I-CUREUS: Provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to conduct paid research and gain hands-on experience in their discipline or an area of interest.

SaPP: Offers instructors and learning support staff the opportunity to involve undergraduate students in teaching innovation and curriculum design through paid work experience.

The deadline to apply for either program is Oct. 31. If you have any questions, please reach out to tls@carleton.ca.

The annual event provides an opportunity for students who participated in the Internship-杏吧原创 University Research Experience for Undergraduate Students (I-CUREUS) and Students as Partners Program (SaPP) to share their work and celebrate their achievements.

This year, 144 undergraduate students participated in these two experiential learning programs, building their communication, teamwork and research skills, and applying their disciplinary knowledge in an impactful way.

I-CUREUS

Students in I-CUREUS conduct research in their program or an area of interest. In the process, they build connections and gain exposure to research techniques. This year鈥檚 participants worked on a range of projects, including exploring outdoor learning in Canadian schools and using yeast to investigate the genetics of a rare childhood disease.

Engingeering student Talha Nawaz presenting his poster at the 2025 I-CUREUS and SaPP Showcase.

Talha Nawaz, a fourth-year student in aerospace engineering, worked with Prof. Jeremy Lalibert茅 to analyze data and develop a simulation model that can predict the fuel weight onboard an aircraft, providing insight into flight efficiency.

He says the showcase has provided a great opportunity for him to practice conveying the details of his project to people who don鈥檛 necessarily have engineering backgrounds, and highlighting the human impact of his work.

After participating in I-CUREUS, Nawaz says he鈥檚 now considering a master鈥檚 program to pursue more research, adding that he appreciates the connections he鈥檚 been able to build through the program.

鈥淚t started off with sitting in my supervisor’s research meetings and I was just listening, trying to absorb what was going on and thinking about what I can do,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hen slowly, bit by bit, I met all these different people. Now I鈥檓 talking to a bunch of people that are working at places where I want to work.鈥�

Tracy Li presenting her project at the 2025 I-CUREUS and SaPP Showcase.

Tracy Li, a third-year industrial design student, worked with Prof. Steven Pong to explore the potential of using data to generate patterns and drive design, rather than traditional cultural or aesthetic influences. As part of a case study, they used a bar graph as the basis to design a coffee table that was inspired by a summer cottage experience by the lake.

鈥淒esign is such a personal, subjective sector,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his is really such a different way of thinking to try to make design systematic. That in itself seems like such an oxymoron and that鈥檚 a really neat exploration.鈥�

Li says she’s had some experience with more traditional research, such as systematic reviews, but really wanted a tangible end product, and in her initial discussions with Prof. Pong, she found he was on board.

鈥淚-CUREUS gave me the opportunity to complete a different type of research that I didn鈥檛 know was possible, but it became a lot more meaningful that way,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his was the best-case scenario for me 鈥� having a supervisor that鈥檚 so supportive and really aligned with the things that I wanted and having an opportunity to present my work afterwards is really meaningful.鈥�

SaPP

Students in SaPP gain hands-on work experience by collaborating with instructors, librarians and teaching support staff on course design. This year鈥檚 participants worked on projects that included developing a handbook to support first-year students in navigating the academic publishing process, creating a database of templates for teaching assistants to draw from when running tutorials, and redesigning assessments to optimize learning.

Matteo Montgomery, a third-year student in neuroscience and mental health, partnered with Prof. Ashley Thompson on a Brightspace module designed to teach undergraduate students in STEM courses about stress, coping and academic resilience.

鈥淎 lot of people come at stress as just this negative thing you have to power through. The big idea is reframing what stress is and letting them understand what is actually going on in their bodies and in their brains when they鈥檙e stressed,鈥� he says. 鈥淲ith all that knowledge they can just be more aware of their own responses and different responses that they could make.鈥�

Third-year student Matteo Montgomery presenting at the 2025 I-CUREUS and SaPP Showcase.

Montgomery says his experience in SaPP gave him the chance to explore his strong interests in both pedagogy and research, adding that he was able to develop different skills simultaneously, from leadership and time management to data analysis and public speaking.

鈥淚 think it was gaining so many different, almost unrelated skills, all in one project that I鈥檓 very grateful for,鈥� he says.

