University of Toronto – Digital Learning Innovation Digital Learning Innovation

Over two full days on May 25^th and 26^th we held another successful Course Re/Design Institute. The annual event, hosted by the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation, includes participation from faculty and staff from across the university community. Our cohort of instructors who are launching new fully online courses joined with the larger group of approximately 30 faculty members looking to improve their design skills for the first day of the institute.

On the second day of the institute the online group explored planning and design considerations that are unique to online course design in a separate breakout stream. Joining our online instructors on day two were educational technology experts from their respective faculties as well as a liaison librarian, all there to collaborate as part of a team design process. Together the group was able to share tips, strategies and insights into good course design and online pedagogy.

We approached faculty members to share with us an “Aha” moment they experienced from the event – something that really clicked for them in thinking about their course design and development for online delivery.

Avi Cohen, developing a course titled Introduction to Economics for Non-specialists noted the importance of working with a team.

“As someone who never designed a fully online course, I was worried about acquiring the numerous required disparate skills and knowledge. Not only did the institute give me a strong background for planning and making decisions, the pairing with technical experts reduced my anxiety to zero. I realized it takes a team to produce an online course, and as instructors, we have a fantastically strong and helpful team. We are not alone!”

This year was also unique in that we welcomed instructors designing courses as part of a potentially fully online professional masters degree and worked with them on program level planning to support their new cohort of students. The full list of UofT instructors who attended and are either planning or designing fully online courses for the coming year include:

If you are interested in participating in upcoming discussions or considering applying for OUCI funding, please contact Laurie Harrison.

This Spring Laurie Harrison delivered an InnovatingEdu Seminar to over 45 Faculty and Staff at the University of Toronto and affiliated hospitals.

If you are interested in learning about new online tools and technology to improve your teaching, take a moment to watch the presentation below. In it Laurie discusses principles and strategies for developing good pedagogy using online tools to support teaching. Emphasis is placed on having learning be the driver of your decisions to select a technology to integrate in your course.

Laurie also explores some of the emerging technologies being adopted at the University and provides information on the resources/resourcing available to you to get you started successfully.

This is another example of how DLI provides outreach and awareness to the University community on technology supported teaching and learning.