Co-hosted with the Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education and Practice (ISTEP)
There has been a race to build active learning spaces, and particularly spaces that are heavily technology enabled. At the University of Toronto there are several major projects of this nature underway or recently completed, including the new Myhal building and the Transforming the Instructional Landscape (TIL) project. There is a general sense that classroom environments of this nature support active learning pedagogies, but to what degree is this supported by the literature and what aspects of the design are important? In this talk Prof. McCahan will explore the literature that exists on active learning spaces and the design concepts that underpin this trend in classroom construction. She will also discuss her current research in this area and the gaps in our understanding that need to be investigated to ensure that classrooms enable, rather than hinder, faculty who are implementing high impact teaching practices.
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Susan McCahan is currently the Vice Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education and Vice Provost, Academic Programs at the University of Toronto. She is formerly the Vice Dean, Undergraduate in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. Her research area is in engineering education and, in particular, in considering engineering education as a designed environment. Most recently her work has focused on Universal Instructional Design and assessment. She is the past President of the Canadian Engineering Education Association, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and has been the recipient of several major teaching awards including the 3M National Teaching Fellowship and the Medal of Distinction in Engineering Education from Engineers Canada.
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