Submitted by Maggie on Mon, 12/02/2024 - 10:08
Lessons learned from TESS 2024
ETO member, Maggie, shares her experience of attending the TESS 2024 Conference (November 5 and 6, 2024). She summarizes memorable conference sessions and key takeaways from the event.
TESS this year took place in my favourite building in the city: The Toronto Reference Library. Some of my favourite memories as a child growing up in the city was taking the subway to the Toronto Reference Library and exploring what felt like an infinite amount of knowledge in the stacks. As I took the elevator up to the third floor on the first day, I couldn’t help but get into the same curious and excited mind set that I had as a child.
Much like the design of this library creates a curious mindset and facilitates learning, many of the talks that stuck with me over the course of TESS focused on how the design of spaces, especially online spaces, can affect learning.
Day 1
Transforming Indigenous Education Online: Dr. Jennifer Wemigwans (Keynote)
Dr. Jennifer Wemigwams in her Day 1 opening keynote spoke about being a helper for Indigenous knowledge keepers in sharing their “knowledge bundles” online (e.g.,Four Directions Teachings). She emphasized using online space to facilitate sharing and describes sharing as “a political strategy for resistance and resurgence." Dr. Wemingwans also asserted that the design of online learning space needs to represent the type of learning you want to deliver. She described an instructional design circle that included the voices of knowledge keepers, learners and helpers like herself, creating a collaborative and narrative-driven space for learning.
Learner-Centered and Collaborative Design: Mudita Kundra and Patrick Molicard-Chartier
Mudita Kundra and Patrick Molicard-Chartier also highlighted learner-centered and collaborative design when they shared how they supported engineering instructors integrating online EDI modules into their courses. In these modules, they were able to allow learners and instructors to visualize their own EDI journey and to interact with the learning on their own path. They emphasized that technologies are not stand-alone solutions; instead, they suggested focusing on the tools that best support the people and processes that you want to centre in your solutions. While there was an online space for learning, the priority was not the space itself, but how it was designed.
Day 2
Collaboration and Co-Creation to Transform Access to Learning: Dr. Rob Power (Keynote)
On the second day of the conference, Dr. Rob Power shared how he supported students in contributing to the content of his course using Open Education Resources (OER). In his course, he had learners propose, draft, review, submit, and publish a chapter for the course textbook to be used for future classes (you can read through this process on the following infographic: OER as Pedagogy). Like Mudita Kundra and Patrick Molicard-Chartier, Dr. Rob Power first thought through desired outcomes before he chose a tool. HIs two priorities were: (1) include learners in collaboration and co-creation of the course, and (2) empower learners to create something non-disposable in his course. To support the students through this process he suggested using the technology that best works for the instructor and their space. Learners can submit chapter submissions through the school LMS (e.g., Quercus at U of T) or through other options (e.g., Google Drive, Kritik, or peerScholar). When chapters are ready for publication, Dr. Rob Power suggests using Pressbooks. In putting the creation of the online space in the hands of the students, Dr. Rob Power has given them the responsibility of stewardship.
Making Cultural Knowledge Transformation: Dr. Brian Sutherland
Dr. Brian Sutherland talked about the importance of bringing technology into the physical space. Drawing inspiration from his experiences as a student in AER201: Engineering Design (now the Praxis series), he gave some great examples of how interacting with objects is a holistic method for learning. He also extended this pedagogy to co-creation and collaboration when he demonstrated the concept of “mission courses.” In mission courses, learners embark on a project and learn through building and interacting with technology objects. In his course, HSC402H5 - Digital Learning Environments in Biology and Health Science, learners prototyped their own solutions to real-world problems. Similar to Dr. Power’s approach, Dr. Sutherland empowered students to create technology for the course. However, they are also building past the classroom, extending the learning space into their daily lives.
Key Takeaways from TESS 2024
Overall, my key takeaways from the TESS 2024 conference were:
- Consultation matters: When designing online learning experiences (or digital bundles) careful consultation with subject matter experts and learners on the process and design is key to creating authentic experiences.
- People first, technology second: When choosing technology for learning it’s best to always consider the people and process first, before choosing the product.
- Empower learners: Giving learners the space to create content that lasts past the course life (i.e., book chapters, product prototypes) empowers learners to steward their own learning.
Interested in learning more about TESS 2024? You can view the program agenda at TESS 2024.
Article Category: General Information
