Research Summary: Provincial program improves academic success for students with learning disabilities Many postsecondary students with learning disabilities are apprehensive about disclosing their disability because they want independence and parity with their peers. But new research finds that those who utilize support services designed to level the playing field are likely to benefit through increased […]
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Research Summary: Postsecondary Institutions Not Meeting the Unique Needs of Recent Immigrant Adult Students Postsecondary education (PSE) institutions play a vital role in helping recent immigrant adult students integrate into Canadian society. However, most colleges and universities are not identifying, or responding to, the specific needs of this unique group of learners. A new study […]
Research Summary: Drop-outs More Likely in First Year but Numbers Lower than Previously Thought The first year of postsecondary education (PSE) is a critical time for students, with most “drop-outs” taking place during this period. However, simply looking at an institution’s “drop-out” figures only tells a part of the story, missing students who switch programs […]
Research Summary: Faculty who are involved in WIL more likely to support its growth Work-integrated learning (WIL) – or co-operative education, internships, work placements and apprenticeships – is becoming more widespread in today’s colleges and universities as a way to better integrate learning and work. Faculty with WIL experience say that even more of it […]
Research Summary: Additional course support at Queen’s has mixed results in improving grades, engagement and retention As class sizes grow and budgets are squeezed, instructors at Queen’s University are finding new ways to improve learning. One approach, known as Supported Learning Groups, pairs upper year undergraduate students who have completed the course with students who […]
Research Summary: Global trends in bachelor’s degree: What can Ontario learn? The time-honoured bachelor’s degree has undergone some serious tinkering if not transformation over the last decade, driven by enrolment growth, constrained funding, demands for increased student mobility and greater alignment with the labour market. Some countries have shifted from three-year to four-year degrees while […]
Research Summary: Special needs students: Improving pathways to higher education Special education in Ontario and elsewhere is under intense scrutiny as calls for greater equity push schools toward more inclusive policies and practices, including those that improve the likelihood of special needs students pursuing postsecondary education (PSE). While there have been a number of promising […]
Research Summary: Teaching and Learning Centres at Risk of Being Unable to Meet Needs of Students and Educators Teaching and learning centres are responsible for improving teaching effectiveness at institutions across Ontario, through workshops, instructional resources and ongoing professional development. But a new @Issue paper by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), Teaching and […]
Research Summary: New faculty are focus of university programs to improve teaching quality The quality of postsecondary teaching is on the public agenda amid calls for greater accountability for what students learn and how well they learn it. If tomorrow’s teaching quality begins with today’s new faculty, a study on their professional development commissioned by […]