How can postsecondary institutions help students succeed?
March 1, 2012
Ontario is in currently in the midst of unprecedented growth in postsecondary education, with more students than ever pursuing college and university opportunities. Tricia Seifert, assistant professor in OISE’s department of Theory and Policy Studies, believes the value of gaining a postsecondary education today lies in fostering the crucial abilities of critical thinking, a desire for inquiry and reasoned debate on the issues of the day, not just in its role of advancing opportunities in the labour market and preparing people to be productive employees.
Her research focuses on how our postsecondary institutions can better structure their offices and teams to support student learning. Bringing an evidence-based approach to understanding how postsecondary institutions affects students, she has assessed a wide variety of experiences and practices both in and outside the classroom in terms of how they contribute to student learning.
Access to education does not necessarily translate into automatic success for the student. Ensuring appropriate support systems are in place at post secondary institutions is crucial for the development of the student. Recently, she co-authored a study for the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) on the role of institutional culture in delivering effective student services in postsecondary institutions. “In order for students to be successful, they need to be supported both academically and personally such that they are able to learn from environments inside and outside of the classroom.”
Her research, in turn, is intended for use by the very people and institutions she studies, as she explains, “My research is intended for use by those participating in the process. Our detailed post-site-visit report, where input from all levels of the institutions stakeholders is included, is shared directly with the institution. Several of the campuses in the study have commented that they have used those reports in divisional retreats and strategic planning processes. Applying the insights from the research into on-the-ground practice is at the very centre of my scholarship.”
-30-