It’s been a long road, but I have come to realize that learning outcomes have the power to transform higher education. As a student, I unknowingly used them to make important decisions, as an instructor they guided my teaching and as a course developer they have changed the way I look at higher education. Like […]
Tag: Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
New handbook helps practitioners assess program-level learning outcomes Ontario’s colleges and universities have made strides in developing learning outcomes, yet effective assessment remains a challenge. Learning Outcomes Assessment: A Practitioner’s Handbook is a step-by-step resource to help faculty, staff, academic leaders and educational developers design, review and assess program-level learning outcomes. The handbook explores the theory, principles, […]
“We know what employers value most,” says George Brown College’s current marketing campaign – appearing on a subway wall or TV screen near you. As Norma Desmond said to Cecil B. DeMille: I’m ready for my close-up. So too core skills, it would appear. You’re familiar with them – the so-called soft skills, essential skills, […]
HEQCO released a report this week providing an extensive review of outcomes-based funding models used in postsecondary education and their effectiveness. Outcomes-based funding is a practice where institutions receive their funding, partially or totally, on the basis of performance, specifically, the achievement of agreed-upon goals or outcomes (I use the terms “outcomes-based funding” and “performance-based […]
The evolution of outcomes-based funding: Institutional mission matters Outcomes-based funding – linking government funding to institutional performance based on identified outcomes – is relatively new to postsecondary systems that have long been accustomed to dollars driven by enrolment. But funding formulas are the most powerful government instruments available to steer system changes and the behaviour […]
Not all students benefit equally from engagement technologies in large classes Online quizzes and clickers are just some of the technologies being introduced into large university classes to improve student engagement. While these tools have shown promise in studies of science, technology, engineering and math, less is known about their effectiveness in the humanities. A […]
Guest blogger: Carolyn Crosby About five years ago I had a student in grade 10 who told me his brother was in a college carpentry program and the first thing his college teacher said was: “Forget all the math they taught you in high school – it doesn’t apply here.” I couldn’t refute his statement […]
A recent Globe and Mail article pointed out that Canadian universities appear to be slipping in world rankings. This is not a good thing. Higher education institutions — because of the students they teach, the research and discoveries they make, and the communities they support — are some of the most critical public institutions in […]
Numeracy skill development, assessment in Ontario higher education doesn’t add up At a time when numeracy is an essential skill for work and life in general, the development and evaluation of numeracy skills in Ontario’s college and university students doesn’t add up, according to a new report from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario […]