Non-Traditional Postsecondary Education Pathways of Adult Learners in the Toronto District School Board: Evaluating the Influence of Individual and Neighbourhood Characteristics

Research Summary: Adult learners overwhelmingly plan to attend college, but far fewer actually enroll Like many school boards, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) offers continuing education options to assist adult learners as they develop the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue postsecondary education (PSE). A new study from the Higher Education Quality Council of […]

Writing Instruction Using an Online Assignment Planner

Research Summary: Integrating Online Writing Assistance into the Classroom Creates Challenges In an effort to improve writing skills, the Writing Centre at Wilfrid Laurier University developed a series of free online resources and tools for students. However, a recent study by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) found that even when integrated into […]

Developing Teaching Assistants as Members of the University Teaching Team

Research Summary: Teaching assistants (and their students) benefit from formal training programs Formal training programs for teaching assistants (TAs) inform their teaching practices and can lead to improved student learning experiences according to a new study from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. Developing Teaching Assistants as Members of the University Teaching Team  examined two […]

Hybrid Learning in a Canadian College Environment

Research Summary: College study: Successful hybrid classes still depend on instructor abilities College courses that mix traditional face-to-face instruction with online learning appeal to both students and faculty, but the success of these hybrid classes is largely dependent on the abilities of the instructor, particularly their technological skills, dedication and organization, according to a new […]

The Diversity of Ontario’s Colleges: A Data Set to Inform the Differentiation Discussion

Research Summary: College degree granting dominates differentiation discussion While degree granting by Ontario colleges is barely a decade old and only 4% of the province’s college students are enrolled in degree programs, the topic dominates current discussions about college differentiation. A new report from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) says that moving […]

Recruiting Students for Research in Postsecondary Education: A Guide

Research Summary: Guide gives researchers tools to recruit students for research projects When research projects involve student participation, recruiting students is an important yet challenging part of the process. Recruiting Students for Research in Postsecondary Education: A Guide, published by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), provides an overview for researchers on how students […]

Large First-Year Course Re-Design to Promote Student Engagement and Student Learning

Research Summary: Students More Engaged When Instructors Focus on Interaction Instead of Lectures Many students are concerned about the learning challenges presented by large first-year university classes, particularly the “impersonal” nature of lectures. A new study by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) finds that by re-designing courses to provide lecture content online […]

Linguistic Heterogeneity and Non-Traditional Pathways to Postsecondary Education in Ontario

Research Summary: Francophone peer mentorship program eases the transition to postsecondary education As North America’s largest bilingual (English-French) postsecondary institution, the University of Ottawa enrols significant numbers of anglophone and francophone students from across Canada and internationally. Most of its students, however, come from across Ontario, often from communities that are linguistically and culturally diverse.  […]

Active Learning Strategies in Introductory Financial Accounting Classes

Research Summary: Tracking Student Engagement Can Help Address “First-Year Problem” First-year introductory courses introduce a large number of students from diverse backgrounds to new material and learning environments. For instructors and administrators, the size and scope of these courses present student success, retention and engagement challenges, sometimes called the “first-year problem.”  A new study by […]