Teach.Learn.Share

In part two of this three-part episode, the conversation turns to the hard questions gen AI raises for teaching and assessment. Moving beyond promise and possibility, the guests examine practical and structural challenges facing universities, including privacy, ethics, access, and uneven adoption. They highlight a deeper pedagogical concern: increasingly “frictionless” AI tools may undermine the productive struggle essential to lea...

In part one of this three-part episode, senior academic leaders from McGill University, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Toronto reflect on generative AI as a transformative opportunity for teaching and learning in higher education. The conversation moves beyond seeing gen AI solely as a disruption or tool as we explore its potential to fundamentally reshape assessment, course design, student support, acces...

Can open conversations about AI help students reflect on their learning? In this episode, Prof. Nikki Lobczowski shares how she models transparent use of generative AI, while encouraging her students to think critically about how their own use of AI tools might support their learning (or not). The conversation addresses common concerns—including AI literacy, assessment, and time constraints—and emphasizes the value of gradual chang...

Can gen AI help students become better scientists? Dr. Jasmin Chahal thinks so—if students learn to question the output first. In this episode, Jasmin shares how she integrated gen AI into a microbiology lab course through a low-stakes, reflective assignment. Hear how her students learned to question AI-generated references, evaluate reliability, and develop critical thinking skills essential for the future of science. 

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What happens when students are asked to assess the work of gen AI? McGill instructor William Archambault explores how shifting from traditional test questions to gen AI-based critique tasks helps students develop their analytical skills. William discusses the motivation behind this redesign, the challenges of scaling it in large classes, and why teaching critical evaluation of gen AI output is becoming essential in higher education...

How can sustainability transform not only what we teach but also how we go about our teaching? In this episode, Prof. Mylène Riva and PhD student Laurianne Debanné share their journey—including challenges and triumphs—redesigning a Health Geography course to incorporate sustainability principles. Along the way, they learned principles of sustainable course design, the importance of transdisciplinarity, and practical strategies for ...

Have students’ perceptions of engagement changed after the Covid-19 pandemic? Is it harder to focus on lectures in the “attention economy” with overwhelming amounts of information designed to engage us to click and scroll? Are students engaging with learning in ways that are more autonomous—such as watching recorded lectures? In this episode, we speak with Kai Gutteridge and Lavínia Travassos to learn about their experiences with e...

Interested in learning about different ways to implement two-stage exams? In this episode, McGill instructors Lawrence Chen, Alice Cherestes, Laura Pavelka, and David Titley-Peloquin join Jasmine and Margo for an exchange about how they use two-stage exams to assess their students’ learning. Listen in to hear them compare their practices and offer recommendations for instructors who are thinking about adopting this assessment strat...

In our inaugural season, we spoke to members of the McGill community about how to leverage learning-focused assessment practices with the aim of improving student well-being. Among our guests was Kira Smith, who spoke to her research on post-secondary instructors’ engagement in supporting student mental health by means of their assessment strategies. In this episode, Kira returns to help Jasmine and Margo explore some of the obstac...

Many undergraduate students may go on to be policy-makers. Why not have them practice the skill of translating complex concepts and issues into a “pitch” that shows students’ engagement with the course content? This idea became Dr. Tari Ajadi’s three-minute micro lecture assessment, a strategy that he first tried when asked to prepare one himself for a conference. As they engage with a format that is less familiar to them, students...

In her introductory computer science class, Dr. Giulia Alberini asks her approximately 600 students whether they want to be “code crafters” or “problem solvers.” The first group will write two midterms and a final coding project. Instead of the final project, “problem solvers” prepare a technical interview that simulates an authentic real-world experience. This choice allows students to work to their strengths, be it programming al...

Low or no-stakes assessment tasks give students the opportunity to focus their practice on what they aim to learn and allow them to try their hand at failing. When what they’re learning means recognizing implicit biases in themselves and others, it’s key that students have multiple opportunities to practice developing this skill. In this episode, Dr. Alissa Levine describes her multi-pronged approach to assessments that help studen...