Classroom innovation grant recipients announced
Over 30 submissions received; nine successful applicants
Last year, many Ryerson University students benefitted from a funding program that enabled seven professors to investigate new classroom innovations; from nutrition students being trained in digital storytelling to graphic communications management students viewing on-demand video podcasts.
This year, nine faculty have received Learning and Teaching Enhancement Fund (LTEF) grants to continue exploring classroom innovations. The funding program, administered by the Learning and Teaching Office (LTO), is part of the strategic development of innovative teaching practices at Ryerson. The fund supports and promotes both innovation in the classroom and research around higher education teaching.
"Learning and teaching excellence is one of Ryerson's five academic priorities," said Alan Shepard, provost and vice president academic. "We are committed to supporting our faculty's ability to apply innovative learning strategies in the classroom in order to enhance the undergraduate and graduate experience at Ryerson."
The nine successful proposals were selected from over 30 submissions from a variety of areas in teaching and learning in higher education and were selected based upon their estimated high and long-term impact on graduate and undergraduate programs.
"Congratulations to all of the grant recipients," said Chris Evans, vice-provost, academic. "The 2011 competition was very vigorous and built upon the success of last year's inaugural call for proposals. All faculty who applied to the program submitted strong proposals, which is vital to our goal of enhancing Ryerson's learning and teaching environment."
Below are the principal investigators and the titles of their projects:
- Emily Agard, Department of Chemistry and Biology, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Science, "Incorporating Live Actor Simulations into Anatomy Instruction"
- Mehrunnisa A. Ali, School of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Community Services, "The Ethics of Care in Working with Immigrant Families"
- Dale Carl and Ken Grant, Ted Rogers School of Management, "Establishing the TRSM Case Learning Centre"
- Marion Coomey and Richard Grunberg, School of Radio & Television Arts, Faculty of Communication & Design, "The Global Campus Project"
- June D. Komisar, Department of Architectural Science, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Science, "Arch-App: City as Classroom Builder"
- Anne McNeilly, School of Journalism, Faculty of Communication & Design, "In Search of the Comma: An Investigation of 'Minimal Marking' for First-Year Students"
- Nicole Neverson, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts, "Inhabitating Critical Spaces: Teaching and Learning from the Margins at Ryerson University"
- Rheta Rosen, Interpersonal Skills Teaching Centre (ISTC), "Bringing Life to Learning: Enhancing the ISTC Simulation Training Program"
- John Turtle, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, "Using Social Media to Increase Student Engagement in Introductory Psychology"