Who We Are

SALTISE (Supporting Active Learning & Technological Innovation in Studies of Education), and S4 (Systems, Supporting, Student Success) is a learning community service that brings together instructors and professional development staff from English and French educational institutions within the greater Montreal area, as well as other regions of Quebec. The key goals of SALTISE/S4 are based on the ideals of implementing evidence-based pedagogy involving instructional innovations and often leveraging the use of educational technology to promote improved learning.

Objectives

SALTISE/S4 organizes events and workshops designed to aid the education community and all who are interested in developing ways to encourage greater student engagement leading to learning. Increased student engagement leads to a more successful pedagogy.  SALTISE/S4 has hosted international and national scholars, as well as provided opportunities for local experts to share best practices in the area of active learning pedagogy and the use of technology. Over the years, these activities have brought together hundreds of instructors from around Quebec.

SALTISE/S4 members have presented their expanding repertoire of best practices at conferences in Quebec, across Canada, and internationally. SALTISE/S4 members are among some of the most dedicated instructors and have won provincial and national awards for their inventiveness, design of pedagogical innovations and community building – e.g., the Shifting Minds National Award from the C21 Canada; Canadian Association of Physicists teaching award (2011 & 2013); and the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education College Sector Educator Award 2012 & 2016, among others.

Funding

SALTISE began as a two-year Chantier 3 inter-order grant1 funded by Quebec’s Ministry of Education, Sports and Leisure (MELS)

  • Grant title: L’appel à la technologie et à l’innovation pour parfaire l’enseignement des sciences, grant #1126.
  • Grant written by: Professors Robert Bracewell, Gail Seiler & Roger Azevedo (McGill’s Faculty of Education); Professors Elizabeth S. Charles & Silvia d’Apollonia (Dawson College); Professor Nathaniel Lasry (John Abbott College). Collaborators: Professor Ken Ragan (Faculty of Science, McGill); Professors Marielle Beauchemin & Kevin Lenton (Vanier College); Murray Bronet (John Abbott College); Chris Whittaker & Suzanne Kunicki (Dawson College).
  • Grant awarded: 2011-13

SALTISE/S4 owes its continued existence to funding from the Entente Canada-Québec funding agency. This provincially managed, cross-Canada program, supports education-based initiatives for minority language and second language education projects that promote improving the quality of education for students of the linguistic minority and conditions learning second languages.

  • Grant title: Active Learning & Pedagogical Innovation Center (ALPIC). French title: Centre d’apprentissage actif et d’innovation pédagogique.
  • Grant written by: Professors Elizabeth S. Charles (Dawson College) & Nathaniel Lasry (John Abbott College), grant held by Dawson College in collaboration with John Abbott College.
  • Grants awarded: 2014-15; 2015-16; 2016-17; 2017-18; 2018-19.
  • Current grant awarded for F2020 – W2025, ending in June 2025.

1 Chantier 3 is considered the Projet Interordre – Programme de collaboration universités – colleges. The Project title: L’appel à la technologie et à l’innovation pour parfaire l’enseignement des sciences.

What We Do

Annual Conference

SALTISE hosts international and national scholars, and provides opportunities for local experts to share best practices in the area of active learning pedagogy and the use of technology through our annual conference. Check out our past conferences 

Awards

SALTISE gives three types of awards:

  • Lifetime Award
  • Best Practices & Pedagogical Innovators Award
    – Award for College Instructors
    – Award for University Instructors
    – Award for College Pedagogical Counsellors or Educational Developers
  • Student Award.
    – Award for Undergraduate, College or Continuing Education student (full or part-time)
    – Award for Graduate student (full or part-time)
Click Here to View our Award Recipients

Innovations & Resources

Distributed Active Learning Integrated Technology Environment — myDALITE— is a free open-source web-based platform that promotes conceptual learning. Its pedagogical foundations are guided by social learning and based on learning principles and practical know-how.

myDALITE has a growing database of questions in subjects ranging from chemistry to the humanities. It is funded by the SALTISE/S4 grant and aims to be the home of an open-source community offering high-impact high-quality learning resources built for teachers by teachers

Click here to discover more about myDALITE and learn how to sign up.

CourseFlow is an interactive and dynamic tool developed by the SALTISE/S4 team that allows for instructional design and pedagogical planning at the lesson level (activity or lesson plan), the course level, and the program level. In practical terms it may be considered an interactive and dynamic course outline and lesson planning tool.

Click here to discover more about CourseFlow and learn how to sign up.

Active Learning (AL) classrooms are spaces designed to facilitate the implementation of active learning pedagogies by supporting collaboration between students. Often, ALC are technology-rich learning spaces featuring computing devices, installed or brought into the room. SALTISE members, primarily at Dawson College and McGill University, have made considerable contributions to the design and research of active learning classrooms.

Community Outreach

Associated local communities and partners who promote evidence-based instruction, new pedagogies, and develop best practices, click here to discover the list.

