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posted on Sept. 27: Communication technology focus of state-of-the-art research centre

Collaboration. Convergence. These are the watchwords of the state-of-the-art Communication Technology Research Centre (CTRC) in the Faculty of Engineering. Some of the money the University recently received from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) includes $2.2 million for a centre. The CTRC will focus on three areas: communication systems, photonic devices and networks and optimization, modelling and computer-aided design. "The centre will complement the research and education in the broad area of communication technology," says Max Wong, the centre's director and chair holder of the Mitel-NSERC Professorship of Signal Processing, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. "The information age has made communication technology an essential propulsion force in the advancement of our society technologically, economically and socially. It has also imposed upon us a great demand for highly-qualified people in the field," he said. "We are trying to fulfil this demand by promoting the convergence of interdisciplinary and collaborative research, as well as by expanding our education and training program in this important area." Additional funding for the $5.5 million centre will come as matching funds from the Ontario Innovation Trust and from McMaster and private donations. The monies are being used for equipment procurement and upgrade, network upgrade for laboratories and offices and for the renovation of 12,560 sq. ft. of laboratory space. Photo: (back row, l to r) Jim Reilly, Alex Gershman, John Bandler, Tim Davidson, (front row, l to r) Peter Smith, Max Wong, Tom Luo

posted on Sept. 26: New courtyard makes a perfect stage

The new courtyard adjacent to the McMaster University Student Centre and Mills Memorial Library has become a haven for socializing, eating, studying -- even a live statue. The cement courtyard is proving to be popular with students and employees alike since the fencing came down and it became accessible in early September. And there is still work to be done, says Kim Davison, MUSC administrative director. Four mature trees will be planted in the middle of the courtyard in the areas that are now covered in plywood. The trees are large oaks that will provide shade to the area, which can become quite hot when the sun is shining. "According to Aldershot Nurseries, our landscaping subcontractor, mature oaks are difficult to transplant but the safest time is in the spring," Davison says. "So the trees will be planted in the spring." Concerns that the concrete is a tad too bright should be resolved as the area ages, says Davison. "The concrete will become darker through normal aging and pedestrian traffic -- like sidewalks do." As well, the slanted window that looks out from the future McMaster Students Union offices in MUSC and reflects light onto the courtyard will be equipped with pewter sun shades this fall to diminish the light, she added. Photo: A live statue holds court on the new courtyard adjacent to the McMaster University Student Centre. Photo by Shelly Easton

posted on Sept. 25: Faculty of Health Sciences joins online education initiative

The Faculty of Health Sciences along with partners at Sheridan College's Visualization Design Institute and the City of Hamilton's social and public health services division, have collaborated on a project investigating how problem-based learning can be modified for delivery using computer-mediated communication technology. McMaster University is a pioneer in the application of problem-based learning. "This exciting initiative brings together three groups with real expertise in the area," said John Kelton, dean of health sciences. "McMaster's focus is on learning through problem solving. We are now aligned with experts from the City of Hamilton and Sheridan College to address an important public health problem that affects Canadians and people around the world. Nursing experts from McMaster and specialists at Sheridan College, which has an international reputation for its skill in animation, are joining forces to develop an exciting educational tool." Learners in undergraduate nursing, medicine, and midwifery programs as well as graduate nurses are given online access to a problem-based learning case, discuss the case in small groups using the communications technology and are provided with current educational resources online to support their learning. The case that has been developed for this project deals with Fetal Alcohol Effects/Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAE/FAS), which is a national health concern. Hamilton's public health research, education and development program has provided public health context experts to assist in developing the case. "The project will help us better understand how problem-based learning can be offered online to support learners who experience challenges in accessing educational opportunities offered in traditional face-to-face formats," said principal investigator Ruta Valaitis, a McMaster professor of nursing. "We are also investigating emerging learning objects standards to apply to educational resources." Co-investigators for this project are McMaster nursing colleague Wendy Sword and professor Bob Jones of Sheridan College. McMaster University and Sheridan College have worked jointly on the development of this online problem-based learning case to incorporate rich graphic, audio and animation technologies. Sheridan's Visualization Design Institute is an applied research unit created to extend knowledge and skills in animation and graphics beyond the traditional fields of art and entertainment. One of its mandates is to explore how visualization techniques can be applied in health education. Funding for this project was obtained from the Office of Learning Technologies of Human Resources Development Canada. The grant for this project came from the New Practices in Learning Technologies program.

