news

  • Resolved: Service interruption to Online Student Course Experience Surveys system, Blue

    Monday, December 02, 2024 | By

    📝Proceed to Student Course Experience Surveys system

    On December 2, 2024, the system we use for online Student Course Experience Surveys, Explorance’s Blue software, experienced intermittent availability.

    Explorance acknowledged the outage affecting all of their cloud customers, including other Ontario institutions, and resolved it by 18:30ET.

    An additional reminder will be sent to students to respond to open surveys.

    The default date for Duration 2 surveys to close is December 10th. Instructors who modified the survey period to be more restrictive may want to contact the CPI about modifications.

    We appreciate students’ and instructors’ patience.

    Categories: news

  • Undergraduate Student Evaluation: Summary of key revisions

    Wednesday, September 11, 2024 | By

    On May 29, 2024 Brock University Senate unanimously approved a set of revisions to the section of the Faculty Handbook that concerns undergraduate student evaluation (FHB III: A.10.).

    This approval was the culmination of months of consultations, including the collection of feedback from stakeholders across the campus community, discussions at the Senate Teaching & Learning Policy Committee on February 13 and April 7, the Senate Undergraduate Student Affairs Committee on March 26, 2024, and Senate on April 17, all of which informed the drafting and refining of the final set of revisions.

    The following are the key revisions approved by Senate and that now constitute university academic policy:

    1) Two additional guidelines have been added to the requirements that apply to the distribution of final grades:

    • a) A single item cannot count for more than 50 percent of the final grade. This requirement does not apply to thesis and independent/directed study courses. (FHB III: A.10.1.2.)
    • b) The final grade shall reflect grades from no fewer than 3 assessments. This requirement also does not apply to thesis and independent/directed study courses. (FHB III: A.10.1.2.)

    2) The various requirements to be communicated “at the beginning of each course” have been clarified and consolidated into a single list, including for independent studies courses. A format, such as a syllabus, was not assumed, nor was any precise timing. (FHB III: A.10.1.3.B.)

    3) The reference to the Composition of Final Grade Form has been removed. Chairs and/or Deans may in turn choose to remove this obligation from instructors. (FHB III: A.10.1.3.)

    4) References to course goals have been replaced with references to the course learning outcomes. (FHB III: A.10.1.1., 10.1.3., 10.2.1, 10.2.2., 10.2.3.)

    5) The responsibility to “return to the Office of the Registrar” the equivalent letter grade component of final grade submission has been removed. Only the submission of a numerical grade is now required. (FHB III: A. 10.1.6.)

    6) Revised the section on software used to assess student work (FHB III: A.10.4.)

    • a) Removed references to a specific vendor/software such as Turnitin (used the more generic descriptor of “phrase matching software”).
    • b) Updated the section to clarify multiple services instructors may consider submitting student work to, while underscoring the obligation to only use technologies that have been reviewed to ensure they meet Brock University accessibility, privacy and information security obligations.
    • c) Added language advising instructors that the use of artificial intelligence detection tools is not condoned.

    7) Improved language

    • a) Revised the description of grading schemes (which previously included phrases such as “a rare talent,” “craftsman-like,” “of a certain flair,” “incisive mind,” etc.). (FHB III: A.10.2.2.) b) Used more precision when describing evaluation that is conducted “fairly.” The language now refers to reliable and valid evaluation. (FHB III: A.10.1.5.)
    • c) Standardized use of terms such as academic unit/department, etc.
    • d) Standardized capitalization of terms such as “academic integrity” and “academic misconduct.”
    • e) Used inclusive terminology where possible.

    8) Update language to reflect current practice

    • a) Reflected and referenced the current Course Information – Course Outlines & Curriculum Development retention schedule (FHB III: A.10.1.3.)
    • b) Reflected university practices around student accommodations and accessibility (FHB III: A.10.1.2.)
    • c) Added “Hold” and “Not Reported” to table of final grades (FHB III: A.10.3.)
    • d) Removed the reference to the examination schedules being published “prior to the beginning of term.” (FHB III: A.10.1.4.) 9) Clarified the scope of the policy a) Indicated that examinations are addressed by a different policy (FHB III: A. 9.)
    • b) The deadline for the reporting of final grades remains in the examination section (FHB III: A. 11.9.1.).

