September 2025 EdTech Tips

In this Issue

Here we go! Read the entire newsletter or jump to the tip you're interested in:

1. Get ahead with your start-of-term checklist

2. Review the latest Quercus Updates (September 2025)

3. Listen to the new podcast episode, “Generative AI in practice”

Don't miss our regular features: Quick Tech Tip | Faculty Questions of the Week | EdTech Clicks from around the web | Photography of the Month

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What's happening in the world of FASE EdTech this month? A new chapter! We’re excited to share that Anna Limanni, formerly Manager of the Academic Toolbox team, has stepped in as Acting Director of the ETO. Anna brings a wealth of experience, a deep knowledge of the FASE community, and a thoughtful, collaborative approach to leadership. We’re looking forward to her guidance as we continue to grow and evolve together.

What's happening over the next few months? Our one-on-one consultations with faculty continue as the Fall term gets underway. Whether you’re looking to get ahead with your course setup (see Tip 01), curious about the latest updates to Quercus (see Tip 02), or explore new ways to present your course content, like a podcast interview for example (see Tip 03), we’re here to help.

In the meantime, if you happen to be walking by the ETO studio in Bahen and notice a faint green glow in the room, it’s likely that the content production team is doing a green screen shoot for projects such as the Construction and Development course (part of the Mining Industry Management Program). Here are a couple of behind-the-scene photos from our most recent sessions:

1. Get ahead with your start-of-term checklist

We’ve pulled together resources to make getting ready for the Fall 2025 term a little easier. Our goal is to simplify the start-of-term process by helping you anticipate needs and complete tasks efficiently. It’s still a bit of work, so we suggest getting started early to turn your course launch checklist into a clean slate.

I want to make sure my Quercus course is ready and available to students. Follow our Start-of-term Quercus checklist to get off on the right foot.

I’m ready to level up the design of my Quercus course but I’m not sure where to begin. Explore our newly revised Quercus course template, which you can import and customize to fit your course needs.

I’d like to say hello to my students before the course gets underway. Consider using one of our "Meet your instructor" templates to record an introductory video. You can also book a session in the ETO studio where we can assist you with production.

Connect: If you’re new to U of T (or maybe it’s just been a while), we'd be happy to help via a consultation! We're here to brainstorm ideas and support you as you implement technology in your courses.

This month’s update brings a fresh look to Quercus Files, new accessibility and teaching tools, and a smoother Crowdmark setup.

Quick tech tip

Build your Quercus course quickly with a template

Save time getting your course ready this fall; you don’t have to start from scratch! The updated FASE template course includes ready-made sample home pages, announcements, assignments, quizzes, discussions, content pages, as well as customizable banners and course card images.

To use the template:

1. Preview the FASE ETO Quercus Template Course.

2. Download the latest course template package on the Template: Import and Customize Page in the template course (last updated August 18, 2025).

3. Import the package into your course via Settings > Import Course Content (see How do I import a course template?). You can choose to include all elements or just specific ones.

4. Review and customize the imported content to fit your course needs.

Note: The template is a public course and is licensed under CC Attribution Share Alike. After importing the template, update your course Visibility to Course and set your Content license to Private. See Review your course Visibility and Content License settings for details.

In the 13th episode of MADE for U of T, Inga speaks to Jon Ippolito; an artist, author, and professor at the University of Maine. Jon has been a leading voice in digital curation and the creative use (and misuse!) of generative AI in education and the arts.

Listen to Episode 13 |
Read the transcript

New updates

FASE Crowdmark license renewed for 2025–2026

We’re pleased to share that the Crowdmark license has been renewed for the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering for the 2025–2026 academic year. All FASE instructors can continue to use Crowdmark for streamlined online grading, assessments, and feedback throughout the year. Learn about a new, easier way to connect your Quercus course to Crowdmark and contact us at fase.edtech@utoronto.ca for guidance on using Crowdmark in your course. 

Faculty questions of the week

Each week we answer a real question that we've received about Quercus and other Academic Toolbox and media tools, keeping the questions timely and relevant to you. You can select on the question to read the full inquiry and response or see all previous faculty questions of the week.

Read the faculty questions of the week

How can I give Quercus access to deferred exam students after a course has concluded, while restricting access for other students? (August 21, 2025)
Some students are writing a deferred exam for my course in September, and they would like to access the Quercus materials. Is there a way to give Quercus access only to the deferred exam students while still restricting other students from viewing the course?

If I want to create a lightboard video, do I need to learn to write backwards? (August 7, 2025)
I saw the lightboard during one of the ETO Doors Open sessions and I’m interested in using it to create a video. Do I need to be able to write backward and can I write and erase frequently like a blackboard?

Worthwhile clicks from the Web

Looking for something to read/watch/listen to? Each month we round up things that we've interacted with that we think are worth sharing:

• “Well-Organised Misunderstanding": The Fine Art of Being Wrong | The Learning Dispatch From the article: “If we want students to think critically, we must first make sure they are thinking with the right concepts. That means identifying, surfacing, and, when necessary, dismantling flawed mental models, not just teaching abstract heuristics about argument and evidence. Otherwise, we risk creating highly articulate students who can argue brilliantly… for things that aren’t true.”

• The Transient Information Effect: Why Great Explanations Don’t Always Stick | The Science of Learning From the article: “The Transient Information Effect [occurs] when important information disappears before learners can process it and integrate it into long-term memory. The fix is often surprisingly simple: if the content is complex, keep it visible. For example, write key steps on the blackboard and leave them visible until the end of the activity so students can refer back as they work.”

• Educational media that works: Report from the M&L25 conference | Media & Learning From the article: “This article on the Media and Learning conference in Leuven [Belgium] 18-19th June 2025 provides a detailed description of many of the highlights from this year’s well-attended event.”

• Dicing an Onion, the Mathematically Optimal Way | The Pudding From the blog: “This is a project about onions and math. Why? Because tens of millions of people are curious about how to properly dice an onion, according to YouTube. In 2021, chef and food writer J. Kenji López-Alt broke out some math to get optimal uniform piece sizes. But there is more than one way to dice an onion…”

Photography of the Month

A picture is worth a thousand words, or at least whatever we can fit in the description! Here are a few photos taken by the ETO team during the last days of summer:

Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia

(James Zhan)

Niagara Falls at night

(Maggie Laidlaw)

Horticultural art in Montréal

(Cheryl Heeyeon Lee)

Paint by Number projects (Marisa Curmi)

Homegrown tomatoes

(Yun Wu)