Teaching award nominations open

Do you know a distinguished teacher? Here’s your chance to recognize them through the Distinguished Teacher Award.

Nominations for the Distinguished Teacher Award are due in the Centre for Teaching Excellence, located in EV1 325 by Friday, February 6, at 4:30 p.m. The nomination form is available for download and can be emailed to the CTE.

In order to be eligible to nominate a teacher for the award, you must be an undergraduate, graduate, alumni, or a faculty/department member or colleague. Who is eligible, you might ask? Anyone who teaches at the University of Waterloo and its federated and affiliated institutions, including lab instructors, clinical associates, professors, and lecturers, be they full or part-time.

"The main criterion is a record of excellent teaching at Waterloo over an extended period, usually at least five years," says the background information on the CTE website. "The Selection Committee looks for evidence of intellectual vigour and communication skills in the interpretation and presentation of subject matter, along with evidence of educational impact beyond the classroom. The instructor’s human quality and concern for and sensitivity to the needs of students are obvious criteria. The Selection Committee will look for a clear indication that the nominee has a favourable and lasting influence on students, and, where relevant, on colleagues. Evidence of successful innovation in teaching or publications/ presentations on teaching and learning may support a nomination, but it is also clear that excellence in teaching does not necessarily require either."

Nominees need a minimum of 10 nominations to be considered. Nomination forms can be picked up at the Dana Porter and Davis Centre libraries, the Turnkey Desk in the Student Life Centre, or at the Centre for Teaching Excellence’s office.

If you know an exceptional teaching assistant, you’ve got a chance to recognize them through the Amit and Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student (AETS). Those nominations are due on Friday, February 13 and can be submitted via email.

"The awards are open to all students who have a formal teaching role at the University of Waterloo," says the CTE website. "Four awards are given annually in recognition of excellence in teaching of all kinds by registered students (e.g., teaching assistant, laboratory demonstrator, sessional lecturer). The Selection Committee considers intellectual vigour and communication skills in the interpretation and presentation of subject matter. Concern for and sensitivity to the academic need of the students is an important criterion."

Nominators can be undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, and faculty members. You can nominate any registered student that has a formal teaching role, either as a teaching assistant, a laboratory demonstrator, or sessional lecturer, and who teaches at the University of Waterloo or at its federated and affiliated institutions.

For more information, visit the Centre for Teaching Excellence’s website or call extension 33353.

Recipients will be announced at the March meeting of the University's Senate.

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New courseware partnership with Maplesoft

The University of Waterloo and Maplesoft have announced a partnership to provide effective, engaging, online education for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses. Combining rich course materials developed by the University with Maple T.A., Maplesoft’s online testing and assessment system, and Maplesoft technology for developing, managing, and displaying dynamic STEM content, the collaboration has produced a platform for engaging and efficient learning.

The first result of this collaboration is the Secondary School Courseware project from the University of Waterloo. The University’s Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC) has launched a courseware site designed to support high school students and teachers in their Precalculus and Calculus courses. Interactive investigations and on-screen text with synchronized audio teach the concepts from Grade 12 Advanced Functions (Precalculus) and Grade 12 Calculus and Vectors. In addition, self-assessment questions, exercises, and solutions help consolidate learning.

The courseware provides a rich selection of freely accessible, engaging content for use by high school teachers and students around the world, and will help prepare students for university-level mathematics courses. The content enables teachers and students to interact with dynamic applications to explore concepts and deepen understanding. Self-assessment quizzes, which are powered by Maple T.A., provide instant feedback, allowing students to practice as much as they need, evaluate their level of understanding and even try out enrichment and extension questions.

“The CEMC's mission is to support and promote mathematics and computer science education in Canada and around the world through a variety of activities and resources.  Creating online courseware seemed like a natural next step for us as it provides free, high-quality curriculum content and increased flexibility to teachers, students and administrators,” said Ian VanderBurgh, Director of the CEMC. “We were looking for an efficient way to provide effective online education for STEM courses and found a natural ally in Maplesoft. The university is already a significant user of Maple T.A., and Maplesoft’s proven technology made it possible to develop an effective content management platform with a world class math engine.”

