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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

2023 Conference Program

The 2023 Conference on University Teaching and Learning theme is "Embracing the Opportunities of Hybrid Teaching and Learning" and will feature presentations, panels, and short talks from current Ontario Tech instructors, staff, and students. Topics include community-building in diverse classrooms, academic integrity and alternative assessment, educational technology tools, and more!

A program at-a-glance is available below. The full Conference program is also available to download (PDF file).

9:00 am - 9:15 am Land Acknowledgment
Lasandra Conliffe, Teaching and Learning Centre
9:15 am - 9:30 am Opening Remarks
Dr. Lori A. Livingston, Provost and Vice-President Academic, Ontario Tech University 
9:30 am - 10:00 am Academic Integrity: We Are Here!
Dr. Susan L. Forbes, Teaching and Learning Centre
10:00 am - 10:25 am Did you know? LMS and Student Success
Michael Guy, IT Services
Zain Shafique, IT Services
10:25 am - 10:35 am Bio Break
10:35 am - 11:35 am Humanity Meets Technology: Exploring the human-tech relationship through the lens of teaching and learning
Dr. Meaghan Charest-Finn, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Dr. Daniel Hoornweg, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Dr. Michael Miljanovic, Faculty of Science
11:35 am - 12:00 pm Managing Google Drive
Callan Brown, IT Services
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Lunch + Certificate in University Teaching presentations
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Beyond Content: Cultivating meaningful communities, conversations, and collaboration in diverse classrooms
Dr. Jana Abou-Ziki, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Dr. Sharon Lauricella, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities
Dr. Robyn Ruttenberg-Rosen, Faculty of Education
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Teaching Scholar in Residence Showcase

Are We Having Fun Yet?
Dr. Sharon Lauricella, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities

AI is Taking Our Jobs!
Randy Fortier, Faculty of Science
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Generative AI in Education: The good, the bad, and the ugly
Dr. Jeremy Bradbury, Faculty of Science
Lasandra Conliffe, Teaching and Learning Centre
Miranda Varricchio, Faculty of Media, Art & Design, Durham College

Special Guest Panelist: ChatGPT

3:00 pm - 3:15 pm Closing Remarks
Dr. Langis Roy, Deputy Provost, Ontario Tech University

The Celebrate Teaching! Awards Ceremony will follow the Conference in the UA Atrium beginning at 3:45 pm. Further details are available on the Teaching Awards website.

3:45 pm Welcome and Land Acknowledgement
Student Choice Awards
Presented by Dr. Susan L. Forbes, Director, Teaching and Learning Centre
Teaching Assistant Excellence Award
Presented by Dr. Theodore Christou, Dean, School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Tim McTiernan Student Mentorship Award
Presented by Dr. Tim McTiernan, former President, Ontario Tech University
Learning Reimagined Award
Presented by Dr. Steven Murphy, President and Vice-Chancellor, Ontario Tech University
Openness in Education Award
Presented by Dr. Susan L. Forbes, Director, Teaching and Learning Centre
Early Career Teaching Award
Presented by Dr. Lori A. Livingston, Provost and Vice-President Academic, Ontario Tech University
Award for Excellence in Teaching
Presented by Dr. Steven Murphy, President and Vice-Chancellor, Ontario Tech University