CUT Keynote Lectures

The Centre for University Teaching is pleased to invite you to a new keynote lecture series which promotes innovative teaching practices among University of Ottawa professors.  Come and see what your colleagues are up to.

The Kesarwani Conference is the highlight of our keynote lecture and presentation program (see below). As a result of a dedicated fund provided by the family of the late Roop Kesarwani, Professor of Mathematics, the CUT is able to invite internationally renowned speakers on the topics of university teaching and learning.

Upcoming Lectures

Keynote Lectures Archives

Universal Design and Accessibility: Contributing to a Better Learning Experience for All
Maureen Wideman Ph.D.- University of Ontario Institute of Technology
May 2013

During this presentation, Dr. Wideman will address the concepts of accessibility, inclusion and universal design. She will speak to their benefits and challenges in the context of course design, teaching and learning. She will also share her experience with introducing and implementing such concepts and methods at both the single classroom and the university wide levels, encompassing a cultural shift with its overall positive impact on teaching and learning practices for both instructors and students.

The Development of French Pedagogical Cases in Management: Pitfalls and Potential
Martine Spence Ph.D.- Telfer School of Management
April 2013

The lack of teaching materials in French, the importance of student experience as one of the objectives of the Telfer School of Management and the University of Ottawa, as well as the importance of involving undergraduate students in research, has led us to submit a proposal for funding to develop French pedagogical cases in management based on student work in 4th year international marketing courses. The presentation will focus on the management of this project and possible improvements.

Do They Really Get it?
Steve Desjardins Ph.D.- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science
March 2013

It can be difficult for a professor to know whether the students are properly understanding the concepts or if it is possible for them to respond correctly to questions without understanding the fundamental concepts. Following from the idea of Concept Inventories, I have begun quizzing my students throughout the term to identify misconceptions. Once these misconceptions are identified, we go over them carefully in class together, utilizing Peer Instruction as much as possible. Preliminary indications are positive: test and exam results are better and fewer conceptual errors are made.

Assessing Learning in Large Classrooms: The Use of Differentiated Evaluation as an Inclusive Strategy that Promotes Improved Academic Performance
Julie Gosselin Ph.D.- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences
February 2013

Differentiated evaluation describes the impact of pedagogical differentiation on the evaluation process. It offers choices to all students regarding evaluation, which are deemed equivalent and fair. While it has most often been used at the primary and secondary school levels, it stands as a valid strategy to be used at the undergraduate level, where we are observing growing diversity within the student body. This session presents findings from a pilot-study, funded by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, testing its ability to increase both student performance over the course of the semester and its use as a pedagogical approach aimed at responding more efficiently to increasing student diversity.

Thesis Supervision: Challenges and Strategies for New University Professors
Claire Duchesne Ph.D.- Faculty of Education
January 2013

New professors are usually unprepared to perform their roles as doctoral thesis supervisors and must, in the early years of their career, develop their own skills in this area, all while expending their professional learning as required by the nature of their position within the faculty. The low completion rate of doctoral studies observed across Canada, particularly in the humanities and the social sciences, is an indicator that this problem requires special attention. During this lecture, the challenges of thesis supervision for new professors will be examined and possible solutions will be proposed.

Teaching for Better Learning in Research Universities
Christopher Knapper Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Queen's University
McKeachie Career Achievement Award from the AERA – 2004
3M National Teaching Fellow from STLHE – 2002
December 2012

There is a growing body of empirical research on university teaching and learning, and a rising consensus about how teaching methods and instructional climate affect student learning approaches. This presentation will describe the highlights of this research and examine its implications for the way we undertake teaching and curriculum planning in research universities.

How much of our teaching practice is based on the evidence from current research?  What is effective learning in university; how can it be enhanced, and what evidence do we have for the effectiveness of our programs and teaching methods?  How can we encourage a culture of teaching scholarship that might inform good practices for the future?  What strategies can universities use to encourage greater attention to teaching and learning?  The presentation will draw on examples of good (and bad) teaching practices from universities in Canada, the USA, Europe, and Australia.

Watch the video

Assessing Complex Learning Using Clickers
Eric Dionne Ph.D.- Faculty of Education
November 2012

Developing and assessing complex learning (such as problem solving, decision making, and creativity) with our university students is not an easy task. During the past year, we have created a tool designed specifically to develop and assess complex learning in the study of education. During this presentation, we will discuss the nature of this tool, its characteristics, its limitations, and how it can be adapted for use in other academic disciplines. You will also have an opportunity to experiment with the finished tool and use the clickers that allow for the collection of student responses.