Browse through the showcase program to learn more about the projects presented at this year鈥檚 event.

Teaching and Learning Services has launched online modules that will help students prepare for a future with AI (Photo by Ticha/stock.adobe.com)

In a world where technology is rapidly evolving, artificial intelligence (AI) is seemingly everywhere, transforming many aspects of our daily lives. From using smart thermostats or robot vacuums in our homes, to offering virtual reality simulations in university courses, to automating tasks in the workplace, AI is changing the way we live, learn and work.

To help prepare students for this new wave of technology, Teaching and Learning Services has launched online learning experiences that foster knowledge, skills and confidence in AI and digital literacy.

These new modules are part of FUSION, an initiative that aims to bridge academic and employability skills. They will teach students how to identify accurate information online, manage their digital footprint and use AI effectively and ethically.

鈥淎I is revolutionizing and reshaping our society, and we need to make sure our students are ready so they can thrive, not only academically, but in their personal and professional lives going forward,鈥� says Vice Provost and Associate Vice-President (Academic), David Hornsby.

鈥淭hese modules, and the FUSION program as a whole, are invaluable in our mission to develop the next generation of citizen scholars and professional leaders.鈥�

Each module takes about four hours to complete. Instructors can incorporate any of the modules directly into their courses, while students also have the option to self-enroll in any module and complete it at their own pace.

杏吧原创 University history professor Dominique Marshall incorporated the FUSION AI literacy module into her graduate seminar (Photo by Chris Roussakis)

Dominique Marshall, a professor in 杏吧原创鈥檚 Department of History, incorporated the AI literacy module in her graduate seminar this past fall. She hoped that an explicit discussion of ethics would help students assess their current practices and identify any apprehensions they had about AI.

鈥淚 was interested by the fact that graduate students were often less familiar with generative AI, that diligent students were often more reluctant to use it, and that there should be ways to help all students go beyond the – now obsolete – idea that AI means plagiarism and should be avoided,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hese discussions have to happen, and the fact that we have dedicated course time to do this together, and in conversation, is valuable.鈥�

Once her students completed the AI literacy module, she had them apply their skills in a project using Microsoft Copilot. She says the module gave students a vocabulary to address worries and hopes they might have had about generative AI and that it helped them become more aware of the privacy implications and precautions that need to be taken when using these tools.

Megan Hurtado, a fourth-year biology student, finished the AI literacy module this year and agrees that it helped her see the importance in critically evaluating AI-generated content.

鈥淢y AI literacy skills have improved significantly, especially in evaluating the transparency and fairness of AI-generated content,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檝e become more critical of biases in outputs, more mindful of privacy considerations and better at ensuring that AI applications avoid harm.鈥�

She says she can now use the skills she鈥檚 developed to enhance her research and lab work. She plans to leverage AI tools to brainstorm projects, analyze data and help with literature reviews.

The FUSION AI and digital literacy modules will teach students how to identify accurate information online, manage their digital footprint and use AI effectively and ethically (Photo by Bryan Gagnon)

It’s not just 杏吧原创 students who will benefit from these learning opportunities. Plans are underway at Ericsson and Ross Video to pilot the modules with students who intern or are on co-op placements with their companies.

Lorraine Godden, FUSION national implementation lead, says the modules will help students become more efficient and effective learners, while building their work and life-readiness.

鈥淎ll kinds of digital tools and software, including AI, are increasingly used in a variety of ways across all areas of our society, from automating routine tasks, to streamlining workflows and facilitating communication and collaboration. But you need digital skills to capitalize on this,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e need to provide students with appropriate skills development to ensure they can deploy these tools effectively and responsibly.”

In addition to AI and digital literacy, FUSION offers eight other modules on topics such as adaptability, communication and inclusivity. Three additional modules are in development and will be released over the course of the next year. Over 1,600 students have completed at least one module since the program launched in 2020.

“The Hub is an exciting enhancement to our Future Learning Lab, which opened earlier this year,” said David Hornsby, Vice-Provost & Associate Vice-President (Academic). “These two spaces enable teaching and research innovation, collaborations, and scholarship and promote teaching practices that foster student success.”

