Join faculty and instructional staff for a practical conversation about how generative AI is showing up in teaching, assessment, and evaluation. We will explore what is working, what is challenging, and what supports would be most helpful, including guidance on student use, fairness in grading, academic integrity processes, and equity and privacy considerations. The day will include workshops, a panel discussion, and hands-on application tools you can use in your own courses.

Complimentary lunch provided by SMU Alumni and refreshments provided by CUPE 3912.

Keynote Address:

The Assessment Reckoning: Practical Pathways Forward in a Postplagiarism Era

Dr. Sarah Eaton, scholar of academic integrity and AI (Biography page)
9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. | Scotiabank Conference Theater (SB 201)

The rapid rise of AI tools has forced educators to confront fundamental questions about how and why we assess student learning. Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton examines how GenAI is reshaping assessment design in higher education and what that means for academic integrity, pedagogy, and institutional policy. Rather than focusing on detection and restriction, this session takes a forward-looking, solutions-oriented approach. Drawing on current research and real-world examples, attendees will leave with concrete tools to redesign assessments that are meaningful, equitable, and fit for a postplagiarism era.

Registration is now closed. If you are interested in attending the keynote address, please contact Amanda Saoud by email at amanda.saoud@smu.ca.

Event Location & Schedule

This event will take place in two locations:

• 9:00 a.m.–10:15 a.m. | Keynote Address | Scotiabank Conference Theatre (SB 201)

• 10:20 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Speaker Sessions | CLARI (AT 340)

Schedule

Time

Session

Speaker

Description

9:00 am – 9:15 am

Opening Remarks and Introductions

Scotiabank Conference Theater (SB 201)

Amanda Saoud, Educational Developer

Dr. Shannon Dea, Provost and VP, Academic and Research

9:15 am – 10:15 am

Keynote Address
The Assessment Reckoning: Practical Pathways Forward in a Postplagiarism Era

Scotiabank Conference Theater (SB 201)

Dr. Sarah Eaton,
Werklund Research Professor, University of Calgary

The rapid rise of AI tools has forced educators to confront fundamental questions about how and why we assess student learning. Dr. Sarah examines how GenAI is reshaping assessment design in higher education and what that means for academic integrity, pedagogy, and institutional policy.

10:20 am – 10:50 am

Keynote Q&A

CLARI (AT 340)

10:50 am – 11:00 am

Refreshment Break (courtesy of CUPE Local 3912)

11:00 am – 11:45 am

Academic Integrity and AI in the Classroom: Policy, Procedures, and Library Resources

CLARI (AT 340)

Suzanne van den Hoogen, University Librarian, SMU

Dr. Heather Sanderson, Librarian (Information Literacy), SMU

This session will provide an overview of academic integrity procedures and the resources available to faculty, staff, and students. Participants will also be provided with information on services offered by librarians and the Library on AI literacy.

12:00 pm – 12:30 pm

The AI Playground: Bridging the Gap Through Experiential Learning

CLARI (AT 340)

Meredith Drost,
Manager, Business Design
Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre

This session provides an inside look at the AI Playground, the interactive living lab at the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre.

It explores how the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre is using experiential learning to build AI literacy by moving beyond the screen and into practical, hands-on scenarios. Discover how a low-stakes environment encourages students to treat AI as a tool for efficiency and effectiveness rather than as a replacement for critical thinking.

By integrating real-world business challenges into the student experience, the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre aims to ensure that learners transition from curiosity to becoming competent, ethical practitioners prepared for the modern workforce.

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm

Lunch (courtesy of SMU Alumni)

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Interactive Oral Assessments for Verifying Individual Capability

CLARI (AT 340)

Julian L’Enfant, Educational Developer, Teaching Support

This practical workshop introduces Interactive Oral Assessments as a way to verify individual student capability when generative AI is available. Participants will explore what makes an IOA effective, where it fits across disciplines, and how to design fair, manageable, learning-aligned oral tasks that support valid assessment in today’s teaching context.

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

AI in the Classroom Café: Conversations on Teaching, Assessment, and Possibility

CLARI (AT 340)

Amanda Saoud, Educational Developer

Step into a café-inspired space for thoughtful, small-group conversations about AI in higher education. Each table will host different guiding questions, inviting participants to reflect on their experiences, curiosities, and concerns around AI in teaching and assessment. As ideas percolate across discussions, we’ll gather them as a larger group to share insights, identify common threads, and imagine new possibilities for integrating AI in meaningful and responsible ways.

3:00 pm – 3:15 pm

Refreshment Break (courtesy of CUPE Local 3912)

3:15 pm – 4:00 pm

Rethinking Assessment in the Age of Generative AI: Voices from the Classroom

CLARI (AT 340)

Dr. Paul Muir, Department of Mathematics and Computing Science, SMU

Dr. Tim Stretton, Department of History, SMU

Dr. Johan Woodworth, Faculty of Education, MSVU

Mandy MacArthur, Instructional Designer, Studio for Teaching and Learning, SMU

Angelica Amara, SMUSA VP Academics, SMU

As generative AI tools reshape how students learn and produce work, traditional approaches to assessment are being challenged. This panel brings together students, faculty, and staff to share perspectives on academic integrity, authentic assessment, and evolving expectations. Through lived experiences and practical insights, panelists will explore what meaningful evaluation looks like in an AI-enabled learning environment.

Meals for this event are generously sponsored by CUPE Local 3912 and Saint Mary’s University Alumni.

Presented in partnership with Mount Saint Vincent University.