Teaching and Learning Week 2025
(RE)IMAGINING TEACHING & ASSESSMENT IN THE AGE OF AI
This year’s Teaching and Learning Week will be held alongside Academic Integrity Awareness Week for a collaborative, four-day exploration of Teaching, Assessment, and AI. Join us for a week of professional development, conversation, and practical insights on how AI is transforming teaching and learning. Sessions will feature faculty-led showcases, hands-on tool explorations, and facilitated discussions to help shape Lakehead’s future approach to AI, assessment, and academic integrity.
Both in-person and virtual sessions are offered.
Teaching and Learning Week Schedule
Note: the schedule is subject to change.
| Monday, October 6 9:45 am - 11:30 am Three participation options: - in-person Senate Chambers UC 1001 (Thunder Bay) - OA 3041 (Orillia) - virtually by Zoom Everyone Welcome. Register Now | Welcome, Opening Remarks, and Sliding Doors: Learning Opportunities Missed and Afforded by AI The round-table discussions will feature faculty and students from a variety of disciplines to discuss their perception and experience of the impact of AI on teaching and learning. During the moderated discussion, the will respond to a series of prompts designed to have them their perspective on specific pedagogical issues such as the impact on learning objectives, active learning in the classroom, knowledge versus skill acquisition, the value of writing skills and critical thinking, non-native English speakers/international student learning and equity considerations, productivity versus creativity, workload and burnout, modeling ethical behaviour, and the environmental impacts of AI technology. The goal of the round-tables is to have students and instructors share their perspectives and concerns so that they might better understand one another’s excitement and misgivings. Podcast: “The Myth of the AI First Draft with Leon Furze” (Episode 521 of Teaching in Higher Ed) Article: "Microsoft, Google and Amazon turn to nuclear energy to fuel the AI boom" Presenter(s): Dr. Rupert Klein, Department of Psychology, Dr. Guillem Dayer, Department of Biology, Dr. Judith Leggatt, Department of English. Student presenters from Indigenous Learning, Applied Life Sciences and Biomedical Sciences, Languages/Education. Moderator: Dr. Sarah Jacoba, Department of Languages |
| Monday, October 6 11:30 am - 1:00 pm In-person Senate Chambers UC 1001 (Thunder Bay) and OA 3041 (Orillia). There will be a virtual option for this session on Tuesday. Audience: Faculty, Lecturers and Lab Technicians" Register Now | Session 1: Faculty Voices on the AI Assessment Scale This open forum invites faculty to share their perspectives on Leon Furze’s AI Assessment Scale and its potential application at Lakehead University. Participants will engage in small-group conversations and large-group discussion to explore initial impressions, opportunities, and challenges. Feedback gathered in this session will help shape institutional thinking about assessment, academic integrity, and student success in the age of AI, and will directly inform the follow-up workshop later in the week. Facilitator: Dr. Sarah Jacoba, Department of Languages |
| Tuesday, October 7 10:00 am - 11:30 am Virtually by Zoom Everyone Welcome. Register Now | Teaching with AI This session explores practical strategies for integrating AI in teaching to create meaningful learning experiences for both instructors and students. Drawing from examples of ongoing implementation in academic courses, the session highlights how AI tools can support curriculum development, enhance assessment transparency, and foster student engagement. Challenges and less successful approaches will also be discussed, offering lessons learned to inform future practice. Participants will be invited to reflect on their own AI integration efforts and consider approaches that balance pedagogical goals with ethical and practical considerations. Presenter(s): Dr. Christina Van Barneveld, Faculty of Education |
| Tuesday, October 7 11:30 am - 1:00 pm Virtually by Zoom Audience: Faculty, Lecturers and Lab Technicians Register Now | Session 1: Faculty Voices on the AI Assessment Scale This open forum invites faculty to share their perspectives on Leon Furze’s AI Assessment Scale and its potential application at Lakehead University. Participants will engage in small-group conversations and large-group discussion to explore initial impressions, opportunities, and challenges. Feedback gathered in this session will help shape institutional thinking about assessment, academic integrity, and student success in the age of AI, and will directly inform the follow-up workshop later in the week. Facilitator: Kelly Brennan, Teaching Commons |
| Tuesday, October 7 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm In-person Senate Chambers UC 1001 (Thunder Bay) Everyone Welcome. Register Now | Sliding Doors: Learning Opportunities Missed and Afforded by AI The round-table discussions will feature faculty and students from a variety of disciplines to discuss their perception and experience of the impact of AI on teaching and learning. During the moderated discussion, the will respond to a series of prompts designed to have them their perspective on specific pedagogical issues such as the impact on learning objectives, active learning in the classroom, knowledge versus skill acquisition, the value of writing skills and critical thinking, non-native English speakers/international student learning and equity considerations, productivity versus creativity, workload and burnout, modeling ethical behaviour, and the environmental impacts of AI technology. The goal of the round-tables is to have students and instructors share their perspectives and concerns so that they might better understand one another’s excitement and misgivings. Podcast: “The Myth of the AI First Draft with Leon Furze” (Episode 521 of Teaching in Higher Ed) Article: "Microsoft, Google and Amazon turn to nuclear energy to fuel the AI boom" Presenter(s): Dr. Christina Van Barneveld, Department of Psychology, Dr. Joseph Carney, Department of Biology, Dr. Karl Skogstad, Department of Economics. Student presenters from Chemistry and Sociology. Moderator: Dr. Sarah Jacoba, Department of Languages |