Application of Linear Mixed-Effect Models for the Analysis of Exam Scores: Video Availability Associated with Higher Scores for Student with Lower Grades
Odette Laneuville Ph.D. - Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine
October 17, 2012

A pedagogical tool was designed to emphasize the application of core concepts relevant to molecular biology and consisting in questions listed as learning objectives and answers presented using online videos provided as a supplement to lectures. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of online videos availability on students' academic success. Linear mixed-effect models were fitted to the data and tested for the simultaneous contribution of video access and a set of fixed effects. On average, scores increased by 2% and students with lower CGPA benefited the most from access to online videos. The availability of videos demonstrating the application of concepts to solve problems in molecular biology was associated with significantly higher scores on the exams.

Kesarwani Lecture: "Professors make a real difference!", Part 3

• Professor Michèle Hébert - Faculty of Health Sciences | Occupational Therapy | University of Ottawa
• Professor Patrick Dumberry - Faculty of Law | Civil Law | University of Ottawa
• Professor Barbara J. Orser - Telfer School of Management | Entrepreneurship and Service Marketing | University of Ottawa

April 2012

Each year, the University of Ottawa's Centre for University Teaching is pleased to welcome a renowned professor as part of its much anticipated Kesarwani Lecture, which aims to promote excellence in university teaching and improve the learning environment.

This year, the Kesarwani Lecture unveils a new format. Indeed, as part of our campaign to promote the importance of teaching, "Teaching Matters!", we are honored to welcome three of our professors-ambassadors: Michèle Hébert (Occupational Therapy), Patrick Dumberry (Civil Law) and Barbara J. Orser (Entrepreneurship and Service Marketing), in the last of a three-part series, each of them featuring three of the nine professors of the campaign. During this discussion panel, these seasoned professors will share their ideas on teaching and its importance. They will explain the pedagogical methods that have earned them an Excellence in Education Awards, and discuss their vision for the profession.

Using Concept Inventories to Assess Learning and Teaching in your Course
Colin Montpetit - Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
April 2012

A concept inventory is a multiple choice test designed to assess whether a student has an accurate and working knowledge of a specific set of concepts. Unlike a typical multiple choice test, both the question and the choice of response are the subject of extensive research designed to determine what a range of students think a particular question is asking and what the most common answers are. In its final form, a concept question presents both a correct answer and distractors – incorrect answers based on commonly held misconceptions. In this presentation, we will explore how concept inventories can be used to assess students' conceptual understanding of course content and to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning in a course.

Prison with a Difference: Teaching and Educating through the Arts
Sylvie Frigon - Department of Criminology, Faculty of Social Sciences
March 2012

Winner of the Faculty of Social Sciences Teaching Excellence Award (2010) and Faculty Research Chair (2011-2014) entitled "Letters From Prison: Here and There", Professor Frigon of the Department of Criminology uses innovative teaching methods combining both art and criminology. She explores "prison in culture, culture in prison" through literature, theatre, dance and music. Excerpts from plays directed and performed in prisons with her criminology and theatre students will be shown during this presentation as well as excerpts from her two novels about prison, "Écorchées" (2006) and "Ariane et son secret" (2010) will be read. It is worth mentioning that her children's novel, "Ariane et son secret", was a finalist for the literary prize Le Droit and the Trillium Book Award in 2011.

Kesarwani Lecture: Professors make a real difference!, Part 2

• Professor Gilles Comeau - Faculty of Arts | Piano pedagogy | University of Ottawa
• Professor Kathryn Trevenen - Faculty of Social Sciences | Women's Studies | University of Ottawa
• Professor Claude D'Amours - Faculty of Engineering | Electrical Engineering | University of Ottawa

February 2012

Each year, the University of Ottawa's Centre for University Teaching is pleased to welcome a renowned professor as part of its much anticipated Kesarwani Lecture, which aims to promote excellence in university teaching and improve the learning environment.

