Welcome back, Colleagues. I hope you have had a nice and restorative summer period. While we navigate the ongoing challenges of a tighter budget our commitment to student success and teaching innovation at Carleton remains unwavering.
We continue to embrace innovation in our teaching and learning practices, particularly with emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI presents us with incredible possibilities to enhance the educational experience, and our team at Teaching and Learning Services (TLS) is here to support you in navigating this evolving landscape. We encourage you to explore our resources and guidelines on Generative AI in the classroom and to register for one of our ongoing AI-focused workshops offered this term to explore some of the possibilities.
Meanwhile, our Experiential Learning Hub in Southam Hall continues to unite students and instructors to explore innovative uses of Virtual Reality (VR) in education. Faculty from across multiple disciplines are leveraging VR to enhance learning by immersing students in experiences that go beyond the traditional classroom, such as helping Health Sciences students gain a deeper understanding of age-related vision loss by experiencing it firsthand through VR simulations or having engineering students engage in virtual laboratory experiments to tackle complex concepts like fluid dynamics.
At the last Senate, we approved five new undergraduate programs – Nursing, Mechatronics, Cybersecurity, Data Science, and an online BA. This is in addition to a new degree pathway – Bachelor of Accounting that was approved earlier. These programs offer a great opportunity to renew our undergraduate offerings and flexibility for our students. I look forward to the launch of these programs next year once we get finalized approval from the Quality Council and Ministry.
We are dedicated to supporting student success by providing opportunities for skill development and hands-on learning experiences. We are expanding our FUSION program with new training modules and partnerships with industry leaders. Additionally, the CU Art Gallery offers a variety of educational experiences. We are also excited to share updates on experiential learning, including students completing 209 SaPP & I-CUREUS projects between 2023-2024, the introduction of our inaugural Pathy Foundation Fellows, and the launch of CityStudio Ottawa. This initiative engages students in meaningful civic projects, provides practical experience, and fosters connections with the broader community.
With so much going on, it’s looking like another great year ahead. Rest assured, the team at TLS and in Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives is ready to provide you with the same excellent support and assistance to help you successfully navigate the academic year. Whether you require assistance with pedagogies, assessment strategies, or educational technologies, we are ready to help!
I wish you and your students a successful start to the fall term.
Best regards,
David J. Hornsby
Vice-Provost & Associate Vice-President (Academic)
Carleton University