Located in Southam Hall, the Hub includes an Active Learning Classroom, Creation Suites featuring a variety of Extended Reality (XR) and media creation tools, and two state-of-the-art XR Experience Studios 鈥� made possible thanks to $1M from the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities Training Equipment and Renewal Fund (TERF), matched by the university, and with the partnership and support of EON Reality, a leader in augmented and virtual reality.

“The Experiential Learning Hub is positioned to influence curricular change and have a meaningful and transformational impact on the teaching and learning culture at 杏吧原创,” said L. Pauline Rankin, Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

鈥淚t will enable students to acquire important skills necessary to prepare them for a whole range of their future careers, while the new immersive technologies provide instructors with the opportunities to innovate and enhance their curriculum.鈥�

Teaching and Learning Services’ Future Learning Fellows have already begun piloting new pedagogical concepts and utilizing immersive extended reality tools provided by the Future Learning Hub. Their projects include building virtual reality mind maps and using XR labs to explore complex, hard-to-visualize phenomena.

The Experiential Learning Hub represents another milestone supporting 杏吧原创’s Transforming University Education report and academic plan, recognizing that the future of teaching and learning is empowering, collaborative, flexible, and sustainable.

Are you interested in exploring XR technology?

On October 18, the TLS Immersive Learning Team will be on-site to discuss Virtual, Mixed, or Augmented Reality in the classroom. Register now to attend.

Informed by the principles of creativity, the Hub will invite students and instructors to engage and experiment with XR educational technologies to gather, share, and develop new ideas.

The Hub is scheduled to open in September 2023 and includes a Teaching Studio, Creation Studio, and Experience Studio. These three studios will support experiential learning through using and developing XR media using tools and support provided in part by the Future Skills XR Grant in partnership with EON Reality.

In the meantime, the TLS Immersive Learning Team is offering Virtual Reality (VR) and Experiential Learning Hub Drop-In sessions in the Future Learning Lab to introduce instructors to using these technologies in the classroom. Interested Faculty can consult our聽Events and Workshops聽for upcoming dates or request a consultation to learn more about VR and Experiential Learning.

Look for more Experiential Learning Hub updates closer to launch.

On May 11, a group of distinguished 杏吧原创 panelists gathered to share stories with the community to celebrate 30 years of Teaching and Learning Services (TLS) at 杏吧原创.

杏吧原创鈥檚 Teaching and Learning Services began as the Teaching and Learning Resource Centre (TLRC) in July 1992 a small department that has grown over the years to include key services in support of faculty, instructors, teaching instructors and support staff that include Digital Learning, Learning Spaces, Teaching Excellence and Innovation, and Audio Visual Event Support.

The event was hosted by TLS within the modern Future Learning Lab 鈥� a fitting location to highlight some of the many ways that Teaching and Learning has evolved over the years.

The celebration provided ample opportunities for the invited panelists led by David J Hornsby, Associate Vice-President (Teaching and Learning), to reflect on their relationships 鈥� between them and their students, with teaching and TLS.

The panelists included:

• Melanie Adrian, Associate Professor, Department of Law and Legal Studies, OCUFA recipient
• Robert Burk, Interim Director, School of Mathematics and Statistics, 3M National Teaching Fellow
• Janna Fox, Professor Emerita, School of Linguistics and Language Studies, 3M National Teaching Fellow
• Kim Hellemans, Associate Dean (Student Recruitment, Wellness and Success), Faculty of Science, OCUFA recipient
• Joy Mighty, Professor Emerita, previous Associate Vice-President Teaching and Learning at 杏吧原创, Christopher Knapper Lifetime Achievement Award recipient
• Alan Steele, Associate Professor, Department of Electronics, 3M National Teaching Fellow
• Sarah Todd, Director, School of Social Work, 3M National Teaching Fellow

Joy Mighty, Professor Emerita, and previous Associate Vice-President (Teaching and Learning), shared that teaching itself is about relationships and people relating to each other.

鈥淩elationship building is what drives me,鈥� says Mighty.

Sarah Todd, Director of the School of Social Work, shared that her favourite part of teaching is witnessing the moment when students believe in themselves. 鈥淚t鈥檚 magic,鈥� says Todd.

Hearing the many stories and anecdotes from the panelists, it鈥檚 clear that student success is high on the list of motivations for all the instructors on the panel.

