Long Weekend Update: Please see the hours below for Friday June 26.
North Campus
Lakeshore Campus
Reminder: All Food Services locations will be closed on Staff Appreciation Day (June 30) and Canada Day (July 1).
Please view the attachment to read the candidate profiles.
These are the highlights of this month’s new and improved features in Blackboard Ultra are available beginning Thursday, July 3. The most relevant updates are related to a few key areas:
Add Captions to Image Blocks in Blackboard Ultra Documents
Instructors can now add captions above or below image blocks in Documents, and can be added through the settings of the image as shown in the screenshot below:
Captions provide context and support understanding, helping students engage more deeply with visual content, and will look like this in your documents once added:
Anthology has streamlined the course editing experience by allowing instructors to change folders to learning modules and vice versa.
To enhance interoperability and streamline assessment creation, Anthology now supports the import of questions from QTI packages into banks. Instructors and instructional designers often use different tools to create assessments, and ensuring a smooth transfer of questions between platforms is critical. With this update, users can import QTI v2.1 formatted questions into banks efficiently, maintaining compatibility with industry standards. Questions that are supported include:
During the import process, users will receive notifications indicating the upload progress, success, or failure. If any individual questions cannot be converted due to unsupported types or behaviors, the system will provide clear feedback, ensuring instructors are informed of limitations. This improvement allows institutions to leverage QTI-based assessment content more effectively, making course transitions and content management more seamless.
Managing graded items is now more flexible with the addition of the No Category option in the Grade Category dropdown menu by Anthology. This change allows instructors to remove an item from a category without needing to assign it elsewhere. By selecting No Category, no category data is stored, keeping grading workflows simple while maintaining consistency.
The No Category option appears in the Grade Category dropdown menu for all items, making it easy to keep grading structures clean and organized. Selecting No Category ensures that the item is not linked to any grading category, and no data is stored for it in the system, allowing instructors to tailor grade organization more precisely to fit their course needs.
Anthology has made several enhancements to the pop-out rubric in the Gradebook.
Reviewing and grading group submissions is now more efficient with the addition of Previous and Next navigation controls. Instructors can efficiently move between group submissions using header bar controls, creating a smoother grading experience with fewer clicks.
Instructors can now verify which students have marked an announcement as viewed. By selecting the viewer count on the main Announcements page, instructors can open a list showing who has and hasn’t acknowledged the message. From this list, instructors can send a message to follow up with students who haven’t viewed the announcement or confirm that key information was received. This helps instructors understand how effectively their announcements are reaching students.
In this screenshot, you can see the number of viewers under the announcements tab:
And you can also see the list of viewers by clicking on the Viewer count:
Anthology has enhanced the formula rendering experience in the Content Editor by implementing MathJax, a powerful tool for displaying mathematical notation. This update improves the visual accuracy and consistency of LaTeX-based formulas, aligning them more closely with scientific and academic standards.
MathJax offers a more precise rendering style preferred by many STEM instructors. When activated, MathJax will automatically render LaTeX code entered directly in the Content Editor across supported areas of Blackboard. Wiris is still available as the default to render formulas for the Content Editor. If MathJax is not activated, Wiris will render formulas.
For more information, please read more at Anthology's Blackboard website here.
Need support? Contact the Innovative Learning Support Centre. We are here to help!
Innovative Learning thanks you for joining us at Showcase 2025: Building Brilliance, our annual event celebrating the innovative work of the Humber community.
Over 270 Humber faculty, staff and student collaborators were at this year’s Showcase, which took place at the Lakeshore Campus. It was a day full of teaching and learning, collaboration and networking with colleagues and peers.
We hope you found the sessions useful and took away some key insights from Dane Jensen’s keynote address, “Building Personal Resilience.”
Thank you to everyone who completed the Showcase Feedback Survey. We appreciate your input and will use your feedback to improve future events.
As part of the survey, attendees were given the opportunity to vote for sessions in three categories. We are pleased to announce the winners:
Best Aligns with the Showcase Theme
Session: "And then it went horribly wrong!" How to Make Thesis Research Fun
Presenters: Doug Thomson, Meghan Martone, Tayub Butt, Hannah Lalonde, Kristen Ferro
Most Engaging
Session: Re-imagining Learning Experiences with the Idea Lab
Presenters: Ewan Gibson, Erin Walker, Valerie Benigno, Renata Pinto, Rafia Naz, Julia Woernert, Loreanne Larbi
Most Innovative
Session: Simulation-Based Learning to Build Resilience in Behavioural Science Students
Presenters: Jeffrey Ng, John Kosmopoulos
Each member of the winning teams will receive a signed copy of Dane Jensen’s book, The Power of Pressure.
To claim your prize, please email melinna.chen@humber.ca.
