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Four projects have been selected to receive funding through the Innovative Initiatives Fund (IIF). This jointly sponsored partnership between the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Durham College (DC) was established in 2016 to encourage and support collaborative initiatives proposed by faculty and employees at our institutions.

This year’s call for funding saw 11 proposals submitted, all of which demonstrated creativity and a passion for research and exploration.

• College-University Collaboration to Promote Innovation in Teaching-Learning about Opioid Use/Abuse - $39,441
  This project will create and evaluate a student-learning resource focusing on opioid use/abuse developed in the genre of a graphic novel. The novel will be trialed and evaluated with nursing students. The goal is to provide health discipline students with essential information about opioid use/abuse that will be important for their practice. Activities will include the creation of a graphic novel, and the evaluation of that novel as an educational resource. 
  
  
• Impact of Interview Training and Personality Characteristics on Investigative Interviewing Performance - $68,370
  This project will provide a sample of 60 students from DC’s School of Justice & Emergency Services programs with a full day of training on interview techniques. The interview techniques of participants will be evaluated before and after the training. In addition, the project will evaluate the role of individual personality differences in interview techniques and in the success of the training program.
  
  
• Early Childhood Development Instrument (EDI) Knowledge Mobilization in Durham Region: A Best Practice Template - $39,841  
  The university and DC will work with Durham Region’s Best Start Network to evaluate the impact of new tools and resources. The project will help summarize key findings and provide insights into how early childhood educators can address areas of vulnerability. It will also help develop future knowledge-dissemination tools.
  
  
• Addition of Big Data Streaming to ACE/DC Pre-Service Firefighting Research and Education - $64,260
  Researchers at the university and DC have previously collaborated with the university’s ACE research and testing centre to develop an environmental stress workshop for the college’s Pre-Service Firefighter, Education and Training program. This workshop provides an active-learning environment for students to experience simulated firefighting activities under conditions of environmental stress. This new project will measure physiological responses while performing firefighting activities, an aspect previously not integrated into the curriculum. This will give students detailed information on their body’s response during the workshop.

Upon the completion of these projects, the university and college will hold an event to showcase the research and to highlight their innovative campus communities. 

The has details on each selected project and information on the IIF's scope and proposal review process, including the evaluation criteria.

Congratulations to the teams behind the selected projects, and sincere thanks to all staff and faculty members who developed and shared their ideas.