But as Kim Hellemans, Associate Dean (Student Recruitment, Wellness and Success) in the Faculty of Science, shared, 鈥淭eaching can sometimes be a marathon.鈥�

The panelists openly shared that they also struggle with bad days and difficult periods as instructors. Having the support of TLS during these times is something they all appreciate.

Alan Steele, Associate Professor, Department of Electronics, shared that the people in TLS stand out for him.

鈥淲hether it鈥檚 the people taking video of you, solving the technical problems, all those steady hands in TLS make the machine purr.鈥�

David J Hornsby, Associate Vice-President (Teaching and Learning) closed the panel celebration by expressing his gratitude for working with the TLS team and highlighting their special role.

鈥淯niversities are full of treasure and talent, our critical task as instructors, lecturers and faculty members is to find ways to unlock that in our students. The support we receive in unlocking it in ourselves is critical in having Teaching and Learning Services [at 杏吧原创].鈥�

Funded by Teaching and Learning Services (TLS) and the faculty supervisor, the I-CUREUS program provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to conduct paid research, access research scholarships and gain hands-on experience in their discipline or an area of interest.

Internships span from May to August 2023 for a maximum of 150 hours.

Each year undergraduate students in the Internship-杏吧原创 University Research Experience for Undergraduate Students (I-CUREUS) and Students as Partners Program (SaPP) programs present their completed projects at the I-CUREUS Conference and SaPP Showcase.

The event provides an opportunity to showcase their completed projects and celebrates their achievements.

In 2022-23, 154 students participated in the I-CUREUS program and 155 in SaPP. Close to 30 participating students attended the event this year to present their projects throughout the day in the Future Learning Lab.

I-CUREUS Conference

Student Cassandra Stabile presents during the I-CUREUS Conference.

Since it began in 2012, students participating in the I-CUREUS program have completed 800 projects.

Students in the program conduct research in their program or area of interest. In the process, they gain exposure to research techniques, experience writing a research paper and build connections.

The wide diversity of research projects was on display throughout the morning conference.

Elijah Jeffrey.

Elijah Jeffrey, a third-year Science student, presented a cost-effective method for detecting soluble iron in e-waste that replicates the results of other more expensive options. The reclaimed metal can be used in everyday products and reduces the impact of mining on the environment.

Having participated in the I-CUREUS program, Jeffrey credits the program with providing an excellent opportunity to enter an industry and gain hands-on research experience.

For participant Andromeda Veer, a second-year Engineering and Design student, presenting the effects of temperature on mortality and green building design, the project aligns with their goal to design accessible and accommodating infrastructure.

But the experience of participating in the program also yielded some unexpected results.

“The program forced me to put myself out there,” says Veer. “I learned that I could connect with professors and create opportunities. It made me question what other experiences are out there that I haven’t sought out?”

As a result, Veer applied to and received an Undergraduate Student Research Award for the summer to continue their research and sponsorship to participate in a convention for the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC) 鈥� opportunities Veer says they would not have applied for if not for their experience with I-CUREUS.

Andromeda Veer, second-year Engineering and Design student.

The Students as Partners Showcase

Sevda Zaynali presents a Beam Loading Demonstration Kit project during the SaPP Showcase.

杏吧原创’s Students as Partners Program is the largest program of its kind in Canada.

The program provides undergraduate students with hands-on work experience by collaborating with instructors, librarians and teaching support staff on course design projects.

Students work on various projects and activities, including developing curriculum, preparing assessments and incorporating educational technologies.

Fourth-year Biomedical and Electrical Engineering student Nikita Yovchev.

Fourth-year Biomedical and Electrical Engineering student Nikita Yovchev presented a project that involved creating a shared Brightspace template to meet the needs of the different engineering departments.

Yovchev who partnered with Professor Robert Langlois in the Faculty of Engineering and Design, shares that SaPP was a great way to establish a relationship with instructors. She encourages other students at 杏吧原创 to get engaged through the program.

“So much innovation comes from students, but they don’t know where to direct it. SaPP allows students to sit down with someone on the other side of the table and discuss the limitless possibilities that can come from their education.”

Fifth-year Health Science student Zaineh Harahsha partnered with Professor Romola Thumbadoo on a complementary workbook to a book by Thumbadoo on the teachings of Elder William Commanda, Learning from a Kindergarten Dropout.

