab, run by Professor Melanie Baljko, enlists students’ help in designing assistive devices to make life more accessible for people facing barriers. 

York’s k2i academy creates co-op leadership opportunities

scrabble board spelling out success team lead BANNER

By Elaine Smith

The Bringing STEM to Life: Work-Integrated Learning program at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering’s k2i academy provides opportunities for students from under-represented groups entering Grades 10, 11 and 12 to participate in a paid summer research project experience aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), ensuring they have the broadest possible career choices in the future. A critical component: mentors from Lassonde’s co-op program.

“We are here to reimagine how STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] education can look,” said Michelle Tsui-Woods, associate director of operations and development for the k2i academy.

A valuable by-product of the k2i academy’s work is its success in training university students as mentors and leaders, reflecting Lassonde’s commitment to Creating Opportunities and a Welcoming Community, a theme in its new Strategic Academic Plan.

Each summer, k2i academy hires York students for four months of full-time work as paid mentors and mentor leads for Bringing STEM to Life. A number of these students are part of Lassonde’s co-op program, chosen to reflect the diverse backgrounds of the high-school students they will be mentoring.

Lassonde’s co-op program is designed to offer students relevant curricular experience by offering them the opportunity to gain relevant, paid work experience throughout their academic journey. It allows them to put the theories they have learned in class into practice while building their professional networks and becoming acclimated to the workplace.

Lassonde k2i mentors.
Lassonde k2i mentors.

To participate in Lassonde’s co-op program, students must have completed at least two years of study at Lassonde. Through alternating academic and work terms, students are required to undertake at least three co-op terms with at least a single school term between them to provide them time to reflect on and absorb the lessons learned. After successfully completing co-op terms of at least 12 to 20 months, students earn a co-op designation on their transcripts and graduate with experience generally required for an entry-level role.

In two years, k2i has employed 34 co-op students, helping Lassonde to become York’s leading co-op employer. More than 50 per cent of these students have been women and they have represented eight of the 10 Lassonde undergraduate degree programs. For 90 per cent of them, it was their first co-op experience.

“A lot of co-op students are concerned when they begin their first co-op term because they feel they don’t have many skills,” said Mayolyn Dagsi, manager of the co-op program and business partnerships for Lassonde. “The k2i team has been intentional about building skills for these students, not only around engineering attributes, but as leaders. Survey data indicate that everyone who goes through a k2i co-op has enjoyed it and found it rewarding. For many of these students, the leadership experience and skills gained through their roles as k2i program mentors contributed to their success in obtaining their next work term in industry.”

As part of their work experience, k2i co-ops students gain outstanding leadership experience, given the nature of their positions. The focus of their job is to work in pairs as mentors to a team of eight to 10 high-school lab assistants and to lead them through a research project that is related to a faculty member’s own research and the UN SDGs, which are highlighted in York’s University Academic Plan and reflected as a theme in Lassonde’s Strategic Academic Plan.

“Under-represented students in STEM need networks and role models. One of the best ways to provide that is to connect undergraduate STEM students as mentors, who are close in age, to project teams,” said Tsui-Woods. “The k2i mentors design and create exciting learning opportunities for high-school students, including hands-on experiences connected to real-world engineering challenges. During the co-op experience, the k2i mentors learn about themselves as leaders, developing professional skills that will strengthen their future opportunities.”

Krishnika Raveendranathan
Krishnika Raveendranathan

Krishnika Raveendranathan, a space engineering student in her final year of study, joined the k2i academy for a summer co-op term and worked as a mentor in 2023. She and a fellow mentor worked with their group of about 10 high-school lab assistants to create a smart-sensing light system using machine learning.

“It was a great experience,” she said. “I really like to help and I really enjoyed working with the students. They were almost my own age, so it was more like working with friends, rather than a teacher-student relationship.

“Working as a k2i mentor allowed me to develop my leadership skills greatly, because as a mentor you were involved in a lot of teaching and delivering presentations to mentor the students. It was also about collaborating with other mentors and being open to insights.” 

As July draws to a close, the mentors assist their team in preparing to present the results of their experiment at a STEM symposium with posters and demonstrations, so the mentors are busy coaching their teams in soft skills such as giving presentations and communication.

By August, as equipment is packed and stored, the mentors and mentor leads reflect on their experiences and learnings. They meet individually with k2i staff to review the summer, obtain feedback on their work and discuss growth opportunities. By September, they’re ready to return to their own classes, but – ideally – they are bringing stronger skills in leadership, mentoring, and diversity, equity and inclusion along with them.

“Building knowledge and experience in equity, diversity, and inclusion is an important part of transformational change in STEM education and STEM-sector industries,” said Lisa Cole, director of programming for the k2i academy. “Providing authentic experiences to build skills in practical applications within the workplace ensures that STEM undergraduate students become the kinds of leaders and changemakers our world needs.”

