Pegah Nazeri, Julien Jayasinghe and Min Kim co-presented this keynote talk at the 2018 annual Teaching in Focus conference at York University, Toronto, Canada. Professor Pat Lakin-Thomas' explanation of the Biology Research Practicum course can be seen at: https://vimeo.com/306705856 Here is our submitted abstract: TITLE: Learning that NOT all knowledge is available online by co-creating a research practicum project between undergraduate digital natives and a reprint-request-card professor AUTHORS: Pegah Nazeri*, Julien Jayasinghe*, Elizabeth Allen, AJ Perez, Do Eon Lee, Barinder Kallay, Namig Aghayev, Ayesha Khan, Amandeep Kaur, Min Kim, Daniel Presta and Dawn Bazely* (*indicates co-presenter at TIF) ABSTRACT: Experiential learning in the form of hands-on laboratory exercises is embedded in undergraduate science curricula. However, undergraduate students also often seek volunteer opportunities in professors’ laboratories. York University’s zero-credit Biology Research Practicum course was developed to ensure that unpaid student volunteers in faculty laboratories have a positive, not exploitative, learning experience. This group of undergraduates co-created, with Dawn Bazely, a research practicum project with the pedagogical goal of improving some essential online research skills, and the practical goal of reducing the clutter that all academics, who are not digital natives, accumulate. Before digitized books and journals became increasingly available, students and professors accumulated large reprint collections and photocopies of articles and book chapters. Even today, faculty are often reluctant to part with their hard copies, knowing that not all will be digitally available. Our project tackled one of Dawn Bazely’s reprint collections, which filled a four-drawer filing cabinet, and had the following goals: A. To learn about digital and non-digitized research literature. B. To hone students’ online fact-finding and library research skills. C. To create a reprint collection database with Mendeley open access software. We developed a structured protocol to determine the online availability of each hard copy. Students learned about pay-wall structures in higher education, the open access movement, and error rates in fact-checking. Students also learned about how researchers found relevant literature prior to the availability of Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science, via reprint request cards and shelf copies of Biological Abstracts. At the semester’s end, we went on a field trip to the Clara Thomas Archives. Our project and these research skills are relevant for all fields, and this exercise can be applied to reprint collections across all disciplines.

1. NOT
EVERYTHING
IS
DIGITIZED!
PEGAH NAZERI
JULIEN JAYASINGHE
MIN KIM
DAWN BAZELY
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
YORK UNIVERSITY
Teaching in Focus 2018: Student Engagement 5 December 2018

2. INCLUDED HERE FOR ONLINE POSTING OF OUR SLIDES
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
• In 2015 the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its report documenting the many
harms done to Canada’s First Nations and Inuit communities. Many survivors of residential
schools testified.
• The TRC also published 94 Calls to Action: http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/
2015/Findings/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf
• “We recognize that many Indigenous nations have longstanding relationships with the
territories upon which York University campuses are located that precede the establishment
of York University. York University acknowledges its presence on the traditional territory of
many Indigenous Nations. The area known as Tkaronto has been care taken by the
Anishinabek Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Huron-Wendat, and the Métis. It
is now home to many Indigenous Peoples. We acknowledge the current treaty holders, the
Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation. This territory is subject of the Dish with One
Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement to peaceably share and care for the Great
Lakes region.”
• http://alternativecampustour.info.yorku.ca/land-acknowledgement/

3. OTHER EXCELLENT LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THAT CHALLENGE US TO REMEMBER THE INDIGENOUS HISTORY OF THE LANDS
ON WHICH CANADA STANDS
• We have included York University's Land Acknowledgement.
• Dawn Bazely has heard many of these acknowledgements. They
vary depending on where she is in Canada.
• Dawn was particularly moved by the Toronto Public Library’s Land
Acknowledgement, that she heard when she gave a talk on Local
Food & Biodiversity in September 2018.
• https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/about-the-library/land-
acknowledgements.jsp

4. MAP OF TALK
1. Introduction
2. The Biology Research
Practicum
3. EVERY professor’s
problem
4. Decluttering with a
pedagogical goal
5. Treasured hard copies
TIF 2018 1. Introduction

