Welcoming our Fall 2024 Visiting Exchange Students

The Global Learning Office was delighted to host a welcome session for 20 new international exchange students joining our campus this semester from some of Saint Mary’s 100+ partner universities around the globe.

While some are here to take courses as part of a study abroad program and others to conduct research, all are eager to explore new experiences both inside and outside the classroom. Hailing from Japan, Germany, Mexico, France, Colombia, Norway, Lithuania, Sweden, and the Netherlands, “their presence creates a microcosm of many cultures, which makes the university community richer,” says Miyuki Arai, Director of Global Learning Services. “Visiting students make friends and even help SMU students open their eyes to the possibility of going on exchange themselves – peer-to-peer connections can be a powerful motivator,” she adds.

Several of the students at the welcome session described how they have already established great connections with classmates, and also with faculty, who they described as being passionate about their disciplines and dedicated to making the learning experience engaging. “I hope that the professors, too, enjoy having visiting students contribute different viewpoints in their classes,” says Arai. 

Exchange students are joined by SMU's Global Learning Ambassadors at the Welcome Session on September 5, 2024

SMU Welcomes Three African Scholars

Saint Mary’s University is delighted to welcome three PhD students from Africa who are here to conduct research on sustainable development and Black entrepreneurship.

Catherine Sinje, Prince Fredson, and Fredrick Nzioki will be here for a six-month research sojourn under the supervision of Dr Harvi Millar at the Sobey School of Business. Ms Sinje and Mr Fredson are from the University of Dar Es Salaam Business School, Tanzania, while Mr Nzioki is from Strathmore University Business School, Kenya.

Their visit to Saint Mary’s University is part of the Study in Canada Scholarship Program, funded by the Canadian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development. 

From left: Fredrick Nzioki (Strathmore University Business School), Abdiaziz (Global Learning Ambassador, SMU), Rita (Global Learning Ambassador, SMU), Hanieh (Global Learning Ambassador, SMU), Catherine Sinje (University of Dar Es Salaam), and Prince Fredson (University of Dar Es Salaam)

Reflecting on Lessons from Abroad

The Global Learning and Intercultural Support Office recently held their latest re-entry workshop for Saint Mary’s students returning from study abroad experiences all over the world.

Re-entry workshops, held every fall and winter semester for returning students to bookend pre-departure sessions, are an opportunity for participants to carefully reflect on their experiences and engage with others still “processing” the significance of their time overseas. Last week’s event included students recently returned from France, Colombia, Japan, and Italy.

Using guided reflection, participants are asked to consider about how their experiences might have shaped their intellectual growth, intercultural understanding, independence, resilience, and global perspectives. “Whether they were abroad for a year-long exchange, a month-long field school, or language immersion programs, guided reflection can help make students’ experiences more impactful long after their sojourn has ended,” says Jonathan Shaw, Education Developer for Global Transitions, who facilitated a reflection session.

To inquire about global learning opportunities and support services, contact the Global Learning Office by email at Global@smu.ca or visit the office in the Atrium Building, Room 106.

Participants were asked to consider how experiencing another culture might help us better understand where we come from

Colombian Scholar visits SMU as part of Faculty Mobility for Partnership Program

Saint Mary’s University is delighted to welcome Dr Victoria Eugenia Díaz Facio Lince, Professor in the Department of Psychology at Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia. Dr Díaz Facio Lince is visiting Dr Andres Arteaga, Department of Languages and Cultures at Saint Mary’s University, as part of their multi-year research project titled Trauma Narratives and collective resilience among organized groups of women in Colombia after the implementation of the peace agreements between the FARC guerrillas and the Colombian government (2023 – 2026).

Dr. Díaz Facio Lince is an internationally renowned leading expert on trauma studies and mourning with 3 books on mourning and more than 20 peer reviewed papers in some of the most prestigious academic journals in psychology.  This research project is considered a foundation for the two universities’ partnership and will benefit researchers and students from Universidad de Antioquia and Saint Mary’s University.

Dr Arteaga is also planning a two-part visit with Universidad de Antioquia this year to collect data, conduct interviews and facilitate digital storytelling workshops with Dr Díaz Facio Lince. His activities in Colombia are part of the Faculty Mobility for Partnership Building Program, funded by the Canadian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (“DFATD”).

Dr Andres Arteaga (SMU) and Dr Victoria Eugenia Díaz Facio Lince (UDEA)

Polish Scholar visits SMU

Saint Mary’s University is happy to welcome a visiting scholar from a Polish partner institution, Wrocław University of Economics and Business (UEW) this week (September 16-20). The visiting scholar is Dr Marta Nowak, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Management and Co-founder of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Accounting Research at UEW. Dr Nowak’s visit is funded by the European Union’s "Erasmus+" International Credit Mobility Program.

