digital / en Federal budget supports digital literacy and work-integrated learning: 91Թ engineering has had success with these programs /news/federal-budget-supports-digital-literacy-and-work-integrated-learning-u-t-engineering-has-had <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Federal budget supports digital literacy and work-integrated learning: 91Թ engineering has had success with these programs</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-03-23-fedbudget.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=42pcF11c 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2017-03-23-fedbudget.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=mPYHWkfz 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2017-03-23-fedbudget.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Qc8wWgh0 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2017-03-23-fedbudget.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=42pcF11c" alt> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>ullahnor</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2017-03-23T15:30:05-04:00" title="Thursday, March 23, 2017 - 15:30" class="datetime">Thu, 03/23/2017 - 15:30</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Teachers from the Toronto District School Board attend a robotics and computer coding workshop hosted by 91Թ Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering in February 2016 (photo by Tyler Irving)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/budget" hreflang="en">Budget</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/digital" hreflang="en">digital</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/computer" hreflang="en">computer</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The 2017 federal budget earmarks $50 million over two years for Teaching Kids to Code, a fund that supports teaching initiatives in coding and digital literacy across the country, and includes new investments in work-integrated learning. Both are areas where 91Թ's Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering has a track record of success.</p> <p><strong>Teaching Kids to Code</strong></p> <p>“To give our young people the best possible start, we will promote hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering, and math, especially for young women, girls, and Indigenous youth,” said Finance Minister Bill Morneau in his speech to Parliament.</p> <h3><a href="http://news.engineering.utoronto.ca/tag/coding/">Learn more about coding workshops at 91Թ Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></h3> <p>Teaching Kids to Code will enhance activities such as <a href="http://news.engineering.utoronto.ca/tag/coding/">coding workshops</a> from 91Թ engineering’s <a href="http://news.engineering.utoronto.ca/tag/outreach/">outreach programs</a>. Aimed at providing both students and teachers with new tools to integrate programming, robotics and digital literacy into their classrooms, these workshops reach hundreds each year.</p> <p>“Demand for talent in science and technology will only continue to grow in the coming decades,” said <strong>Dawn Britton</strong>, associate director of engineering outreach at 91Թ. “Outreach activities are critical in ensuring that the STEM fields attract talent that reflects the full diversity of Canada.”</p> <p>Britton was on Parliament Hill for the announcement along with Jennifer Flanagan, CEO of&nbsp;<a href="http://actua.ca/en">Actua</a>, Canada’s leading science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) youth outreach network. 91Թ engineering and Actua have partnered with Google&nbsp;to deliver&nbsp;<a href="http://actua.ca/en/programs/codemakers">Codemakers</a>, which aims to transform the way youth engage with computers and build digital literacy through hands-on learning.</p> <p>“For 25&nbsp;years we have focused on engaging the hardest to reach youth, including girls and Indigenous youth, and we are thrilled that the government’s innovation agenda is focused on skills development and inclusivity,” said Flanagan&nbsp;<a href="http://actua.ca/uploads/FEDERALBUDGET-EN.pdf">in a statement</a>.</p> <p>In 2015–2016, 91Թ engineering engaged more than 9,000 pre-university students through pioneering programs, including:</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://news.engineering.utoronto.ca/innovate-u-inspiring-future-innovators/">Innovate U</a> –&nbsp;Canada’s largest STEM event for children in Grades 3 to 8. This one-day workshop, held&nbsp;last May, was run in partnership with Google Canada and Actua, and attracted more than 1,400 students and teachers from across the GTA.</li> <li><a href="http://outreach.engineering.utoronto.ca/elementary-school-programs/coding-workshops/">Coding Workshops</a> – Delivered in partnership with Google and Actua, coding workshops will provide students in Grades 3 to 6 with the opportunity to develop their own set of codemaking abilities through a variety of in class activities.