Peter Dietsche
 

PhD (University of Toronto)
Assistant Professor
William G. Davis Chair in Community College Leadership

Email: peter.dietsche@utoronto.ca
Tel: 416-978-1217
 

Research Interests

My research interests are broadly defined as access, quality and accountability in postsecondary education. On the access side, my interests are in factors that influence a student's decision to apply to college or university, factors that promote a smooth transition to postsecondary education and what institutions can do to facilitate this transition. Past research, including the Pan-Canadian Inventory of Exemplary Practices in College Learning has focused on this issue by examining what Canadian colleges do to promote access and student success.

A major focus of my research has been describing the characteristics of different groups of students who attend college. Relevant research includes the 2005 Pan-Canadian Study of College Students, the College Experience and Determinants of First Year Outcomes, the Pan-Canadian Survey of Apprenticeship Students and the 2006-2007 Ontario College Student Engagement Survey. In addition,k these studies have examined the interaction between student and institutional characteristics and how this affects the student experience and, ultimately, student outcomes. Research has also examined the influence of institutional policy and practice on college student learning and outcomes.

In the area of quality and accountability, my interests include definitions of quality, how jurisdictions differ in their definition and use of the term and measures typically employed to examine institutional effectiveness and institutional quality. Finally, I am interested in how governments use the concepts of quality and accountability, accountability frameworks and key performance indicators to encourage quality in systems of postsecondary education.