For a summary of the day’s highlights and statistics, please refer to the attached flyer.
Thank you again for your participation. We look forward to seeing you next year!
Showcase Committee
Innovative Learning
On July 2, 2025, Humber will launch the new Humber Real Estate Education website, a redesigned and DXP-enabled platform that marks the start of a new chapter in real estate education. Applications for new learners also open that day.
The new site will serve as the destination for learners to explore and apply to Humber’s fully online Real Estate Salesperson and Real Estate Broker programs, both approved by the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO). This new experience includes program delivery and support through Blackboard and Microsoft Teams, with exams administered through Meazure Learning, creating a modern and supported learning environment.
In addition, the site introduces an expanded portfolio of industry-associated programs designed by industry to meet evolving sector needs. These programs are taught by Humber’s experienced professionals and reflect current practices across the real estate landscape. They include:
Current learners will continue to complete their education through the existing humber.ca/realestate platform, which will remain active and supported through September 30, when the learners will continue in the new program until completion.
This launch is part of Humber’s transition to a Digital Experience Platform (DXP) that is modernizing our websites to better serve learners. The new site has been designed to provide a clear, engaging, and career-focused experience for prospective students.
This milestone site launch continues Humber’s “Experience First” approach to digital transformation, creating a more intuitive and supportive online journey.
| Wanda Buote and Ruth Butlin Real Estate Education Project Co-Sponsors |
Ruth Butlin and Andrew Leopold DXP Project Co-Sponsors |
On July 2, Humber is scheduled to introduce new Admissions webpages (humber.ca/study-at-humber) as part of the migration of humber.ca to a new Digital Experience Platform (DXP). On average, the admissions pages receive 300,000 pageviews and 66,000 unique users per month and provide key enrolment touchpoints for the institution.
New Name
The important suite of services and resources on these webpages will now be called “Study at Humber” to reflect that the information housed there is important and relevant to all students, from when they are prospects to when they graduate. Study at Humber will include the academic calendar, academic records, transfer options, convocation information, and more.
New Navigation
The webpages have been redesigned with an experience-first approach, a completely reinvented flow of information and terms that are easier for users to understand. A robust contact us page provides an extensive list of support service contact details.
Anchored in the whole student experience, the new webpages will help people plan and navigate their entire Humber journey. The launch of the Study at Humber webpages will be the first DXP-enabled webpages with an enrolment focus.
Thank you to the DXP and Registrar’s Office teams for their collaboration and this project and for their work in migrating the new webpages.
As Builders of Brilliance, Humber continues to define polytechnic education and reimagine learning. That includes providing an unparalleled student experience in person, on campus, and digitally from our first interactions. As a reflection of this commitment, the DXP includes an integrated suite of tools and apps to create meaningful relationships with our prospects, students and alumni as they engage with Humber on our websites and digital media.
DXP is Humber’s investment in a new web platform that will support a radically enhanced online experience for all websites within the humber.ca domain. Learn more in the Communiqué post “What is DXP?”
The DXP-enabled humber.ca website is part of the Digital Student Experience (DSX) Program that emerged from the 2023-2026 Digital Campus and Academic Plans and focuses on enhancing the digital student experience.
Ruth Butlin and Andrew Leopold
Project Co-Sponsors
I am pleased to announce that Todd Carmichael has been appointed as the new Principal of Lakeshore Campus.
Todd brings a wealth of experience to the role, with a career that spans the private sector, international development, and more than a decade in higher education. He began his professional journey as an exploration geophysicist, working both in Canada and internationally, before transitioning to roles in community health with Canadian and global non-governmental organizations. His work in international development supported grassroots initiatives across East and Southern Africa, as well as South Asia.
Todd later joined Toronto Metropolitan University, where he led a Global Affairs Canada-funded program in Latin America and went on to serve as Director of the university’s international office. He also held faculty-based roles focused on strategic planning and partnership development, contributing significantly to the institution’s global engagement strategy.
Most recently, Todd has been part of Humber’s Integrated Planning and Strategy division, where he supported operational planning for key initiatives from the Humber Inspired planning process and the Building Brilliance vision.
Todd is also a proud Humber alumnus, having graduated from the Graduate Certificate program in International Project Management at Lakeshore Campus in 2005. His return to Lakeshore in this leadership role brings his Humber journey full circle.
Todd holds a BSc in Engineering from Queen’s University and is currently a doctoral candidate in the Doctor of Business Administration, Higher Education Management program at the University of Bath.
Todd will commence his new role on August 28th - please join me in congratulating him as he begins his new role.
Gina Antonacci
Senior Vice-President, Academic
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Kristan Lingard as the Senior Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellness.