During her visit, Dr Nowak presented lectures in Economics and Accounting courses in the Sobey School of Business as well as engaged in discussions about teaching and research interests and attended the Atlantic Schools of Business Conference being held at Saint Mary’s University.

UEW and SMU have been partner institutions since 2017. UEW’s accreditations and memberships include EUA, IEP, CEEMAN IQA, AMBA, EFMD Global, AACSB, PRME, CFA and more.

Dr. Marta Nowak at Saint Mary’s University

Visiting Scholar from Poland

Saint Mary’s University is happy to welcome a visiting scholar from a Polish partner institution, Wroclaw University of Economics (UEWroc) this week (June 3-7). The visiting scholar is Dr Magdalena Chmielowiec-Lewczuk, Associate Professor in the Department of Insurance as well as the Manager of the Finance Programs at her home university. Her visit is funded by the European Union’s "Erasmus+" International Credit Mobility Program.

During her visit, Dr Chmielowiec-Lewczuk will give lectures in a few Sobey School classes as well as engage in meetings to discuss Finance programming. 

SMU Welcomes Delegation from Caribbean and Latin America

Collaboration Mission for the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP)

Saint Mary’s University was delighted to welcome a delegation from Caribbean and Latin American institutions to our campus on Tuesday November 21, 2023.

Once on campus, the group had a tour of the Burke-Gaffney Observatory led by Dr Vincent Hénault-Brunet, Director of the Burke-Gaffney Observatory, followed by a guided walk through the Inspiration Hub by the President, Dr Robert Summerby-Murray, and an introduction to the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre by Jason Turner, Manager of Student Engagement. 

The group then had the chance to learn about nature-based solutions supporting coastal communities from Dr Danika van Proosdij, Department of Geography & Environmental Studies and Director, TransCoastal Adaptations Centre for Nature-Based Solutions. Their visit finished with a welcome luncheon where each guest had the chance to interact with Saint Mary’s faculty, staff, and students from a wide variety of areas and disciplines.

The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) organized the 2023 Collaboration Mission for the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP). This year’s Collaboration Mission is funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and focuses on the theme of Natural Resource Management and Environmental Technology. The delegation consisted of representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Peru, and Turks and Caicos as well as members of GAC and CBIE.

During the Collaboration Mission, a group of 11 delegates from Caribbean and Latin American institutions travelled around Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick from November 19-24, 2023, to visit universities and colleges, meet with their counterpart representatives and participate in networking events. Saint Mary’s University was chosen as one of the hosting institutions.

The goal of the Collaboration Mission is to encourage formal partnerships between Canadian and Caribbean and Latin American institutions that lead to increased bilateral mobility and research opportunities. The Collaboration Mission is a key feature of the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP). After the tour of the Maritime institutions, the delegation attended CBIE’s Annual Conference in Vancouver from November 26-29, 2023.

International Education Weeks 2023

Celebrating Global Citizenship: International Education Weeks 2023

"Every conversation is a journey into a new world." This remark from a participant at this year’s International Education Weeks (IEW) at Saint Mary's University encapsulates the spirit of the annual celebration highlighting the value of international and intercultural education.

Celebrated in more than 100 nations around the world each year, the event highlights the important role that international education plays in fostering global citizenship. Here at SMU, it’s also an opportunity to showcase wonderful opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to participate in intercultural learning on campus and around the world. 

Held this year between October 30 and November 17, the Global Learning and Intercultural Support Office hosted a wide range of information sessions and workshops offered in partnership with various university departments and community members across campus. “This year, we were able to offer a record number of events thanks to the support of SMU community members and a mighty team of Global Skills Opportunity Ambassadors,” said Global Learning Office Director, Miyuki Arai. Global Skills Opportunity Ambassadors are SMU students who help promote study abroad opportunities and deliver supports for low-income students, students with disabilities, and Indigenous students. Learn more about the program here.

More information

Visit the Global Learning webpage to learn more about SMU’s international education opportunities as well as how students can participate in the Global Skills Opportunity Ambassadors program. Any inquiries or request for more information about opportunities and events presented during IEW2023 can be directed to Global@smu.ca.

IEW2023 Showcase

Day of the Dead Community Altar

The week began with the Day of the Dead Community Altar at the Patrick Power Library. This tradition, running from October 29 to November 3, offered a space for the SMU community to honor and remember departed loved ones.

Study Abroad Information Sessions: Bangladesh, France, Thailand, Norway, and Korea

A series of informative sessions about studying abroad in Bangladesh, France, Thailand, Norway, and Korea offered students a global perspective. Exchange students, including Anas from North South University, Pat from Srinakharinwirot University, Samuel from ESSCA Ecole de Management, Vilde from the University of Oslo, and Daeun from the University of Ulsan, shared their unique experiences, providing insights into the academic and cultural dynamics of their respective countries.

