OUSA

One unfortunate reality of traditional teaching models is that student learning is very much an independent, isolated experience. In the pervasive lecture-style approach to teaching there are few opportunities for learner participation and discussion. Students are expected to memorize the material presented by the instructor and regurgitate it on a final exam. Nowhere in this process are students encouraged to interact with their peers and to learn from one another.

Though changing the prevailing wisdom on teaching and learning is difficult, news out of the University of Saskatchewan shows that it can be done, and the potential benefits are tremendous. U of S reported last week that its decision to create Learning Communities has paid off to the tune of a 10% average increase in participant’s grades.

Learning Communities have been employed sporadically for many years as an effective way to facilitate collaborative learning at the first-year level. In the U of S model, 333 students participated in 11 learning communities of 30-40 students each. The students were co-registered in 2 or 3 classes and “take part in community-specific activities, such as a weekly meeting led by senior student mentors.”

Some large universities in the United States have already adopted models where students co-register in blocks of 25 to 30. As at U of S they attend larger sized lectures but meet frequently to discuss the material with their peers in the Learning Community. This is similar in principle to tutorials, but the discussion group stays consistent between classes.

The reasons behind the success of these initiatives has also been well documented. Student interaction with peers has been shown to positively influence overall academic development, knowledge acquisition, analytical and problems solving skills, as well as overall student self esteem. Additionally, increased opportunities for peer interaction within the classroom bring students into contact with students from diverse backgrounds, which has also been positively correlated with improved learning outcomes.

The classroom experience brings together students of all types and has great potential for interaction and common exploration. It is vitally important that teaching be done in a way that facilitates this interaction between students, as well as between students and faculty. The results at U of S further demonstrate that our unwillingness to move away from traditional didactic instruction is keeping our students from realizing their full potential. With provincial and institutional leadership, similar collaborative learning opportunities could be extended to students from all institutions across Ontario.

Alexi White
Executive Director

University of Saskatchewan press release:

http://announcements.usask.ca/news/archive/2010/05/u_of_s_learning.html

For more on Learning Communities and student success, see:

Kuh, George D., Jillian Kinzie, Jennifer A. Buckley, Brian K. Bridges, and John C. Hayek. Peicing Together the Student Success Puzzle: Research, Prepositions and Recommendations. ASHE Higher Education Report 32.5 (2007)

Tinto, Vincent. Taking Student Retention Seriously, (Syracuse University: April 15, 2002),

Falchikov, Nancy. Learning Together: Peer Tutoring in Higher Education, (London: RoutledgeFalmer, 2001)

Hey everyone,

Morgan and Chris here. We’re the two new research interns hired to beef up OUSA’s research capacity over the summer. After a review of the projects tasked to Steering Committe by the OUSA General Assembly, it is evident that there is a lot in store for OUSA in the months ahead. Our two major projects will consist of a review and update of the Early Outreach Paper (available in the policy section of our website), as well as preliminary work on a policy paper on international students.

For the early outreach paper, the process will involve gathering recent research on community based outreach programs that aim to educate youth about the variety of opportunities within the broad range of post secondary institutions and degree types. We are hoping that the new paper not only reflects OUSA’s support for early outreach initiatives, but also looks closely at successful programs being implemented across the province. These programs will be assessed for their effectiveness and ability to address both financial and non-financial barriers to access.

For the paper on international students, we will be looking at issues surrounding how much they pay, what support systems they have access to, as well as how conducive our system is to encouraging international student participation and success. There are a number of concerns with the amount international students pay for their education, the work they are eligible to apply for, as well as their ability to utilize social services such as health care, as well as on-campus student support services. We’re excited to put forward in-depth solutions to issues facing international students in a time when Ontario is seeking to double international enrolment.

You’ll be hearing from us more as the summer progresses. We’re excited to work here, and are even more excited to delve into these important research topics.

-Morgan Campbell & Chris Martin
Email us at morgan@ousa.on.ca | chris@ousa.on.ca

Click HERE for a copy of the report

TORONTO/CNW/April 29 – Undergraduate students in Canada are deeply concerned about their ability to pay back their student debt, says a report released today by a partnership of student alliances from across Canada. The “Canadian Student Survey: Upper-Year Canadian PSE Students Future Plans and Debt” examines how students feel about their job prospects and debt levels, as well as how this debt will impact their future.

The report, based on a survey of over 21,000 students, half of them from Ontario, shows that over half of upper-year students with debt are concerned with their ability to pay it back. In addition, one-third of students reported turning to private loans to finance their education, causing them to pay higher interest rates while enjoying none of the repayment assistance available for government loans.