5. THE LONE STUDENT
AN ACADEMIC STEREOTYPE
TIF 2018 1. Introduction

6. TURNING THE DREADED GROUP PROJECT
INTO A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE
A STORY ABOUT DEVELOPING REAL WORLD GROUP WORK SKILLS
TIF 2018 1. Introduction

7. — Pegah
I WORRY THAT IN GROUP PROJECTS
STUDENTS GET CREDIT FOR MY
WORK WITHOUT CONTRIBUTING
EQUALLY.
”
“
TIF 2018 1. Introduction

8. — Julien
IT’S HARD TO CO-ORDINATE THE WORK,
ESPECIALLY IF THE GROUP INCLUDES
STUDENTS WHO DON’T SEEM TO CARE AS
MUCH ABOUT THE PROJECT AS OTHER
MEMBERS.
”
“
TIF 2018 1. Introduction

9. — Min
I WORRY ABOUT GIVING CONSTRUCTIVE
FEEDBACK TO A FELLOW GROUP
MEMBER WITHOUT THEM TAKING
OFFENCE.
”
“
TIF 2018 1. Introduction

10. MAP OF TALK
1. Introduction
2. The Biology Research
Practicum
3. EVERY professor’s
problem
4. Decluttering with a
pedagogical goal
5. Treasured hard copies
TIF 2018 2. The Biology Research Practicum

11. PROFESSOR PATRICIA LAKIN-THOMAS ON THE BIOLOGY
RESEARCH PRACTICUM:
PROVIDING AN INTRODUCTION TO GROUP WORK
SEE: HTTPS://VIMEO.COM/306705856
TIF 2018 2. The Biology Research Practicum

12. TIF 2018 2. The Biology Research Practicum
My Le in the Lakin-Thomas Lab Chanhee in the Lakin-Thomas Lab
Photo credits: P. Lakin-Thomas

13. TIF 2018 2. The Biology Research Practicum
Julieta in the Lakin-Thomas LabJaveria in the Shore Lab
⬆ Photo credit: P. Lakin-Thomas

14. TIF 2018 2. The Biology Research Practicum
Aryan in the Lakin-Thomas Lab Advait in the Lakin-Thomas Lab
Ola in the Paluzzi Lab
Photo credits: P. Lakin-Thomas

15. Thomas in the Paluzzi Lab
TIF 2018 2. The Biology Research Practicum

16. Cheyenne in the Bazely Lab
TIF 2018 2. The Biology Research Practicum

17. BIOL 4000.80 Honours Thesis student, Carrie (left) chats with
Luke (right) in the Sharma Lab

18. TIF 2018 2. The Biology Research Practicum
Jenny in the Colla Lab Melina in the Colla Lab
Photo credits: A. Liczner & S. Colla

19. IN SUMMER 2017 WE UNDERTOOK A
DIFFERENT KIND OF RESEARCH PRACTICUM
GROUP PROJECT EXPLORING HOW SOME
BIOLOGY LAB. HOUSEWORK COULD HAVE A
PEDAGOGICAL / EXPERIENTIAL ED. GOAL
9 RESEARCH PRACTICUM STUDENTS WORKED
FOR ABOUT 5-6 HRS PER WEEK DURING THE
SUMMER SEMESTER & 2 INDEPENDENT
STUDIES, BIOL 4200, STUDENTS CHECKED
THE MENDELEY DATABASE OF REFERENCES
”
“
TIF 2018 2. The Biology Research Practicum

20. MAP OF TALK
1. Introduction
2. The Biology Research
Practicum
3. EVERY professor’s
problem
4. Decluttering with a
pedagogical goal
5. Treasured hard copies
TIF 2018 3. EVERY professor’s problem

21. TIF 2018 3. EVERY professor’s problem

22. TIF 2018 3. EVERY professor’s problem
#ProfsWithPilesOfPaper
⬆ Photo credit: A. Hilliker

23. FEAR OF THROWING AWAY DOCUMENTS
IRREPLACEABLE 💎 MAY BE BURIED IN A PILE OF DEAD TREES!
TIF 2018 3. EVERY professor’s problem