Colombia Field School & Study, Research, Teach in France

On October 31, attendees engaged in a presentation by Dr. Andrés Arteaga on the Colombia Field School, which illuminated the significant roles of grassroots organizations in shaping Colombia's historical memory and peace initiatives. Following this, the session titled 'Study, Research, Teach in France' welcomed Noémie Thirot and Mélaine Ricard-Boulieu from the French Embassy (Ottawa) and the French Consulate (Moncton), who detailed diverse opportunities available in France for study, teaching, and research.

Global Learning Open House and Global Vending Machine

The Global Learning Open House and Global Vending Machine offered an opportunity to meet with Global Learning Team and exciting exploration of global cultures through snacks.

Killam Fellowships Information Session

The Killam Fellowships Information Session presented a transformative opportunity for Canadian students to study in the United States.

Metaponto Field School & Villa of Titus Archaeological Field School

Following, Drs. Sveva Savelli and Myles McCallum provided archaeological perspectives in the Metaponto and Villa of Titus Archaeological Field Schools sessions.

Year 2 at SMU: Study Abroad & Intercultural Panel Discussion

The 'Year 2 at SMU: Study Abroad' session informed students about study abroad opportunities, spanning all faculties, and detailed the application timeline, accompanied by a pizza lunch. An Intercultural Panel Discussion, facilitated by international students, fostered a dialogue on developing intercultural competence.

Women & Gender Studies Special Event

Nuestras Muertas, Nuestros Muertos: Decentering Gender & Decolonizing Feminist Epistemology

The week concluded with 'Nuestras Muertas, Nuestros Muertos,' a conference featuring guest speaker Yuderkys Espinosa Miñoso and the screening of "Las Tres Muertes de Marisela Escobedo." This full-day event was organized with support from SMU Dean of Arts Office/Arts with Impact, SMU WGST Program, SMU Patrick Power Library, SMU Global Learning and Intercultural Support, SMU Languages and Cultures, MSVU Library, MSVU International Education Centre, and the MSVU Office of Student Experience.

Urban Meadows Project Update

The Global Learning Office was pleased to welcome back the Better with Bees Team from Charles P. Allen High School in Bedford, NS, for their second presentation. Reflecting on the year since their initial appearance during IEW 2022, they shared updates about the Urban Meadows Project, impressing the SMU community with their continued dedication, knowledge, and enthusiasm. To watch the Better with Bees' work, view their documentary at https://youtu.be/7mxWywgq8gg, produced by their skilled documentary team.

Angers Program Information Session

Dr. Sophie Beaulé hosted an informative session about SMU’s longstanding partnership in Angers, France. Students have been attending this French language-learning program since the 1970s, and it remains one of our most popular study abroad destinations today. Allons-y!

Canadian Summer School in Germany (CSSG)

Dr. John Plews led a virtual presentation on the Canadian Summer School in Germany, a program where students can learn German, explore the country, and meet local friends.

Travel the World with SMU Student Societies

Travel the World with SMU Student Societies session allowed attendees to interact with representatives from different student societies, offering insights into diverse global cultures.

Interactive Session: The Sounds of Culture

On November 16, 'Interactive Session: The Sounds of Culture' took participants on an auditory journey, exploring the diverse cultural sounds from across the world. This session offered a distinctive approach to understanding global cultures through their auditory landscapes.

Info Session: Difficult Heritage Field School (Paris and Berlin)

An informative session on the Difficult Heritage Field School, presented by Drs. Jason Grek-Martin and Kirrily Freeman, explored historical sites in Paris and Berlin, illuminating aspects of history and memory in these European cities.

IEW Signature Event:
13th Annual Stories from Overseas

The International Education Week culminated with the 13th Annual 'Stories from Overseas' event. This gathering was designed to help participants challenge their preconceptions and beliefs, fostering a culture of understanding through the UNESCO Story Circles workshop. Aimed at addressing the Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), and 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) of the 2030 Agenda, the program showcased the broad scope of international education. Reflecting on the event, an attendee noted, “These stories highlight the transformative nature of international education,” emphasizing the profound impact of the shared narratives.

Stay tuned for the 2024 call of proposals and join us in next year’s celebration of international and intercultural experiences at Saint Mary’s University!

Unissued Diplomas Exhibition

A student reads about the lives of Ukrainian students killed in the Russian war against Ukraine

Unissued Diplomas puts a face to “interrupted lives” in Ukraine

By: Jonathan Shaw, Educational Developer

Polina had planned to be an English teacher and dreamed of visiting the ocean with her fiancé, but she was killed in an artillery strike in March at the age of 20. Oleksandra had been studying Spanish and Turkish and wanted to be a diplomat, but she died in July at the age of 18 when she was hit by Russian missile as she headed to a driving lesson.

