We couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate another Ignite teacher receiving the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence, non other than our Ms. Selina Toyad!!

“Spanning traditional classrooms and online platforms, Selina is renowned for inspiring students beyond the curriculum, embodying care and compassion. Described as a ‘nurturer, empowerer, confidence builder, and facilitator of student growth,’ she excels in guiding students through science and math courses.”

Selina Toyad has developed an outstanding aptitude for teaching high school science subjects in an online environment using an impressive array of tools and technologies, such as guided simulations, virtual frog dissections, and online demonstrations of photosynthesis. She aims to run flipped classrooms, which increase student engagement by having them complete readings at home, then work on live problem-solving during class.

Teaching approach

Selina believes that authentic learning happens when students participate in the discovery process. Harnessing cutting-edge tools like virtual reality labs, experiment simulations, and emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, she empowers students to conduct experiments, explore scientific concepts, and visualize abstract ideas in biology, chemistry and physics. At the heart of her innovative approach is the transformation of virtual STEM learning into immersive 3D worlds. By making use of virtual labs, she fosters critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills, guiding students from basic techniques to real-world problem-solving applications.

STEM in the classroom

• Embraces emerging technologies, including generative AI, to enhance teaching practices—for example, using Figma’s AI capabilities to generate sticky notes during a collaborative review of quiz questions
• Infuses lessons with captivating visuals using platforms like Canva to help bring complex concepts to life
• Encourages students to synthesize their learning through creative video-based projects
• Brings in experts—such as a researcher from the University of Waterloo’s Institute for Quantum Computing—to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world research
• Incorporates climate issues and Indigenous ways of knowing into her science program, encouraging students to explore the world around them through an empathetic lens
• Uses role-playing to teach concepts—for example, having students assume roles as medical toxicologists to identify the poison ingested by a fictional person and correlate the symptoms with cellular respiration processes, all leading to a detailed exploration of glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and more

Outstanding achievements

• Was the first teacher in Alberta to pilot Labster’s immersive virtual labs (originally designed for university classrooms in Denmark) in high school science classes
• Revamped 11 science courses into interactive, enjoyable online learning experiences, including grade 10 to 12 general science, biology, physics and chemistry
• Created more than 20 videos similar to TikTok reels that science students could use to get quick, direct explanations of individual science concepts
• Built a Google site tailored for her classes, producing lesson videos and creating a comprehensive location with course resources, notes and impactful activities

We are so proud of you, Selina, and are grateful that our students have such a gifted teacher to work with them!