Teaching in Focus is a pan-university conference that strives to provide a fertile terrain for informed conversations about teaching and learning while highlighting the practical benefits and conundrums in implementing these ideas wherever we teach – in the classroom, a virtual learning environment, a bilingual space, a clinical setting, or out in the field (among others). Recognizing that teaching practice can take various forms, ranging in aims and methodology, we learn as much, if not more, as we teach.
We are excited to announce the that 2024 2-day TiF Conference is now rescheduled for September 26 & 27, 2024. This years’ theme, Engaged Teaching in Times of Crisis, asks us to think about this moment in postsecondary education, through scholarship, accounts of teaching practice, reflections on teaching/learning identities, discussion with colleagues, and engagement with student perspectives. This year’s Keynote Speakers: Dr. Vidya Shah, Faculty of Education and Dr. Julie Conder, Faculty of Health.
Day 1 September 26: In-person at the Keele Campus at the Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Building, 11:30am-3:45pm. Seats are limited for Day 1. *NOTE: DAY-ONE NOW FULL AND LONGER ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS*
Day 2 September 27: Online via Zoom, 9:30am-3:15pm – links to join posted in the agenda and conference access page below.
The TiF 2024 Call for Proposals is now closed.
York University’s 2024 Teaching in Focus Conference, hosted by the Teaching Commons, invites you to join us in Engaged Teaching in Times of Crisis at this moment in postsecondary education, through scholarship, accounts of teaching practice, reflections on teaching/learning identities, discussion with colleagues, and engagement with student perspectives.
To submit a proposal, please fill out this form. The deadline for submission is February 29, 2024.
These additional guiding questions may provide further inspiration:
- What approaches and practices can help us respond to some of the teaching tensions and crises that continue to move to the fore? For example, the tension between a focus on content delivery versus responding to student emotions and reactions to current world events?
- How can we create and sustain equitable, inclusive, and accessible communities and environments that meet and support the needs and voices of all learners and educators? Can we?
- How can we use our lessons learned to build sustainable and resilient learning spaces, technologies, and communities?
- What might existing frameworks (such as experiential education, critical pedagogy, conceptual and theoretical frameworks, the community of inquiry model, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, among others) offer to support our work in teaching and learning?
- How can we learn from Indigenous and other non-Western ways of understanding and knowing the concept of balance to continue the work of decolonization and Indigenization in postsecondary education? How can we balance this work with the institutional contexts in which it takes place?
All York University faculty, instructors, administrators, staff, librarians, graduate and undergraduate students, and post-doctoral scholars are welcome to submit a proposal to one or more of the session formats described below.
Session Formats:
Note that all session formats are in-person.
1. Individual or Team Presentation (20 minutes)
This is a 15-minute presentation with 5 minutes reserved for Q&A. Presentations can be made by individuals or by teams, and should address the conference theme, Engaged Teaching in Times of Crisis, as outlined above. Please indicate which of the following session foci of A Model for Engaged Teaching at York University: Moving Towards Research-Informed Practice your presentation most connects with:
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Share your research into teaching, learning activities, and/or conceptual praxis that are implemented and assessed systematically in the classroom or the curriculum (e.g., qualitative, quantitative, theoretical, or mixed methods approaches to describing and analyzing pedagogical initiatives).
- Scholarly Teaching: Share the results of implementing teaching and learning activities in the classroom or the curriculum based upon best practices or scholarly literature (e.g., sharing student feedback from classroom assessment techniques or a survey following a teaching activity informed by the literature)
- Practice of Teaching: Share your classroom or curricular strategies, activities, conceptualizations, theoretical frameworks, or reflections based on your teaching experience and/or disciplinary lens (e.g., sharing your favourite teaching tip alongside informal evidence of student learning).
2. AIF Featured Talks (20 minutes)
Academic Innovation Fund (AIF) grant recipients are encouraged to submit a proposal for presenting the outcomes of their project. This can be done in a traditional 20-minute presentation unless otherwise specified by the prospective presenters.