These are just two of the 36 young Ukrainians featured in a photographic exhibition that opened on Tuesday at Saint Mary’s. More than 50 universities around the world are hosting the “Unissued Diplomas” installation to commemorate the lives of Ukrainian university students killed during the Russian war against Ukraine, which has now entered its second year.

Each photograph is paired with a ‘diploma’ that provides biographical notes, and they are all connected by red string representing what Kateryna Rudenko calls the “blood thread of interrupted life”. One of three Ukrainian student organizers of the exhibition at Saint Mary’s, Kateryna was displaced by the war and is now studying at Dalhousie University. “As Ukrainian students abroad, it’s our duty to tell the stories of these young people, which all assemble into one narrative of Ukrainian resistance,” she says.

Some of these students were killed while going about their lives on the streets of towns and cities across Ukraine, while others were soldiers who fell on the battlefield. “With this exhibition we would like to show that full-scale war in Ukraine is still going on. Every day, our country has losses among civilians and military. The world should not stop supporting Ukraine in our fight for global freedom and democracy until we achieve victory,” says Yaryna Tylchak.

To many Canadians living on the other side of the world, the war in Ukraine might seem like a distant nightmare. “This war is a brutal reality for so many people. I want you to see their faces and read the stories of ordinary people,” says Artem Kichydzhy, “and I want you to emotionally connect with them”.

The Unissued Diploma exhibition is being held on the second floor of the Atrium, and runs until Wednesday, March 22. Read more about this project on the Unissued Diplomas website. The exhibition is accepting donations for students who stay behind and “sacrifice their time and education to work for Ukraine's freedom”.

Studio Workshops on CCR

The Studio’s Writing Centre is pleased to announce that its undergraduate workshops are now recognized and included in the university's Co-Curricular Record (CCR). As a hub for academic communication support, the Writing Centre provides a wide range of services, including individual and group tutoring, workshops, in-class presentations, and online support, all free for students, faculty, staff, and alums.

This new development offers students recognition for students’ participation in workshops and showcases their skills and achievements. These workshops are designed to assist in developing writing abilities and contributing to academic success and are a valuable resource for students seeking to improve their CCR.

Stay informed about upcoming workshops and events by visiting our events page at studio.smu.ca/calendar and following us on social media.

ChatGPT in the Classroom

ChatGPT in the Classroom

Paul Maher, Educational Developer – Digital Learning
The Studio for Teaching and Learning

What is ChatGPT? 

ChatGPT is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot released in late 2022. Like other chatbots, ChatGPT is a text-based interface where an AI responds to queries or prompts from a human. What makes ChatGPT notable is the degree of its sophistication in its responses. Originally taught by human trainers, ChatGPT can apply procedural knowledge gained from solving problems to guide its approach to solving future ones (transfer learning). The ChatGPT interface is relatively easy for anyone to use. While it may require few attempts to get the phrasing right for a specific request, the interface works with plain language, meaning you don’t need to know code to use it. 

ChatGPT will remember what it states in previous threads of the dialogue and can build upon these answers, meaning the AI is able to respond to complex and process orientated tasks. A human user can ask ChatGPT to help with anything text based. Examples of tasks include: 

• develop a presentation outline on quantum mechanics 

• write a poem on love in the style of Emily Dickenson 

• write a 1,000 essay on how archaeological records from Pompeii explains the impact of eruption of Mt Vesuvius 

• compare the business models adopted by tech giants Google and Amazon 

Is ChatGPT a good thing?  

There are divergent perspectives on this topic. ChatGPT, is the culmination of extensive machine learning. The result of significant success in technology and human training working in tandem to produce the interface. The ability to access, filter and synthesise volumes of information makes ChatGPT a powerful research tool. 

Many are concerned that ChatGPT will result in a surge in instances of plagiarism. This concern is legitimate, as the text ChatGPT provides has a degree of sophistication sufficient to appear as human. The writing produced is clear, coherent, personable, can present an argument and incorporate multiple viewpoints. While some strategies exist to identify text generated by AI, it is possible for a student to ask the AI to generate an ‘original’ essay, poem, or report, which they submit as their own work.  

The issue may not be the existence of the AI, but rather the manner students and researchers interact and use this tool. For example, the human user can ethically use the information generated by the AI to scaffold and support the gathering and synthesis of research when preparing an assignment for submission. The dialogue can provide a diagnostic to ensure a good degree of scope of research material has been factored in.   

ChatGPT draws on an array of information sources and follows a rigorous self-review process there are substantial limits to the information it provides. The AI draws on information in existence and is limited to knowledge before 2021. The sources the AI draws on also are likely to contain bias, reflective of broader systemic inequities and power imbalances.

How prevalent is its use?  

