In the current moment of Generative AI, some instructors may have sound pedagogical reasons for limiting technology use in their classrooms. Limited-tech or screen free activities can provide opportunities for students to focus more fully on the immediate learning environment and on collaboration and interactions with one another.

That said, it is equally important to keep in mind the value of technologies in fostering learning, accessibility and inclusion. Limited technology use may create unintended barriers to learning and inadvertently single out and stigmatize students who prefer not to disclose their accessibility needs. It is critical that we all maintain classrooms that are welcoming, inclusive, and help everyone feel they belong. For this reason, decisions about technology use should be made thoughtfully and with attention to both pedagogical purpose and inclusive access.

Like any learning experience, limited-tech experiences should be designed intentionally. The context, learners, and goals for skill development all need to be thoughtfully considered. For example,

• How will a limited-tech environment help students achieve the intended learning outcome/s for the class?
• Is a screen-free or limited-tech space necessary for the full course or entire class session, or only occasionally for specific activities?
• How will I explain the purpose and value of a limited-tech approach to my learners?
• What materials, instructions, or other supports do I need to prepare to help students engage effectively in the screen-free and limited-tech activities?
• How can principles of Universal Design for Learning and accessible teaching practices be incorporated into my existing pedagogy to support a wide range of learners?
• Are there alternative approaches to maintaining academic integrity that do not require restricting access to technology or create barriers for students with disabilities?
• Is limiting technology necessary for the full course or class session, or only for specific activities where it is pedagogically justified?
• How might this approach impact students with disabilities, those who use assistive technologies, or students who choose not to disclose accessibility needs? What strategies can be implemented to ensure equitable access and participation for all learners?

As always, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We have, however, some suggestions for strategies you can use to help mitigate some of the concerns that a limited-tech approach might raise:

Teaching and Learning Services invites instructors who may be considering limited-tech learning experiences to meet with a teaching and learning expert to discuss their goals, context, and implementation strategies. Book a today!

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The 2025-26 Impact Report from the Office of the Vice-Provost (Academic and Global Learning) is now available. From supporting educators and advancing student success, to strengthening academic programs and learning environments, the report highlights the wide range of initiatives that the teams at TLS and APSI have contributed to ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´’s academic mission over the past year.

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Applications are now open for the Winter 2026 I-CUREUSÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýStudents as Partners Program (SaPP). Involve undergraduate students in research, curriculum development, and teaching innovation through these paid experiential learning opportunities. Apply by October 16, 2026.

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Teaching and Learning Services is pleased to announce the recipients of the ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University Experiential Learning Equipment Fund (CUEL-EF). This year’s competition was made possible through ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University’s successful application to the province’s 2025-26 Training Equipment and Renewal Fund (TERF), which provided dedicated funding to enhance experiential learning opportunities through investments in teaching and learning equipment and infrastructure.

Together, these projects will create new opportunities for students to learn through hands-on, authentic, and technology-enhanced experiences. Recipients include Aubrey Anable (Film), Adam Barrows (English), Shaghayegh Gomar (Systems and Computer Engineering), Kevin Graham (Physics), Fidel Khouli (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering), Iain McKinnell (Biology), Stefy McKnight (Media Production and Design), Koreen Millard (Geography and Environmental Studies), Christopher Rowley (Chemistry), and Allan Thompson (Journalism).

Funded projects span four broad themes. Emerging technologies and digital creativity projects include motion-capture technology for digital theatre performance, historic video game collections for media history and AI literacy, 3D model-making technologies for immersive storytelling, and mobile-first journalism production tools. Advanced STEM learning environments will support hands-on learning in computer engineering, avionics, physics, and materials chemistry through investments in specialized laboratory equipment and new laboratory experiences. Environmental and field-based learning projects will expand student access to advanced remote-sensing and environmental monitoring technologies. Finally, inclusion and student success initiatives will enhance anatomy education through the acquisition of more representative anatomical models that better reflect the diversity of the communities students will serve.

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Generative AI is prompting many instructors to re-examine how they assess student learning. While these technologies create new challenges, they also create an opportunity to revisit broader questions about assessment design: What learning matters most? What evidence demonstrates that learning? How can assessment support both student success and academic integrity? 

To support instructors in this work, Teaching and Learning Services has developed a new resource, Assessment Design, Academic Integrity, and Generative AI (pdf, 153KB). The resource includes an assessment review checklist, key principles of effective assessment design, guidance on communicating AI expectations to students, and practical examples of assessment adjustments that can help make student learning more visible.

Please feel free to reach out to TLS colleagues for support to review and revise assignments, redesign rubrics, clarify AI expectations, and develop assessment strategies aligned with course learning outcomes and teaching contexts.

