McMaster University’s partnered approach to teaching and learning is one that draws on collaboration across disciplines while embracing innovative approaches with the goal of fostering a community of creative problem-solvers ready to tackle leading global challenges.

Every day across campus, our community members are benefitting from McMaster’s shared, cross-campus commitment to grow our teaching and learning excellence.

As we mark the conclusion of Teaching and Learning Month at McMaster, here are just some of the ways this strategy is helping students discover unique ways of building their own knowledge and potential.

Our instructors, researchers and teaching assistants are critical team members in supporting a holistic student experience. McMaster, guided by the principles of the Teaching and Learning Strategy, offers supports to staff and instructors seeking to improve teaching and learning at McMaster.

New grants support innovations in teaching and learning

McMaster’s Office the Provost and the MacPherson Institute have established a grants program to support the implementation of the Partnered in Teaching and Learning strategy.

The new Partnered in Teaching and Learning grants, which will be awarded annually, will encourage innovations in teaching and learning and improve student experiences and outcomes.

“McMaster is looking for ways to recognize the amount of effort quality teaching and learning requires,” said acting vice-provost, Faculty, Kim Dej. “These grants are designed to do just that, providing additional resources and incentives to help educators engage in this work.”

Read the full story here. 

6 essential topics for the future of Teaching and Learning at Mac

Educators, faculty members, instructors and staff from across campus had the opportunity to participate in professional development and celebrate teaching and learning through a variety of programming throughout the month of May.

These opportunities were provided by the MacPherson Institute, which creates and delivers professional development that engages educators throughout their careers in teaching and learning in order to enhance the student learning experience.

Facilitators of these sessions shared how they see how their topics playing an important role in the future of teaching and learning at McMaster

Read the full story here. 

McMaster’s Teaching and Learning strategy is built on the recognition that knowledge comes in so many forms beyond traditional academic texts and exercises. Here are some of the ways our students’ and instructors’ unique identities, backgrounds and perspectives are furthering excellence in our classrooms.

Level up: McMaster and George Brown students build game-based learning platform

How do you get students excited about the structure, molecular composition and function of sub-cellular systems?

If you are Rosa da Silva, an associate professor with the department of biology, then you help students build a game-based learning platform that explores how different diseases attack cells and how those diseases can be treated and defeated.

“I wanted to make the course interactive and immersive for students who’ve grown up playing Minecraft, Roblox and Fortnite,” da Silva says. “McMaster’s a leader in blended learning, and game-based learning can be our next frontier.”

Read more about da Silva’s innovative approach here. 

McMaster approves creation of Indigenous Studies department

Entering its 30th year at McMaster, the Indigenous Studies undergraduate program is one of the longest-standing programs of its kind in Canada. Building on this strong foundation, last month, the university approved the creation of the Indigenous Studies Department, effective July 1, 2022.

The new department will be home to the Indigenous Studies undergraduate program, a planned graduate program, and research and community-focused activities.

“This is an important step in the advancement and empowerment of Indigenous scholars, students and staff at McMaster,” said Jeremiah Hurley, dean of Social Sciences.

Read the full story here. 

Sustainable chemistry program gives students tools to tackle major societal and environmental issues

Chemistry needs an image overhaul, says Gillian Goward.

“People hear the word ‘chemistry’ and they assume toxic waste,” says the chair of McMaster’s Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.

Instead, Goward says, chemists play a part in many beneficial technologies, can help develop environmental stewardship practices and are increasingly adopting more sustainable practices by following the 12 principles of green chemistry.

Goward is one of the professors who helped developed the curriculum for McMaster’s Honours Sustainable Chemistry Program, one of the first of its kind in Canada.

Read how the innovative program is making a global difference here.

How a tool sparked at McMaster is helping select medical school applicants worldwide

Casper, which stands for Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics, is an open-response situational judgment test to evaluate aspects of a potential physician’s social intelligence and professionalism.

The tool, which was first developed at McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences, is now helping shape the next generation of health-care professionals who possess both a caring nature and sound medical skills.

“I use the analogy of adding more pixels to the picture to allow schools to get a truly holistic sense of who the applicant is as a person,” said Kelly Dore, McMaster adjunct associate professor of medicine and one of Casper’s developers.

Read more about the worldwide impact Casper is having here.

By learning through experience, students engage with challenges that promote collaboration while developing necessary skills for making an impact both locally and globally. Here are some of the ways our students are putting their skills to work tackling major challenges and working to improve the lives of others.

First-year Mac Eng students present assistive designs in year-end showcase

First-year engineering students presented their innovative designs from 1P13 in front of their peers and a panel of faculty judges at the 2022 year-end showcase.

For their fourth and final project, students were tasked with designing a product that would help a client with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a disease that weakens the connective tissues of the body, perform daily tasks.

See the innovative designs students created here.

Two McMaster student-led projects nominated to international round of global competition

Innovative ideas put forward by two groups of McMaster students have been nominated to the international round of a global competition.

The two student submissions — a mechanism used to detect the presence of common date-rape drugs in beverages and a management platform that simplifies and streamlines the process of requesting reasonable accommodation — made it to the international round of The Universitas 21 (U21) RISE (Real Impact on Society and Environment) Awards showcase.

Learn more about the projects and their impact on the world of social entrepreneurship and innovation here.

Students’ ingenuity shines at iBioMed final showcase

From a device to help paramedics develop the skills needed to perform life-saving medical interventions, to a a makeup kit designed to improve accessibility and ease of makeup applications for those with multiple sclerosis, Students from McMaster’s Integrated Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences program showcased their innovative biomedical engineering solutions to health-care problems at a final showcase event.

See the innovative solutions they created here.

Collaboration and camaraderie: The secret of DeGroote MBA Games winners

Master of Business Administration (MBA) Case competitions, where students help real organizations and companies resolve business problems, are a crucial part of the MBA program.

The 2022 DeGroote School of Business MBA Games team, which displayed resilience while preparing for the games largely virtually, learned that collaboration and camaraderie go a long way when engaged in experiential learning opportunities. 

Learn why the MBA Games are such a highlight in some MBA student journeys here.