April 23, 2020 With more teaching and learning happening online, a working group was recently struck to review the University’s minimal technical recommendations needed for students to access remote/online learning (including recommended computer technology, accessories, and ways to connect to the Internet). This website features these updated recommendations: https://www.viceprovoststudents.utoronto.ca/students/tech-requirements-online-learning/ In addition to the recommendations, the … Read More

An esteemed colleague at another Ontario university recently asked colleagues about educational technology policies.  “I am curious about the educational technology policies (for students and faculty) that people have in place at your respective institutions. Policies or mechanisms around such things as procurement, tech requirements for students, adoption of new tech, etexts, institutionally supported versus … Read More

Did you know that the fine folks at UofT Procurement Services have a list of pre – qualified Drupal suppliers that you can work with if you want to build a Drupal website? Check out their website for more information: https://www.procurement.utoronto.ca/programs-and-services/approved-suppliers/computers-hardware-technical-services/drupal-website

For the past few years, UofT has been working towards a new model of deploying educational technologies, and the ‘new idea’ recommendation service called Integrate allows instructors, students and staff to suggest ideas, and then allows other members of the community to show their support for those ideas by casting a ‘like vote.’ Read more about … Read More

Very happy to share the news that our school has joined the IMS Global Consortium. IMS Global is a nonprofit organization that advances technology that can affordably scale and improve educational participation and attainment. IMS members are leading suppliers, institutions and government organizations that are enabling the future of education by collaborating on interoperability and … Read More

One of the interesting items of feedback we received on the Academic Toolbox Renewal site went like this: “The criteria are exceedingly thin on pedagogical guiding principles. No effort seems to be put into the adequate mapping of degree learning expectations to the various points where adoption of technology could have an impact (positive/negative).” The … Read More

NB: Opinion ahead; proceed with caution 😉   I have a wonderful colleague, Sian Meikle, Director of Information Technology for the University of Toronto Libraries. Sian uses a wonderful meme – “tool monoculture” – the idea that there is a one-size-fits-all technology culture. I think this is a brilliantly descriptive meme for the state of … Read More

I have been to many committee meetings and had numerous other conversations about the Toolbox Renewal initiative, and I am thoroughly enjoying those (especially being pushed to think about new ideas). At one recent meeting, an instructor asked an important, and challenging question: Why do we even need a ‘Portal’ or LMS at all? Why … Read More

About a month ago, our Office of the Vice-President and Provost issued new Provostial Guidelines on the Use of Digital Learning Materials in response to provincial government’s revised Tuition Fee Framework and Ancillary Fee Guidelines. Please find the Provostial Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions guide at http://www.provost.utoronto.ca/public/pdadc/2014_to_2015/17.htm

The Academic Toolbox Renewal Initiative is now in full swing! The University of Toronto’s enterprise education technology ecosystem (our ‘Academic Technology Toolbox’) has grown organically over the past several years. At times services and solutions have been added in an ad hoc way. At other points, the University has gone through a formal acquisition process. … Read More