Creating accessibility through both research and training

accessible sign on colorful wall

By Elaine Smith

If the Lassonde School of Engineering wants to illustrate Empowering our People with Perspectives, Tools and Knowledge, a theme from its new academic plan, they have a perfect example close at hand: the research lab run by Melanie Baljko, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science.

Melanie Baljko
Melanie Baljko

Baljko’s Practices in Enabling Technologies (PiET) Lab and her students – undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral – focus their research on making life more accessible for people facing barriers and involve the users in designing assistive devices to ensure their needs are met. Many of her researchers actually are the very people who face barriers.

“We hire only students with lived experience, if possible, and find a way to let the research be led by these folks,” Baljko said. “All of us without disabilities can only be allies and create space.”

Although she knows of only one North American research lab led by a neurodiverse researcher, Baljko hopes the students who train with her will help increase those numbers.

“I’m taking the long view,” Baljko said. “This isn’t a five-year plan. If I train an undergraduate and they go on to graduate school and postdoctoral work, it will take time for them to become part of the system, and the system also has to be ready to receive them.

“There is a lot of ableism built into the system and it may require us to unsettle things and change the status quo.”

As she provides valuable training to students, they become immersed in designing solutions for disabled people, but they don’t simply jump in and pursue research they decide is a good idea. Such an approach, Baljko says, leads to a disability dongle – well-intentioned solutions that were never requested by clients and don’t actually address the problem at hand. Instead, they ask clients which problems they would like to see solved.

Foad Hamidi
Foad Hamidi
(photo credit: Research Graphics UMBC)

Baljko’s lab focuses on value-based digital media and digital technology design, paying particular attention to inclusion and social belonging. In one of the lab’s accessibility projects, Baljko and her students formed a partnership with a community-based organization in Kenya. Foad Hamidi, who completed his PhD research under Baljko’s supervision and is now an assistant professor in information systems at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, was one of the researchers on the study.

“We wanted to see what factors would impact a do-it-yourself communication device for non-verbal children outside of Europe and North America,” Hamidi said.

The team used open-source technology-building kits and fashioned a simple device that could be used to create vocalizations for these non-verbal children. They brought the device to the community and had families work together to build similar units for their children.

“There were positive impacts,” Baljko said. “The children could use the devices at a special education school and the community came together to talk about the special education stigma, too.”

A major ongoing project, funded by the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada and done in collaboration with Iris Epstein at the School of Nursing, Karen Swartz at Student Accessibility Services and external colleagues, is Accessibility in Educational Placement for Students with Disabilities. The researcher team is creating a toolkit that will enable people involved with student placements to find what is needed to support the inclusion of students with disabilities in placements.

“Students may face certain barriers in the classroom, but there are different challenges that come with going to a work site for placements, co-ops and work-integrated learning terms,” Baljko said. “Unfortunately, although people mean well, it often falls to the students themselves to raise awareness.”

Sarah Akhavan
Sarah Akhavan Kazemzadeh

Sarah Akhavan Kazemzadeh, a York computer science instructor, did her master’s thesis with Baljko in 2022 and has also been a collaborator on a number of PiET Lab’s research projects, including the design of assistive technology for a person with motor disabilities who is largely blind and deaf.

“It is basically a large screen that shows the letters of the alphabet,” said Akhavan Kazemzadeh. “The system scans through the letters and the person can press a button to stop it and choose a specific letter. It is a switch-activated writing system that this person has now been using for 10 years. She has gone to school with it and is now using it to write a book.”

Projects of this type have drawn interest from researchers elsewhere in the world. In 2023, for example, Baljko hosted an education event for her students and members of De Leidsche Fleisch, a study association for physics, astronomy, mathematics and computer science based at Leiden University, Netherlands, that aims to share knowledge and expertise with wider scientific communities.

No matter how many prototypes the PiET Lab creates, its motivation is sharing through open scholarship, not commercialization.

“The focus is on knowledge production, and the main outcome is papers and reports and open-source software,” said Hamidi. “However, if someone wants to take one of the ideas and turn it into a product, that would be wonderful. Unfortunately, with assistive technology, you often need government support.”

Akhavan noted, “Melanie’s significant impact shines through her development of a switch-activated writing system, utilized consistently for over a decade by an individual with motor disabilities and sensory impairments. This prolonged use underscores the essence of true accessibility. By involving individuals in the design process, Melanie’s approach ensures practical, enduring solutions. Unlike costly assistive technologies that often fall short of users’ needs, Melanie’s methodology advocates for sustainable, collaboratively driven innovation.”

Indeed, for Baljko, the process is as important as the research outcomes.

“I want to create conditions to bring people with lived experience of disability to projects as co-designers,” she said. “It’s a participatory method that erases barriers and lessens power imbalances.”

The final word about Baljko and the PiET Lab goes to Akhavan Kazemzadeh.

“When you think about this, it’s amazing. Melanie has realized that neglecting accessibility is a global issue and there’s a lot of work yet to be done.”