Why Develop Learning Communities in Certificates?
In their essence, Certificates at Dawson are learning communities that aspire to engage students and teachers –across their respective programs and disciplines – in a shared area of interest. Our existing and developing Certificates address some of the most important and engaging issues of our time: Current Certificates: Peace Studies Women’s/Gender Studies Decolonization and…
Read More about Why Develop Learning Communities in Certificates?Learning Communities in General Education: Innovation, Interdisciplinarity, Collaboration, and Real-world Applications
From its inception in Fall 2015, Learning Communities (LCs) at ÕÅ°ÙÇÇÅ®ÓÑÂãÕÕ has aimed to create structured opportunities for Dawson faculty from different departments to work together to co-design and co-teach interdisciplinary courses. These new curricular structures are designed to facilitate the forging of interdisciplinary insights and connections; permit a closer integration of classroom and experiential learning;…
Read More about Learning Communities in General Education: Innovation, Interdisciplinarity, Collaboration, and Real-world ApplicationsCall for Proposals: New Learning Community Projects – Winter 2021
 Faculty interested in integrative learning and collaborative curriculum development are invited to submit a proposal to participate in the Winter 2021 phase of Dawson’s Learning Community project. Proposals will be welcomed from sectors where LCs have already been implemented (Science, Social Science and Certificates/General Education), and equally from programs and profiles (Pre-U and Careers) not already…
Read More about Call for Proposals: New Learning Community Projects – Winter 2021Winter 2020 Project Updates
Despite the COVID-19 disruption this winter, work proceeded on 7 different Learning Communities projects involving 15 different teachers. Following are capsule reports from each team on their progress.  I. Improved integration of statistics in the Analytical Chemistry program  – Steve Holden (Chemistry) and Rodney Acteson (Mathematics) We developed activities to better integrate statistics into…
Read More about Winter 2020 Project UpdatesLC Project Development – Winter 2020
Watch for updates here by June on the following curriculum development projects: A DIS-themed French and Phys Ed intensive pairing, designed by Lysane Audy (French) and Cindy Starzenski (PE), to take place in the Atikamekw community of Manawan. A Neuroscience Research 365 Complementary, designed and co-taught by Helene Nadeau (Physics) and Sylvia Cox (Pyschology) A DIS-…
Read More about LC Project Development – Winter 2020Scaling Up Learning Communities 2020-2022
Over the Winter 2019 semester, the LC Task Force and its three Working Groups (in Science, Social Science and Certificates) were busy with consultations and brainstorming sessions leading to the development of four planning frameworks that will guide new developments in the Learning Communities project through 2022.  The process drew on more than 60 teachers…
Read More about Scaling Up Learning Communities 2020-2022Spring Brainstorming Sessions
This winter, working groups in Social Science, Enriched Science and Certificates have been generating plans for future developments in the Learning Communities project. In April, all three groups invited faculty in their respective domains to participate in brainstorming sessions that cast a wide net for ideas related to collaborative teaching and interdisciplinary learning. …
Read More about Spring Brainstorming SessionsLC Project Development: Strategic Planning W19
Work is underway this winter on a new 5-year plan for developments in the Learning Communities project. A faculty task force with representation from Science, Social Science and Certificates/Special Areas of Study is examining how to build on the successes of the interdisciplinary team-taught courses launched over 2016-2018 in the 3-year pilot phase of the…
Read More about LC Project Development: Strategic Planning W19Call for Participants – Learning Community Project Development Winter 2019
With the completion of the Fall 2018 semester, Learning Communities will enter a new phase of planning for the future. With the completion of the 2015-2018 start-up period of course development, the 2018-19 academic year sees 24 interdisciplinary courses on offer. These courses have been developed and launched in two programs (Science and Social Science);…
Read More about Call for Participants – Learning Community Project Development Winter 2019Fall 2018 Learning Community Courses
This fall, 18 different courses are running under the banner of the Learning Communities project. To find out how integrative learning is progressing across the disciplines, read on for an update on from the teachers. First-time LC offerings include: Carl Saucier-Bouffard – “Business Ethics and the Triple Bottom Line” – Humanities Ethics The goal of …
Read More about Fall 2018 Learning Community Courses3:49 pm