3. Experiential Education/Work Integrated Learning Showcase
Through this event we hope to highlight diverse examples of classroom-focused, community-focused, and work-focused experiential education (EE) and how faculty members have engaged these partners in facilitating innovative EE and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunities. Presentations can be made by individuals or by teams (20 minutes) or may be shared as a panel (30 minutes) and should link to the conference theme, Engaged Teaching in Times of Crisis, as outlined above.
4. TiF Reads
We invite you to champion the teaching/learning related read that most inspired and engaged you over the past year(s). This might be a book, a chapter, a journal article, or another resource – if it challenged you to think differently and got you excited about teaching in new ways, we want to hear about it! We will select four champions to introduce their chosen reads via the Teaching Commons blog in the weeks leading up to TiF. During TiF, you will also participate in an in-person panel from which only one champion, and one read, will emerge victorious!
No pre-registration or submissions required – you will be able to join roundtable discussions during the conference.
If you experience any difficulties with the submission process, please reach out to Teaching Commons or our instructional designer, Robert Winkler, and we will be happy to assist you.
Join us on September 26 and 27, 2024 for our 2024 Teaching in Focus Conference at the Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Building & Online!
AGENDA
SEPTEMBER 26: Thursday
In-Person
Join us on our Keele campus to enjoy our live presentations at the Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Building!
TIME (EST) | . | PROGRAM Room 1014 | . |
---|---|---|---|
11:30 – 12:30 | WELCOME & OPENING REMARKS |
TIME (EST) | Room DB1014 | PROGRAM Room DB1012 | Room DB1030 |
---|---|---|---|
13:00 – 13:20 | Leveraging a community of scholars to measure and improve the sense of belonging for all students in Canadian STEM classrooms by Tamara Kelly & Paula Wilson (Abstract) | Active learning strategies in the 1st year physics laboratories at York University by Gloria Orchard & Bartolomeo Candelma (Abstract) | “A Litany in Time of Plague”: COVID & New Approaches to Online Learning Communities by Tanya Taylor (Abstract) |
13:25 – 13:45 | Helping Students Realize They Forgot by Karen Bernhardt-Walther (Abstract) | Unlock Learning Potential: Harnessing ChatGPT as the Ultimate Learning Companion by Marzieh Ahmadzadeh (Abstract) | Redefining Education for Resilient Futures: Riipen’s Experiential Learning Opportunities for York Learners by Sybil Massey (Riipen) (Abstract) |
14:00 – 14:20 | GNL into my course on Teaching Core French by Jafar A. Hussain (Abstract) | The Arrangement of Words and Why It Matters by Anjalee Nadarajan (Abstract) | Advancing Inclusion in Science Labs by Ashley Nahornick & Tamara Kelly (with contribution from Paula Wilson, Ainsley Latour, & Jessi Nelson) (Abstract) |
14:25 – 14:45 | Addressing Controversial Issues in the Classroom: The Israel/Palestine Conflict by Peter Flaherty (Abstract) | Using Academic Reading Circles in the Undergraduate Classroom: Perspectives from Instructors and Students by Kael Reid, Ari Paranthahan, Veronica Lockyer, Vanessa Moonilal, Teija Charles & Margherita Martino (Abstract) | Fostering PEACE in the Classroom by Abigail Ramos, Ghazal Khodadadi Zadeh, Parmis Falahat, Sabrina Laura Brusco, Jennine Rawana & Agata Stypka (Abstract) |
15:00 – 15:45 | Closing Panel: Generative AI Pedagogies: Classroom Strategies & Assignments Panelists: Jafar Hussain, Andrew Sarta, Minoo Selseleh, & Zhifan Luo (Abstract) (Session Handouts) | ||
15:45 | CONCLUSION OF TiF2024 DAY 1 |
SEPTEMBER 27: Friday
Online
Join us to see the live presentations by clicking on the Zoom link below each event you want to visit!