Kristan brings over 15 years of progressive academic and administrative leadership at Humber, most recently serving as Acting Senior Dean of the Faculty. Her appointment reflects a deep and ongoing commitment to student success, educational excellence, and institutional innovation. In her interim role, she provided strategic and operational leadership during a period of significant growth and transformation, expanding program delivery across multiple campuses, increasing enrollment and developing new programs. She is a strong champion of innovations in interprofessional education, simulation-based learning, and competency-based curricular design.
Throughout her career at Humber, Kristan has also served as Associate Dean, Program Coordinator, and Professor. A Registered Kinesiologist and former hospital-based practitioner, she brings an appreciation of the intersection between academic programming and health system needs. She is committed to strengthening regulatory and industry partnerships and advancing inclusive and responsive education at Humber.
Kristan holds a Master of Science degree in Kinesiology from York University, and she is currently completing her Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership at Western University, where she is building on her evidence-informed and reflective approach to academic leadership.
We look forward to Kristan’s continued leadership as she advances the Faculty’s mission to prepare skilled, compassionate, and career-ready graduates who will shape the future of health and wellness in Canada and beyond.
Please join me in congratulating Kristan as she begins her new role.
Gina Antonacci
Senior Vice-President, Academic
The Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education (JIPE) is pleased to announce the publication of “Impact Assessment of Technical Instruction and Vocational Andragogy Training for TVET Trainers of Bhutan” by Sangay Tshewang, M. Ed; Yonten Pelzang, MPA; Karma Dorji, Diploma in EE & TE
Abstract:
This study examined the effectiveness of Technical and Vocational Andragogy or Instruction Pedagogy (ToT) training and how it can enhance trainers' performance in delivery. Trainers' performance is vital to every country; Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Bhutan is no exception. The study was based on an explorative research design with descriptive analysis. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the respondents (trainers). The survey research instrument (self-administered questionnaire) was designed to have both open-ended and closed-ended items.
The study's findings revealed that 70 per cent of TVET trainers in Technical Training Institutes (TTIs) and Institutes of Zorig Chusum (IZCs) have diplomas, indicating a need to upgrade their qualifications. The study found that 96.4 per cent of trainers strongly agreed that the ToT training has helped develop their confidence, which gave them more self-assurance. The content is objectively aligned and well-structured, with an 84.9 per cent positive evaluation. 88 per cent of respondents claimed they could replicate the knowledge and skills learned during the ToT program. Knowledgeable and experienced instructors can motivate students and ensure that more objective assessments produce better outcomes. This corroborates the study's findings, which indicate that 93 per cent of participants concur that their instructors' professional ability can significantly impact graduates' performance.
The Technical Teacher Training and Resource Centre (TTTRC) technical instruction and vocational andragogy program received 73 per cent satisfaction. This study enhances TTTRC's capabilities and role in TVET faculty capacity development, supporting a paradigm change in instructional pedagogy. It provides policy intervention and feedback to strengthen the program over the next twenty years.
Read “Impact Assessment of Technical Instruction and Vocational Andragogy Training for TVET Trainers of Bhutan”: https://doi.org/10.69520/jipe.v7i1.239
About JIPE
The Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education (JIPE) is an online, open-access journal that mobilizes knowledge and insights generated by the global polytechnic community. JIPE is electronically published by Humber Press at Humber Polytechnic. JIPE is accepting submissions on a rolling basis. To learn more about JIPE, please visit jipe.ca or email humberpress@humber.ca.
In a period of heightened concern over Canada’s youth unemployment, which is currently hovering near 15 per cent and represents one of the highest rates in recent years, Humber’s Community Outreach and Workforce Development (COWD) department is responding with purpose. Our recent Student Hiring Event at the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation brought together more than 600 student jobseekers and 12 prominent employers, including Costco, Achev, EZ Care Nursing, Sentient HR, and others. The event marked a strategic effort by Humber and COWD to support young job seekers during a critical time.
In the face of these challenges, the event offered more than just opportunity. It delivered real impact. Employers represented a wide range of sectors, including business, health care, trades, and administration, offering students access to meaningful and relevant employment options. Many attendees arrived well-prepared, and several left with interviews already lined up.
From a workforce development perspective, the event achieved several key outcomes. For students, it created immediate connections with hiring managers and opened doors to job leads. For employers, it offered direct access to a pool of skilled and motivated local candidates, reducing recruitment time and costs. For the broader community, it strengthened the local economy by matching youth with available roles and building the region’s talent pipeline.
This success was made possible thanks to the collaboration of Humber’s faculties, who played a key role in promoting the event to students. We also extend our appreciation to the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation for providing the venue and to Advising and Career Services for their support with logistics and outreach.
COWD’s Student Hiring Event helped fill job roles, bridged critical experience gaps, and demonstrated how targeted, community-based engagement can support youth in making the transition from education to employment.