“This partnership is a direct result of the commitment by Maplesoft and the University of Waterloo to encourage and promote the study and use of math amongst high school and university students,” said Jim Cooper, President and CEO of Maplesoft. “The University of Waterloo has a long history of excellence in mathematics, and now students everywhere will gain from the experience and know-how of the University, and Maplesoft’s expertise in technical education. This project is an excellent illustration of The Möbius Project, Maplesoft’s initiative designed to help institutions develop and provide STEM courses online.”

Work is already underway to use the Maplesoft-developed platform in other online courses offered by the University of Waterloo, including core math courses, as well as courses in optimization, modeling, computer science, and quantum information systems.

Students and teachers can access the courseware without the need for a login or special software.

Visit the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing for more information on the Secondary School Courseware project and other University of Waterloo initiatives in mathematics education. To learn more about how Maplesoft can help move STEM courses online through The Möbius Project initiative, contact the Maplesoft Teaching Solutions Group.

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Town Hall talked experiential education

Experiential education was the talk of the town hall held January 21 in the Sedra Student Design Centre in Engineering 5.

Experiential education working group members Ian Orchard, Peggy Jarvie, Judene Pretti and Emanuel Carvalho spoke about the priority area and its relation to the University's Strategic Plan as the implementation phase continues.

Experiential education, as defined by the theme working group, is a process allowing students to link what they are learning in their courses with their career goals, accomplished by hands-on learning experiences.

"Parts of the definition include opportunities connected to curricula, defined learning outcomes, and that are both supervised and somehow evaluated or assessed," said Peggy Jarvie, director of Co-operative Education and Career Action. "For other kinds of experiential education it is important for students to get feedback on their performance in their work opportunity and learning opportunity regardless of type."

The theme group members took questions from the floor, from Twitter, and from email about the benefits of the co-operative education experience, co-operative education and graduate students, field courses, the benefits of the new WaterlooWorks system, international employment opportunities, creating employable graduates, where entrepreneurialism and experiential education intersect, student mental health as it pertains to the job search process, and the impact of decline of oil prices on co-op employment in the West.

The town hall was livestreamed and is available for viewing.

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Tuesday's notes

The Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation (WICI) is featuring a talk today by a Professor Hans der Sterck of the Department of Applied Mathematics entitled "Mathematical modelling of social spreading processes." His lecture will examine how mathematical and computational modelling techniques can offer new ways to study social spreading processes, particularly given the increasing availability of empirical information in the era of big data and online social networks.

The event takes place at 2:00 p.m. in M3 2134. Registration details are available on the WICI website.

Also, today is the first day of campaigning for the annual Federation of Students and undergraduate Senate elections. The campaign period runs until February 9, with polling taking place from February 10 to 12.

The Healthy Workplace Committee's Yoga session will take place tomorrow from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the PAC Small Gymnasium (PAC 1106). The instructor will be Mohit Verma from the Sahaja Yoga Meditation Club.

"Health benefits of yoga include flexibility, strength, better posture, breathing, heart health and inner peace," says a note from the Healthy Workplace Committee.

Space is limited, but you can register via email. Attendees are reminded that they should wear comfortable clothing, bring a towel or mat, as well as water.

Waterloo Residences and the Off-Campus Housing Office are hosting the third annual University of Waterloo Housing Fair on Wednesday, January 28.

The open house-styled event is geared towards students searching for new accommodations and will bring together landlords, on-campus residences, and important resources to help students with their search.

"January tends to be a peak time for students to search for off-campus housing," says a note on the Housing website.

There are prizes to be won, including movie tickets, a one-term fridge rental, bedroom accessories, and much more.

The fair will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Student Life Centre's Great Hall.

This is a reminder that Treat-A-Gram 2015 is fast approaching, and there's still time to order yours today for friends and colleagues at Waterloo. Treat-a-Grams are a fun way to say “thank you” to a friend or to recognize the hard work of a colleague who works on campus. Treat-A-Grams will be available for purchase until Thursday, February 5 at noon. This year you can choose between one gourmet chocolate cake pop for $3, a bouquet of 3 cake pops (red velvet, vanilla, and chocolate) for $5, or you can choose to send a Treat-A-Gram postcard in lieu of treats.

Treat-a-Grams will be delivered on Thursday, February 12 to University of Waterloo offices. This year, all proceeds and additional donations will support student physical and mental health through the General Student Wellness Fund.

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