Incubating Ideas

What is the best way to learn? Its an extremely complex question, but a new and exciting approach has been adopted at two Ontario schools that provides a glimpse into the role universities can now play in the learning process. It involves creating an idea incubator dedicated to students.

Last year, the University of Waterloo's VeloCity received some attention for its innovative approach to helping student's collaborate and build on their ideas. VeloCity is a small 70 bed residence in the corner of the UW campus that was due for a renovation when a discussion took place between staff in residence and graphics that radically changed the normal approach to renewing a residence building. Those discussions lead to the creation of VeloCity which provides entrepreneurial students with a chance to innovative, collaborate and learn.

Staff at my school used VeloCity to help build on some discussions and ideas that had been happening around campus. The dialogue has lead to the creation of the Digital Media Zone or DMZ. Our video blogger recently posted a video of a tour she had of the DMZ that will help explain what happens there.

When learning is real to a student it can lead to powerful outcomes. And it does not get more real then seeing an idea grow from a thought to reality. By creating space for the purpose of incubating ideas Waterloo & Ryerson are creating extremely powerful learning opportunities for students.

Opportunity to Assess Out of Class Experience

Applying Knowledge is an article from Macleans OnCampus that talks about how schools are using NSSE results to improve student engagement. UBC Okanagan's approach to providing dedicated space to commuting students through their Collegia Program is cited as one way that Canadian schools have adapted to the knowledge gained through NSSE.

The article goes on to say "Canada needs 'a more systematic data sharing and analysis exercise' that breaks down information by school and then by faculty, making cross-institutional comparisons easy." Seeking a greater understanding through comparison and benchmarking of Canadian schools is needed.

However, it should not be limited to understanding the differences in student engagement by faculty. Understanding the role that services for students, student club involvement and all the other ways students get involved outside the classroom is needed as well. Achieving this end will be a little more challenging because data on student involvement in these types of activities is likely not captured in a central database. Nonetheless, if groups manage their own data then comparing that information to student engagement data is possible. At Ryerson we have been working with our planning office to do just that. Hopefully, we will have some results to share with you in the near future.

Assessment is increasing in importance and getting involved in how data is used to study student engagement presents a huge opportunity for everyone in higher education, especially those of us in student affairs.

Reviewing the Student Experience: A Popular Strategy

As the first couple of pages of this Macleans OnCampus article points out colleges and universities are seeking to gain a greater understanding of the student's experience through the use of surveys like NSSE & CUSC. Some schools have decided to go beyond survey tools to study the issue in greater depth.

Over the past few years I have been made aware of these in-depth studies mostly be chance - read an article, stumbled across information on a website or someone shared the information with me in conversation. I thought I would compile a list of the public reports that I know about and see if others can add to the list. Below is a link to reports from five schools. Please add a link if you can.

• Ryerson University: President's Commission on Student Engagement & Experience
• Victoria University in the University of Toronto: Student Life Review
• McGill University: Principal's Task Force on Student Life & Learning
• York University: Under review now (Green Paper Phase)
• University of Alberta: Student Engagement: A Shared Responsibility

$ Impact of International Students

Josh Lyman, a character from the hit show West Wing, said, "There are only two things that ever stopped the government from doing anything money or politics." If this is the case then presumably, money or politics will also cause the government to take action and international students traveling to Canada certainly provides money according to a report released by the federal government this past fall.

Foreign Affairs & International Trade released an article in late October called Impact of International Education in Canada which outlined that the "total expenditures by international students while they study here (tuition, accommodation, living costs, travel and discretionary products and services) resulted in a $6.5 billion infusion to the Canadian economy in 2008."

The trend toward globalization would imply that this figure will grow in years to come and its hardly a secret that many schools rely on financial contributions from students abroad to help their bottom line. However, let's not forget that international students bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to our schools which provides a "priceless" aspect to learning for all students (staff & faculty).

Determing How Best to Develop Leaders

At Ryerson we are conducting a review of our student leadership development program and to help us understand our options we have been doing some reading and looking at programs offered at other schools.

One of the books we have read that has been quite helpful is Deeper Learning in Leadership by Dennis C. Roberts. The author provides some history on leadership development programs, gives an overview of some of the common approaches used at (US) schools and presents his thoughts on components of a good program.

As for programs being offered, I have found the University of Calgary Leadership (UCL) program the most intriguing. The UofC program is broken into three areas: personal leadership, team leadership and community leadership. The breakdown resonates with me because it provides a holistic view built on a foundation of student's developing self-awareness and moves them towards making contributions to their community beyond school. You should check out the link above to find out more.

Here are a few observations I've made as we have gone though this review for you to comment on:

• Roberts mentions that no one model on leadership development has been found to dominate and our review reinforces this position. No two schools have the same program. This is exciting because it provides for a lot of flexibility in designing a program, but it is a little overwhelming too because its hard to know which approach will yield the best results.
  
• There is a tonne of information on leadership and no two people have the same opinion on leadership and how best to develop the skills associated with it. Our approach has been to reach out to a fair number of people - students, staff, faculty & people/groups outside our school - to increase "buy-in" and explore ways we collaborate. We have some emerging partnerships developing with the Lion's Club and with the Canadian Centre for Diversity that could provide some powerful outcomes for our students.
  
• Those of us in student affairs at Ryerson have talked a fair amount over the past few years about ways we can collaborate to support and educate existing leaders, but we have yet to find a strategy that will work. For instance, the staff working in student affairs units collectively hire a few hundred student staff and leaders and each unit provides training and support for those directly under their responsibility; however, the different hiring timelines, topics covered in training and job requirements have prevented us from finding a comprehensive solution that is sustainable beyond isolated activities.
  

Rae Report Results

For those of you in Ontario you will likely recall, former Premier and current federal MP, Bob Rae conducting a review of post-secondary education in the province a little more than five years ago. His report, Ontario: A Leader in Learning (or more commonly known as the Rae Report) lead to the creation of a five year plan for the Ontario government called Reaching Higher.

With the five year period for the plan now complete the current Minister of Training, Colleges & Universities, John Milloy, outlined the results in a speech to the Canadian Club on January 18, 2010. Here are a few of the claims made and highlights from his speech:

• 100,000 more students in PSE than when the Liberal government first took office
• $650 million in student financial assistance - an increase of 250% & a 40% increase in the number of student receiving financial support
• 30% increase in number of students with a disability attending PSE
• $1.7 billion increase in operating funds for PSE or a 63% increase since the Liberals took office
• On our way to having 15,000 more graduate students spaces
• Graduation rates have increased at both college & university levels
• 80% or more of students are satisfied with their education
• 120,000 apprentices training in Ontario now which is double the amount from when the government took office

At the end of his speech the Minister pointed out the biggest wild card that will affect PSE moving forward: the $24 billion Ontario government deficit. With education in Canada being funded by the provinces it will be interesting to see how the government allocates resources in the upcoming budget to build on the foundation that was laid with the Rae Report. Many of us are watching and waiting.