</li> <li><a href="http://outreach.engineering.utoronto.ca/pre-university-programs/deep-summer-academy/">Da Vinci Engineering Enrichment Program (DEEP) Summer Academy</a> – Since 2003, DEEP has provided highly motivated high school students with an aptitude for science and math with opportunities for advanced study in a variety of engineering, technology, business and science disciplines.</li> <li><a href="http://outreach.engineering.utoronto.ca/pre-university-programs/jr-deep/">Jr. DEEP</a> and <a href="http://outreach.engineering.utoronto.ca/pre-university-programs/jr-deep/">Girls' Jr. DEEP</a> –&nbsp;Modelled on DEEP Summer Academy school students, Jr. DEEP offers courses on cutting-edge topics in science, technology and engineering&nbsp;with an emphasis on hands-on learning.</li> </ul> <p>Innovative programming, combined with strategic recruitment initiatives, has contributed to continued enriched diversity at 91Թ engineering among both students and faculty. This year, <a href="/news/women-make-more-40-cent-u-t-engineering-s-first-year-class">the first-year undergraduate class included more than 40 per cent women</a>, the highest proportion in Ontario. This increased the overall proportion of women across all 91Թ engineering undergraduate programs to more than 30 per cent.</p> <p>In the past 10 years, the number of female faculty members has more than doubled, from 21 to 55. 91Թ engineering is a key partner in advancing Engineers Canada’s <a href="https://engineerscanada.ca/diversity/women-in-engineering">‘30 by 30’ objective</a>: 30 per cent female representation among newly licensed engineers by 2030.</p> <h3><a href="/news/federal-budget-2017-funding-ai-and-foreign-scholars-help-u-t">Read more about 91Թ and the federal budget</a></h3> <p><strong>Enhancing work-integrated learning</strong></p> <p>The budget also included renewed support for work-integrated learning programs, such as 91Թ engineering’s <a href="http://news.engineering.utoronto.ca/tag/pey/">Professional Experience Year (PEY) internships</a>. For nearly 40 years, undergraduate students have had the opportunity to spend 12 to 16 months applying their engineering competencies at leading companies worldwide. PEY partners range from local startups to major global corporations such as Apple, General Motors and Shell, as well as hospitals, universities and governments.</p> <p>The federal budget reiterated a promise to spend $73 million over four years to create up to 8,700 new work-integrated learning placements. It also renews and expands federal funding for <a href="https://www.mitacs.ca/en">Mitacs</a>, a not-for-profit organization that builds partnerships between industry and educational institutions, bolstering its programs with $221 million over five years. With this funding, Mitacs aims to deliver 10,000 work-integrated learning placements for Canadian post-secondary students and graduates each year, up from the current level of around 3,750 placements.</p> <p>In 2016-2017, more than 730 91Թ engineering students, representing approximately two thirds of eligible students, completed paid PEY internships, including 65 at placements outside of Canada. The average PEY salary was more than $47,000 per year, and many students return to finish their degree programs with a job offer already in hand –&nbsp;a major competitive advantage when entering the workforce.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 23 Mar 2017 19:30:05 +0000 ullahnor 106064 at New look for 91Թ's Faculty of Information /news/new-look-u-t-s-faculty-information <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">New look for 91Թ's Faculty of Information</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-10-25-ischool-lead.jpg?h=8c4bd285&amp;itok=DT_pQocw 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2016-10-25-ischool-lead.jpg?h=8c4bd285&amp;itok=l2gkyHNL 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2016-10-25-ischool-lead.jpg?h=8c4bd285&amp;itok=5gfGYaD2 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-10-25-ischool-lead.jpg?h=8c4bd285&amp;itok=DT_pQocw" alt="Photo of iSchool renovation"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>ullahnor</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-10-25T11:41:02-04:00" title="Tuesday, October 25, 2016 - 11:41" class="datetime">Tue, 10/25/2016 - 11:41</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Renovation on the fourth floor of the Faculty of Information features group study hubs (photo by Noreen Ahmed-Ullah)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/noreen-ahmed-ullah" hreflang="en">Noreen Ahmed-Ullah</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Noreen Ahmed-Ullah</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-information" hreflang="en">Faculty of Information</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/digital" hreflang="en">digital</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/museum" hreflang="en">Museum</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/3d" hreflang="en">3D</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/virtual-reality" hreflang="en">Virtual Reality</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/semaphore" hreflang="en">Semaphore</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>If you’ve ever flown first class in an executive pod, then you’ll appreciate the creature comforts behind the new study pods at 91Թ’s Faculty of Information.