There is already evidence of widespread use of ChatGPT in academia. Users are often locked out from the interface for extended periods, indicating how much activity on Open AI has exponentially increased since its release in late 2022. Developers post humorous comments indicating that the AI is overwhelmed by requests asking users to be patient as they look at ways scale access and meet the rapid increase of activity via the online interface.  

ChatGPT is a tool that is likely to improve on its performance quickly meaning an increase in activity is expected to continue at an exponential rate. It is safe to assume that use of AI has occurred throughout university communities, either as a preparatory tool to support students and faculty, or to fully produce text which is then presented as original research–without crediting the source.  

What are people saying about potential impacts for higher education?

There is early indication that ChatGPT will significantly impact on learning and assessment in higher education. The following are some examples of the range of expert commentary on the topic, some of the suggestions may run counter to considerations of accessible and inclusive education: 

• Calling for a return to handwritten invigilated in-person exams.  

• Concerns this tool may jeopardise the practice of open tests and take-home exams. The practice of which enable students to demonstrate their developed understanding of applying the knowledge they have acquired in the class as well as providing a viable alternative assessment for those students who experience anxiety with timed in-person tests and exams.   

• Advocating the use of oral tests or on-the spot demonstrations of competence. While this could have negative accessibility impacts, when done well public displays of competence are a high-impact practice.   

• Higher education needs to adopt this as a tool to augment learning, because this is the way of the future. Humans and machines are increasingly going to enter into dialogic relationships and future generations need to understand the nature of these relationships.  

• Practices of assessment will need to evolve, and new conceptions of ethical collaboration will need to be developed. 

• Heightened expectations for critical thinking and digital literacy both in relation to identifying the limits to information as well as qualities of what it is to belong to an intellectual community. 

Is there a way to identify ChatGPT?

Yes and no. Plagiarism software, such as Turnitin are looking to address the issue. There are also alternative free access AI detectors, such as https://openai-openai-detector.hf.space/ However, it should be assumed that students can make modifications to the text which bypass the detection software.

Which courses and assessment are less likely to be impacted? 

Some courses and assessment practices with the following attributes may be less significantly (or not) affected by this:  

• High levels of authentic assessment that expect students to respond to specific contexts, draw on local or personal experience and a strong reliance on process.  

• Reflective and metacognitive activities which require course content be integrated and assessed in a personal way and through lived experiences. OR 

• Any learning or course activity which is personally meaningful to students in that it connects to their sense of purpose or specific values. Examples include achievement, service learning, experiential learning, research, and self-directed learning.  

• Courses which have established strong cultural norms and expectations on academic integrity and ethical work practices. This could be related to discipline based professional  

• Many of these qualities are already associated with experiential learning, high impact practices or learner centred pedagogies.  

Potential solutions  

1. Use digital diagnostic tools to identify instances of plagiarism.   

• Use plagiarism software.   

• Open AI detector- https://openai-openai-detector.hf.space 

2. Require a summary or synthesis of larger assignments, through which students demonstrate their understanding of the topic:  

• 3-minute thesis, an abstract, short oral presentation, A GIST statement,  

• Answer questions related to how they completed or prepared for their assessment (cognitive wrapper).  

3. Ask students to incorporate context specific or unique content into their assignment, like a demonstration, a graphic element or analogue processes.  

4. Incorporate meta-cognitive processes into your assessment.  

• Ask student to explain, and evaluate their process,  

• consider the implications if they followed an alternative process.  

5. Leverage reflection. At best AI can only scaffold students to prepare a thorough reflective response. The deeply personal and holistic characteristics of reflection, when done well, offer faculty a very useful measure on how thoroughly a student has learned something.   

6. Establish cultural norms on academic integrity, for example  

• Students prepare a meme, video or statement on why cheating is unethical and will negatively impact on their learning.  

• Students agree to a pledge that confirms they will conform to specific ethical academic behaviours.  

7. Review your course and the context it operates in to identify any conditions which make cheating or unethical behaviours an attractive option for your students. Look at ways to remove or mitigate these factors to reduce the attractiveness of cheating.  

8. Incorporate the AI into the course and potentially invite students to take leadership on how it can be ethically used in completing course requirements. OR  

9. Ask students to generate material with ChatGPTand than critically reflect on the information. One example could be to use Socratic questions e.g.  

• Do I agree / not agree with the perspective provided by ChatGPT?  

• What alternative perspectives could be considered? 

• What are the limits to the information it has generated?  

10. Design assessment that requires students draw on or use course materials, not available to the AI.  

Faculty Roundtable:
ChatGPT in Higher Education

Friday, February 17 | 10:30am to 12:00 pm
Atrium 340 (CLARI)

Bibliography and further reading: 

Alby, Cynthia. “ChatGPT: A Must-See Before the Semester Begins | Faculty Focus.” Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning, 9 Jan. 2023, www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-with-technology-articles/chatgpt-a-must-see-before-the-semester-begins. 

