Impact of Sheltered ESL Support Programming on Student Engagement and Academic Performance at OCAD University

Research Summary: Program-Specific ESL Courses Increase Academic Performance, Student Engagement Many English as a Second Language (ESL) students say their limited language skills create barriers to academic success, such as not actively participating in class, trouble collaborating with other students and increased difficulty working independently. A new study by the Higher Education Quality Council of […]

Student Services at Queen’s University: An Evaluation of the Supported Learning Groups Pilot Program

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 […]

@ Issue Paper No. 12 Teaching and Learning Centres: Their Evolving Role Within Ontario Colleges and Universities

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 […]

The Role of New Faculty Orientations in Improving the Effectiveness of University Teaching – Part 1: University Sector

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 […]

The Communications Adjunct Model: An Innovative Approach to Language and Literacy Remediation for Adult Learners

New strategies, rigorous evaluation needed to improve literacy skills of postsecondary students Low literacy levels are not only an impediment to success in higher education; Canadian adults with lower literacy levels have significantly lower employment rates and incomes, higher rates of unemployment and are less likely to be engaged in their community. While colleges and […]

Teaching and Learning in Large Classes at Ontario Universities: An Exploratory Study

Research Summary: Large classes: Size matters but teaching skill and course design matter more The jury’s still out on the impact of large classes on student learning, but they’re a fact of life in higher education, prompting postsecondary institutions to explore new strategies to maintain or improve quality — from building community through social media […]

Final Report of the Aligning and Building Curriculum Knowledge Exchange Network Project

Research Summary: Online Forums for Educators Can Help Improve Teaching in Higher Education While there is considerable research on best practices and innovative solutions to improve the quality of teaching in postsecondary education (PSE), the challenge is ensuring that the information is widely available to educators for discussion and implementation. As virtual gathering places for […]

Phase III Report and Continuation Plan- Collaboratory for Exemplary in College Mathematics- Mathematics Knowledge Exchange Network (MathKEN)

Research Summary: Online Forums for Educators Can Help Improve Teaching in Higher Education While there is considerable research on best practices and innovative solutions to improve the quality of teaching in postsecondary education (PSE), the challenge is ensuring that the information is widely available to educators for discussion and implementation. As virtual gathering places for […]

Review of 2010-2011 pilot studies of the HEQCO Research Program in Knowledge Mobilization for Exemplary Teaching and Learning

Research Summary: Online Forums for Educators Can Help Improve Teaching in Higher Education While there is considerable research on best practices and innovative solutions to improve the quality of teaching in postsecondary education (PSE), the challenge is ensuring that the information is widely available to educators for discussion and implementation. As virtual gathering places for […]