Author: Sherri Steele

Sherri Steele, Ph.D (Medical Science) is a passionate and dedicated educator whose career in the Ontario College system has included several faculty and leadership roles since 2008. Her teaching experience is in the field of life and health sciences, spanning all levels of credentials. In her work with faculty, Sherri brings a practical and energetic approach to teaching and learning practices, with a keen interest in supporting faculty with quality assessment practices that focus on outcomes-alignment, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the progression of meaningful student learning.

Exploring SoTL: Enhancing Learning and Teaching Through Research

Reading Time: 2 minutesThis post was authored by Dr. Launa Gauthier, Teaching and Learning’s new SoTL Consultant. Have you ever found yourself frustrated over classroom challenges, pondering student engagement, or questioning the effectiveness of your teaching methods? Perhaps you’ve even felt inspired to try something new but lacked clarity on whether it would have an impact on your students’ learning.  Many of us...

Proctoring Technologies for Tests & Exams

Reading Time: 3 minutesEffective test and exam proctoring is an important part of the work that we do as faculty to ensure integrity and create supportive spaces for students to participate in assessments. This guide will provide you with strategies and considerations for the use of technology in support of proctoring practices across the various modes of delivery at Conestoga. For courses taught...

Rubric Quick Guide: Levels and Point Values

Reading Time: 3 minutesThis quick guide provides directions and options related to level structure and assignment of point values for rubrics that reduce grade creep – See Updating Rubrics to Prevent Grade Inflation – and increase reliability and efficiency of marking (Chowdhury, 2018).  (Stay tuned for a series of Quick Guides to support rubric development from start to finish!) For assessment criteria that...

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Assessment Statements for Students

Reading Time: 3 minutesBefore we get started, please note: The college continues to update its guidelines for experimentation with genAI technologies in teaching and learning. Consult the AI Experiment Form if you want to explore the experimental use of genAI beyond Copilot as a Conestoga employee. Conestoga students have access to Copilot, so it’s important to clarify the purpose and place of using...

Advising Students on Detection Software Used in Assessments

Reading Time: 3 minutesThis guide is provided to you by Teaching and Learning and the Privacy Office at Conestoga. Messaging to Students on Detection Software Used in Assessments Students have a right based on privacy and copyright law to opt out of detection software use. It is important to communicate to students any use of detection tools such as Turnitin and Respondus Monitor...

Helping Students Understand Assignments in Your Course

Reading Time: < 1 minuteThis learning pathway video introduces new faculty to some important ideas and considerations for ensuring that their students understand the assignments in their course. Helpful Resources Related to Assessment Preparing for Assessment Pathway – Marking Assignments in eConestoga Grading Bias: Making Marking More Equitable for All Learners Creating a Rubric Interested in Learning More About Assessment? Teaching and Learning offers...

Grading Bias: Making Marking More Equitable for All Learners

Reading Time: 5 minutes“As a profession, teaching is full of well-intentioned individuals deeply committed to seeing all [students] succeed.” Staats, C. (2016) Student learning, growth, development, and ultimate success provide most educators with the WHY behind the work done by educators. It is this genuine and authentic care for students and their well-being that requires pause and reflection upon the potential impact of...

Making the Essential Elements Work for Students

Reading Time: 3 minutesBy Sherri Steele and Joel Beaupré, Teaching & Learning Consultants At Conestoga, students are supported in their courses through the use of a Learning Management System (LMS) which has been branded as “eConestoga” and is built within the Desire2Learn (D2L) platform called Brightspace. The organization and structure of courses within eConestoga create a foundation for the overall learning experience for...