Queen’s team wins the 2025 D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning for Indigenous Healthcare Education and Practice Project

News & Announcements | 24 Jun 2025

A cross-disciplinary team from Queen’s University is the recipient of the national 2025 D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning, presented by the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE). This award celebrates innovative teaching practices that promote student-centred teaching and learning.

The award recognizes Indigenous Healthcare Education and Practice: Applying Digital Teaching and Learning Resources to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action—a collaborative project that created a series of open-access online modules designed to transform how healthcare learners understand and engage with Indigenous health, history, and healing.

“Each year, this award recognizes the power of collaboration to transform education,” says Patrick Maher, STLHE Board Chair. “By working together across disciplines, the year’s recipients have redefined what innovation in teaching and learning can look like—advancing both student success and the scholarship of teaching and learning itself.”

The project, led by Dr. Nancy Dalgarno, Director of Education Scholarship at Queen’s Health Sciences, brought together more than 50 collaborators from Queen’s University, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University (NOSM), and Indigenous communities. The result is a digital collection of seven learning modules enriched with storytelling, Indigenous artwork, videos and educational content, designed to enhance learners’ awareness of their own biases and positionality. It translates the TRC’s Calls to Action into strategies that can be implemented in meaningful, accessible, practical and culturally appropriate ways within healthcare education and practice.

“This initiative is an outstanding example of innovation in teaching and learning, demonstrating how digital education can advance reconciliation, foster cultural safety, and transform healthcare education,” says Gavan Watson, Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning.

The modules address key themes such as historical perspectives on Indigenous health, systemic racism in healthcare, Indigenous ways of knowing, healthcare rights, and culturally safe practices. Each module is designed to be accessible for learners across healthcare professions and levels of education.

The Indigenous artwork featured in the modules is currently displayed at The Nest, which houses the QHS Office of Indigenous Health and Office of Equity and Social Accountability.

The D2L Innovation Award comes with national recognition and further visibility for the project. The team has already shared their work with other universities, health networks, and continuing professional development programs across the country. The award was presented at the annual STLHE conference in Saskatoon, SK on June 10-13, 2025.

Queen’s team members (current at the time of the project)

Shalisa Barton, Bailey Brant, Lindsay Brant (artist), Rachel Burger, Jamaica Cass (artist), Nicholas Cofie, Holly Crowson, Nancy Dalgarno, Mikaila Da Silva, Jenny DeBruyn, Leslie Flynn, Sarah Funnell, Natalie Graham, Brian Hallam, Amber Hastings-Truelove, Janice Hill, Bryn Hoffman, William Horton, Portia Kalun, Gracie Kehoe, Laura Kenealy, Klodiana Kolomitro, Michelle Krezonoski, Joeline Lim, Trinidad Mena, Jack Moher, Jeanne Mulder, Wendy Phillips, Sonali Sheth, Mary Smith, Stephen Sparks, Lynsee Stephens, Aaron St. Pierre, Denise Stockley, Jenny Stodola, Jennifer Turnnidge, Giselle Valarezo, Richard van Wylick, Sarah Wickett

Additional team members

Colson Brumwell (artist), Jaylene Cardinal (artist), Michael Cywink (artist), Stephen Kelly (artist), Joseph Leblanc (artist), Lorrilee McGregor (NOSM), Jason Pennington (University of Toronto, Lakeridge Health), Georgina Riel (artist, consultant), Christarr Smillie (artist), Sarita Verma (NOSM), Yolanda Wanakamik (NOSM)

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Queen’s team wins the 2025 D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning for Indigenous Healthcare Education and Practice Project

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