This year, the Kesarwani Lecture unveils a new format. Indeed, as part of our campaign to promote the importance of teaching, "Teaching Matters!", we are honored to welcome three of our professors-ambassadors: Gilles Comeau (Piano pedagogy), Kathryn Trevenen (Women's Studies) and Claude D'Amours (Electrical Engineering), in the second of a three-part series, each of them featuring three of the nine professors of the campaign. During this discussion panel, these seasoned professors will share their ideas on teaching and its importance. They will explain the pedagogical methods that have earned them an Excellence in Education Awards, and discuss their vision for the profession.

Using Wikis to Create a Community of Learners
Christine Suurtamm - Faculty of Education
February 2012

This presentation will focus on the use of wikis as a way to extend classroom learning space, help to enhance communication, and support your classes as communities of learners. The use of co-authored wikis as extended classroom space encourages students to take ownership for their learning and to feel connected to other students and elements from the course. The presentation will include information on how to set up a wiki space, as well as provide a variety of samples of ways it can be used with your class.

Using Technology in Higher Education
Dr. Alireza Jalali - Divsion of Clinical & Functional Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine
January 2012

Technology is dominating the life of our students and an increased use of technology by educators is expected. In this talk, professor Jalali will describe different technologies that he uses in education; from Social Media tools (YouTube, Podcast, etc) to Social Networking ones (Facebook, Twitter, etc), as well as iPads and Smartphones. He will describe his experience with using these technologies in medical education and will highlight the advantages and perils of these tools.

Kesarwani Lecture: Professors make a real difference!

• Professor William Ogilvie - Faculty of Science | Molecular Chemistry | University of Ottawa
• Professor Christine Suurtamm - Faculty of Education | Mathematics Education | University of Ottawa
• Professor Alireza Jalali - Faculty of Medicine | Anatomy | University of Ottawa

December 2011

Each year, the University of Ottawa's Centre for University Teaching is pleased to welcome a renowned professor as part of its much anticipated Kesarwani Lecture, which aims to promote excellence in university teaching and improve the learning environment.

This year, the Kesarwani Lecture unveils a new format. Indeed, as part of our campaign to promote the importance of teaching, "Teaching Matters!", we are honored to welcome three of our professors-ambassadors: Christine Suurtamm (Mathematics Education), Alireza Jalali (Anatomy) and William Ogilvie (Molecular Chemistry), in the first of a three-part series, each of them featuring three of the nine professors of the campaign. During this discussion panel, these seasoned professors will share their ideas on teaching and its importance. They will explain the pedagogical methods that have earned them an Excellence in Education Awards, and discuss their vision for the profession.

Watch the video (coming soon)

A look at student thinking when answering selected multiple choice questions: How can that help us improve our teaching?
Dr. Jacqueline Carnegie - Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
October 2011

This research project explored student thinking when answering multiple choice questions (MCQs) pertaining to selected topics in physiology (Rh factor, the regulation of lung ventilation and acid-base balance). In summative examinations, students were presented with a 2-part question. Part one was the MCQ; part two was an opportunity to justify the answer selected for that MCQ in a couple of sentences. In this session, we will discuss student misconceptions revealed by this study as well as ways to prevent the development of those misconceptions, both inside and outside the lecture room, especially when dealing with large student enrolments.

Easing the Transition: A New Preparatory Workshop for Incoming Science Students
Dr. Alison Flynn - Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences
September 2011

The transition to university is a challenging one for many students. Students are adapting to a new environment that has academic, social and time pressures, amongst other challenges. A new one-week preparatory workshop was designed and delivered for the first time in August 2011 to help incoming science students thrive in this new environment. This workshop is interdisciplinary in nature, and its development and delivery depended on the collaboration between and contributions of members of the departments in the faculty of science, members of the Student Academic Support Service (SASS), students, and external consultants. In this presentation the design and implementation of the first iteration of this workshop will be discussed.

Web Based Assignments and Testing in First Year Calculus Using Maple T.A.^TM
Benoit Dionne & Monica Nevins - Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science
April 2011

Maple T.A.TM is a software used to create assignments, tests, and learning modules that students can access on-line. The questions are not limited to multiple choice format but rather permit questions whose answers may be numbers, mathematical formulae and more. Furthermore, questions can incorporate some randomized data, ensuring that each student receive a different assignment or test. Students can receive detailed feedback right after having submitted their work, and instructors can request a detailed evaluation of the progress of any student at any time. In the first part of the presentation, we will explain the impact of Maple T.A.TM on the learning approach of students, and on the organization of the course. During the second part of the presentation, we will describe the work required to produce a complete question for Maple T.A.TM.

