About

The Institute for Engineering Teaching (IET) is a group of engineering educators who facilitate workshops on topics around curriculum, assessment, learning activities and more for the CEEA-ACÉG community.

Conference 2026 Workshops – Saturday, June 13

These workshops take place as part of the CEEA-ACÉG Conference in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Focused Topics Workshops – open to all, register as part of conference registration

The CEEA-ACÉG Institute for Engineering Teaching (IET) is pleased to announce two new focused topics workshops on Generative AI (GenAI) in engineering education. They explore how AI tools support course design and assessment while maintaining high expectations for critical thinking and disciplinary expertise. The workshops take a pedagogically grounded approach to AI, with an emphasis on constructive alignment, learning science, active learning, and Bloom’s taxonomy—principles that remain constant even as technology evolves. A central theme to the sessions is helping educators progress from AI literacy to AI fluency, both in their own teaching practice and in what they cultivate in their students. Sessions will also consider issues of academic integrity, equity, privacy, and ethics with GenAI.

The sessions are highly participatory and offered in person, with peer discussion and idea-sharing woven throughout. They are designed to be taken in sequence, but attendees may participate in either morning or afternoon independently. The workshops are open to all but assume some familiarity with foundational teaching concepts such as constructive alignment and Bloom’s taxonomy, and they build on these ideas to explore how AI tools can support effective teaching and learning. Attendees are expected to bring a web-enabled laptop or tablet to fully participate in the workshop activities.

Morning Workshop (9 AM – 12): AI Workflows for Engineering Educators.

This hands-on workshop focuses on the instructor’s side of AI: using GenAI tools to support common teaching tasks. With constructive alignment as a central theme, participants will work through realistic tasks such as drafting learning outcomes, generating and vetting quiz and exam questions, developing instructional materials, building rubrics, and reviewing assignments. The emphasis is not just on using AI efficiently, but on evaluating its outputs critically and ensure it serves course design. By the end, attendees will be able to coherently integrate AI tools into their teaching workflows while maintaining strong alignment between outcomes, learning activities, and assessment. (Facilitators: Nancy Nelson, Chirag Variawa, and Pete Ostafichuk)

Afternoon Workshop (1 – 4 PM): Teaching and Assessing in the Age of AI.

This workshop continues from the morning with a shift to the student-facing side: how to design courses that are not defeated by AI, but strengthened by it. Rather than chasing AI-proof assessments, participants will explore how to craft tasks that demand higher-order thinking (analysis, evaluation, and creation) where AI supports learning rather than serving as a shortcut to complete tasks. Drawing on constructive alignment and principles of effortful learning, the workshop addresses designing AI-resilient assessments, building activities that leverage AI at the upper levels of Bloom’s taxonomy, and maintaining academic integrity without abandoning meaningful challenge. Participants will also discuss how to sequence these experiences so students develop genuine AI fluency alongside disciplinary expertise. (Facilitators: Nancy Nelson, Chirag Variawa, and Pete Ostafichuk)

Foundations Workshop – only available to Future Leaders Academy participants

This full-day workshop will provide perspective, tools, tips, and tricks to help get the most out of your teaching. The IET is highly interactive, with an emphasis on effective, evidence-based methods and best practices in engineering education. We also walk the walk — we deliver the IET using the same techniques we promote, so participants will see them in action from the perspective of a learner. This workshop will explore multiple aspects of course design and delivery through the lens of constructive alignment. With lots of time for applying workshop concepts and for small and large-group discussion, participants will consider high-level course design, meaningful learning outcomes, engaging learning activities, and effective assessments. Delivered by a team of award-winning engineering educators, the IET includes plenty of opportunities for input and advice on any course design and delivery questions, and networking with other engineering educators from across the country. 

By the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:
  1. Use constructive alignment to create unified and impactful learning experiences
  2. Select and articulate appropriate learning goals for syllabi and lessons
  3. Devise appropriate learning activities and assessments, and evaluate their effectiveness
  4. Apply advances in cognitive psychology and neuroscience to teaching practice

Other IET Workshop Opportunities

Typically, the IET team runs an online foundations workshop as the Winter IET in February.

IET Facilitation Team

  • Agnes d’Entremont, University of British Columbia
  • Brian Frank, Queen’s University
  • Nancy Nelson, University of Waterloo
  • Peter Ostafichuk, University of British Columbia
  • Chirag Variawa, University of Toronto