Michael Justason & The LightBoard Depot Inc. Are “Lighting The Way” at McMaster University

Michael Justason of The LightBoard Depot Inc. has been named to Lighting the Way: Celebrating 65 Years of Innovation at McMaster Engineering.

Justason will be part of tonight’s big event, Applause & Accolades that celebrates “Lighting the Way.” The unforgettable evening of creativity, inspiration, and celebration marks 65 years of innovation in the McMaster Engineering community.

This evening, Justason and The LightBoard Depot Inc. team will have the opportunity to showcase their innovative technology with scores of other innovators and leaders. The event is being held from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at McMaster Innovation Park, Hamilton, ON.

Justason is the co-founder of The Lightboard Depot Inc. His passion for innovative teaching methods led to the development of equipment and methods for live-synchronous virtual classes using a lightboard, revolutionizing online education. He is the Program Chair, B.Tech. Civil Engineering Infrastructure Technology, and the Program Chair, Business and Management, and Assistant Professor, Booth School.

The Lightboard technology, referred to by students as “next-level” online teaching, has applications across all levels of education and any context that requires improved online communication. In their eCampusOntario-funded research, Justason and his team demonstrated that lightboards significantly increased student engagement from approximately 50% to 80%.

While the technology itself was not new, adapting it for live-synchronous teaching was. This teaching style was initially motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic but has proven to be highly effective even beyond the time of mandatory online classes. Over the past three years, the start-up company that emerged from McMaster University has successfully sold over 100 lightboards to colleges, universities, and companies.

Justason’s journey with the lightboard began in 2015 when McMaster Engineering and the W Booth School partnered with MacPherson to create a lightboard studio at McMaster. Recognizing the technology’s potential, he recorded lightboard videos for two of his courses in 2016, which received exceptional feedback from students. However, it was his meeting with fellow Engineering Faculty member, Adrian Kitai, who had extensive expertise in light and glass, that sparked their innovative collaboration.

Justason, Kitai and mechatronics and management graduate Chris Cavalieri engineered a home-friendly system that emulates the appearance and functionality of a high-end studio. Orders for lightboards from McMaster Engineering professors kickstarted the company, and the rest is history.

Visit The LightBoard Depot Inc. today and learn how this new technology is revolutionizing remote teaching and learning on every level.