Further resources from Cynthia Alby: 

https://learningthatmatters.weebly.com/resources.html 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ERCgdylG2LyOeL93aWrK6Jf97N_m1qaueN9W4kzO0Rk/edit#heading=h.ro79zvvermui 

D’Agostino, Susan. “Academic Experts Offer Advice on ChatGPT.” Academic Experts Offer Advice on ChatGPT, www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/01/12/academic-experts-offer-advice-chatgpt. Accessed 26 Jan. 2023. 

Watkins, Marc. “Guest Post: AI Will Augment, Not Replace | Inside Higher Ed.” Guest Post: AI Will Augment, Not Replace | Just Visiting, www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-visiting/guest-post-ai-will-augment-not-replace. Accessed 26 Jan. 2023. 

Svrluga Susan. “Was that essay written by AI? A student developed an app that might tell you.”  https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/01/12/gptzero-chatgpt-detector-ai/ 

Introducing Creator+ on Brightspace

D2L launches the Creator+ package and extends the Brightspace Editor with new features to help you create more dynamic customized content in your course. In addition to all the basic Brightspace Editor features, these Creator+ features make it easier for non-technical users to customize content to meet their needs.

What is it?
Instructors can now build dynamic content and media experiences with these new easy-to-use tools that appeal to the love of learning, improve comprehension, and achieve higher engagement for instructors and learners.

Creator+ offers the following 4 main tools for content creators to enhance their course content:

• Insert Elements enables users to create dynamic content following instructional design best practices, easily and seamlessly. Examples are Accordions, Click and Reveal, Timelines, and Flip Cards.

• Practices can be used to deepen comprehension and reinforce concepts using formative practice questions in Content HTML topics. Examples of Practices are Multiple Choice, Sequencing, Sorting, and Fill in the Blanks.

• Advanced Media using Capture App to quickly capture screen and video learning assets that can be automatically captioned, edited, and used across your courses.

• Creator+ content templates that you can easily edit with Creator+ tools to get started quickly.

How Can I Learn More?

Visit Creator+ and Media Library on the Studio webpages!

Enroll in our Creator+ Best Practices course on Brightspace! To enroll, go to the SMU Brightspace Homepage, on the NavBar click Discover. Find the Creator+ Best Practices course in Featured, select it and Enroll. Once in the course, navigate to Content where you will find videos and demos of each element and practice.

If you have any questions or need some guidance on how to use these new tools, please reach out to the Software and Application Support Centre – SAS@smu.ca, or drop by our office at AT 107.

Creator+ Information Sessions:

Monday, December 19, 2022 - 11am

Join Zoom Meeting
https://smu-ca.zoom.us/j/84650257688?pwd=MllwTWx5VnFkU3JEaW02TEduNTNEdz09&from=addon

Meeting ID: 846 5025 7688
Passcode: 984489

Tuesday, January 10, 2022 - 2pm

Join Zoom Meeting
https://smu-ca.zoom.us/j/88509521784?pwd=c0hNa3I2UUk1M3VGaU0wNmJDMHgvQT09&from=addon

Meeting ID: 885 0952 1784
Passcode: 985569

International Education Week

Connecting, Building, and Sharing: Exploring the world with SMU’s International Education Week

November 26, 2022 

“In my family, we have this saying “Joue bien, mange bien et dort bien, et le rest s’arrangera.” “In Japanese, we have multiple pronouns for the first person. It really depends on the context, such as formality and genders.” These are just a few examples of cultural knowledge shared in the Global Vending Machine event during International Education Week 2022. 

Saint Mary’s University celebrated its annual International Education Week (IEW) on October 31-November 4, 2022. The week-long event highlighted the value of international education through 14 events, ranging from information sessions about the exchange program and international field schools to a voyage around the world through the Sounds of Culture, the capstone event “Stories from Overseas”, and the local high school’s climate action project, Better with Bees. Events were held in-person and online and were offered in partnership across many university departments and with community members. 

“IEW is an important opportunity for our students to engage with their international and intercultural communities in Halifax and abroad. It was exciting to bring our events back to an in-person environment and delve into important topics of culture, experience, and engagement,” said Michaela Peters, Project Manager in the Global Learning and Intercultural Support Office. 

International Education Week is an annual celebration held in more than 100 nations around the world to highlight the important role that international education plays in fostering global citizenship. Every year, the Global Learning and Intercultural Support Office hosts IEW to celebrate international and intercultural education opportunities on campus and around the world for SMU students, faculty, and staff. 

Explore the highlights of IEW 2022 and event recordings at https://studio.smu.ca/iew2022. Stay tuned for the 2023 call of proposals and join us in next year’s celebration of international and intercultural experiences at Saint Mary’s University. 

