This program allowed me to work under one of my most respected professors, Dr. Ian Beausoleil-Morrison of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, (for the ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ Research & Innovation in Sustainable Energy (C-RISE) facility on campus).  In particular, my position exposed me to numerous facets of engineering processes, from designing and machining interfaces for mounting pyranometers for C-RISE’s weather station, to the installation of ducting for an air-source heat pump and insulating a thermal storage tank.

For those considering I-CUREUS, I would suggest speaking to a professor whose research interests them, and ask to get involved.  I can not recommend I-CUREUS enough – it has allowed me to get first-hand experience with the area of research that I’m most passionate about. Moreover, it has the most important and beneficial aspect of my experience at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´.

Ashley Hooker

My ICUREUS project directly relates to the design and implementation aspects of my course work. During the duration of the project, I created a framework for our group to interface key lab instruments. This solved problems of automation and coordination for instruments that were tasked to acquire data in sequence. I also implemented software to create better workflow by transforming acquired data so it could be analyzed with our algorithms.

The goal of this research is to classify various types of cancerous tumors to guide patient treatment in a clinical setting. The research work focuses on collecting spectral data from cancerous patient cells that respond differently to treatment, and finding classification models for these cells to determine the inherent causes of the varying treatment response.

During my time as an ICUREUS participant, I gained experience in a collaborative research setting, and improved my software and hardware skills. I have gained a strong set of analysis skills as a result of the responsibilities I was given in this group.

I would tell aspiring ICUREUS students to work effectively, and be confident in their own abilities. This is a great opportunity to gain a strong set of skills and experience in your field

Abrar Ahmad

Several years before the turn of the last century, itv was at the forefront, dare I say, a pioneer in the delivery of university courses. A variety of disciplines were represented by some of the most dynamic and enthusiastic faculty members, and ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ had a unique presence in our community and beyond.

The classroom technology would be considered basic at the time, consisting of rather large cameras, slide projectors, and wired microphones that acted as leashes for instructors. The lecture format was restricted in part by the classroom equipment and the physical constraints inherent at the time. The effort required to set-up, test and troubleshoot the “gear” was as much a part of the teaching experience as preparing to teach. Our students, for the most part, were not privy to such matters behind the scenes, and simply took in their lectures via cablevision broadcast or videotapes.

Today, the “wired” classroom and the CUOL environment is significantly different: compact digital equipment no longer requires the same  level of set-up, attention or the angst that goes along with that, and wireless microphones allow our instructors a lot more freedom to leave the podium and interact with students. They can concentrate on what they do best: teach and engage their students.

Our classroom technicians are still on hand to set-up, test and troubleshoot. The wires, cabling and numerous buttons have been replaced by much more reliable interfaces. The delivery of lectures is no longer hampered by distance. Most are available within hours, and in many cases, the time-lag has almost disappeared. For our instructors, the ability to incorporate videos, photos and transport students to places of their choice is limited only by their imagination.

Over the years, instructors have been able to integrate field trips, special guests, events and projects into their classroom that would normally be unavailable because of time, distance, or an expert’s schedule. Whether our students are in a “live” classroom or at a distance, it is fair to say that their experience has been greatly enhanced.

For those of us who work and interact with our CUOL instructors on a regular basis, it is obvious that this transformation has only enhanced the teaching and learning process. The amount of information, the variety and availability of materials, coupled with the ability and ease of access is staggering. Hats off to our instructors on their ability to select and apply their know-how in this new and challenging digital era.

The most notable improvement is with the audio setup and quality. With an improved audio setup procedure, there will be a better experience in joining the virtual classroom space. In addition, the record function is now more flexible with a button directly in the platform that allows instructors to stop and pause recordings with one click.

If you are interested in learning more about BigBlueButton and how it can help your teaching and learning experience, take a look at this and or contact us at edc@carleton.ca, 613-520-4433.

This is the second in a three-part blog series about technology. .

With all its appeal and wizardry, there is a flip side to technology – it can spawn unwanted consequences. We don’t fully understand what limitations technology might bring, but we imagine that it is for a good cause and hope for desirable outcomes. Technology, however, can transpire outcomes that are contrary to what it was originally intended for – the unforeseen or unintended consequences.

In the book , Neil Postman wrote the following verses:

”…unforeseen consequences stand in the way of all those who think they see clearly the direction in which a new technology will take us. Not even those who think who invent a technology can be assumed to be reliable prophets…”

“My paragon of inventors, the discoverer of an art is not the best judge of the good or harm which will accrue to those who practice it.”

We have come to rely on technology. It’s like a rushing waterfall – once they’ve gone over the edge, there’s no turning back.

“My God, what have we done?” the co-pilot of the Enola Gay, Robert Lewis, wrote in his diary shortly after his plane dropped the bomb on Hiroshima. The perhaps delivered an irreparable outcome. But on the other hand, was it just a matter of time before someone else discovered it first?

Our curiosity drives us to discover new things. But sometimes we see only the short-term benefits and overlook the long-term effects. We sometimes ignore the social and psychological impacts of our creation.

The was announced in 1996. Immediately, many catechized the procedure. Anxious and concerned questions arose regarding the ethics of cloning.

