The university classroom is typically seen as a site of expansion and enlightenment. In certain contexts, it can also feel stifling; when you’re learning about the world, and your place within it, a lecture or seminar room might seem far flung from the topic at hand.
This is one of the primary concerns addressed by The Sandbox, an experiential learning initiative that partners local organizations with a diverse range of U of T courses, offering students the chance to apply their skills to practical, hands-on assignments with real-world impact. Since their 2023-24 pilot year, the number of students completing assignments through the program has jumped from 300 to more than 6,000 this past academic year.
At a recent showcase hosted by the Faculty of Arts & Science, students and instructors shared some of the work The Sandbox has made possible. Two case studies were presented, both oriented toward optimizing Toronto’s third spaces (i.e., social spaces outside of home and work).
First was an examination of projects that aim to revitalize foot traffic and businesses within The Beach BIA, enlisting such academic disciplines as commerce, communications, human geography, and statistics.
Second, students in public policy, food science, and Innis’s very own INI102H1 Storytelling through Creative Nonfiction worked with The Stop Community Food Centre to help make one of Canada’s oldest food banks a more accessible and welcoming community space.
A trio of intrepid first-year students (shown above) took the podium to share their work from INI102H1, which is taught by Anna Lee-Popham. They described their experience with The Stop, starting with field trips (learning on location is a goal that The Sandbox and INI102H1 have in common) graciously guided by workers from the centre, which gave them an in-depth look at the centre’s inner workings, its physical textures, and its social atmosphere.
Anna’s pedagogical approach is premised on the idea that with access comes responsibility. Her teaching is especially attuned to the complex ethics of telling other people’s stories. INI102H1 fosters explorations of urban life and routine in Toronto by encouraging students to cultivate attention and wonder.
"Our partnership with The Stop was a phenomenal opportunity for students to learn how storytelling and creative writing can be used to frame broader narratives related to social issues by working with an organization that has been doing that very thing for years."
A student read from their final assignment — an evocative combination of descriptive prose and poetic metaphor that captured the essence of The Stop. An attending professor raised their hand to inform the trio that many fourth-year students would struggle to achieve such a balance of synthesis and insight.
The other presenters were similarly humble and no less impressive, offering further evidence of The Sandbox’s efficacy. One student, with great emphasis, claimed that the initiative gave them the chance to “grow as a person as well as a student.”