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Registration for our fall certificate programs is now open. Take advantage of this opportunity to enhance your teaching skills and connect with colleagues.

Certificate in University Teaching: If you hold an instructional-focused position and a recent, current or upcoming teaching assignment at ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´, you can apply to our Certificate in University Teaching. This 10-week, in-person program is designed to help you further develop your understanding of and skills in teaching and learning. The fall cohort will run on Tuesdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., starting Sept. 22 and ending Dec. 1 (excluding reading week). Registration closes Sept. 8. Learn more and register here. 

Preparing to Teach: If you are an upper-year doctoral student or postdoctoral fellow with little or no experience designing courses of your own, you can apply to our Preparing to Teach. This 10-week, in-person program prepares participants to design and teach undergraduate courses. The fall cohort will run on Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., starting Sept. 17 and ending Nov. 26 (excluding reading week). Registration closes Sept. 3. Learn more and register here. 

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If you’re looking for ways to make the process of designing aligned courses easier and more systematic, our refreshed Course Design Fundamentals (CDF) program can help!

Fully re-designed for maximum accessibility, CDF is a voluntary, online, self-paced program made up of six modules for ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ instructors who want to strengthen their course design strategies, regardless of teaching experience, modality or class size. Over the course of the program, participants have opportunities to engage with module facilitators, receive individualized feedback on activity submissions, contribute to discussion forums and view posts shared by colleagues. Register via Brightspace to access the full program.

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We’ve launched a semi-regular feature to keep you informed about how artificial intelligence (AI)—especially generative AI (GenAI)—is shaping teaching and learning at ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ and beyond. We started with our four-pronged approach to developing an AI strategy for your course. To compliment this advice, we’ve been unpacking four interconnected elements of sustainable teaching practices. This month, we turn our attention to the final layer: Intrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation is often described as a learner’s internal desire to engage in an activity because it is interesting, meaningful or personally valuable. While motivation is sometimes treated as something students either have or do not have, learning environments play a significant role in shaping motivation.

This is where the previous layers of the model come together. Relationship-rich environments help students feel connected and supported. Scaffolded experiences build competence and confidence over time. Productive failure creates opportunities for challenge, growth and mastery. Together, these conditions help cultivate intrinsic motivation by supporting learners’ needs for belonging, competence and autonomy.

Today, intrinsic motivation may be one of our most important design considerations. When information is abundant and answers are available instantly, learning cannot rely solely on compliance, surveillance or external rewards. Instead, sustainable learning emerges when students are genuinely curious, invested in their growth and able to see value in the learning process itself.

As you prepare for the upcoming academic year, consider not only what students need to learn, but why they might want to learn it. How might your course foster curiosity, agency and a sense of purpose? The answer may lie not in any single activity or tool, but in the intentional design of the learning experience as a whole.

Have something to share or a question about AI in your course? We want to hear from you! with your ideas, challenges or success stories.

CSAS GenAI and Learning Workshop Available on Brightspace This Fall

Looking to help students engage with generative AI thoughtfully and effectively? Starting this fall, CSAS’s GenAI and Learning Workshop will be available asynchronously through Brightspace. This workshop explores how GenAI can support, rather than replace, deep learning.

Instructors are invited to integrate the workshop into their courses through the Incentive Program. Register for the Incentive Program or contact CSAS for more information about the workshop or incorporating an in-class presentation into your course.

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If you’re a contract instructor teaching in the fall term, we are here to help you! Whether you’re getting ready to teach your first course at ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´, or you’re returning after a break, you might have questions about policies and procedures, teaching tips, and educational technology. Our two-part orientation can help. Review materials online before joining a Zoom Q&A session on August 18 at 5:30 p.m. There, you’ll be able to ask questions about the resources provided and any other teaching and learning questions you might have. .

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We are pleased to announce the outstanding educators receiving the 2026 ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University Teaching Awards.  

Provost’s Fellowship in Teaching Award 

This award recognizes faculty and contract instructors dedicated to sustained excellence in teaching, scholarship of teaching and the continual development of teaching. This year’s recipients are Alexis Shotwell (Sociology and Anthropology) and Hyoun Jeong Yoo (Linguistics and Language Studies). 

New Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award 

This award celebrates new faculty members who demonstrate excellence in teaching and who are active in and engaged with ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s teaching and learning community. There are four recipients this year: Siobhan Angus (Communication and Media Studies), Susan Burhoe (Centre for Initiatives in Education), Nafiseh Kahani (Systems and Computing Engineering) and Steven Pong (Industrial Design).  

Please join us in congratulating all six recipients! 

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