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Future Frontiers

Classroom strategies to apply Design Thinking in CS  and Technology courses

Design Thinking is an approach to solving difficult problems, widely adopted in industry and healthcare. This hands-on session, will start with a crash course in Design Thinking, introducing our scaffolded worksheets (available as Google Slides and PowerPoints), picking one or more problems, and going through the first stages of DT. Teachers can come with their own problems, or groups will work on our pre-planned problem “How can we increase diversity in computer science and software engineering education and career pathways?” We like this problem because you will be able to role-play parents and grade 7-10 students making career decisions. Participants will get a sharable link to our worksheets, and a link to our free book, so you are ready to implement DT in your classrooms. Attendance in the first DT workshop will be helpful, but not necessary.

Reclaiming Thinking: Crafting AI-Resilient, Student-Centered Assignments

Generative AI has revealed a persistent issue in assessment design: many traditional assignments can be completed without sustained student thinking. Instead of attempting to make assignments “AI-proof,” this session examines how to design AI-resilient, student-centered tasks that make thinking visible, authentic, and accessible. Grounded in the ADAPT framework (Authentic, Dynamic, Active, Personalized, Transparent), the session introduces the Assignment Strengthener custom GPT as a practical design aid for stress-testing and strengthening assignments. Participants will see concrete examples across subject areas and leave with clear strategies for creating assignments that function effectively in AI-rich classrooms.

Hands-on Exploration of Cybersecurity operations

Explore Field Effect’s Ottawa cloud-based cyber range – the same one that the Canadian Forces uses for cyber training! On a Chromebook you can work in Windows or Linux virtual machines and develop the hands-on IT and networking skills required to approach interdisciplinary cybersecurity challenges – all provided freely by ICTC through federal Cancode funding. Any web-based device will work but a keyboard and mouse are handy for navigation. Introductory activities raise awareness of operating systems and build fundamental navigation skills on popular OSes. Interdisciplinary advanced cyber activities assume these fundamental skills and provide a framework for getting into concepts like firewalls, encryption and defensive operations.

Quantum Technologies Surround Us! Do you teach them?

This presentation will reframe quantum from being ‘the next big thing’ to ‘an evolution we’ve been experiencing for the past century’. Many aspects of digital technology are built on quantum mechanical foundations and understanding this helps both students and teachers better comprehend what’s coming next. BYOD to access resources such as UBC’s Quantum Arcade and see the latest being developed at University of Waterloo’s Quantum Institute. Connections to our quantum centres of excellence in Canada is key to developing future Canadian talent in the field. By demystifying quantum technologies and encouraging students to play with unintuitive concepts rather than overwhelming them with speculative science fiction, the quantum nature of our technology becomes clear and students are able to prepare for participation in a quantum industry that will grow dramatically in the next decade.