The report also examines how those students from families with the lowest levels of parental education were more likely to have accumulated debt and to have higher total median debt.

“There’s no doubt that students from families with lower levels of parental education are being hit the hardest,” said Dan Moulton, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. “While the provincial and federal governments have done much to improve financial assistance, significant challenges remain.”

The Repayment Assistance Plan, recently adopted by the provincial and federal governments, will do much to support students with high government debt. But both levels of government continue to spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year on education tax credits that predominately benefit students from high-income backgrounds and do nothing to promote access to education. During the 2007 Ontario election, the Liberal government pledged to eliminate these tax credits and move the money into up-front grants.

“We look forward to seeing the government fulfill this commitment in the coming year,” added Moulton. “More government grants are absolutely necessary if we are to reduce students’ reliance on costly private loans and ensure a bright future for all.”

The Canadian Student Survey was a bilingual, multi-institutional survey conducted on university campuses across the country in the fall term of the 2009-10 academic year. It was commissioned by a partnership of student alliances across the country, including the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA), Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS) and Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations (ANSSA).

The report is the second of three to be released this year, and can be found HERE

For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact Alvin Tedjo, Director of Communications & Public Relations.
Office: (416) 341-9948; Cell: (647) 669-6885; Email: communications@ousa.on.ca

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The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance represents the interests of over 140,000 professional and undergraduate, full- and part-time university students at seven Ontario institutions.

This morning OUSA received an invitation from the Executive of the Ontario Council of Academic Vice-Presidents to present our work on teaching and learning at their May meeting. Teaching and learning issues will be front and centre throughout the meeting, with the authors of Academic Transformations also attending to provide their recommendations.

Based on our research and on many consultations with students and educational developers, we’ve identified seven broad concerns with the state of teaching and learning in Ontario, as well as a number of cost-effective recommendations for improvement. Students have made it quite clear that improvements are necessary, but we need leadership from all levels of institutional governance if we are to truly change the culture around teaching and learning. I’m hopeful that we can begin a constructive dialogue with the Academic Vice-Presidents about the best way to move forward.

OUSA’s seven concerns are as follows:

1. There is a lack of emphasis on, and support for, the scholarship of teaching and learning
2. We rely too heavily on outdated teaching methods
3. Centres for Teaching and Learning do not receive adequate funding and support
4. There is insufficient emphasis on student-faculty interaction, especially in the first year
5. Excellence in teaching is consistently undervalued and not sufficiently recognized
6. Physical infrastructure inside and outside the classroom is often not designed to support active learning
7. Graduate students, Ph.D. Students, and new instructors are not required to complete any formal training in teaching, learning and assessment.
   

Alexi White
Executive Director

We shed a single tear as we write our final heartwarming OUSA blog. As we take the time to reflect on what has been an amazing year, we are incredibly proud of the accomplishments and progress of OUSA. It is sad to leave the rest of steering committee as we return to becoming normal students who start their day at 11 am and end in a pub. A special thank you to the wonderful home office staff who provided endless amounts of support. We know that they will be breathing a sigh of relief as our rambunctious steering committee will no longer be frequenting the office. Best of luck to Kieran and Chris who will be rolling their eyes as they get lectured about Western’s best student experience for hours on end. It has been a fantastic year for students, and we can only hope that next year will be even better.

Adam Zabrodski + Susannah Gouinlock
Queen’s University Alma Mater Society

Here I am in mid-April, two weeks until I’m finally done. The time has just flown right by, it seems as if March was yesterday, and November was last week. My office decorations are slowly disappearing, and all across Ontario, items taken from the McMaster Students’ Union are finding their way back. Daud is readying himself to take the reins and responsibilities, but refuses to sit in the VPUA chair until his time comes on May 1st.

It’s easy to reflect on two years of service to BUSU and OUSA, but tough to know where to start in terms of blogging. I’ve been through two steering committees, and 8 staff members at home office. Four General Assemblies and two Lobby Conferences. That alone is a lifetime of experiences and memories, strategizing and lobbying, writing and research. OUSA can trumpet successful partnerships inside and outside the sector, and of course our biggest win during my term, last month when five financial aid recommendations from our Ontario: A Province of Knowledge submission appeared directly in the government’s announcement. As VP Finance this year, I was able to overhaul OUSA’s books and accounts, and write stronger financial policies to shape us moving forward. And our Food for Thought campaign this year generated more buzz about OUSA than anything we’ve done in the last few years within the media.