Visit the Global Learning webpage to learn more about SMU’s international education opportunities. 

Upcoming changes to the Brightspace Homepage and Course Homepage

The Saint Mary’s Brightspace homepage and default set-up for your course homepages are getting a refresh! On August 22, you will see a new layout on the Brightspace homepage and find some new widgets on both. These changes will not affect any work you have already done in your Fall courses.  

Image on the Left shows the current Saint Mary’s Brightspace homepage. Image on the right shows the default course homepage.

What’s new on the Brightspace homepage – We are adding a few new widgets: Quick Eval (for instructors) and Work To Do (for students). With these new widgets, students and instructors will be able to keep track of work they have to do!  

The Quick Eval widget shows a quick snapshot of outstanding Assignments and Quizzes that need your attention. You can quickly get to those submissions to grade and submit feedback to students from the widget. For more information on how to use Quick Eval, you can download our How-To Guide HERE.  

With the Work To Do widget, students can see any outstanding and upcoming Quizzes, Assignments, and Discussion deadlines. By adding this widget to the Brightspace homepage, students will be able to get a snapshot of their upcoming deadlines for all their courses in one spot!  

What’s new on the Course homepage – In addition to adding the Work To Do and Quick Eval widgets to the course homepages, we are introducing the Course Overview widget. This new widget is only visible to instructors and is part of the recently launched Brightspace Insights. As an instructor, you can see snapshot view of Course Access, Class Engagement, and other useful features. For more information on this widget, please visit our website HERE to view our Insights Instructor Guide and Top 10 Ideas on Learner Analytics. 

Want to customize your course homepage? The SAS (Software & Application Support) can help you with that! We can create custom widgets for your course, like a Welcome to the Course widget and an Instructor Contact Info widget. We also have widgets like Slim Announcements that is a slimmed down version of the News tool. If you are interested in adding any of these widgets to your courses, contact us at SAS@smu.ca.  

Teaching English with a Global Outlook

Congratulations to our fantastic EAL tutor, Sandra, for being awarded the Eric & Ingeborg Enns Family IMTE Convocation Award. Read more about it here: https://news.smu.ca/news/2022/5/13/teaching-english-with-a-global-outlook

Saint Mary's Academic Writing Awards

The Writing Centre has announced that the deadline for this year’s Saint Mary's University Undergraduate Academic Writing Awards will be Monday, May 30, 2022 at 4:00pm AST.

This annual competition recognizes the best in undergraduate academic writing at Saint Mary's University. Awards are available in four categories: Humanities, Social Science, Science, and Business. There are also two levels of awards—lower (students with 60 or less total credit hours from any institution) and upper (students with more than 60 total credit hours from any institution). Papers at the upper level will be judged at a higher standard.

Submissions must be:

• Written by an undergraduate student

• Written entirely by the student making the submission

• Individually written; group assignments are not eligible

• From either Fall 2021 or Winter 2022 courses, but cannot be an undergraduate thesis

• Accompanied by the original assignment description from the course

• Accompanied by the submission form, digitally signed by the instructor of the course

• Submitted via email (writing@smu.ca) as a Microsoft Word document, unless the submission is in an alternative digital medium (e.g. .mp3, .mp4, .mov)

• Submitted before the deadline.

Students must agree to participate in the publishing process to be published.

Students may submit a paper from any course from September to April, regardless of whether it is related to their primary discipline. For example, a student in Science may submit an English paper.

For more information, please visit the Writing Awards website.

"Reconnecting and Reconstructing": Call for proposals for STLHE 2022 Conference

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

#STLHESAPES2022: Reconnecting and Reconstructing

STLHE has much to celebrate and much to reflect upon in 2022, with the 40th anniversary of the annual conference, and two years’ worth of remote and hybrid teaching, learning, and working under our belts! Come celebrate, re-connect, share, and learn with us!

Submissions are welcome from anyone interested in presenting to a multidisciplinary audience about teaching and learning in higher education. This includes, but is not limited to, post-secondary instructors, educational developers, students, and administrators.

Submission deadline: January 31, 2022

Learn More

Teach this summer in Korea

The University of Seoul, a SMU partner in Korea, is inviting professors from partner institutions to teach a course in their International Summer School (June 26-July 23 2022). They plan to offer 8 courses in the following areas:

• Business

  • Issues in Finance

  • Special Topics in International Business

  • Global Marketing Management

• Economics

  • Economic Analysis of the Global Citizen

• International Relations

  • Korea and Globalization

  • International Relations

• Urban Sociology

  • Special Topics in Asia Studies

  • Globalization and Multicultural Societies

Interested faculty members who have teaching experiences in the above mentioned should email the Global Learning and Intercultural Support Office (Miyuki.arai@smu.ca) to inquire by Wednesday January 15.