posted on Sept. 25: Multimedia program has a new home

Students in the multimedia program in the Faculty of Humanities started the academic year in new surroundings when the Anne and Neil McArthur Humanities Multimedia Wing opened on the second floor of Togo Salmon Hall. The wing was officially named and the McArthurs recognized at an event held yesterday (Monday) afternoon. McMaster is the first university in Ontario and only the second in Canada to offer a multimedia program. The combined honours program, offered by the School of the Arts, was designed by Geoffrey Rockwell and Andrew Mactavish and began accepting students in 1999. "Our plan was to accept 30 students each year but the response has been overwhelming," says Mactavish. "This year we had 65 qualified applicants and accepted all of them." Construction of the new wing was accelerated by a $400,000 gift by local residents Anne and Neil McArthur for whom the wing is named. "Building the new wing was crucial to increasing enrolment and the generous gift by Mr. and Mrs. McArthur not only allowed us to move forward but also to construct a bigger space," says Mactavish. Neil McArthur noted that humanities is a new area for him. "My background is more in engineering. What impressed me about the humanities was that that its graduates have such a high employment rate. I'm pleased our contribution will be used to further the excellence of students in the humanities," he said. The 4,000 square-foot wing is located above the graduate studies office in Togo Salmon Hall and is home to 45 of the most up-to-date computers and software. Students learn skills in designing and developing digital images, animation, Web design and music to name a few. There are almost 200 students in the program in years two, three and four. Students from other faculties have also been applying to take courses in the program and in some cases there are lengthy waiting lists, particularly in digital imaging that teaches basic Web design. Fourth-year student Mike Cope is combining his multimedia studies with anthropology and is planning to go into teaching. "I would like to teach computers at the secondary school level," he said. "The multimedia program has been great - students share ideas and you can be very creative with the different types of software." Photo: Neil and Anne McArthur (Photo by Peter Stevens/Wordsmith)

posted on Sept. 24: New learning innovation grants foster collaboration, self-directed learning

The Centre for Leadership in Learning (CLL) has announced to Faculty deans and department chairs the availability of $1,000,000 in new learning innovation grants. Supported by the Imperial Oil Charitable Foundation, these grants are designed to allow academic departments to make changes in their undergraduate programs that are both substantial and consistent with the goals and directions outlined in McMaster's academic plan. (See an earlier story, Imperial Oil partnership means new opportunities for undergraduate education, for information about the Imperial Oil Charitable Foundation gift to support these grants.) The CLL will award three to four grants in each of the next four or five years. According to Dale Roy, CLL's executive director, "Each learning innovation grant will be for a period of three years and will support projects with a total budget of approximately $100,000. Successful applications will show evidence of departmental and Faculty commitment to the project in the form of financial or in-kind support, typically for half of the project's total budget." In awarding the grants, priority will be given to applications that propose changes in how rather than what students learn. In addition, preference will be given to proposals that foster or enhance collaboration among students, that take a rigorous and scholarly approach to curriculum change and that will increase self-directed learning by students. The CLL's academic director, Dick Day, was delighted at the announcement. "It's nice to be able to encourage departments with more than words," said Day. "Academic departments will finally have access to the kinds of resources they need to bring about significant change in their undergraduate programs." The deadline for submitting letters of intent to apply for this year's round of learning innovation grants is Oct. 15. More detailed information on the learning innovation grants, including instructions for applying, can be found on the CLL Web site at www.mcmaster.ca/learning/facact/DLIGrantsCall2001.htm. Interested departments are also encouraged to call Roy at ext. 24540 at the CLL for guidance and assistance in the design of their projects and the preparation of grant applications.

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posted on Sept. 27: Communication technology focus of state-of-the-art research centre

posted on Sept. 26: New courtyard makes a perfect stage

posted on Sept. 25: Faculty of Health Sciences joins online education initiative

posted on Sept. 25: Multimedia program has a new home

posted on Sept. 24: New learning innovation grants foster collaboration, self-directed learning

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