Welcome to the September 2019 issue of Innovatus, a special issue of YFile that is devoted to teaching and learning innovation at York University.
The Innovatus team is taking a different approach this year. Starting next month, Innovatus will publish stories organized by Faculty, which means the entire issue will be focused on one Faculty’s approach to innovation in teaching and learning.
The following is a summary of the stories we have gathered for the September 2019 issue. We hope that you enjoy this issue. Thank you for your comments and support.
Norma Sue Fisher-Stitt, interim AVP teaching and learning, outlines her priorities for the 2019-20 academic year
In her welcome message, Interim Associate Vice-President Teaching and Learning Norma Sue Fisher-Stitt outlines her commitment to working collegially to enhance the profile of teaching and learning at York, to provide support for teaching development, and to advance York’s reputation for excellence in pedagogical innovation and student learning.
Supporting diversity through universal instructional design
Andrew Molas, a York University PhD candidate in philosophy and a peer tutor in the Teaching Commons, drew on current literature and personal experience to deliver an informative session on the importance of inclusive pedagogy and universal design in improving the student experience.
York University achieves record high in Moodle usage
Moodle, which is the learning management system in use at York University and one of the cornerstones of technology-enhanced learning, is hitting new records. Usage peaked during the September rush, with 8,928 students and faculty making use of the online learning platform. It’s a reflection of the extent to which Moodle is being adopted by faculty and students.
Experiential education takes planning students abroad and it’s a boot camp for the brain
Taking students into the urban field to explore what a city has to offer is critical to Professor Ute Lehrer, who teaches urban planning in the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University. Lehrer infuses experiential education and international trips into her Critical Planning Workshop to offer planning students a depth and breadth of meaningful experiences.
Olympians bring course content to life
How often do York University students have the chance to meet Olympians, one of them a York graduate? Thanks to Hernan Humana, a former volleyball coach who teaches in the School of Kinesiology & Health Science, an entire class had the opportunity to meet with and learn from former Olympic athletes.
Innovatus is produced by the Office of the Associate Vice-President Teaching & Learning in partnership with Communications & Public Affairs.
If you would like to share your experiences in teaching, learning, internationalization and the student experience with the Innovatus team, we invite you to do so through the Innovatus story form, which is available at tl.apps01.yorku.ca/machform/view.php?id=16573.