The SALTISE Fellows Program aims to bring the teachers released by the project closer to the SALTISE community and to each other as a team (S4-Fellows Team). The Program is designed to expand the individual teacher’s knowledge and expertise of evidence-based pedagogical practices as well as their understanding and use of the SALTISE supported tools such as myDALITE, CourseFlow, Visual Classroom, Perusall, etc. As well, the Fellows are expected to contribute to the SALTISE resources by documenting and/or developing materials associated with one of these tools or the website.

SALTISE will support 5-7 fellows per academic year. The teaching release for each fellow is calculated based on their discipline and the availability of funding. Ideally, fellows are recruited in the Winter semester of the preceding year and begin their one-year term in the fall.

Mini-Grants 2013-2019
The aim of the SALTISE Mini-Grant program was to support efforts to develop materials and tools that enrich the students’ learning experiences and promote the use of active learning instruction at the post-secondary level. Eligible individuals included faculty, instructional designers and professionals; and, post-doctoral and graduate students working with eligible faculty in Quebec. The outcome of the ideal project was to see students improve their learning through participation in a learning activity or through the use of a learning tool.

Project Grant Program F2023 – W2024
In fall 2023 SALTISE initiated a grant program to support active learning projects across institutions and organizations in Quebec. These grants are awarded to projects that build or sustain ongoing groups producing activities and technological innovations that promote active learning.

Contact the SALTISE Office for more information.

Who’s Who at SALTISE

Current Executive Members

SALTISE’s organizational structure is composed of Directors and Executive Committee members. The aim of this structure is to have representatives from all of our participating institutions. With that, the number of members on the Executive Committee is not rigid but is intended to be expanding.

Discover our Current Executive Members

Past Executive Committee Members

We thank our past committee members for their contribution and support of SALTISE.

  • Nathaniel Lasry (Saltise Co-director, Physics, John Abbott College)
  • Jim Sparks (Education advisor, Champlain College)
  • Founding Members (emeritus and external) Roger Azevedo (North Carolina State University, external), Bob Bracewell (McGill University, emeritus), Silvia d’Apollonia (Dawson College, emeritus), Gale Seiler (Iowa State University, external)

Innovators – Members of the SALTISE Community

SALTISE is a community of educational researchers, post-secondary instructors and faculty developers, across Montreal and the Province of Quebec who actively promote national and international collaborations and partnerships. Our common interests are the exploration and implementation of evidence-based innovations in pedagogy and educational technology.

Meet the SALTISE Community

Past Conference Committee Members

Throughout the years SALTISE has grown due to the support of countless volunteers. We thank all our conference committee members!

SALTISE 13th conference committees – 2024

SALTISE 12th conference committees – 2023

SALTISE 11th Conference Committees – 2022

THÈME | Aller de l’avant ensemble : opportunités et défis pour l’innovation pédagogique
THEME | Moving Forward Together: Opportunities and Challenges for Pedagogical Innovation



Conference Co-Chairs / Coordinators

  • Suéli Bonafim (SALTISE),
  • Bojana Krsmanovic

Innovator Awards Selection Sub-Committee

  • Sarah Anthony (Co-Chair, McGill University),
  • Azra Khan (Co-Chair, Dawson College),
  • Murray Bronet (John Abbott College),
  • Carol Hawthorne (Concordia University), and
  • Armin Yazdani (McGill University)

Student Awards Selection Sub-Committee

  • Janaya Gripper (Co-Chair, SALTISE),
  • Chao Zhang (Co-Chair, McGill University)

Logistics & IT Sub-Committee

  • Cory Legassic (Chair, Dawson College),
  • Lorraine Chiarelli (Concordia University),
  • Myriam Dimanche (Dawson),
  • Joel Weibe (University of Toronto), and
  • Florence Sedaminou Muratet (Collecto)

Program & Schedule

  • Michael Dugdale (Co-Chair, John Abbott College),
  • Elizabeth Charles (Co-Chair, Dawson),
  • Ken Ragan (McGill),
  • Chao Zhang


Volunteer Committee

  • Jennifer Mitchell (Co-Chair, Vanier College),
  • Cory Legassic (Co-Chair, Dawson College),
  • Victoria Pickering (McGill University)

Conference Planning Committee

Bojana Krsmanovic (Concordia), Sueli Bonafim (Concordia), Azra Khan (Dawson), Carol Hawthorne (Concordia), Cory Legassic (Dawson), Dario Guiducci (JAC), Diane Querrien, (Concordia), Elizabeth Charles (Dawson), Éric Francoeur (École De Technologie Supérieure), Eva Bures (Bishop’s University), Florence Sedaminou Muratet (Collecto), Hilary Sweatman (McGill), Jennifer Mitchell (Vanier), Joel Wiebe (University of Toronto), Kenneth Ragan (McGill), Lorraine Chiarelli (Concordia), Maria Orjuela-Laverde (McGill), Michael Dugdale (John Abbott), Myriam Dimanche (Dawson), Murray Bronet (John Abbott), Nicolas Parent (McGill), Philippe Caignon (Concordia University), Robert Cassidy (Concordia), Sarah Anthony (McGill), Susan MacNeil (Collecto), Valerie Bourassa (McGill), Victoria Pickering (McGill), and Janaya Gripper (Dawson)


