Educational Technology Pilots at the CTL
Innovation in teaching and learning begins with experimentation. Educational technology pilots allow instructors to explore emerging tools in authentic course settings, generating evidence about their pedagogical value, accessibility, and impact on student learning.
At Queen’s, these pilots play a vital institutional role: they inform campus-wide technology decisions, guide ethical and inclusive implementation, and strengthen our collective capacity for teaching innovation.
By participating, faculty contribute to a growing body of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), help shape future digital learning environments, and join a community of educators committed to reflective, research-informed practice.
Check this page regularly and read on below to learn about current pilot opportunities and how to get involved.
Current Opportunities
If you are interested in participating, please complete this by December 1, 2025.
Call for Participation: Winter 2026 Pilot of Cadmus Assessment Technology
Supporting a Shift Toward Process-Transparent, AI-Resilient Assessment Design
The Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), in partnership with the Vice Provost, Teaching and Learning, is inviting instructors to participate in a limited Winter 2026 pilot of , an educational technology that integrates into our learning management system (onQ) and offers innovative tools to design, deliver, and support assessments in digital learning environments.
As we navigate the pedagogical and ethical complexities of the generative AI era, Cadmus presents a promising opportunity to reimagine assessment. Rather than relying on plagiarism detection technologies, Cadmus supports transparency in student learning process – not just their final product. Inspired by Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton’s call for a "postplagiarism" approach (2023), this pilot aligns with efforts to foster an institutional culture shift: one that prioritizes academic integrity, student agency, and the design of AI-resilient assessments.
What We’re Piloting
In this limited pilot, we are particularly looking to explore the following Cadmus features:
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Scalability – Features for assessment delivery and grading with large enrolment courses
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Group Work Functionality – Collaborative authoring and feedback tools
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Secure Exam Delivery via Lockdown Browser – On campus computer-based proctored exams
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Innovative Assessment Design Options – Customizable prompts and reminders for students, embedded guidance, and real-time visibility into student writing progress
Call for Winter 2026 Instructors
We are seeking four courses across the university to participate in the Winter 2026 term. We invite expressions of interest from instructors who:
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Are teaching large enrolment undergraduate courses
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Are redesigning assessments in response to generative AI
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Are interested in piloting alternatives to text-matching plagiarism detection software
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Want to explore group-based assessments or digital exams with lockdown browser
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Value transparency and student learning process as part of their assessment philosophy
Preference will be given to instructors who can engage with at least one of the targeted features above and who are willing to provide feedback on their experience (and where possible, facilitate student feedback as well).
Why Participate?
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Early access to Cadmus: be among the first to test out Cadmus in Canada
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Dedicated onboarding support
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Support from the CTL in designing or revising assessments
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Contribute to institution-wide decision-making on academic integrity tools and technologies
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Advance equity- and learning-focused approaches to assessment design
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Opportunity to participate in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) publication
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A letter of recognition of participation will be provided for teaching dossiers
How to Apply
If you are interested in participating, please complete this by December 1, 2025.
Spots are limited. All instructors selected for the pilot will receive personalized setup support and be invited to participate in a post-pilot reflection session in Spring 2026.
References
Eaton, S.E. Postplagiarism: transdisciplinary ethics and integrity in the age of artificial intelligence and neurotechnology. Int J Educ Integr 19, 23 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40979-023-00144-1
Call for Participation: Winter 2026 Pilot of Chatbots for Teaching & Learning
The Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) invites instructors to participate in a Winter 2026 pilot of chatbot technologies for teaching and learning. This pilot will explore the use of generative AI chatbots as pedagogical tools to support teaching and learning through simulations, case studies, interactive scenarios, and other course applications.
Purpose of the Pilot
We will compare up to four different chatbot technologies for their ability to be trained and deployed within a course context. The pilot will focus on:
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Student and educator experiences using the chatbots
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Accessibility of the technologies
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Ease of training and deployment for instructors
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Support needs for successful implementation
Why Participate?
Instructors in this pilot will:
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Explore innovative teaching approaches through chatbot design and deployment
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Pilot chatbots for pedagogical purposes such as simulations, case studies, role-plays, and scenario-based learning
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Contribute to the evaluation of different chatbot technologies in higher education
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Have the opportunity to engage in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) by evaluating the technologies, analyzing student and educator feedback, and making recommendations for effective chatbot design and deployment
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Receive a letter of recognition of participation for teaching dossiers
Participation Details
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The pilot is limited to up to 10 courses across the institution.
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We are seeking instructors who are interested in experimenting with chatbots as a pedagogical tool and who can commit to providing structured feedback on their experiences.
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Preference will be given to instructors who can meaningfully integrate chatbots into course activities and assess their pedagogical value.
Next Steps
If you are interested in participating, please complete this by December 1, 2025.
Spots are limited, and selected participants will be notified by mid December 2025.