Zaineh Harahsha, Health Science student.

Moved by the teachings from the book, Harahsha pitched the project intending to help readers reflect and internalize those teachings.

鈥淏eing able to reflect on these teachings was different and very enlightening. [A workbook] is a good tool for professors to use in different courses or projects to help students to take away something from their teaching,鈥� says Harasha.

To learn about some of the other projects presented at the I-CUREUS Conference and SaPP Showcase, download the program summary for I-CUREUS or SaPP.

Students in the FILM 3808B Cinema and Technology course participated in 杏吧原创’s first Virtual Reality (VR) film screenings in the Future Learning Lab.

The course aims to introduce students to various technological developments and their impacts on the identity of cinema: its aesthetic qualities, the way we make films and the type of experiences it proposes.

Of particular interest to the course is the study of VR in the immersive media sector 鈥� its burgeoning impacts on cinema, filmmakers and viewers alike.

Students participating in a Virtual Reality (VR) film screening.

The Immersive Nature of Virtual Reality Films

While virtual VR itself is not new 鈥� it has been around for over 50 years in various forms 鈥� it is gaining in popularity and changing how filmmakers make movies and how viewers experience them.

The power and allure of VR films lie in their ability to place the viewer into a film’s environment 鈥� the viewer is part of the surroundings and can be an active protagonist that influences how the story unfolds.

But the immersive nature of VR films can also be a barrier for those wishing to view them. The cost of VR equipment remains restrictive, and aside from film festivals and digital exhibits, the availability of films is limited.

For course instructor Philippe B茅dard, it demonstrates how the Future Learning Lab is providing a valuable service towards the study of these films.

“It’s hard to access VR equipment to view these films, and at the same time, crucial to see and experience them firsthand. I’m lucky this year to be able to screen these films in class to give students the firsthand experience that is vital in talking about them.”

Students participating in the screenings had a wide variety of films to experience that included a tour of the White House guided by the Obamas, space missions aboard the International Space Station, and much more.

Students participating in a Virtual Reality (VR) film screening.

For Sonique Salmon-Saunder, a film Major and one of the students who participated in the screenings, the personalized experience was unforgettable.

“I’ve enjoyed VR outside of school, so being able to do that in school was amazing,” Salmon-Saunder says. “It was an immersive experience that allowed me to interact with different options. Having the choices, I think, is what creates the overall experience of VR itself.”

B茅dard highlights another potential benefit to the first-person experience of VR films 鈥� the potential to combat generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like Chat-GPT.

“AI tools write responses as good as the average writer. But by basing the student’s writing on their personal experience, I’m hoping they find their own words to express what they went through,” says B茅dard.

A student views a VR film in the Future Learning Lab.

杏吧原创 the Future Learning Lab

The Future Learning Lab encourages innovation and student-centred teaching through a physical space and various programs, including undergraduate research opportunities and innovation grants. It provides physical and virtual spaces for instructors to experiment with pedagogical design and enhanced study spaces for individual, group, and collaborative learning.

The lab will be enhanced with the addition of the Experiential Learning Hub in Southam Hall (6th floor), opening in September 2023. It will feature three new spaces to support experiential learning using XR media: a Teaching Studio, a Creation Studio, and an Experience Studio.

Last week, 杏吧原创 University and industry members joined us to celebrate the official launch of the Future Learning Lab.

The event opened with 杏吧原创 President Benoit-Antoine Bacon announcing the official launch of the Future Learning Lab and the creation of a new Experiential Learning Hub, thanks to $2M in funding from the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities and matching contributions from the university.

The president also announced that 杏吧原创 received the Future Skills XR Grant in partnership with EON Reality. With an in-kind value of $50 million over three years, the grant will provide institutional access to the EON-XR Platform, the XR self-directed learning program, licenses, and hardware.

Following comments from special guests E-Campus Ontario’s CEO, Robert Luke and EON Reality’s President, Mats Johansson, Provost Jerry Tomberlin provided the closing remarks.

Guests were then treated to a tour to see XR demonstrations and presentations from students on the I-CUREUS and SaPP programs.

For all the details on the Future Learning Lab launch, read the full story.