TIME (EST) | . | . | PROGRAM Zoom Room 6 | . | . |
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09:30 – 10:30 | WELCOME & OPENING REMARKS Click to join us! |
TIME (EST) | Zoom Room 1 | Zoom Room 2 | PROGRAM Zoom Room 3 | Zoom Room 4 | Zoom Room 5 |
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10:45 – 11:05 | Evolution of a First Year Biology Course: Incorporating Flexibility to Promote Inclusion and Equity by Mark Vicari, Kristen Brochu, Tanya Da Sylva, Svati Balaji, Jacquelina DaSilva, Asha Abdi, Valentina Rozario, Miriam Skosowski, Lisa Robertson, Birgit Schwarz, & Tamara Kelly (Abstract) Click to join us! | Experiences using the “Friends without Pens” strategy to reduce test anxiety by Nicole Nivillac (Abstract) Click to join us! | Engaging students in a collaborative exam review using Quiz-Quiz Trade by Larnes Joy Nabarreti (Abstract) Click to join us! | Impact of Block Model Teaching in First-Year Engineering by Jeff Harris, Andrew Skelton, Kai Zhuang, Matthew George, Patrick Molicard-Chartier, & Alice Kim (Abstract) Click to join us! | Reinventing Information Literacy Instruction as a Result of Covid-19: Exploring Experiences, Evolutions and Implications by Sophie Bury (Abstract) Click to join us! |
11:10 – 11:30 | How do role models influence the sense of belonging for science students? by Alex Tarana, Ailin Heidari, Aminah Raza Khan, Azbah Wasim, Nicholas Bragagnolo, Trisha Mahtani, Ayuni Ratnayake, Svati Balaji, Hamza Fakhrizada, Ahmed Douelrachad, Shadi Abdul-Sater, Aarthi Ashok, & Tamara Kelly (Abstract) Click to join us! | Peer Mentoring Strategies to Increase a Sense of Belonging in Times of Crises Among First Year Undergraduate Students by Bayley Femia, Johdeth Escorpiso Dela Cruz, Vi Vo, Claire Regina Kurniawan & Jennine Rawana (Abstract) Click to join us! | Explorations of Play Reading as a Pedagogical Practice by Anika Forde & Katherine Bischoping (Abstract) Click to join us! | Redesigning Research Methods by Anne MacLennan (Abstract) Click to join us! | Supporting Students in Crises: Lessons Learned from Creating Wellness & DEDI Dialogues in Student Success Programming by Waziha Kabir, Natascha Ibowski, Grace Ndlovu, Alyssa Piluso, & Jennine S. Rawana (Abstract) Click to join us! |
11:30 – 11:50 | Engaging future teachers by challenging their views on language teaching and learning: A dialogic self-discovery journey by Magdalene Katarzynski, Alexis Skopelitis, Houys Garabedian & Dr. Marlon Valencia (Abstract) Click to join us! | Peer Tutors and Faculty as Partners to Promote Academic Success During Times of Crises by Bayley Femia, Abdulrahman Al-Humiqani, Bobbie Vayne Riesgo, John Li, Carikaalan Sarvaanantham & Jennine Rawana (Abstract) Click to join us! | Simulation-based nursing practicum in a pediatric clinical placement crisis by Cui Xiang Sandy Lin, Nicole Bradbury, Erin Erlandson, Joy Soriano-Tulloch & Kristine Pedernal (Abstract) Click to join us! | * | Mapping a Path through Undergraduate Psychology by Jodi Martin, Yasaman Delaviz, Noah Couto, Afrika Yeboah, Mohammed Jabr, Raima Shah & Sophie Koch (Abstract) Click to join us! |
