Pilot program attempts to collect meaningful outcomes data for graduate students As the number of graduate students in Ontario increases, so does the desire for reliable data about the experience of these students and their employment outcomes. A new report from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) examines a pilot program at Western […]
Tag: Quality
Quality
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 […]
Pursuing an entry-level job? BYO work experience An entry-level job used to be synonymous with a first job, but that could be changing, according to a new report from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO). A study of Canadian job ads found that employers posting entry-level positions expected applicants to have up to […]
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 […]
Work-integrated learning benefits students’ careers – but some benefit more than others Internships, field placements, co-op and other forms of postsecondary work-integrated learning (WIL) help college and university students clarify their career interests and get jobs relevant to their education and career ambitions, according to a new report from the Higher Education Quality Council of […]
Direct connections with community organizations create better experiential education outcomes By blending theory and practice, it is believed that experiential education helps students develop valuable skills that are directly applicable to careers in their field. A new study by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) examines several types of experiential education and finds […]
Study examines effects of competition on student success Instructors of large classes often face challenges with student motivation. The classroom incentive structure – grades, extra credit, and instructor and peer acknowledgement – may shape student motivations to engage in their studies. Over the course of a year, students in the introductory psychology course at McMaster […]
Pilot course at the University of Ottawa prepares first-year students for university-level French In 2012-13, the University of Ottawa piloted a French course designed to help first-year students transition into university-level French. After completing the course, students felt more confident with their writing, literacy and oral communication skills, which in turn helped them better integrate […]
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 […]