What makes a first-year class effective and engaging? A team of staff, students, and faculty has been exploring this question with the help of a grant from eCampus Ontario, and it is looking for help from first-year instructors all over campus.

As part of a project focused on making course redesign of difficult first-year courses a little easier, a team led by economics professors Michael Batu and Nurlan Turdaliev has been using two challenging economics courses as a case study.

Supported by the Centre for Teaching and Learning, the Office of Open Learning, and the Office of the Provost, they are analyzing course data, developing support materials and supplemental instruction activities, re-examining pedagogy and curricula, and pinpointing trends and student perceptions in an effort to improve the courses and develop a framework others can use to undertake similar projects.

They are currently looking for instructors of first-year courses willing to share the syllabi of their effective courses.

“There is so much good teaching on campus,” says Jeff Berryman, associate vice-president, academic. “But we don’t always have opportunities to learn from each other and borrow effective strategies from each other.”

This project, along with a recently launched faculty learning community on large-enrolment first-year classes, aims to provide opportunities for that kind of information exchange.

“We want to learn more about what’s working well here, with our own community of students!” he says.

To submit your course syllabi or for more information, email the project’s research associate Ashlyne O’Neil at oneil8@uwindsor.ca. For more information about the faculty learning community on large-enrolment classes, contact Judy Bornais, Dora Cavallo-Medved, or Danielle Soulliere.

The economics course redesign team: Michael Batu, Nurlan Turdaliev, Nick Baker, Ashlyne O’Neil, Beverley Hamilton, Marissa Biasi, Erika Kustra, Brunilda Gjini, Brandon Loshusan, Diana Liskovskaya, Ian Stecher, Austin Mejia, Dora Cavallo-Medved

Large-class enrolment learning community planning team: Judy Bornais, Dora Cavallo-Medved, Danielle Soulliere.

A series of free workshops this month promise an introduction to the three-dimensional world, courtesy of the UWin 3D Print Club.

Intro to 3D Printing is offered in room 1133, Centre for Engineering Innovation, on Saturday, October 7, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Intro to 3D Modeling is offered in room 126, LeBel Building, on Wednesday, October 18, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, October 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Intro to 3D Scanning is offered in room 1133, Centre for Engineering Innovation, on Wednesday, October 25, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, October 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Find more information on the club’s Facebook event page.

A free workshop Friday, October 6, will discuss tips to succeed in interviews for admission to professional programs like medical or dental school, occupational or physiotherapy.

Participants will learn strategies to effectively answer questions. Note: this session will not cover job interviews.

It runs 9 to 10:15 a.m. in suite 100, Joyce Entrepreneurship Centre. Register by logging in to https://success.uwindsor.ca, selecting “career,” then “career events.”

Tina Suntres, a research assistant in the Office of Research and Innovation Services, won Wednesday’s DailyNews trivia contest and two tickets to see DJ deadmau5 in concert at Caesars Windsor on Friday, October 6.

Suntres’s name was drawn from all respondents who correctly identified the musical artist’s name as Joel Zimmerman, his birthplace as Niagara Falls, and his work as having earned six Grammy nominations.

She’ll receive her tickets courtesy of staff member Lily Powis of the Faculty of Nursing.

Want to wear your loyalties on your sleeve? How about your whole arm? The Campus Bookstore is offering Lancer fans a line of casual apparel from Campus Crew.

Differing styles of sweatshirt and pants all bear variations on the Lancer shield, including hoodies with or without kangaroo pocket and elbow patches.

Prices range from $46.95 to $69.95, says marketing co-ordinator Martin Deck.

“These are a great value on quality garments from a Canadian company,” he says. “You’ll look good and feel good in these Lancer-wear items.”

See the stock in-store on the lower level of the CAW Student Centre, or in the online catalogue.

The recent temporary closure of Wyandotte Street west of Huron Church Road, coupled with the continuing closures of Riverside Drive and University Avenues, has led the city administration to make several changes to improve traffic flow and safety during the construction period.

Parking enforcement has removed from service several parking meters on the west side of Huron Church Road, directly north and south of Peter Street. The measure is intended to improve the sight lines for vehicles exiting Peter Street.

The city is also opening a route along University Avenue to Indian Road, allowing vehicles to access this corridor for travel east or west, thus providing further relief for the Peter/Huron Church intersection.