In conjunction with the annual conference of the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE), the recipients of this year’s D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning gathered for a retreat housed at the Jane and Ron Graham Centre for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at the University of Saskatchewan. The retreat is the signature event for the teams recognized by this award, which celebrates excellence in collaborative teaching and learning in post-secondary education.
The day-long retreat featured lively conversation about teaching, a field trip to the Canadian Light Source and presentations from the award recipients.
After the event, I asked for reflections on the experience. Check out the first-hand insights and reflections from a few of the retreat participants:
Contributors
Dr. Judy Jaunzems-Fernuk
Lecturer, Department of Curriculum Studies; Well-being Coordinator, College of Law, University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Benjamin Hoy
Associate Professor of History, University of Saskatchewan
Diane Horton
Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto
David Liu
Associate Professor, Teaching Stream and Associate Chair, Undergraduate, Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto
Dr. Jovan Groen
Director of Academic Quality and Enhancement, Western University, outgoing co-coordinator
Dr. Aleksandra Zecevic
Associate Professor, Western University, outgoing co-coordinator
Dr. Laura Bulk
Assistant Professor of Teaching, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Department, University of British Columbia, incoming co-coordinator
Michael Lee
Professor of Teaching, Associate Head of Educational Affairs, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Department, University of British Columbia, incoming co-coordinator
Dr. Judy Jaunzems-Fernuk, Lecturer, Department of Curriculum Studies; Well-being Coordinator, College of Law, University of Saskatchewan: The D2L retreat was definitely an inspiring and affirming experience. It was more than I expected in terms of connections and collegial impact. Spending the day with like-minded colleagues deeply committed to student success and pedagogical innovation was both valuable and energizing! It was a fantastic way to kick off a conference. I found particular value in the open and generous sharing of diverse approaches to teaching and learning, which meet many needs in education and beyond. It reinforced the idea that innovation doesn’t have to be flashy or technological. It can (and further, should) be deeply human, relational and responsive to students’ evolving needs. I also took away that when we come together, take a leap of faith towards something we believe in for the better good, we thrive as leaders, educators and researchers. It was a powerful day.
Throughout the retreat, we connected on a meaningful level about unique and impactful projects that highlighted the importance of collaboration and co-creation in the learning process. One impactful moment was to see the team from Queens honor every single contributor to their project. Their leadership demonstrates to others that we must honor all of the voices that bring research and great projects to the arena of education. Each initiative demonstrated that innovation flourishes when humans care and come together with a shared vision of uplifting students and learning!
Another insight that stood out was how many of us, though working in different disciplines and institutions, are driven by similar goals: equity, engagement, and meaning-making in education. It reminded me that the work we do has a collective impact and that the most sustainable innovations often emerge through teamwork and shared values. I left the retreat feeling both validated in my own teaching journey and motivated to continue reaching out, collaborating, and learning from others. Many connections were made, and it was an experience I won’t forget!
Dr. Benjamin Hoy, Associate Professor of History, University of Saskatchewan: The D2L retreat showcased the breadth and power of collaborative teaching. It was incredible to see what can be accomplished when dozens of people (from teenagers to senior administrators) come together to solve pressing problems. I left the retreat with insights into new methods I can apply to my own research, as well as a better sense of how to work around the common challenges facing post-secondary educators.
Diane Horton, Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto: I was struck by an unexpected relationship between our project, on bringing conversations about ethics into computer science classrooms, and another project that couldn’t be more different. Benjamin Hoy and the team at the University of Saskatchewan have developed, tested, and taught with an intriguing game that is designed to teach historical empathy by working through challenging situations faced by indigenous, settler, and immigrant communities. The game raises difficult issues. By playing through the experiences of one family, a student is given some distance from their own experiences, and by reading events, choices, and outcomes from the cards in the game, they are provided with language they can use.
In our work [with the Embedded Ethics Education Initiative at the University of Toronto], we want students to consider the impact of the choices they make when designing technology. An important priority has been to make students feel safe while having conversations about ethics in the classroom. One strategy we use is to describe a particular person who may be impacted and have students make arguments from that person’s point of view. We also provide students with concepts and language from philosophy that they can use to analyze and discuss ethical issues.
I found it fascinating that these two very different projects have these things in common.
David Liu, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream and Associate Chair, Undergraduate, Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto: The retreat was a fantastic way to learn about innovative and inspiring educational projects happening all around Canada. I was particularly struck by the variety of disciplines represented by the projects—I am so used to hearing about educational initiatives in my own discipline of computer science and so felt like my understanding of the teaching and learning landscape truly broadened as a result of the day. I also feel lucky to have been able to form connections with new colleagues in this more intimate setting, and I’m hoping to stay in touch with many of them over the coming years!
The 2025 retreat marked an important transition between our co-coordinator team from Western University, Jovan Groen and Aleksandra Zecevic to our newly minted co-coordinators, Michael Lee and Laura Bulk, from the University of British Columbia. The coordinators play an important role in supporting the D2L Innovation Award.
Both Jovan and Aleks offered their sentiments on their tenure as co-coordinators.
Dr. Jovan Groen, Director of Academic Quality and Advancement, Western University, outgoing co-coordinator: Serving as co-coordinator for this award has been one of the most enjoyable service contributions that I have had in my career thus far. [It has been] such a privilege and pleasure to work with passionate advocates and experts in the adjudication team. In terms of the projects, the caliber of submissions over the years has become ever more impressive. Reading through these has consistently been inspiring and energizing – showcasing such diverse postsecondary innovations. An additional treat has been the opportunity to engage with, and learn from, the award-winning team members themselves during the pre-conference retreat.
Dr. Aleksandra Zecevic, Associate Professor, Western University, outgoing co-coordinator: It was a privilege meeting and interacting with teams of exceptional innovators and leaders in higher education in Canada. My hope is that the award-winning solutions to omnipresent problems will find users beyond their home programs and institutions. After four stimulating years of co-coordinating the D2L Innovation Award in Teaching in Learning, as our term comes the end, Jovan and I would like to extend deep gratitude to the D2L for their vision in creating this Award, D2L representatives who brought much joy and energy to the retreats, STLHE leadership and the administrative office for unwavering support, adjudicators who brought the best applications to the fore, and the Award recipients for inspiring our own work.
I also asked Michael Lee and Dr. Laura Bulk, the incoming co-coordinators of the award for their collective reflections. They noted that “engaging with D2L Innovation Award recipients was the most enriching experience at the retreat, and the opportunity to continue the engagement throughout the STLHE conference made it even richer! Their groundbreaking projects showcase numerous creative strategies for addressing challenges faced in higher education.”
While sharing how we address these complex issues, Laura and Michael found inspiration in their diverse approaches and solutions. This exchange of ideas both sparked their enthusiasm for learner-centered education and provided them with practical strategies to foster an innovative learning community that benefits their students, their colleagues, and their own professional development.
When asked about what is to come, the incoming co-coordinators noted “We are thrilled to be coordinating the D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning. It will be an honor to recognize and celebrate innovative teams that exemplify excellence in collaborative teaching and learning in higher education. Acknowledging these exceptional contributions is crucial for encouraging innovation and excellence across our educational communities.”
Reading these reflections and participating in the retreat reminded me of how apropos it is that Saskatoon, the city where the retreat was held, is known as the “City of Bridges.” The retreat experience and the D2L Innovation Award highlights the myriad bridges across our work in teaching and learning, even when the subject area seems quite different, and how important it is to create spaces to allow for the discovery of these pathways. Along the journey, learning moments emerge—sometimes in the most unexpected ways!
Please visit the D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning page for more information.
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