Form a working group to review and recommend options for a writing competency program.
This item supports sub-objective C1
Enhance foundational competencies
Goals Supported
Goal 1 - Inspire student success by supporting a rigorous and innovative academic environment
Goal 4 - Educate future leaders to be global citizens meeting global challenges
Goal 5 - Focus on transformation and innovation to create a sustainable and cohesive community
Sub-Objective Timeline
2017/2018
-
Updates
Form a working group to review and recommend options for a writing competency program.This item supports sub-objective C1Foundational Writing Skills Working Group
- Professor Amrita Daniere, Vice-Principal Academic and Dean, constituted the Foundational Writing Skills Working Group (FWSWG) in December 2017. The FWSWG discussed the development of foundational writing skills relevant to students in all disciplines, but also expressed a need to develop more advanced, discipline-specific writing skills throughout the curriculum.
- Following an investigation of comparative models implemented in Canada and internationally, the FWSWG concluded that UTM should develop and offer a first-year foundational writing course, which would then be followed up by discipline-specific pathways through existing upper-year courses.
-
Form a working group to review and recommend options for a numeracy competency program.This item supports sub-objective C2
Updates
Form a working group to review and recommend options for a numeracy competency program.This item supports sub-objective C2Foundational Numeracy Skills Working Group
- Professor Amrita Daniere, Vice-Principal Academic and Dean, constituted the Foundational Numeracy Skills Working Group (FNSWG) in December 2017. The FNSWG discussed the development of foundational numeracy skills relevant to students in all disciplines, but also expressed a need to develop more advanced, discipline-specific numeracy skills throughout the curriculum.
- Following an investigation of comparative models implemented in Canada and internationally, the FNSWG concluded that UTM should develop and offer a first-year foundational numeracy course, which would then be followed up by discipline-specific pathways through existing upper-year courses.
2018/2019
-
Solicit feedback and consultation on the writing group’s proposal and develop a plan for implementation.This item supports sub-objective C1
Updates
Solicit feedback and consultation on the writing group’s proposal and develop a plan for implementation.This item supports sub-objective C1Foundational Writing Skills Working Group Report
- The report of the Foundational Writing Skills Working Group (FWSWG) was presented to the Chairs and Directors in September 2018. It was then brought to open town halls to gather feedback from faculty and staff in October 2018. We provide here the most recent version of the FWSWG report with recommendations and its appendices (A) (B), current as of April 25, 2019.
- The FWSWG is currently developing an implementation plan for their recommendations, which will undergo similar consultation with the expectation that the plan be released by the end of the Summer 2019 term.
-
Solicit feedback and consultation on the numeracy group’s proposal and develop a plan for implementation.This item supports sub-objective C2
Updates
Solicit feedback and consultation on the numeracy group’s proposal and develop a plan for implementation.This item supports sub-objective C2Foundational Numeracy Skills Working Group Report
- The report of the Foundational Numeracy Skills Working Group (FNSWG) was presented to the Chairs and Directors in October 2018. The FNSWG was reconvened in late October to review and address the feedback received. The FNSWG subsequently prepared a revised report with recommendations, which was circulated amongst the Chairs and Directors in April 2019. We provide here the most recent version of the FNSWG report with recommendations and its appendices, current as of April 25, 2019.
- Following consultation with the Chairs and Directors, the FNSWG concluded that UTM should develop and pilot a first-year foundational numeracy course, which would be offered on an opt-in basis to departments and/or programs alongside a Numeracy Development Initiative (NDI). Both the first-year numeracy course and the NDI will include an integrated assessment framework, allowing for evaluation of the pilot in five years’ time.
- The FNSWG is currently developing an implementation plan for the pilot, which will undergo similar consultation with the expectation that the plan be released by the end of the Summer 2019 term.
2019/2020
-
Establish a working group and evaluate how to better support ELL.This item supports sub-objective C1
Updates
Establish a working group and evaluate how to better support ELL.This item supports sub-objective C1ELL Working Group
- A lead for the ELL Working Group (ELLWG) has been identified. The ELLWG’s membership and mandate is currently in development.
-
Take writing program curriculum changes through governance as appropriate.This item supports sub-objective C1
Updates
Take writing program curriculum changes through governance as appropriate.This item supports sub-objective C1New Faculty Hires
- In the 2019-20 Academic Year, UTM is currently conducting searches for 5 faculty in the area of Writing Studies: four (4) at the rank of Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, and one (1) at the rank of Associate Professor with Tenure.
