Welcome to the November 2019 edition of Innovatus, a special issue of YFile that is devoted to teaching and learning innovation at York University.
Norma Sue Fisher-Stitt
This month, I am delighted to partner with Glendon on this special faculty spotlight edition. Together, Interim Co-Principals Ian Roberge and Dominique Scheffel-Dunand and I have the pleasure of sharing with you many of the exciting teaching and learning initiatives Glendon has undertaken for the 2019-20 year. There’s a wonderful focus at Glendon on experimenting and being ahead of the curve when imagining the foundations of the future of knowledge.
Experiential education takes many interesting and innovative forms at Glendon and there’s a wealth of high-impact experiences infused into student learning. Glendon students participate in many inquiry-based and experiential learning opportunities. They enjoy the integration of technologies and access to digital media labs, which foster explorations and research in the classroom, and students participate in co-curricular projects across the sciences, social sciences, humanities, creative arts and “professional” programs offered by Glendon.
Co-Principals Dominique Scheffel-Dunand (left) and Ian Roberge
Diverse learning pathways provide Glendon students with many opportunities to enrich their appetite for solving local and global complex challenges, while sensitizing them to the impact of a successful mobilization and translation of knowledge across cultures and languages.
Pedagogical approaches building upon internationalization, community building and digital literacy give Glendon students access to local and international networks. This engages Glendon students in developing a bilingual, plurilingual and global mindset that can set them apart and inspires them to work towards improving the world’s thought, creativity, invention, sustainability and store of knowledge.
This issue will explore just some of the many fascinating and imaginative approaches by Glendon faculty to teaching, learning and the student experience.
Featured in this edition of Innovatus:
Technology and eLearning are in the spotlight at Glendon
Across the Glendon Campus, technology has become more readily available and courses frequently include an online component or an eLearning option. One of the key participants in supporting technology enhanced learning is the Glendon Digital Media Lab. The lab offers students and faculty access to professional media hardware and software and direct, hands-on experience in digital production. Read more.
Internationalization is an important aspect of the Glendon experience
As work continues at York University to formulate an integrated institutional international strategic plan with input from the community, the students at Glendon are proof of the benefits of international experience. Read more.
Glendon offers students practical opportunities to impact the world
At Glendon, innovation, open pedagogy and entrepreneurship are at the forefront of its vision to prepare students to acquire competencies for the future of work, to contribute to knowledge creation, and to have an impact on the York University community and the wider world. Three examples of how this vision is transferred into action are profiled. Read more.
Experiential education thrives at Glendon
Glendon students are given the opportunity to enrich their academic experiences through placements in organizations whose work dovetails with course content. The breadth of these experiential learning experiences offered by Glendon showcases the immense value of experiential education in enhancing teaching, learning and the student experience. Read more.
Creativity in the classroom part of the Glendon experience
Creativity is a broad concept that, in a university setting, can refer to the culmination of work in the arts, and to innovative thought and approaches found in any field. At Glendon, both types of creativity are at work, as evidenced by a very diverse group of courses that also offer students a wealth of experiential education opportunities. Read more.
Innovatus is produced by the Office of the Associate Vice-President Teaching & Learning in partnership with Communications & Public Affairs.
In closing, I extend a personal invitation to you to share your 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.
Sincerely,
Norma Sue Fisher-Stitt
Associate Vice-President Teaching & Learning