Spark Teaching Symposium
April 29 - 30, 2025
Spark is a symposium dedicated to teaching in higher education that provides a platform for educators to exchange insights, discuss successes, address challenges, and showcase current teaching initiatives.
Both days boast a diverse array of presentations, panels, roundtables, and workshops covering topics such as AI, collaboration, retention, wellness, assessment, experiential learning, and more.
2025 Spark Teaching Symposium Keynote Speaker
Dr. Marc Roussel
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
2024 - Excellence in Teaching Award Winner
Lethbridge Campus
Calgary Campus
Day One - April 29
8:30 – 9:00 | Registration | SA Atrium |
9:00 – 10:30 | Welcome | SA Atrium |
10:45–11:30 - Concurrent Session 1 | ||
| Mitigating Students’ Overreliance of Generative AI Tools: Experiences and Experiments | SA8003 |
– Debra Basil and Makayla Koshuta | SA7202 | |
– Tara Million, Michelle Hogue, Don McIntyre and Diana Lucía Letts-Piedrahita | SA7217 | |
– Dawn Burleigh and Greg Ogilvie | SA7230 | |
11:45–12:30 - Concurrent Session 2 | ||
| – Brady Simpson | SA8003 |
– Dana Abeuova | SA7202 | |
– Brent Saccucci | SA7212 | |
– Lidija Sijacic and Devon Smither | SA7230 | |
12:30 – 1:45 | Lunch | SA Atrium |
1:45–2:30 - Concurrent Session 3 | ||
| – Adriana Monteiro-Lima, Nanda Stannard, Jaspreet Kaur, Matt Rahimi, Keltie Hamilton, Luz Janeth Ospina, and Diana Lucia Letts-Piedrahita | SA8003 |
– Sidney Shapiro | SA7202 | |
| Building Community in the Classroom Through the Use of a Talking Circle – Tiffany Morin, Anthony Loke, Camryn Suntjens, Claire Godin, Lenny Weasel Head, Emma Zwart, and Rebecca Ryan | SA7212 | |
| Can you SEE-IQ: Cultivating Student's Critical Questioning Abilities using a Thinking Routine in Class – Romany Craig | SA7230 | |
2:45–3:30 - Concurrent Session 4 | ||
The Impact of Generative AI Tools in Higher Education: Finding Ethical, Equitable, and Effective Solutions | SA8003 | |
| "I Don't Want to do This Half-Assed": Unsettling Teaching in a Colonial Context – Jay Laurendeau and Numa Surmawala | SA7202 | |
– Brent Saccucci | SA7212 | |
| Explore the Innovation Zone – Colleen Klassen | SA6304 | |
3:40 – 4:40 | Awards/Wine and Cheese | SA Atrium |
END OF DAY ONE | ||
Day Two - April 30
8:30 – 9:00 | Registration | SA Atrium |
9:00–9:45 - Concurrent Session 1 | ||
| Amplifying Indigenous Voices: The Indigenous Writers Series – Shannon McAlorum, David Kootnikoff, and Tara Million | SA8003 |
– Sidney Shapiro | SA7202 | |
What can you do that generative AI cannot? – Mark Ward | SA7212 | |
Chess as a Tool to Strengthen Critical Thinking and Build Executive Functioning – Jade Oldfield and Lance Grigg | SA7230 | |
10:00–10:45 - Concurrent Session 2 | ||
| The Rise of Food Insecurity: Challenges for International Students | SA8003 |
– Howard Cheng | SA7202 | |
– Sheila McManus and Aaron Stout | SA7212 | |
| My Journey with AI in Post-Secondary Education: Strategies and Discoveries – Michael Madore | SA7230 | |
11:00–11:45 - Concurrent Session 3 | ||
| Planning for Teaching: Questions to Ask Yourself | SA8003 |
– Jenny McCune | SA7202 | |
– Toupey Luft | SA7212 | |
| Awakening the Senses: Tuning In the Moment, Tuning Out the Anxiety – Deanna Oye | SA7230 | |
END SYMPOSIUM | ||