The Research Rubik's Cube: Helping Our Students Learn Research Skills
Ellen Zweibel, Julie Lavigne & Adam Dodek - Common Law Section, Faculty of Law
March 2011

At the uOttawa Faculty of Law, the law librarians are actively involved in developing and delivering first-year legal research courses. But with over 600 students and only 3 librarians, there is never enough time! In 2009, the library entered into a partnership with the Faculty of Law and the Centre for e-Learning to develop bilingual web-based self-instruction modules on legal research and information literacy. See how these modules work, hear about the challenges and discover how students handled this blended learning environment.

The National Capital Region, an Ideal Environment for Teaching
Louise N. Boucher - Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts
February 2011

The National Capital Region offers exciting resources for teachers who wish to energize their classes. Within walking distance of campus, a variety of historic locations, monuments and institutions can become interesting educational sites. The Rideau Canal registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the banks of the Ottawa River as well as many other locations allow for 1.5 to 3 hour field trips to discuss theoretical concepts on site. The presentation will focus more specifically on the National Gallery of Canada whose exhibitions have proved relevant to courses in geography and anthropology.

The Creation of Online Learning Resources to Complement the Teaching of Specialized University Topics in French
Adam Brown - Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
January 2011

Teaching University courses in French comes with its own set of challenges. One of the most significant challenges is associated with the lack of supplementary resources such as textbooks, glossaries and online websites. This becomes particularly problematic in the instruction of highly specialized introductory courses, in which large amounts of specific terminology and concepts must be learned by students. In order to address this shortage of resource material in the biological disciplines, we used an internal research grant to compile a list of more than 1200 specialized terms (in this case for Ecology, Evolution and Zoology) to create an online glossary during the Winter 2010 semester. The students' use and appreciation of this tool were assessed using an anonymous online survey. We also surveyed for indicators relating to students' improvement in learning. Over the course of this presentation, we will discuss the results of these surveys as well as visit the online glossary in order to demonstrate its full functionality.

Kesarwani Lecture: The Secret Life of Mathematics
Jean-Marie De Koninck - Faculté des sciences et de génie, Université Laval
December 2010

An Individualized Approach to Evaluating Student Learning
Julie Gosselin - School of Psychology - Faculty of Social Sciences
November 2010

Choosing and implementing a particular evaluation approach is a challenge for both new and seasoned professors.  A number of very significant issues are at play in this decision, including time constraints, class size and composition, and the intent of evaluation.  More and more professors are also called upon to foster student engagement and to demonstrate a consideration for individual learning style. In this session, we will look at an innovative approach that has been designed in response to these concerns, through the use of an individualized approach to evaluating student learning.  A case example and student feedback regarding this approach will complete the presentation.  

Teaching Large Enrolment Courses: Approaches to Effective Pedagogy
Colin Montpetit - Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
October 2010

Preparing and teaching large enrolment courses can be very daunting tasks for both new and experienced instructors. The very idea of teaching in such a setting often elicits anxieties regarding the time, energy and budgetary requirements to prepare and manage the course.  Inasmuch, the challenges of teaching large enrolment courses often stimulate the following questions: How do I prepare for this? How can one actually be an effective teacher in such a setting? What tools are available to me to convey my course? How do I make a large enrolment course manageable? How can I demonstrate my teaching effectiveness? How do I know students are actually learning? The goal of this highly participative presentation is to answer these and other questions related to the subject and to share a professor's experiences in preparing, managing and teaching large enrolment courses.

The Joy of Teaching by Audio-Conferencing
Claire Isabelle - Faculty of Education
September 2010

The use of technology in teaching at the university level has become an overwhelming reality. It is now possible to complete a degree without ever setting foot in a classroom. Thus, students now have access to a broad range of learning options. Courses by audio-conference are now one of the options available on campus at the University of Ottawa. As a result, it is important for professors to learn about the very tools which are changing our way of conceiving the university experience. This presentation will propose practical strategies to facilitate teaching via audio-conference. Using a phone line and an Internet connection with Bridgit^TM, courses designed for audio-conferencing can ensure active student engagement. We will share strategies to plan small group activities and explore different audio-conferencing tools.