| Tuesday, October 7 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm In-person Dining Hall (Orillia) Everyone Welcome. Register Now | Sliding Doors: Learning Opportunities Missed and Afforded by AI The round-table discussions will feature faculty and students from a variety of disciplines to discuss their perception and experience of the impact of AI on teaching and learning. During the moderated discussion, the will respond to a series of prompts designed to have them their perspective on specific pedagogical issues such as the impact on learning objectives, active learning in the classroom, knowledge versus skill acquisition, the value of writing skills and critical thinking, non-native English speakers/international student learning and equity considerations, productivity versus creativity, workload and burnout, modeling ethical behaviour, and the environmental impacts of AI technology. The goal of the round-tables is to have students and instructors share their perspectives and concerns so that they might better understand one another’s excitement and misgivings. Podcast: “The Myth of the AI First Draft with Leon Furze” (Episode 521 of Teaching in Higher Ed) Article: "Microsoft, Google and Amazon turn to nuclear energy to fuel the AI boom" Presenter(s): Dr. Olakunle Akingbola, Faculty of Business Administration, Dr. Les Fleischer, School of Social Work, and Dr. Larry Fiddick, Departments of Psychology and Interdisciplinary Studies Student Presenters from English, Psychology, and Interdisciplinary Studies Moderator: Dr. Alice den Otter, Departments of English and Interdisciplinary Studies |
| Wednesday, Oct. 8 10:00 am - 11:00 am Virtually by Zoom Everyone Welcome. Register Now | Study Smarter, Not Harder with Contact North | Contact Nord’s AI Tutor Pro Join Dr. Ron Owston for a one-hour interactive workshop on how to study smarter, not harder. Participate in hands-on activities, upload documents, and explore any topic at any level—no user ID required. Learn with confidence through expert guidance and gain unique insights from the creator of AI Tutor Pro, with ample time for questions and experimentation. Presenter(s): Dr. Ron Owston, Contact North/Contact Nord |
| Wednesday, Oct. 8 11:30 am - 1:00 pm In-person Senate Chambers UC 1001 (Thunder Bay) and OA 3041 (Orillia). There will be a virtual option for this session on Thursday. Audience: Faculty, Lecturers and Lab Technicians Register Now | Session 2: Workshop – Adapting the AI Assessment Scale for Our Context Building on insights from the open forum, this interactive workshop will take a hands-on approach to exploring how the AI Assessment Scale can be applied to real assessment practices across disciplines. Working with sample assignments, faculty will test the scale, consider adaptations for our institutional context, and identify the supports and principles needed to integrate it into teaching and assessment. Outcomes from this workshop will be shared with the Senate Teaching and Learning Committee and may contribute to shaping future AI-related policies at the university. To prepare for this workshop, participants are asked to do the following: -Review Leon Furze’s AI Assessment Scale and to -Watch Leon Furze’s webinar, Attack Your Assessments (~46 mins). -Bring an assignment from one of your classes that you would like to consider using in alignment with the AI Assessment Scale. Facilitator: Dr. Barbara Parker, Department of Sociology |
| Thursday, October 9th 10:00 am - 11:30 am Virtually by Zoom Everyone Welcome. Register Now | The good, the bad, and the algorithm: International students' experiences with AI at university. This interview-style session explores how international students navigate both the opportunities and challenges of AI in higher education. A student panel will share firsthand perspectives on how AI shapes their learning experiences and academic practices. The session aims to strengthen teaching, learning, and connection by fostering deeper understanding between students and instructors in the rapidly evolving AI era. Presenter(s): Dr. Gerald Walton, Faculty of Education and Dr. Ahmed Elshaer, Facutly of Engineering Student Presenters from the Faculty of Education and Civil Engineering |
| Thursday, October 9th 11:30 am - 1:15 pm Virtually by Zoom Audience: Faculty, Lecturers and Lab Technicians Register Now | Session 2: Workshop – Adapting the AI Assessment Scale for Our Context and Closing Building on insights from the open forum, this interactive workshop will take a hands-on approach to exploring how the AI Assessment Scale can be applied to real assessment practices across disciplines. Working with sample assignments, faculty will test the scale, consider adaptations for our institutional context, and identify the supports and principles needed to integrate it into teaching and assessment. Outcomes from this workshop will be shared with the Senate Teaching and Learning Committee and may contribute to shaping future AI-related policies at the university. To prepare for this workshop, participants are asked to do the following: -Review Leon Furze’s AI Assessment Scale and to -Watch Leon Furze’s webinar, Attack Your Assessments (~46 mins). -Bring an assignment from one of your classes that you would like to consider using in alignment with the AI Assessment Scale. Facilitator: Kelly Brennan, Teaching Commons |