Resources for Students

The Office of the Associate Dean, Research, International & Innovation provides a range of supports for student research, from consultations and workshops on research design and analysis to funding for conference travel and employment opportunities. In addition, we administer the Leithwood Award for the OISE Outstanding Thesis of the Year. Click on the headings below to find out more about what we have to offer.

Data Analysis & Research Design Consultation

Dr. Olesya Falenchuk, Research Systems Analyst, conducts Research Design & Analysis Workshops and is available for individual consultation for thesis-related research.

Research Design and Analysis Workshops are designed to meet the needs of researchers in data management and analysis and include sessions on NVivo, SPSS, SAS, AMOS, Stata, Atlas, and Dedoose.

Research Design consultations include assistance with:

developing design and methodology for graduate theses and research projects
developing and validation of surveys, questionnaires and measurement scales
conducting qualitative and quantitative data analysis
communicating results (including tables, charts, and graphs) for research reports and peer-reviewed publications.
using qualitative and quantitative analysis software

Research and Development Graduate Assistantships (R&DGAs)

Research and Development Graduate Assistantships (R&D GAs) provide opportunities to work closely with faculty members on particular research and/or field development projects. These positions may further the development of skills in research design and methodology, data analysis, and scholarly writing, and may foster professional scholarly and community connections.

See the Student Employment website for additional information about applying for R&DGAs.

OISE Associate Dean Research, International & Innovation Graduate Student Conference Travel Program

This program contributes to OISE students’ professional development by providing financial support for students presenting at refereed academic conferences.

See the program website for detailed information on when and how to apply.

Leithwood Award for OISE Outstanding Thesis of the Year

The Leithwood Award is presented to one recipient annually in recognition of exceptional, cutting-edge research conducted by an OISE student in the last phase of their work.

Established in 2003, this award is named in honour of Dr. Kenneth Leithwood, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education and former Associate Dean, Research. Dr. Leithwood’s research on educational leadership and educational change has contributed to shaping theory, policy and practice in most jurisdictions in Canada as well as in England, the United States, and Australia. Over the course of his career, he supervised nearly 90 doctoral students. Funds contributed by Dr. Leithwood’s colleagues and students ensure that this award continues to celebrate the finest scholarly work in educational research in this country.

Eligibility

The annual competition is open to OISE graduates/doctoral candidates who completed their theses between January 1 and December 31 in the year prior to the deadline.

The deadline is 12noon February 15th, for theses completed between January 1 and December 31 in the previous calendar year. If the deadline falls on a weekend or public holiday observed by University of Toronto, the deadline is 12noon on the next business day.

Assessment Criteria

Research excellence, including innovative conceptualization, design, and execution. Does the approach shift the reader’s consciousness? What new knowledge is being produced?
The significance of the problem – the nominee should demonstrate why the research is important, placing the work in a larger context and making a case for the significance of the work.
Research impact and external reach – for example, external reviewers’ comments, resulting publications, requests from external groups to present/share results, interest from book publishers
Quality of the 6-page written report [Summary of Thesis]
Strength of the letter of recommendation from the faculty supervisor

Application Process

Please see Application form and instructions for the award

If this Word document is not accessible, please contact Lisa Smith for assistance at oise.research@utoronto.ca or 416-978-1117.

Please note that applications MUST be submitted via email to oise.research@utoronto.ca Hard copy applications will not be accepted.

Recent Award holders

Year	Recipient	Thesis title
2016 (presented 2017)	Christine Fraser	The Linguistic and Reading Skills of English Language Learners At-risk for Poor Reading Comprehension: Profiles and Predictors
2017 (presented 2018)	Daniel Hamlin	School choice in deindustrialized cities: A mixed method comparison of charter and public schools on safety and parental involvement in Detroit, Michigan
2018 (presented 2019)	Angelica Galante	Plurilingual or monolingual: A mixed methods study investigating plurilingual instruction in an EAP program at a Canadian university
2019	Katie Doering	Inclusivity in Children’s Literature: Examining Quality of Text, Accuracy of Representation of Children with Cancer in Picturebooks, and Children’s Response to Three Specific Texts
2020	Megan Scribe	Indigenous Girlhood: Narratives of Colonial Care in Law and Literature