    10) Relocated language with minor changes:

    • a) Added titles to FHB III: A. 10.6. (formerly 9.6.) CHALLENGES FOR CREDIT subsections.
    • b) Amended FHB III: A. 10.5.4. (formerly 9.3.6.) Report to Faculty to reflect digital transmission of statistical information about final grades.

    11) Relocated (without any change) policy language better suited to other sections of the Faculty Handbook to prevent repetition or reinterpretation, and general improve instructors’ ability to identify what is expected of them:

    a) Moved the following sections from FHB III: A. 9. (Examination) to FHB III: A. 10. (Evaluation):

    • i) FHB III: A. 10.5.1. (formerly 9.1.4.) Grade Report
    • ii) FHB III: A. 10.5.2. (formerly 9.3.5.) Final Grades for First-Term Half Credit Courses
    • iii) FHB III: A. 10.5.3. (formerly 9.5.3.) Aegrotat Standing
    • iv) FHB III: A. 10.5.4. (formerly 9.3.6.) Report to Faculty
    • v) FHB III: A. 10.6. (formerly 9.6.) CHALLENGES FOR CREDIT
    • vi) FHB III: A. 10.6.1. (formerly 9.6.1.) Purpose of The Challenge for Credit Process
    • vii) FHB III: A. 10.6.2. (formerly 9.6.2.) Intentions of The Challenge for Credit Process
    • viii)FHB III: A. 10.6.3. (formerly 9.6.3.) Procedures and Oversight of The Challenge for Credit Process
    • ix) FHB III: A. 10.6.4. (formerly 9.6.4.) How to Challenge for Credit 12) Removed language

    b) The paragraph concerning admission standards and prerequisites in FHB III: A. 10.2.1. was removed (FHB III: A. 3.3.0. Admissions already addresses this).

    Categories: news

  • Educator Professional Learning Survey

    Wednesday, September 11, 2024 | By

    As part of the Brock University Academic Plan Action 1.b: Invest in the development of robust professional development opportunities for faculty, academic staff, and graduate students, including in the design of effective learning experiences and assessments across all course delivery modes, CPI invited feedback in June 2024.

    CPI invited instructional staff (faculty, TAs, librarians, course coordinators, marker-graders) to share their professional learning needs for 2024-25. We received a total of 80 responses (79 instructors, 1 librarian) from all six faculties.Forty respondents identified themselves as being from Applied Health Sciences (6); Education (6); Goodman School of Business (5); Humanities (9); Social Sciences (8); Math & Sciences (5); Other (1).

    Respondents identified a need for more resources on the CPI website on a wide variety of topics. In response, CPI has added new teaching resources related to:

    • Student Engagement
    • Generative AI
    • Using Brightspace
    • Teaching Large Classes
    • Working with Teaching Assistants
    • Assessment and Grading Strategies (with and without TAs)
    • Strategies for Accommodations and Accessibility
    • More voices from Brock faculty (Faculty Spotlight)

    Respondents indicated that current workshop timings during the week, and some availability in the evenings across all modalities, were preferred. CPI Workshops are posted on experienceBU, including online drop-ins.

    Respondents indicated they wanted to know more, now that they are familiar with Brightspace. Advanced Workshops on topics were offered this fall and more are planned. Instructors are welcome to review the recordings.

    What are your most pressing professional learning needs as an educator at Brock? Please comment on desired areas of focus and/or teaching challenges you would like CPI to focus on. Generative AI •Opportunities •How to use; more support learning about •Disruption caused by •Design assignments to discourage use of •Support in detection •Policies to deal with academic misconduct related to Large Classes •Active Learning •Assessments (meaningful and feasible) •Curriculum / course mapping student progress •Peer evaluation •Efficient Grading (with and without Tas) Teaching Assistants •Supervising •Support for consistent Grading •Facilitating Seminars Accommodations •How to manage/support •Social anxiety – group work, presentations Assessments •Designing with UDL in mind •Support for more multimodal •Crafting learning outcomes, aligning to assessments •Experiential Learning •Ungrading Technology •Better use of Brightspace oSupport for quiz creation oSupport for creating more intuitive content that will support students to read the material (user interface design, cognitive load theory) oIntegration with other tools like MS Teams and Forms Open Educational Resources (OER) •Support in using/creating •More information about the grant program continuation Modalities •Analog teaching (put the devices away) •Teaching in the “live moment”; “traditional teaching” •Better use of Classroom technology •Balancing appropriate use of online/in person •Stop supporting online learning •Provide more support for online learning •Offer more workshops online Profile of a Brock student in 2024 (Who are our learners and what do they need?) •Engagement / attendance •Effects of COVID-19; providing flexibility but also maintaining integrity of the course/program/degree •Support for learning skills (Note-taking, reading, writing) •Problem-solving; critical thinking •Discussion/debate/dealing with controversial issues/ exposure to new ideas / meaningful dialogue Resources •Connect to recent empirical evidence/literature •Draw Upon Faculty Experience •Add more resources to the CPI website •Provide more drop-in support