Selected applicants will be paid 11,000,000 won (approx. CAD$11,800) to cover expenses such as airfare, accommodation, lecture, tax, and currency exchange fee.

A Gift That Keeps Giving: International Exchange Students Reflect on their Time at Saint Mary’s

A Gift That Keeps Giving: International Exchange Students Reflect on their Time at Saint Mary’s

The Studio for Teaching and Learning

“Completely new ways of learning.” “A more relaxed lifestyle.” “Warm, approachable professors.” “A diverse, welcoming campus.” “New friends for life”. These are just a few of the memories shared by a group of international students who gathered on Monday to celebrate the end of their studies at Saint Mary’s before heading home for the winter holiday. Hosted by Miyuki Arai and Rashae Hart, the farewell event was a chance for the students to gather and reflect on their time spent at SMU and share some of their favourite memories of Halifax.

“For me, it was a dream to study in Canada,” said Laura García, an International Relations major visiting from Universidad La Salle México. “My exchange officer recommended Saint Mary's, so I came here to study political science, economics, and Asian studies for a semester”. The university’s famously welcoming campus stood out immediately, said Laura. “Everyone was so warm and supportive. This place just welcomed me with open arms.”

Of course, international exchange programs can mean major adjustments to how students study and learn. “One thing I really had to get used to was staying on top of readings and assignments throughout the semester, not just for midterms and exams,” said Kelly Tang, visiting from Hong Kong Baptist University. From being encouraged to participate in class and work in groups, “I felt like I was pushed harder than I was used to, but now – looking back – I see that it was worth it,” she added. “Yes, I found I had a lot more reading here,” added Laura. “But you know, that’s so important. The level of analysis and critical thinking [required at SMU] was more than I was expecting, but this is going to help me a lot as I finish my studies back home,” she said.

For physics major Hilkar Soberanes, visiting from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, life in Halifax for the past few months was a lot more “calm and relaxed” than Mexico City, which has a population topping 21.8 million in the greater metropolitan area. “Yes, is Halifax much smaller and quieter, but I had everything I needed close by. And you know, I feel like I was in Halifax during an exciting time in its history.” For Hilkar, studying in a highly diverse campus was also a big attraction. “The mix of cultures here made a deep impression on me. All these people with different backgrounds and different perspectives, all pursuing a top-level education together. That’s special.”

With more than 100 university partnerships around the world, Saint Mary’s University is a destination of choice for exchange students looking to study abroad as part of their university degree programs. “This past semester, we had students from 14 nations and territories on campus, despite the challenges presented by the pandemic,” said Miyuki Arai, Director of Global Learning. “When international students come to campus, it’s an unforgettable experience for everyone. Listening to today’s conversations, I was delighted to hear that some of their Canadian friends are now interested in travelling to their country for an exchange program themselves. The gift of transformative experience keeps giving."

Studio Upgrades Brightspace Syllabus and Course Templates

A group of faculty & instructors has just wrapped up a project with The Studio to test some new learner analytics features in Brightspace and evaluate how course structure impacts student learning. Based on the insights these users shared, The Studio has revised its syllabus and course templates and added resources to help faculty incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles into their Brightspace courses. These features are now available in The Studio’s Shared Resources course, available through self-enrollment (Discover) or by request.

Digital Course Syllabus

Brightspace offers features to develop engaging and interactive content within your course. Content (HTML) templates provide a range of different layout options with the ability to incorporate images, video or interactive elements such as tabs and accordion folds. These features make it easier for students to navigate the course and also minimize cognitive overload. 

The Studio has also updated the HTML templates to align with SMU brand standards. The updated Digital Course Syllabus showcases these templates and models for faculty an approach to convey critical course information in a accessible and easy to navigate format. The Digital Course Syllabus breaks the content into three parts, and provides a comprehensive overview of expectations and resources available to all students. Links within the digital format, take students directly to SMU and external resources where and when relevant. While the Digital Course Template should be considered as a model for faculty and instructors, this resource as able to be copied into your courses and modified as needed. 

Course Template

Research has shown that a consistent course structure helps reduce cognitive overload, supports navigation and reduces confusion among students. The Studio recommends structuring your course content that considers the learner experience, most often in a thematic sequence.

Universal Design for Learning

• A Universal Design for Learning (UDL) checklist. This resource has been developed to guide faculty through the process of developing or refining their Brightspace course.

• The Instructional Design Guide. This guide was created for faculty, instructors, and course designers to help guide the course development process. This resource is grounded in Universal Design for Learning principles and evidence-based best practices.

Faculty are welcome to use this course as a guide or copy and use materials within the course itself. To access this course in Brightspace, you can self-register or contact sas@smu.ca to request access and to have materials copied into your course.