The Teaching and Learning Innovation Digest - May 2023
Welcome to a truly special edition of the Teaching and Learning Innovation Digest! Our seventh annual academic publication has assumed an incredibly meaningful shape and form for a number of reasons. Not only did we receive an enthusiastic response with over 30 submissions via our institutional broadcast, but we also have consciously and intentionally embraced the principles of Universal Design for Learning by attempting to represent and celebrate the varied forms of expressions therein. From reflective essays, poetry, visual and performing arts, podcasts, video conversations to scholarly work, academic and applied research, news and updates, and interviews, this is truly a power-packed publication!
Welcome to a truly special edition of the Teaching and Learning Innovation Digest! Our seventh annual academic publication has assumed an incredibly meaningful shape and form for a number of reasons. Not only did we receive an enthusiastic response with over 30 submissions via our institutional broadcast, but we also have consciously and intentionally embraced the principles of Universal Design for Learning by attempting to represent and celebrate the varied forms of expressions therein. From reflective essays, poetry, visual and performing arts, podcasts, video conversations to scholarly work, academic and applied research, news and updates, and interviews, this is truly a power-packed publication!
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
FACULTY SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS<br />
re/ENGAGE<br />
CENTENNIAL’S<br />
(BEHIND-THE-SCENE)<br />
CAPED HEROES<br />
<strong>Learning</strong> Technology Specialist Team Interview by Zabedia <strong>and</strong> Sowmya<br />
Rethinking: offering<br />
different options to submit<br />
assignments, giving students<br />
the ability to choose.<br />
HyFlex model: offering<br />
asynchronous/remote option<br />
for those who cannot travel or<br />
need accommodation, or wish to<br />
revisit lectures.<br />
Appreciating <strong>and</strong> experimenting<br />
with new platforms, reducing stress<br />
for students, assigning roles <strong>and</strong><br />
responsibilities to students to build<br />
accountability <strong>and</strong> leadership.<br />
Moving away from analog<br />
classrooms regardless of how<br />
students connect. Investment in class<br />
tech + related training.<br />
Integrating UDL,<br />
not losing focus on<br />
engagement or getting lost<br />
in tech.!<br />
If you ever needed assistance with<br />
eCentennial, you’ve probably interacted with<br />
this team. For some faculty, they are a lifeline,<br />
often on speed dial. For most others, they<br />
are the institution’s first responders when it<br />
comes to “EdTech”. And why not? <strong>The</strong>y work<br />
their magic, they fix errors, they enhance<br />
course shells, they host webinars, they move<br />
mountains of content effortlessly, all in mere<br />
clicks. Yet, it is impossible to fully underst<strong>and</strong><br />
the wide range of tasks that this tiny but<br />
mighty geek squad accomplishes every single<br />
day. And their workload only spiraled as we<br />
went into lockdown. <strong>The</strong>y haven’t looked<br />
back since, they have still been taking each<br />
challenge or tech. issue head on, quite willingly.<br />
So what makes them so resilient? What keeps<br />
them going? Do they ever tire? We tried to<br />
capture the remarkable spirit of our <strong>Learning</strong><br />
Technologist Specialists (LTS) <strong>and</strong> share the<br />
human side to this hard working <strong>and</strong> extremely<br />
fun group of individuals.<br />
We still do our daily team call...it used to be<br />
twice a day during the lockdown, it’s now<br />
one. We check in on each other, we see how<br />
everyone is doing.<br />
So what makes this group tick, we<br />
asked. <strong>The</strong>ir effortless camaraderie is the<br />
first thing that strikes you, it’s how they<br />
choose to make it work, for them <strong>and</strong> for their<br />
customers. <strong>The</strong>y pride themselves on effective<br />
<strong>and</strong> ongoing communication, in knowing one<br />
another’s likes <strong>and</strong> dislikes, strengths <strong>and</strong><br />
weaknesses, <strong>and</strong> backing each other up.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re’s always someone ready to jump in to<br />
pick up the slack, especially when a teammate<br />
is overwhelmed. <strong>The</strong>re is a strong interplay<br />
of personalities, team spirit, the right dose<br />
of humour, empathy, respect, <strong>and</strong> genuine<br />
passion to help faculty <strong>and</strong> students achieve<br />
success through their teaching <strong>and</strong> learning<br />
journeys at Centennial. <strong>The</strong>y always make<br />
it a point to balance the dem<strong>and</strong>ing “just in<br />
time” or stressful nature of their job with the<br />
mutual sharing of resources <strong>and</strong> lessons<br />
learned. <strong>The</strong>y’ve genuinely grown together, as<br />
individuals, <strong>and</strong> as a functional team.<br />
Surely, everyone remembers March 2020<br />
when life changed, especially for those who<br />
were h<strong>and</strong>ed the famed <strong>and</strong> indispensable<br />
Academic Continuity Toolkit! This team not only<br />
developed <strong>and</strong> curated the h<strong>and</strong>y digital kit, but<br />
54<br />
55
Change language