</p> <p>A semi-enclosed space, comfy chair, movable desk, a foot stool to stretch your legs and your very own desk lamp and electrical outlet – what else could you possibly need?</p> <p>“It’s perfect,” said <strong>Azel Mulagulova</strong>, a first-year&nbsp;master’s student in the faculty, which is also known as the iSchool. “There’s privacy. It’s very comfortable to work in and very efficient in the way it’s designed.” &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>The individual study pods are just part of the upgrades at the Faculty of Information, in which the fourth and fifth floors of the northern part of the Robarts Library complex have&nbsp;been completely redesigned and refurbished.&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__2312 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" height="500" src="/sites/default/files/2016-10-25-ischool-embed.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" width="750" loading="lazy"><br> <em>Azel Mulagulova works on her readings&nbsp;in a&nbsp;study pod at the iSchool&nbsp;</em></p> <p>The renovation includes group study spaces, more interactive labs for digital preservation and database research, a soundproof Skype room and an exhibition wall (which&nbsp;will be replaced annually) for students in the Museum Studies program to practice curatorial techniques and designing exhibit spaces.</p> <p>The faculty includes 681 graduate students in both the Information Studies and Museum Studies programs. While the new spaces will be available 24 hours a day&nbsp;to students in the faculty, they’re also open to other students from across the university from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.&nbsp;</p> <p>“The impetus for adding updated smart boards and computers, gathering spaces, classrooms&nbsp;–&nbsp;and an abundance of electrical outlets&nbsp;–&nbsp;was to transform [this space]&nbsp;into a collaborative, experiential&nbsp;and experimental space,” says Dean <strong>Wendy Duff</strong>. “By giving students and professors a diverse range of study spaces: individual study pods, small and large group study rooms, as well as labs and large seminar rooms, they can pursue further excellence in teaching, service, studies&nbsp;and research.”</p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__2315 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" height="497" src="/sites/default/files/2016-10-25-ischool2-embed_0.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" width="750" loading="lazy"><br> <em>A Museum Studies student works on a display at the&nbsp;exhibition wall (photo by Charlotte Gagnier)</em></p> <p>Gone, for the most part, are the days of endless study carrels. Instead, the space is using more open, wider&nbsp;tables that allow students to spread out their books. The tables also have easy-to-access electrical outlets.&nbsp;</p> <p>The Semaphore Demo Room on the fourth floor will be a bookable space for events and design activities that focus on emerging technologies. For example, it’s been used recently for virtual reality demonstrations.</p> <p>Both floors have been updated with new seating, more interactive classroom spaces and futuristic-looking group study hubs, each custom-built to tuck into the polygonal shapes in the north-facing windows of the Claude Bissell building, which is part of the Robarts complex.</p> <p>The seven hubs, which feature their own motion-sensitive lighting, outlets and table space are often filled with people working together on assignments. &nbsp;</p> <p>“They’re the second most popular spots here after the individual pods,” said <strong>Kathleen O’Brien</strong>, communications and development officer for the faculty. “Students are encouraged to gather and talk about their projects.” &nbsp;</p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__2319 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-10-25-ischool5-embed_3.jpg" style="width: 425px; height: 642px; margin-left: 148px; margin-right: 148px;" typeof="foaf:Image"><br> &nbsp;<em>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; A virtual reality demonstration at the iSchool&nbsp;(photo by Charlotte Gagnier)</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 25 Oct 2016 15:41:02 +0000 ullahnor 101553 at