Proposed Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy (ISUP)
- The proposed Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy (ISUP) at the University of Toronto Mississauga will provide an intellectual space foregrounding research on university-level pedagogy, as an academic discipline focused on the teaching and learning of knowledge and skills in a university context. The Institute’s mission will be to promote the study of university pedagogy through example, shared experiences, instruction, training, scholarship, and assessment of programs and initiatives.
- It is anticipated that the proposed ISUP will launch July 1, 2020.
Creation of Foundational Writing Courses
- Two (2) new foundational writing courses are to be offered through the Institute, which were approved at the Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) in January, 2020, for implementation in the 2020-21 academic year. Both courses will appear in the 2020-21 Academic Calendar:
- ISP100H5, Writing for University and Beyond: Writing About Writing – this course will also be introduced as a program requirement for Specialists and Majors in the areas of: Art & Art History; Art History; Anthropology (both Arts and Sciences programs of study); Biomedical Physics; Earth Sciences; Physics; and Visual Culture & Communication.
- ISP010H5, Basics of Writing in English (BoWiE) – a not-for-credit course designed specifically to develop primary writing and reading skills required for entry into ISP100H5.
-
Take numeracy program curriculum changes through governance as appropriate.This item supports sub-objective C2
Updates
Take numeracy program curriculum changes through governance as appropriate.This item supports sub-objective C2Numeracy for University and Beyond Course
This action was completed in the 2020-21 Academic Year:
100-level numeracy course, ISP130H5 (Numeracy for University and Beyond), was approved in January 2021 for launch in September 2021.
Curriculum Updates for Numeracy Programming
This update was successfully achieved in 2021.
-
Form a working group to review and recommend options for an oral/verbal competency program.This item supports sub-objective C3
Updates
Form a working group to review and recommend options for an oral/verbal competency program.This item supports sub-objective C3Delay
This task was delayed, as other programs took precedence through the governance process.
Governance Delay
This task was delayed, as other programs took precedence through the governance process.
-
Form a working group to review and recommend options for a visual competency program.This item supports sub-objective C4
Updates
Form a working group to review and recommend options for a visual competency program.This item supports sub-objective C4Working Group Delayed
This task was delayed, as other programs took precedence through the governance process.
2020/2021
-
Pilot preferred writing program.This item supports sub-objective C1
Updates
Pilot preferred writing program.This item supports sub-objective C1New Writing Initiative Courses
Two new writing initiative courses were approved and subsequently launched in September 2020. Major and Specialist programs in Anthropology, Art History, Art & Art History, Earth Sciences, Physics, and Visual Culture & Communication introduced ISP100H5 as program enrolment and program completion requirements
- ISP100H5 (Writing for University and Beyond: Writing about Writing) and
- ISP010H5 (Basics of Writing in English)
Writing Program Update
Two new writing initiative courses were approved - ISP100H5 (Writing for University and Beyond: Writing about Writing) and WRI010H5 (Basics of Writing in English) and both launched in September 2020. Major and Specialist programs in Anthropology, Art History, Art & Art History, Earth Sciences, Physics, and Visual Culture & Communication introduced ISP100H5 as program enrolment or program completion requirements.
-
Pilot preferred numeracy program.This item supports sub-objective C2
Updates
Pilot preferred numeracy program.This item supports sub-objective C2ISUP Program Discussions
The Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy (ISUP) is currently in discussions with various units to determine the ideal method of introduction for their program(s).
Numeracy Program Approval Update
100-level numeracy course, ISP130H5 (Numeracy for University and Beyond), was approved in January 2021 for launch in September 2021. The Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy (ISUP) is currently in discussions with various units to determine the ideal method of introduction for their program(s).
-
Take oral/verbal program curriculum changes through governance as appropriate.This item supports sub-objective C3
-
Take visual program curriculum changes through governance as appropriate.This item supports sub-objective C4
Updates
Take visual program curriculum changes through governance as appropriate.This item supports sub-objective C4Curriculum Delay
This task was delayed, as other programs took precedence through the governance process.
2021+
-
Pilot program to better support ELL.This item supports sub-objective C1
-
Implement changes to writing program, followed by an evaluation of changes and revisions to curriculum-wide improvements to writing program.This item supports sub-objective C1
-
Implement changes to numeracy program, followed by an evaluation of changes and revisions to curriculum-wide improvements to numeracy program.This item supports sub-objective C2
-
Pilot preferred oral/verbal program.This item supports sub-objective C3
-
Pilot preferred visual program.This item supports sub-objective C4