    Certificate Programs for Instructors

    Certificate Programs for Teaching Assistants

    CPI offers a workshop program which allows TAs to complete the following certificates:

    Being better prepared to use Brock’s classrooms and Classroom Technology

    Categories: news

  • January 2024 Teaching and Learning

    Sunday, January 28, 2024 | By

    Categories: news, newsletter

  • Recording from webinar, AI Essentials for Educators: A Practical Guide for Next Generation Learning – Simon Chow

    Monday, November 20, 2023 | By

    A Practical Guide to how artificial intelligence (AI) is shaping higher education.

    The presentation includes:

    • A preliminary survey results from a recent survey of educators in Ontario’s perspectives on AI.
    • Demo of ChatGPT and other tools.
    • Prompts – What are they and how do I use them?
    • The risks and opportunities of AI.

    The recording was posted on YouTube.

    Slides from the presentation.

    Presented by Simon Chow of Diversity Research & Consulting.

    Thanks to the Government of Ontario for making this session possible.

    This session was hosted by CPI and the Manager of Academic Integrity.

    Categories: news

  • Webinar Series on Assessment Recordings

    Monday, November 20, 2023 | By

    In partnership with the Deans, CPI has hosted a webinar series on assessment. Recordings from previous sessions are available on the webinar website.

    • Accessible Assessments and Universal Design for Learning, Dr. Ann Gagné 
    • Assessment for Blended and Online Learning, Dr. Brenna Clarke Gray 
    • Writing in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Dr. James M. Lang

    CPI is pleased to announce the 2024 line up for our webinar series focusing on Assessment.

    Reframing the STEM classroom in the age of AI through authentic, equity-centered assessment and evaluation, Clarissa Sorensen-Unruh 

    • Tuesday Jan 16, 2024, 11am-12:30pm 

    Assessments in the Second Language Classroom, A Multilingual Dialogue, Dr. Rosa Hong and Adriana Grimaldi 

    • Tuesday Feb 13, 2024, 11am-12:30pm 

    Slow Change: Responding to Generative AI in the Classroom, Dr. Cate Denial 

    • Tuesday March 5, 2024, 11am-12:30pm 

     

    Categories: news

  • September Teaching and Learning Newsletter

    Tuesday, September 26, 2023 | By

    Categories: news, newsletter

  • Student Success Research Fellowship

    Friday, September 15, 2023 | By

    The College Student Success Innovation Centre (CSSIC) at Mohawk College invites emerging and established external scholars at Canadian postsecondary institutions whose research is positioned to promote college student success to apply for the CSSIC Research Fellowship. Eligible applicants include:

    • PhD or EdD, with evidence of having undertaken research in one of the identified disciplines (evidence of having successfully led and completed a funded research project will be considered favourably).
    • Full-time or multi-year appointment (for the duration of the proposed project/funding period) at a Canadian postsecondary institution that holds Tri-Agency institutional eligibility; the ability to lead/supervise a research project; and associated paid/allocated time for research. Eligible appointments include tenured and tenure-track faculty positions, limited-term appointments, postdoctoral fellowships, and other faculty and staff positions with compensated time to conduct research.  

    The fellowship value is $25,000 to $100,000 per project (Maximum total funding envelope: $100,000).

    External Deadline: October 20, 2023 (8:00 pm EDT)

    Internal Deadline: October 13, 2023  (8:00 pm EDT)

    For more information about the CSSIC Fellowship opportunity, contact Snežana Obradović-Ratković at x5233 or via email sratkovic@brocku.ca

    Categories: news

  • August Teaching and Learning Newsletter

    Wednesday, August 30, 2023 | By

    Categories: news, newsletter

  • June 2023 Teaching and Learning

    Tuesday, June 20, 2023 | By

    Categories: news, newsletter

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