McMaster’s Digital Fluency Learning Series is a multi-part educational program hosted by the university’s Human Resources Services department in collaboration with partners from across our community. This series helps faculty and staff build essential technology and data skills. The sessions feature subject-matter experts guiding attendees through live online workshops and Q&A sessions.

Microsoft Copilot has the potential to transform the way we work, but many users only scratch the surface of what it can do. Join us for a session highlighting five practical Copilot tips that can help you save time, reduce repetitive work, and get more out of Microsoft 365.

Through demonstrations and real-world examples, participants in this 60-minute Teams Webinar will learn how to use Copilot more effectively for tasks such as summarizing information, creating content, organizing work, and uncovering insights. Whether you’re a beginner or already experimenting with AI, you’ll leave with ideas and techniques that can immediately enhance your work.

Register for the webinar here!

Presenter: Paul Ogunkoya

Paul Ogunkoya is a Senior Network Administrator with the Enterprise Network Team in University Technology Services at McMaster University. While his primary role focuses on delivering reliable and secure network infrastructure, his passion project is Microsoft Copilot and AI-powered productivity. Paul enjoys helping colleagues discover practical ways to use Copilot to save time, streamline workflows, and unlock new ways of working through real-world applications and hands-on learning.

Paul regularly shares his insights through LinkedIn articles, where he explores how Microsoft Copilot can enhance productivity, improve workflows, and help individuals and teams work more effectively. He is passionate about making AI accessible and practical, empowering people to confidently incorporate these tools into their daily work.

Beyond technology, Paul is deeply committed to fostering inclusivity, equity, and belonging in the workplace. He serves as Chair of McMaster’s Black, Indigenous, & Racialized Staff Employee Resource Group, where he helps create opportunities for connection, advocacy, and professional growth. Through both his technical and leadership roles, Paul is dedicated to empowering people, building community, and helping others thrive.

McMaster’s Digital Fluency Learning Series is a multi-part educational program hosted by the university’s Human Resources Services department in collaboration with partners from across our community. This series helps faculty and staff build essential technology and data skills. The sessions feature subject-matter experts guiding attendees through live online workshops and Q&A sessions.

Core Skills of Digital Accessibility explores practical strategies for creating inclusive digital content that is accessible to people with disabilities and more usable for everyone. Through demonstrations, McMaster-ecosystem examples, and discussion, participants will learn foundational accessibility concepts and develop seven core skills for creating accessible documents, presentations, visuals, and multimedia content using Microsoft 365 tools. Topics include headings and lists, fonts and hyperlinks, tables, alternative text, colour contrast, and accessible video and audio practices. Participants will leave with actionable techniques to integrate accessibility into everyday workflows and support more equitable digital experiences.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the importance of digital accessibility and inclusive design.
• Recognize common accessibility barriers in digital environments.
• Apply seven core accessibility practices when creating digital content.
• Create more accessible documents, presentations, visuals, and multimedia resources.
• Incorporate accessibility considerations into existing workflows and processes.

Register for the webinar here!

Presenter: Jessica Blackwood

Jessica Blackwood is an accessibility and digital content specialist at McMaster University who supports accessible technology, web, and media initiatives in higher education. As an Accessible Digital Media Specialist and leader within the Faculty of Science, Jessica works with faculty, staff, and institutional partners to improve the accessibility of websites, documents, presentations, multimedia, and digital learning environments. Her work focuses on translating accessibility standards into practical, sustainable workflows that support disability inclusion and equitable access to information. Jessica is passionate about helping content creators build accessibility skills and embedding inclusive design practices across the digital landscape.

McMaster’s Digital Fluency Learning Series is a multi-part educational program hosted by the university’s Human Resources Services department in collaboration with partners from across our community. This series helps faculty and staff build essential technology and data skills. The sessions feature subject-matter experts guiding attendees through live online workshops and Q&A sessions.

We tend to think of AI as a tool: something you pick up, use, and put down. But the more we use it to draft, summarize, search, and decide, the more it reshapes the conditions under which those things happen. That calls for a different kind of fluency than knowing which features to use. It means understanding its grain: what it naturally makes easy, what it tends to smooth over, and what decisions it makes on your behalf.

In this 60 minute Teams Webinar, we’ll explore what that looks like in practice: how to notice what AI is doing with your work, and how to bring judgment to the things it can’t see.

Register for the webinar here!

Presenter: Stephanie Verkoeyen

Stephanie Verkoeyen (PhD) works at the intersection of generative AI and institutional strategy in higher education. As Special Advisor to the Provost on Generative AI at McMaster University, she supports institution‑wide efforts to critically engage with AI across teaching, learning, research, and operations. She is particularly interested in how clarity of purpose, institutional alignment, and a willingness to sit with discomfort can lead to better questions and more thoughtful decisions about change.