11:55 – 12:15 | Ballet in the Time of Covid by Gdalit Neuman (Abstract) Click to join us! | Teaching effectiveness in ethical cases in a world of crisis: The comparison between Case Method, Podcase and Role Play in the Master of Financial accountability by Romi-Lee Sevel & Elisabeth Garriga Cots (Abstract) Click to join us! | Embracing Crisis as Catalyst: Mobilizing UN Sustainable Development Goals in Post-Secondary Classrooms by Sandra Peniston, Carolyn Steele & Tracy Bhoola (Abstract) Click to join us! | A Different Kind of Tutorial: Active Learning and Research Methods by Anne MacLennan, Antara Dey, Angela Stigliano, & Ali Demir (Abstract) Click to join us! | Bridging the theory-to-practice gap: Community-based learning in psychology by Lesley Zannella, Kanishka Bardhan, Jacqueline Berg & Blake Haig (Abstract) Click to join us! |
12:15 – 13:00 | LUNCH / BREAK | ||||
13:00 – 13:20 | Weathering The Storm with Flipped Classes and Better Teaching Technologies by James Andrew Smith (Abstract) Click to join us! | Course Representatives: Student Partners in the Classroom During Times of Crises by Bayley Femia, Gurleen Kaur Sanghera, Adaeze Precious Emmanuel, Zeliha Ozcan, Anjola Imolehin, Hannah J. Wong, Jennine Rawana & Tandeep Sadhra (Abstract) Click to join us! | Engaging with Research Methods in a Large Lecture Setting by Anne MacLennan (Abstract) Click to join us! | Inviting GenAI to the classroom for a Podcast by Andrea Valente (Abstract) Click to join us! | Does an authentic approach to teaching genetics reduce deterministic thinking in undergraduate biology students? by Claire Del Zotto, Zahra Salemwalla, Tamara Kelly, & Tanya Da Sylva (Abstract) Click to join us! |
13:25 – 13:45 | * | Accessible Course Design: A C4 Project by Gurher Sidhu, Hala Doumat, Fatima Atif, Jasdeep Lotay, Rifatasmia Anusha & Franz T. Newland (Abstract) Click to join us! | Engage and Inspire: The Power of Hands-on Interviewing Workshops by Heather Garrett, Natalie Bouchard, Pem Shulman and Sarah Noble (Abstract) Click to join us! | The Availability and Utilization of Open Educational Resources (OERs) in Biochemistry and Biology Courses by Adriano Vettese, Ridhima Bhatia, Leo Heck, Stephanie Quail, Charlotte de Araujo (Abstract) Click to join us! | Juntos: Challenging the traditional epistemology of teaching English as an additional language in a transformative international practicum by Tanya Tulloch, Marlon Valencia, Raj Gill, Houys Garabedian & Magda Katarzynski (Abstract) Click to join us! |
13:45 – 14:05 | Flexible deadlines impact student mental health and course engagement: a mixed methods exploratory study by Lesley Zannella & Jessica Sutherland (Abstract) Click to join us! | Developing a Micro-Credential Framework through Partnership: Data-Driven Storytelling in Anthropology by Lisa Davidson, Vidhya Elango & Shaelyn Chapman (Abstract) Click to join us! | Creating Community and Confronting Crisis: Talking About Teaching Assistantships by Anne MacLennan, Kelly Bergstrom, Davis Vallesi, Kacie Hopkins, Candidate, Esther Sampson, Antara Dey & Brandon Hollingshead (Abstract) Click to join us! | Dual mode teaching in an interdisciplinary disruptive technology course by Jeff Harris & Victoria Horvath (Abstract) Click to join us! | * |
TIME (EST) | . | . | PROGRAM Zoom Room 6 | . | . |
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14:15 – 15:00 | Closing Panel: Generative AI Pedagogies: Creative Provocations Panelists: Romi-Lee Sevel, Bonita Das Bhatia, Laura Allen, Muyang Li & Robin Sutherland-Harris (Abstract) Click to join us! | ||||
15:00 – 15:15 | CONCLUSION OF TiF2024 DAY 2 |
Inquiries
If you have questions about the Teaching in Focus conference, or want more information, please email us.
Email: teaching@yorku.ca