24. MAP OF TALK
1. Introduction
2. The Biology Research
Practicum
3. EVERY professor’s
problem
4. Decluttering with a
pedagogical goal
5. Treasured hard copies
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

25. PEGAH LED
THE
PROTOCOL
DEVELOPMENT
FOR TURNING
ACADEMIC
CLUTTER INTO
PEDAGOGY
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

26. TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

27. TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

28. TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

29. DONEC QUIS NUNC
OUR LAB’S KNOWLEDGE DIGITIZATION TIMELINE
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

30. PROTOCOL TO TAKE US FROM
HARDCOPIES TO PDFS
Our research team
included seven Biology
Research Practicum
students
Three steps:
1.Digitization Fact
Checking
2.Database Establishment
3.Quality Control
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

31. 1. Digitization Fact Checking
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

32. Green tag: Reprint
or photocopy is
available online
(Google scholar, Web
of Science etc)
Red: Either NOT available
online or PAYWALLED:
NOT available through
YorkU Library System
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

33. 2. Database Establishment
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

34. 3. Quality Control
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

35. TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

36. DONEC QUIS NUNC
RECAPPING HARDCOPY CATEGORIES
Green Labels: Digital & Open Access or Digital at YorkU Libraries
Red Labels: Not digitized - in reprint/photocopy collection or on library shelf
Some with G+R Labels: Digitized but behind a Non-YorkU PAYWALL
X

37. BY THE NUMBERS
7 Research Practicum students reviewed:
4 File Cabinet Drawers:
1081 Unique Photocopies & Reprints
771 received Green Labels
308 received Red Labels
2 received “G & R” Labels
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

38. 0.001%
💻
💻 💰
🗞📖
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

39. 146 📂 298 📂
363 📂274 📂

40. STUDENT ACCURACY IMPROVED WITH TIME
2 errors / 146
photocopies
6 errors / 298
photocopies
0 error / 274
photocopies
0 error / 363
photocopies
Start
Finish

41. ELECTRONIC DATABASE OF THE REPRINTS
Three drawers of the filing cabinet can be emptied
with photocopies recycled.
Only one drawer is needed & Dawn can digitize
these hard copies.
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

42. TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

43. JULIEN’S PEDAGOGICAL REFLECTIONS
• Pedagogy is the Science of
Learning
• Research practicum
students moved from
learners to active
participant
• Hands-On Learning
• Team-dependent learning
• Collaborated with diverse
people in a work-school
environment
• Scheduling
• Synergy
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

44. PEDAGOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE
PROJECT
1. Joint Productive
Activity
2. Language
Development
3. Contextualization
4. Challenging
Activities
5. Instructional
Conversation
Center for Research on Educa1on, Diversity and
Excellence from the University of California (CREDE)
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

45. 1. JOINT PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY
• Professor and
student
collaboration
• Student-centered
learning while
being mentored
• Sense of
accomplishment
in collaboration
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

46. 2. LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
• We used clear,
concise phrases
• To Keep It Seriously
Simple: K.I.S.S to
minimize confusion
• Gained
understanding of
how language
should be used in
professional settings
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

47. 3. CONTEXTUALIZATION
• We developed a joint
protocol
• For a nuanced and
niche context of
scientific learning
• Tasks were done with a
clear purpose in mind
• Students never felt like
they were doing-for-
the-sake-of-doing
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

48. 4. CHALLENGING ACTIVITIES
• Complex thinking was
needed
• Active Participation was
required in searching
through research
databases
• Self-checking and cross-
checking emphasize
precise work
• Motivation was
supported by the team
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

49. 5. INSTRUCTIONAL CONVERSATION
• An environment
where learning is
encouraged.
• Guidance was
provided to ensure
students kept on the
path
• Students had a voice
and brought ideas to
the table
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

50. TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
Concepts:
• Organization
• Group Work
• Referencing
• Digitization
All are relevant
outside of a lab or
university setting
Torngat Mountains National Park
TIF 2018 4. Decluttering with a pedagogical goal