McMaster’s Digital Fluency Learning Series is a multi-part educational program hosted by the university’s Human Resources Services department in collaboration with partners from across our community. This series helps faculty and staff build essential technology and data skills. The sessions feature subject-matter experts guiding attendees through live online workshops and Q&A sessions.

This workshop explores practical strategies for using accessible techniques in SharePoint to support equitable access to information for all users, including people with disabilities. Participants will learn how accessibility principles apply within SharePoint and gain hands-on knowledge of key features that improve page usability, navigation, and readability. Topics include page structure and reading order, accessible headings, fonts and links, tables, alternative text, colour contrast, multimedia accessibility, and SharePoint-specific tools and settings. Participants will leave with actionable techniques for designing and maintaining accessible SharePoint sites that provide a more inclusive user experience.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the importance of digital accessibility and inclusive design in SharePoint environments.
• Identify common accessibility barriers within SharePoint pages and sites.
• Apply SharePoint accessibility best practices for page structure, navigation, and reading order.
• Create accessible content using headings, links, tables, images, colour contrast, and multimedia features.
• Integrate accessibility considerations into SharePoint content creation, governance, and maintenance workflows.

Register for this webinar here!

Presenter: Jessica Blackwood

Jessica Blackwood is an accessibility and digital content specialist at McMaster University who supports accessible technology, web, and media initiatives in higher education. As an Accessible Digital Media Specialist and leader within the Faculty of Science, Jessica works with faculty, staff, and institutional partners to improve the accessibility of websites, documents, presentations, multimedia, and digital learning environments. Her work focuses on translating accessibility standards into practical, sustainable workflows that support disability inclusion and equitable access to information. Jessica is passionate about helping content creators build accessibility skills and embedding inclusive design practices across the digital landscape.

Below you will find the recording for the live session. Please feel free to review to refresh on details or if you were not able to join, explore the content covered through the discussion.

Recording: Troubleshoot + Learn with CoPilot Chat

Recording: Copilot in Outlook and Power Automate

Recording: Streamline Collaboration with M365

Additional resources:

Video Recording: Supercharge Your Use of M365 Apps_ Unlock their Full AI Potential!.mp4. If you would prefer to review the slides, these can be found here.

For additional learning – explore the following: Using Microsoft 365 Tools – OpEx Forum.pptx

Below you will find the recording for the live session. Please feel free to review to refresh on details or if you were not able to join, explore the content covered through the discussion.

Recording: Data Literacy & Governance

Additional Resources

Statistics:

Power from Data! https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/edu/power-pouvoir/toc-tdm/5214718-eng.htm

Data Visualization:

1. Visual Analytics and tutorials by Tableau: https://www.tableau.com/data-insights/reference-library/visual-analytics
2. Power BI documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/
3. Power BI Visualizations: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/visuals/power-bi-report-visualizations

MCE also has a number of formal learning & certificate programs in this space (please note, these are at a cost)

1. Data Analytics Certificate
2. Data Science Certificate
3. Data Governance Microcredential
4. Big Data Programming and Architecture Certificate

If you are looking for a particular data or analytics tool or technical skill, MCE also offers a number of partner courses (please note, these are at a cost)

1. Introduction to SQL
2. SQL Certificate
3. Power BI
4. Introduction to Python Programming

Below you will find the recording for the live session. Please feel free to review to refresh on details or if you were not able to join, explore the content covered through the discussion.

Recording: Together Against Threats: Cybersecurity for Staff & Faculty

Additional Resources

Explore key information, links and resources to continue to enhance our Cybersecurity here.

Below you will find the recording for the live session. Please feel free to review to refresh on details or if you were not able to join, explore the content covered through the discussion.

Recording: McMaster Privacy, Confidentiality, and Records Management

Additional Resources

Privacy Management

Article: van Nuenen, T., Ferrer, X., Such, J. M., & Cote, M. (2020). Transparency for Whom? Assessing Discriminatory Artificial Intelligence. Computer, 53(11), 36-44. https://doi.org/10.1109/MC.2020.3002181

Policy:Privacy Management Policy

Website: Bill 194, the Strengthening Cyber Security and Building Trust in the Public Sector Act (Information and Privacy Commissioner’s Office of Ontario)

Records Management

Article: Svärd, P., Guerrero, E., Balogun, T., Saurombe, N., Jacobs, L., & Henttonen, P. (2024). Local regulations for the use of artificial intelligence in the management of public records – a literature review. Records Management Journal (London, England, 34(2/3), 109–130. https://doi.org/10.1108/RMJ-10-2023-0061

Policy: Records Management Policy

Website: Understanding and Documenting the Basis of Retention Periods, ARMA International