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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Teaching

Good teaching encourages students and gives them the opportunity to think independently and critically. Students should learn to question the material and interpretations they are presented with, while retaining new information, concepts and ideas. I aim to encourage students to be stimulated by and find enjoyment in their learning. I strive to bring out the best in every student by being aware of the variety of learning styles that students have, as well as any special needs that must be accommodated.

In all my courses, I make use of available technologies that can assist students with different needs and learning styles. For example, in large lecture-based courses, I have provided:

  • Audio recordings of lectures (for English-language learners and those with processing difficulties).
  • Images and videos (for visual learners).
  • Online quizzes and online discussion (to allow students to closely engage with the information and to reinforce learning).

I try to integrate such technologies seamlessly into the course and to not use them as add-ons.

Students of all ages arrive at UOIT with diverse cultural and religious backgrounds and bring to the classroom many different life experiences that should be acknowledged—if not explicitly, than implicitly—by treating the students and their ideas with respect. In my lectures and class discussions, I attempt to model respect for cultural and religious beliefs, while engaging in critical analyses that demonstrate how different world views and beliefs can change interpretations and understandings of social issues. I also believe I can learn as much from the students as they can from me.