I hesitate to look back too much, when OUSA has such a Bright Future ahead, pun intended. For all the successes I have helped with or watched, I will be just as proud when next year’s team, or any subsequent OUSA Steering Committees, accomplish the goals as laid out in our strategic plan, OUSA’s Bright Future. We’ve set a series of tough but achievable targets moving forward, to grow and strengthen our organization and its capacity to affect change in Ontario. My next steps are as of yet unknown, but I can relax comfortably (lending a helping hand when necessary, if asked) knowing that OUSA will be on solid footing for years to come, continuing our record of excellence on behalf of our students.

As this is my last blog, I would like to publicly thank this year’s OUSA team. Dan, Justin, Chris, Kory, Adam, Sus, Robert, Alexi, Alvin, Paul, Sam, Tammy and Howie. Thank you for pushing me to be the best representative I could be, helping me learn and grow, and for all the hard work you have contributed towards OUSA and the postsecondary sector this year.

Rob Lanteigne
Vice President University Affairs
Brock University Students’ Union

On Friday, OUSA was invited to participate in a day-long National Roundtable on Canadian Youth, taking place on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and hosted by Justin Trudeau and his colleagues in the Liberal caucus. Dozens of individuals and youth organizations from across Canada participated, including groups such as Oxfam, Right to Play, Apathy Is Boring, and Scouts Canada, as well as individual youth who are making a difference in their communities.

The Roundtable is part of a larger initiative, spearheaded by Mr. Trudeau, to create a national strategy on youth engagement. OUSA previously participated in a smaller consultation in Toronto last summer and we were pleased to be invited once more to represent undergraduate students and ensure any national strategy includes improving higher education in Canada.

In his opening address, Mr. Trudeau asked all participants to place particular emphasis on at-risk youth throughout the day’s discussions. Given the myriad of social, cultural, financial, physical and geographic barriers that are keeping Ontario’s youth out of post-secondary, the request was a welcome one.

OUSA President Dan Moulton and I attended the morning breakout session on youth learning, chaired by Liberal MP Ken Dryden. With such a broad topic and so many voices at the table, Mr. Dryden did an excellent job of keeping the discussion centred on specific policy changes that would do the most for our youth. Dan and I used the opportunity to press the need to address low participation from traditionally underrepresented groups by investing in early outreach initiatives in communities across the country. In the afternoon, attendees returned from the breakout sessions to share their ideas in a lengthy roundtable discussion.

When all is said and done, the future of Mr. Trudeau’s initiative is still murky. He informed us that he has attempted to begin a discussion in parliament on a national youth strategy but was blocked by the Conservatives and the Bloc Quebecois. He admits that some of what emerges from this process will be used to inform the next Liberal platform and he doubts that a national youth strategy will be enacted unless the Liberals return to power.

Dan and I wish to thank Mr. Trudeau for inviting us to participate in the event.

Alexi White
OUSA Executive Director

For the first time in OUSA history, two DoRPAs will blog simultaneously! As Sam Andrey, your new DoRPA, and I (Paul) work together to transition him into the role, it has given us a great opportunity to do some thinking about where we have been and where we might be going from a research and policy perspective.  Thus, I will write the first part, and Sam will respond in the second.

Paul

It is probably appropriate for me to spend a bit of time looking at where we’ve been.  While it has already been discussed on this website and blog at length, I think that the recent changes to student financial assistance have real implications on our policy and advocacy work. For at least the past five years (and in some cases longer), OUSA had been advocating strongly and seriously for the modernization of OSAP. In fact, if you look here <http://issuu.com/ousa/docs/ousabudgetsubmission2010> and here <http://issuu.com/ousa/docs/aprovinceofknowledge> you’ll see examples of these demands from this year.

Now that the government has finally doubled the income exemption in OSAP and made the six month non-repayment period a true grace period by making it interest free, OUSA can shift some of its focus to other areas that require serious and immediate attention. Don’t get me wrong, there are still important changes that need to be made to OSAP, not least of all a reworking of the needs assessment formula used to determine how much assistance a student will get, to be better in line with the federal formula. However, there are issues that pertain to quality and supporting student success that are very pressing, but have always come second to the immediate financial pressures students on assistance faced.

Thus, the most recent budget has opened a small amount room to begin a more serious dialogue on better supporting teaching in our universities for example. There can now be space for a broader discussion about student support services, and the crucial role they play in having students persist from the beginning to the end of their degree and achieve academic success.

