Professor Pavelka

It's official. I'll be returning to work Nov 15 after a year of no sleep, mom brain, and endless diapers. I'm excited! What have I missed?

Good luck Jim!

Its my first day back in person at U of T and the first day of in class lecture for students in the ABP Program Science Program which has nearly doubled in size from its pilot year!

Welcome to our first fully remote fall term, everyone! Lots of big challenges and changes ahead. I was thrilled to see so many of my students on Zoom this morning for our first day in Org1 and Org2! Your smiling faces help so much :) We've been working hard all summer to provide the best possible remote delivery experience. I know it is not ideal and there are some big learning curves ahead, but thank you for your willingness to try new things and learn with us. I wish everyone the best of luck this term - stay healthy and safe!

It is time to rebuild trust between learners and educators. We need new and innovative assessment methods, not just exams. Exams have never been the best way to assess knowledge (at least not lasting knowledge). Increasing online surveillance is not the solutions for remote learning. Most people do their best learning through human interaction: discussion, explanation, working through challenges together. We are trying some new things for the summer courses, but I am interested to hear any ideas and feedback!

Keeping Online Testing Honest? Or an Orwellian Overreach? The rise of proctoring software to deter cheating alarms privacy advocates. Some students and professors find it invasive, too.

Federal government announces $9B financial relief package for students | University Affairs The Canada Emergency Student Benefit, Canada Student Service Grant, an expansion of the Canada Student Grant and some 76,000 jobs are some of the new measures announced.

Since so much has changed for everyone in the last few weeks, I wanted to share what a typical day looks like for me now.

My mornings consist of Lego, puzzles, short walks outside chasing squirrels and blowing bubbles, watching the news, and leisurely breakfasts with my family. Oh, and sometimes I need to hide in my room for a while to give a Zoom lecture. I try and remain in my PJs for as long as possible.

Then it is quick lunch, several stories, and nap time for my 2 yr old son. Blitz, work time! My husband and I scramble to get as much done during the 1-2h of quiet that takes over our house during nap time. This includes Zoom meetings, course content, Zoom meetings, course content, emails.... I get about 15% of what I had planned done.

My afternoons are much like the mornings. Sometimes we spice things up with a bit of baking or playing with trains. Good stuff. Sometimes I am a "bad parent" and plunk my kid down in front of "educational" TV while emergency work calls.

After dinner, there are more stories. Thank god my son loves a variety of stories. He's such a wonderful wee dude. But bedtime is not a quick process... Then I drag my tired bum back to work for a bit... or collapse. 50:50.

As much as I am tired all the time and am not nearly as productive as "before", this is small peanuts in the big picture problem. The family time is precious and such a gift. Our family is exceptionally lucky. I think about that every day as well.

This is an open dialogue - please share your days, if you wish. We all need a little extra support right now.

Not only is the Moitessier research group currently working on COVID treatment research, they are also working on informing the public with the best possible resources.

Moitessier Research Group In the age of fake news and miracle cures information about COVID-19 abounds. As scientists, it is our duty to sift through this sea of (mis)information and correctly inform the public about the challenges and advances made in understanding the virus, how it affects us and the quest for obtaining a....

Let the online teaching adventure begin. Thank you to my huge support team of instructors, admin, TAs, and undergrad helpers. I think we are ready?

Happy New Year everyone! Bit of a whirlwind start for me - back to back classes today, with just a dollop of technical difficulties... Can only get better? Bring it on!

Reminder that Chem 212 Chem Cram is this afternoon! See you there.

Reasons to Complete your Course Evaluations Your course evaluation feedback makes a difference. Watch this video to find out why you should complete your course evaluations. Questions? Email mercury.in...