Genetically Modified Food (GMF) or Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) now drive the economy, but we don’t know what these chemically induced and manipulated organisms can really do to our body.

Technological advancements can lead to significant environmental problems, such as polluted air emission and contaminated liquid discharges by big industries (from chemical to water pollution). The adoption of automobiles can lead to deaths and injuries from accidents. Some bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics, creating superbugs. These are all unintended consequences of inventions.

In academics, it may appear that the impact of technology is not as extreme as the effect of the atomic bomb, but outcomes of a different nature are surfacing today that cannot be ignored. For instance:

is trending throughout the young generation. According to reports from the conferences I’ve attended, many students are using e-devices to cheat in school. They don’t even consider it unethical since it’s part of technology.

There has also been an unexpected decline in writing skill due to excessive “texting” lingo and online chatting. Many have relied on technology to improve spelling and grammar. Even the elegance of cursive writing is disappearing today.

There are also talks about the fact that students who do the majority of their reading online are less able to determine what is and is not a valid source. They are less skilled in critical reading.

In today’s environment, educators have to adapt to the shifting nature of learning in education. Let’s take MOOCs for example. According to Sanjay Sarma, who leads efforts, the rational for MOOC was that it “…is a recognition that the lecture model needs an upgrade.” “Surely something’s got to change in 1,000 years,” he said, noting that the lecture model dates to at least 1088, when the University of Bologna was founded.

Today MOOCs are undergoing an overhaul – and they are proceeding fast. (EAB -Washington DC), the keynote speaker at this year’s CUOL AGM, shared information on the release of MOOC 2.0, which indicates that MOOCs are undergoing complete re-adjustment and refinement.

Pellish’s presentation, entitled , highlighted how MOOCs have moved from a perceived threat by higher education, to arguably innocuous in all counts. The interest in MOOCs peaked and then steadily dropped off as institutions realized that while enrolment was high, completion rates were drastically low (2 per cent of enrolment, on average). However, he stressed the importance of seeing online learning as an opportunity to expand learning resources toward a multimodal approach by “unbundling” the traditional packaging of courses and programs.

Pellish also pointed out that “online education just a few years ago was all about overcoming faculty resistance to teaching online, and now faculty are literally lining up to do this, leaving their jobs in some cases.”

Whenever a new invention surfaces, we implore for ideological, moral and ethical values, but we don’t really know what the eventual social and psychological outcomes will be. All of our technological roads twist and turn, and we can never see around the bend or through the fog. Whatever the outcomes, technology has become central to modern life. So where is our society heading?

Stay tuned next Monday for the third and final blog in this series. In my next blog, I will conclude with how technology in education is perceived. The current status of academics on technology and the outlooks are very cautious and restrained. Could technology be a hindrance or an advantage? You decide.

Run by the  and with 15 students for the spring and summer and 4 for the fall and winter, Virtual Ventures has built a strong connection with students at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´. Tegan Kilpatrick, a student in her third year of a Bachelor of Information Technology in Interactive Multimedia and Design at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´Â is a leader for the summer camps and is a workshop instructor who goes to schools around Ottawa to conduct engaging science, engineering and technology workshops to spark kids’ interest.

While gaining the expected leadership, time management and organizational skills that come from working at a camp, students are also given the opportunity to build their research abilities as the instructors develop projects which are relevant to their research interests. Rufino Ansara and Tegan Kilpatrick were responsible for researching and running the Junior and Senior Game Design camps. They both feel they have gained a great deal of practical skills through researching and testing game engines and creating and implementing lesson plans based on the research they completed.

Leaders are also given the opportunity to learn from each other as instructors sometimes teach a curriculum designed by other leaders. Warda Alavi, a third year Aerospace Engineering student specializing in Space Systems and Design, particularly enjoyed learning and electrical concepts, game making software, and 3D modelling software from her peers. The exposure to “new software and programs will be very helpful in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) career,” according to Alavi.

When asked what her experience has been as director of this project, Mawuena Torkornoo responded “I love working with students who are not only passionate about what they are learning in school but also know how to pass on that knowledge and enthusiasm to younger generations.”

The Ottawa community is certainly taking note of this initiative. In 2012, Virtual Ventures was given the for its innovative programming.

Student participants Rufino Ansara and Warda Alavi share with us their thoughts on how they have benefited from the program.

“My ability to present comfortably to large groups of people has improved immensely. Furthermore, teaching & conducting various workshops has forced me to step back and simplify advanced concepts in order to make them easily comprehensible to younger audiences. This has helped me to gain a better understanding of what I already know. All in all, I can say with confidence that Virtual Ventures has been a great help in allowing me to develop skills that will surely be helpful in the future.”-Rufino Ansara, class of ’13, Bachelor in Information Technology: Interactive Multimedia & Design

“In the future, as an engineer, I will constantly be faced with problems with design, programming, wiring, etc. In order to solve these problems, one must be able to troubleshoot and create mental instructions step-by-step. It is quite hard to manage doing this without lots of practice, knowing exactly what types of mistakes one makes most commonly, where to look for mistakes, etc. Helping the campers at Virtual Ventures to figure out why their program/game/code does not work, I have reinforced my troubleshooting skills.”-Warda Alavi, third year student in Aerospace Engineering, Space Systems and Design.

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