As I move on to new challenges, it will be incumbent upon the home office and new steering committee to try and figure out how to best bring this issues forward in the constructive and purposeful way that OUSA always does.  And, in that spirit, I pass the torch to Sam to talk a little bit about the policy decisions that are upcoming for the 2010-2011 year.

Sam

As I settle into the office and get further “into the weeds” of OUSA’s policy and research, I am becoming even more excited about my new role. The General Assembly held at Western a few weeks ago really laid out what the summer is going to look like – namely re-writing our policies on student financial assistance, early outreach, and ancillary fees.

The last student financial aid paper was 94 pages, and I have little doubt that the 2010 version will be even longer. I think each re-write of a long-standing policy is an opportunity to re-think and renew our ideas on the subject, and I think this is especially important for SFA.  As Paul mentioned, the recent government announcement on OSAP reform allows us to turn the page on a few of our long-standing recommendations and begin to develop new educated solutions for the coming years. There was a great deal of excitement about the Australian model of deferred tuition at the most recent General Assembly, which may fit into the SFA discussion but will require long-term thinking and critical thought.
The government’s continued interest in a new Reaching Higher plan should allow OUSA an opportunity to share its vision for the sector. Thought and work has already begun on the government’s areas of focus, namely international students, system expansion, on-line learning, and credit transfer, and OUSA will have to continue to stay ahead of these topics. Developing new policy solutions to achieve the goals of our student success paper will be important, as will continued dialogue and thought on tuition, funding, and access. However, as always, the direction and priorities of OUSA will be decided upon by the students that we are lucky enough to be working for.

On the evening of March 31, OUSA hosted its annual Partners in Higher Education Dinner at the Sutton Place Hotel in Toronto. Guests included students, faculty, administrators, bureaucrats, politicians, political staff, researchers, and many other partners from inside and outside the higher education sector.

We began this event as a small breakfast to bring our partners together and discuss issues of importance to post-secondary education. Six years later it has evolved into a unique and important event in the sector, attracting over 150 people each year.

During the dinner, attendees had the pleasure of hearing from influential figures in Ontario’s higher education system, starting with the Honourable John Milloy, Minister of Training Colleges and Universities. After addressing the guests, and stressing OUSA’s strong partnership with the government, the Minister stayed to present the plaques to this year’s recipients of the OUSA Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Dr. Joy Mighty and Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes, the current and past Presidents of the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, respectively, gave the keynote address on issues in teaching and learning. Julia and Joy have recently published a book entitled Taking Stock: Research on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, which is certain to have a profound impact on the teaching and learning world. Rather than simply lecture the attendees, they incorporated a group discussion, which was very well received.

This sixth annual Partners Dinner also marked OUSA’s 15th year of incorporation. Three of OUSA’s most distinguished alumni – Leslie Church, Rick Martin, and Avvey Peters – were granted honourary memberships to mark the occasion.

OUSA would like to thank all our partners for attending, and send a specific thank you to our keynote speakers and event sponsors, without whom the dinner would not be possible.

2010 Partners Dinner sponsors: the Council of Ontario Universities, Wilfrid Laurier University, Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union, the Brock University Students’ Union, the College Student Alliance, the Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University, and the Federation of Students at the University of Waterloo.

Alexi White
Executive Director

The excitement is continuing to build here at the OUSA office as the final preparations are completed for our sixth annual Partners in Higher Education Dinner, set to take place this Wednesday, March 31 at the Sutton Place Hotel. The home office staff (especially Alvin) has been working very hard to make sure that this year’s dinner continues in the tradition of success.

It is clear from the program and list of attendees that we are all in for a spectacular evening. Guests will include students, faculty, administrators, bureaucrats, politicians, political staff, researchers, and many other partners from inside and outside the higher education sector.

During the dinner, attendees will have the pleasure of hearing from influential figures in Ontario’s higher education system, starting with the Honourable John Milloy, Minister of Training Colleges and Universities. After addressing the guests, the Minister will stay to hand out plaques to this year’s recipients of the OUSA Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Dr. Joy Mighty and Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes, the current and past Presidents of the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, respectively, will be giving the keynote address on issues in teaching and learning. They have just published a book entitled Taking Stock: Research on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, and rather than lecture the attendees, they plan to incorporate new forms of teaching pedagogy into their address.

Finally, this year’s Partners Dinner will mark OUSA’s 15th year of incorporation. A video presentation has been devised to give guests a taste of OUSA’s history, and three of OUSA’s most distinguished alumni will be granted honourary memberships to mark the occasion.

As I said, attendees are in for a spectacular evening.

Justin Williams
Vice President Education
Federation of Students at the University of Waterloo