Lessons learned from the inaugural Inclusive Teaching Initiative
From December 2022 to May 2023, a group comprising seven Faculty of Science instructors from six different departments met monthly to discuss ways of making their courses more inclusive.
FSCI 198: Climate Crisis and Climate Actions featured in Le Devoir
A recent article in Le Devoir highlighted FSCI 198, a three-credit course for undergraduates focused on building skills for individual and collective actions to address climate change:
Devant les changements climatiques et leurs effets de plus en plus visibles, nombreux sont les jeunes paralysés par l’écoanxiété. À McGill, un cours veut susciter l’espoir et outiller les étudiants pour faire face aux changements climatiques.
Promoting student mental health through assessment practices, with Kira Smith
Reposted from the Teaching for Learning blog from McGill’s Teaching and Learning Services.
BY MARGO ECHENBERG
The Undergraduate Poster Showcase 2023: Gather with us!
Office of Science Education Student Engagement Administrator Ezelbahar Metin and Communications Assistant Bhavya Bhushan sat down with presenters to discuss the upcoming Undergraduate Poster Showcase. This year, the highly-anticipated hybrid event will be hosted on March 15, 6-8 PM ET in the University Centre (SSMU) Ballroom and via livestream.
The Science (Students) of Course Change – FSCI 396 Research Projects
Data and collaboration are key in science – so why not use both to drive change in teaching and learning at the Faculty of Science at McGill? FSCI 396 – Research Project in Science Teaching and Learning is a course that partners undergraduate students and instructors to design and assess learning opportunities, resulting in improvements for everyone.
Pursuing an Arctic research dream
Lizz Webb, a PhD student in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (and OSE Science Education Fellow) here at McGill University, spent a week in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago barely 1,000 kilometres from the North Pole, as part of her studies.
The Dan Petrescu Speaker Series presents: Rethinking Learning with MIT’s Dr. Sanjay Sarma
By Hilary Sweatman
“The big mistake is this: we assume that the professor has a pen and the student's brain is a sheet of paper and all the professor has to do is write on the sheet of paper and declare victory.” – Dr. Sanjay Sarma.
SciLearn helps connect students with course material outside of the classroom
"On a Monday afternoon during midterm season, the cafeteria of Royal Victoria College is the place to be." In this McGill Tribune feature, Gillian Cameron captures the spirit of SciLearn Peer Collaboration, a collaborative learning environment for U0 & U1 students in Science courses.
Strategies to foster equitable and inclusive learning environments
Diane Dechief from the Office of Science Education and Stephanie Weber from the Dept. of Biology were among several McGill instructors who recently gathered to share their ideas for fostering equitable and inclusive learning environments.
Online teaching strategies we can bring back to the classroom
Considering which online teaching and learning strategies to keep using as we move back to in-person teaching? Explore the following list of instructional strategies from the Large Class Teaching Exchange that transfer well into the classroom.
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Meeting the climate crisis with resilience and collaborative action
McGill undergraduates have a unique opportunity to expand their climate science literacy and acquire tools for taking action to reduce the impacts of the unfolding climate crisis.
Setting the tone: how you write your syllabus can make a big difference
Research shows a syllabus written in a warm, friendly style can enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.
By Diane Dechief and Véronique Brulé
Thinking Outside the Zoom Box with the Large Class Teaching Exchange (Part 2)
Part 2: Considerations for Online Course Delivery
By Hilary Sweatman, Jacqueline Kort Mascort, Véronique Brulé, Jennie Ferris
Thinking Outside the Zoom Box with the Large Class Teaching Exchange (Part 1)
Part 1: Engaging Students Online
By Jacqueline Kort Mascort, Hilary Sweatman, Véronique Brulé, Jennie Ferris
Building science students' communication skills with the MSWI
Marina Nysten and Joyce Wu are the co-founders of the McGill Scientific Writing Initiative (MSWI), a student-run organization dedicated to promoting effective science communication at McGill and beyond. The Office of Science Education recently collaborated with MSWI, which concluded its first year in service to the student body.