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.

Delivery Format: Online via Zoom

Audience: Everyone is welcome

Click here to view the full Teaching and Learning Week Schedule

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) https://teachinginhighered.com/podcast/the-myth-of-the-ai-first-draft/

Article: "Microsoft, Google and Amazon turn to nuclear energy to fuel the AI boom" https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/generative-ai-and-nuclear-energy-1.7362127

Delivery Format: In-person Senate Chambers UC 1001 (Thunder Bay), Orillia Dining Hall (Orillia)

Audience: Everyone is welcome

Click here to view the full Teaching and Learning Week Schedule

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.

Link to Assessment Scale:  https://leonfurze.com/2024/08/28/updating-the-ai-assessment-scale/

Delivery Format: Online via Zoom

Audience: Faculty, Lecturers and Lab Technicians

Click here to view the full Teaching and Learning Week Schedule

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.

Delivery Format: Online via Zoom

Audience: Everyone is welcome

Click here to view the full Teaching and Learning Week Schedule

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.

Link to Assessment Scale:  https://leonfurze.com/2024/08/28/updating-the-ai-assessment-scale/

Delivery Format: In-person Senate Chambers UC 1001 (Thunder Bay), OA 3041 (Orillia).  There will be a virtual option for this session on Tuesday.

Audience: Faculty, Lecturers and Lab Technicians

Click here to view the full Teaching and Learning Week Schedule

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) https://teachinginhighered.com/podcast/the-myth-of-the-ai-first-draft/

Article: "Microsoft, Google and Amazon turn to nuclear energy to fuel the AI boom" https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/generative-ai-and-nuclear-energy-1.7362127

Delivery Format: In-person Senate Chambers UC 1001 (Thunder Bay), OA 3041 (Orillia) or virtually by Zoom

Audience: Everyone is welcome

Click here to view the full Teaching and Learning Week Schedule

Faculty and teaching staff will learn how to create, share, and reuse a variety of interactive learning content for formative assessment. Participants will be provided with the tools to create and reuse H5P via the eCampusOntario H5P studio and with instructions on embedding H5P activities into their myCourselink/D2L courses. Content types such as drag and drop tasks, interactive videos, flashcards, and timelines (to name a few) will be presented. Visit the Teaching Commons website for more information about H5P.

This workshop is designed to build understanding of Indigenous protocols, working respectfully with Elders and Traditional Indigenous Knowledge Keepers(TIKK). With the principle of Two-Eyed Seeing, the session will provide participants with cultural awareness within a Western academic setting, Indigenous protocols, and honorarium scale. The Role of Elders and TIKK: Identity, responsibility, and engaging in effective, respectful, meaningful ways. Faculty will gain insight into creating relationships with Elders and Knowledge Keepers when inviting them to share traditional teachings in the classroom.

Context: Cultural Awareness and Wise Practice

Fit to the above categories and level: 3 Indigenizing Curriculum level: emerging

Format: Workshop and grab and go (both)

Faculty will gain insight into traditional protocols that support building meaningful relationships with Elders and TIKK. This can assist in aligning traditional teachings with course content to create meaningful lesson plans for students.

Audience: Instructional staff

Description: This workshop will take a deeper dive into some of the tools introduced in the essentials workshop and introduce course tools that promote collaboration, aid in grading and feedback, and monitor student progress.  Topics will include creating groups and associating them with the assignment and discussion tools; creating rubrics, grading students with rubrics, and exploring user progress to learn how students progress through and interact with online courses. 

It is recommended that participants have attended the mycourselink/D2L Essentials Skills Workshop or watched the recording of the Essentials Skills workshop before attending this workshop.

This workshop will be delivered through Zoom and will be recorded.  The Zoom join link will be provided to registrants before the event.

Audience: Instructional staff

Description: This workshop will take a deeper dive into some of the tools introduced in the essentials workshop and introduce course tools that promote collaboration, aid in grading and feedback, and monitor student progress.  Topics will include creating groups and associating them with the assignment and discussion tools; creating rubrics, grading students with rubrics, and exploring user progress to learn how students progress through and interact with online courses. 

It is recommended that participants have attended the mycourselink/D2L Essentials Skills Workshop or watched the recording of the Essentials Skills workshop before attending this workshop.

This workshop will be delivered through Zoom and will be recorded.  The Zoom join link will be provided to registrants before the event.