51. TIF 2018 5. Treasured hard copies

52. MAP OF TALK
1. Introduction
2. The Biology Research
Practicum
3. EVERY professor’s
problem
4. Decluttering with a
pedagogical goal
5. Treasured hard copies
TIF 2018 5. Treasured hard copies

53. A VISIT TO THE YORKU CLARA THOMAS ARCHIVES
WITH MICHAEL MOIR, YORK UNIVERSITY ARCHIVIST
OUR REWARD:
TIF 2018 5. Treasured hard copies

54. TIF 2018 5. Treasured hard copies

55. TIF 2018 5. Treasured hard copies

56. OUTCOMES FOR THE PROFESSOR
• A Mendeley
Database listing
my reprint
collection
• Three empty file
drawers to fill
with more paper

57. STUDENT OUTCOMES:
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
• Organization
• Group Work
• Referencing
• Digitization
All are relevant
outside of a lab or
university setting
Adventure Canada Ecotourism
Staff in Nunatsiavut

58. SOME REFLECTIONS
STUDENT OUTCOMES
“We saw that research was
happening before we were
born.” Barry
“We’re reading these crazy
OLD articles. It helped me
to become more efficient in
reading and scanning the
literature.” Barry
“There are articles from the
1980s in these drawers!!!!!”
Liz

59. SOME REFLECTIONS
STUDENT OUTCOMES
“The way that information
and knowledge are
organized is very
important.” Laiba
“We saw see how the
structure of articles has
changed over time.
Formats were more
variable in the past than
now.” Arshad

60. SOME REFLECTIONS
STUDENT OUTCOMES
“Finding research
articles can help us to
fact-check more
accurately to better
discover if what we
hear in the news is
factual.” Pegah

61. MANY THANKS TO
Pat Lakin-Thomas, Course
Director of the Biology Research
Practicum
Kate McPherson, History
Professor & Associate Dean,
LAPS
Michael Moir, University Archivist
and Head of the Clara Thomas
Archives for hosting our visit
Anna St. Onge, Director, Digital
Scholarship Infrastructure for
organizing our visit to the Clara
Thomas Archives

62. APPENDIX

63. BY PEGAH NAZERI*, JULIEN JAYASINGHE*, ELIZABETH ALLEN, AJ PEREZ, DO EON LEE,
BARINDER KALLAY, NAMIG AGHAYEV, AYESHA KHAN, AMANDEEP KAUR, MIN KIM,
DANIEL PRESTA AND DAWN BAZELY* (*INDICATES CO-PRESENTER AT TIF)
ABSTRACT SUBMITTED TO TIF 2018
TITLE: Learning that NOT all knowledge is available online by co-creating a research practicum project between undergraduate
digital natives and a reprint-request-card professor
ABSTRACT: Experiential learning in the form of hands-on laboratory exercises is embedded in undergraduate science curricula. However,
undergraduate students also often seek volunteer opportunities in professors’ laboratories.
York University’s zero-credit Biology Research Practicum course was developed to ensure that unpaid student volunteers in faculty
laboratories have a positive, not exploitative, learning experience.
This group of undergraduates co-created, with Dawn Bazely, a research practicum project with the pedagogical goal of improving some
essential online research skills, and the practical goal of reducing the clutter that all academics, who are not digital natives, accumulate.
Before digitized books and journals became increasingly available, students and professors accumulated large reprint collections and
photocopies of articles and book chapters. Even today, faculty are often reluctant to part with their hard copies, knowing that not all will be
digitally available. Our project tackled one of Dawn Bazely’s reprint collections, which filled a four-drawer filing cabinet, and had the
following goals:
A. To learn about digital and non-digitized research literature.
B. To hone students’ online fact-finding and library research skills.
C. To create a reprint collection database with Mendeley open access software.
We developed a structured protocol to determine the online availability of each hard copy. Students learned about pay-wall structures in
higher education, the open access movement, and error rates in fact-checking. Students also learned about how researchers found relevant
literature prior to the availability of Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science, via reprint request cards and shelf copies of Biological
Abstracts.
At the semester’s end, we went on a field trip to the Clara Thomas Archives. Our project and these research skills are relevant for all fields,
and this exercise can be applied to reprint collections across all disciplines.