FUSION develops and delivers modules that help students build the transferable skills they need to succeed in academic, professional, and personal settings. These modules are versatile and easy to integrate into existing courses and programs, requiring minimal time investment from instructors and staff. They are:
- Used in both curricular and co-curricular settings
- Suitable for small seminars and large lecture-style classes
- Flexible enough to support both undergraduate and graduate-level learners
The University of Calgary has developed a toolkit to help educators and staff embed the modules effectively into their teaching and programming
Case Studies
Educators consistently share that FUSION modules allow them to focus on their subject expertise while supporting student skill development. The modules provide a structured way of teaching transferable skills such as collaboration, communication, and self-management, with minimal time investment while enhancing students’ overall learning experience.
University undergraduate course
SOCI 375: Sociology of Ethnicity and Racialization
Skill Module: Inclusivity
Context: Large 300-level course
Future Skills offers individualized reflection so students can see the connection between course material and their personal experiences. It is a powerful program, and I am glad to share so other instructors can see the benefit.
- Dr. Ayesha Mian Akram, PhD, University of Calgary
University undergraduate research course
GEOG 280: Thinking Spatially in a Digital World
Skill Module: Digital Literacy
Context: Large 300-level course
I think the constant input is changing our brains and how we learn, and we need to update our pedagogy to reflect that. Future Skills provides hands-on learning helps make a meaningful learning environment.
- Dr. Victoria Fast, PhD, University of Calgary
University graduate-level history course
HIST 5315 (PECO 5501 | CDNS 5003) - Disability, Capacity and Debility in Canadian History
Skill Module: AI Literacy
Context: Large 300-level course
I was interested by the fact that graduate students were often less familiar with generative AI, that diligent students were often more reluctant to use it, and that there should be ways to help all students go beyond the – now obsolete – idea that AI means plagiarism and should be avoided.
- Dominique Marshall, Carleton University
Humanities+ (Co-curricular undergraduate career-readiness & internship program)
Skill Module: Metacognition, Self-management
Context: Large 300-level course
Many students struggle with the transition from university to career, and/or with early professional experiences themselves, such as internships. The FUSION modules provide an excellent opportunity for students to develop and increase their awareness of the transferable skills that will help them excel during this time and throughout their early career experiences.
- Claire Elissalde, Concordia University
Community Engaged Learning Program (Co-curricular EL)
Skill Module: All modules (students complete an initial self-assessment to determine which skill to focus on)
Context: Large 300-level course
While short-term, these projects have meaningful big impact - for both the student and the community partner. Students complete a FUSION skill module alongside their project deliverables, helping to expand their experience, skills, and networks.
- Tenneisha Nelson, University of Saskatchewan
Undergraduate university course
BIOL/OCSC 3711: Principles of Marine Biology
Skill Module: Adaptability
Context: Large 300-level course
[FUSION] is a really interesting way to add extra value to the course curriculum. To me, it was a matter of thinking, well, when I teach this, what are the things that I want students to get out of my course? What do I want them to keep with them as they move forward in their lives? And I thought, well, why not do something like this that maybe adds value or maybe adds something that they wouldn’t have otherwise gotten out of this course or out of their degrees?
- Dr. Suzanne Dufour, Memorial University of Newfoundland