Ped Days 2021 Program
PED DAYS 2021 is now over. More information on the event can be found here.
OPENING PLENARY: Teaching in Turbulent Times (and We're Not Just Talking about COVID-19) (ONLINE)
Friday, 15th October 2021
ONLINE
Even without considering COVID, experts predicted disruption in higher education over the next decade or so resulting from a combination of trends in demographics, technology, and society. When COVID hit, it unearthed some additional considerations.
This session first explores these disruptions, then suggests ten specific ways these disruptions might affect the day-to-day work of Cégep instructors, including the impacts on the student body and their expectations, the nature of courses being taught, and the nature of teaching.
Active Learning Pedagogies Are Not Just For Better Learning, They Are A Form Of Social Justice (ONLINE)
ONLINE
Two recent meta-analyses have definitively shown that pedagogical approaches where students are meaningfully engaged in an active form of learning improve learning outcomes for all students while nearly eliminating the learning gap for underrepresented minority and low-income students. This workshop will review these meta-analyses, introduce Active Learning pedagogies, and provide a foundation for teachers who want to use them in class. All teachers and disciplines are welcome regardless of experience.
Beyond Orange Shirt Day: Reading Discussion (ONLINE)
Friday, 15th October 2021
ONLINE
Charlie and Laura will facilitate a discussion about the deadly history and on-going legacy of residential schools in Canada. Carrying forward the momentum from Orange Shirt Day, the September 30th organizing committee has made a number of readings available (10 – 20 pages) which will be shared in advance with participants. We will deepen our understanding by reading about this issue from a variety of perspectives. Participants will experience a model discussion format and become familiar with a few resources so as to better address the topic of residential schools in class and on campus.
Empowering and Motivating Students Through Better Assignment Design
Friday, 15th October 2021
IN-PERSON
TBA
ONLINE
In this interactive workshop, participants will have the opportunity to reimagine an assignment they feel could use more "oomph." Following brief presentations where the Fall 2020 Writing in the Disciplines Fellows will each share one pedagogical tool developed along their WID journey, the workshop will break off into different rapid assignment re-design groups. Topics include creating meaningful problems, writing in genres, self-reflections, and group projects. Participants should bring in one assignment to refresh.
Helping Students Develop Autonomy in Your Course: Tips to Foster Self-Regulation Skills (ONLINE)
Friday, 15th October 2021
ONLINE
We all want our students to be independent, self-directed, and perseverant learners. But how do we get from 'here' to 'there'? Can this be easily integrated into our already full lessons? In this presentation, we will introduce some of the research underlying self-regulated learning, focus on 'planning' as the first step to encourage student autonomy, and discuss tasks that scaffold its development. We will give concrete examples of how these tasks can be implemented with your students. If you are interested in helping your students develop this valuable life-long skill, join us for a rich and fun discussion.
Moodle 3.10 New Features & How to Use Office 365 to Manage your Files in Moodle (ONLINE)
Friday, 15th October 2021
Online
This workshop will be divided into two parts: we will show you the new features of Moodle 3.10, our latest update at Dawson. In the second half you will learn how to use Office 365 to create a repository in the cloud, allowing you to effectively manage your files.
A.I. in Education: The Promise and the Peril (ONLINE)
Friday, 15th October 2021
ONLINE
We will discuss some current and near-future trends involving the impact A.I. and machine learning technology will likely have on the College classroom, in terms of both the pedagogical opportunities afforded by technological breakthroughs, and the challenges that will need to be addressed. We will examine useful tools for teachers and learners, such as A.I.-assisted transcription, composition, and research applications, and discuss the ways in which these and other developing tech platforms will demand increased attention to the integration of data literacy and critical thinking skills to course outcomes.
Environment and Sustainability: A New Dawson Certificate
Friday, 15th October 2021
IN-PERSON
TBA
ONLINE
Transitioning to a biocentric way of thinking and acting is critical for future human well-being - and thus central to the 21st century mission of higher education. How can Dawson students and teachers contribute to this transition? This session will introduce faculty to Dawson's new Environment and Sustainability Certificate, launching in Winter 2022 and open to students from all programs. Participants will discuss the three learning outcomes developed for the certificate - Sustainability Knowledge, Applications and Agency - and how these outcomes can be designed into existing and new courses across a wide range of disciplines. We'll introduce some exciting W22 developments in Environment & Sustainability curricular and co-curricular activities and invite teachers to brainstorm new possibilities.
Planning and Designing Common Case Studies, A Brainstorm (ONLINE)
Friday, 15th October 2021
ONLINE
The primary goal of this session is to utilize the participants’ level of expertise for the creation of common case studies (across disciplines). This fun and interactive brainstorming session will use a backwards design approach to provide a framework for generate common cases that benefit student learning.
Rescue Your Relationship with Moodle! (ONLINE)
Friday, 15th October 2021
ONLINE
Have you ever had a fight with Moodle? Have you ever thought of breaking up for good? The good news is that Moodle can actually work, and will change for you! This Moodle "marriage counselling" session will help ameliorate your relationship. Ahmad Banki, an advanced Moodle user, will let you in on a number of secrets which will help you revamp your course and save your relationship.
Social Presence in Asynchronous Learning Networks. Why it’s Important and How to Develop It. (ONLINE)
Friday, 15th October 2021
ONLINE
Soliciting student participation during in-person classes can be difficult. Accomplishing this same endeavour in an on-line environment can be even more challenging – but it doesn’t need to be! Come and learn what the literature has to say about the social dimension of learning and its importance in building asynchronous learning networks to develop critical thinking skills. We will review frameworks and current theories pertaining to blended learning.