Proposal Reviewers

Ken Ragan (Chair, McGill), Xinli Wang (University of Manitoba), Chloe Lei (Concordia University), André Villeneuve (Université Laval), Anne Laurie (Concordia University), Patti Kingsmill (Vanier College), Eric Francoeur (École de technologie supérieure), Costanza Piccolo (University of British Columbia), Armin Yazdani (McGill University), Jason Lapointe (John Abbott College), Heather Pearson (McGill College), Silvia d’Apollonia (Dawson College), Tim Miller (Dawson College), Richard Filion (Dawson College), Nathalie Duponsel (Concordia University), Rhys Adams (Vanier College), Lawrence Chen (McGill University), Veronique Brule (McGill University), Jean-François Brière (Dawson College), Oulin Yu (McGill University), Elena Boldyreva (University of Toronto), Kristal Turner (University of Calgary), Ed Hudson (John Abbott College), Alan de Aguiar Lopes (Concordia University), Catherine Clement (Concordia University), Eva Mary Bures (Bishop’s University), Berenger Benteux (Université de Sherbrooke), Edward Awad (Vanier College), Elizabeth Charles (Dawson College), Chao Zhang (McGill University), and Michael Dugdale (John Abbott College)

Theme |Teaching transformations: Small changes, big impact
Thème | Les transformations en enseignement : Petits changements, grands impacts

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the 9th Annual SALTISE 2020 conference was cancelled. However, the Conference Committee decided to create a Program featuring the accepted proposals to keep the spirit of our annual gathering alive. 


Conference Chairs

  • Alicia Cundell (Concordia University)
  • Suéli Bonafim (SALTISE)

Teacher Awards Selection Sub-Committee

  • Carol Hawthorne (Chair, Concordia University),
  • Murray Bronet (John Abbott College),
  • Ying Li (Concordia University),
  • Liz Charles (SALTISE/Dawson College),
  • Sarah Anthony (McGill University),
  • Azra Khan (Dawson College)

Student Awards Selection Sub-Committee

  • Carol Hawthorne (Chair, Concordia University),
  • Suéli Bonafim (SALTISE),
  • Janaya Gripper (McGill University/SALTISE),
  • Bojana Krsmanovis (Concordia University),
  • Dan Petrescu (McGill University)

Program Sub-Committee

  • Michael Dugdale (Chair, John Abbott College),
  • Elizabeth Charles (SALTISE),
  • Lorraine Chiarelli (SALTISE)


Conference Planning Committee

Sarah Anthony (McGill University), Chris Bailey (McGill University), Pascale Blanc (VTE), John Bentley (Concordia University), Valerie Bourassa (McGill University), Jonathan Brassard (McGill University), Murray Bronet (John Abbott College), Eva Bures (Bishop’s University), Philippe Caignon (Concordia University), Robert Cassidy (Concordia University), Elizabeth Charles (SALTISE), Lorraine Chiarelli (SALTISE), Michael Dugdale (John Abbott College), Mohamed Elkhodiry Aboelella Mohamed (McGill University), Eric Francoeur (ETS), Victoria Glynn (McGill University), Carol Hawthorne (Concordia University), Azra Khan (Dawson College), Brenda Lamb (John Abbott College), Nathaniel Lasry (John Abbott College), Helen Martin (McGill University), Jennifer Mitchell (Vanier College), Maria Orjuela-Laverde (McGill University), Dan Petrescu (McGill University), Victoria Pickering (McGill University), Diane Querrien (Concordia University), Ken Ragan (McGill University), Florence Sedaminou (VTE), Roberta Silerova (John Abbott College)


Proposal Selection Sub-Committee

Ken Ragan (Chair, McGill University), Susan Ajersch (John Abbott College), Silvia d’Apollonia (Dawson College), Chris Bailey, Valerie Bourassa, Jonathan Brassard, Eva Mary Bures (Bishop’s University), Hannah Renée Chestnutt, Lorraine Chiarelli (SALTISE), Mohamed Elkhodiry (McGill University), Alina Gutierrez (Concordia University), Victoria Glynn (McGill University), Selma Hamdani (Dawson College), Anastassis Kozanitis (UQAM), Helen Martin, Maria Orjuela, Dan Petrescu (McGill University), Dalia Radwan (Concordia University), Marcy Slapcoff (McGill University), Oulin Yu, Chao Zhang (McGill University)

Purpose of our Website

The SALTISE/S4 website is intended as a resource for its members and all who are interested in exploring ways to better implement evidence-based pedagogical practices. The tools, articles, activities, and technologies presented represent the best of our promising practices along with accomplishments and resources produced by members. Lastly, the website is a showcase of SALTISE/S4 sponsored events, most notably our Annual Conference, held in June and hosted by one of our member institutions on the island of Montreal. All information presented within the website is shared freely and not intended for any monetary gain.

For more information refer to our Terms of Use.