STUDENT SUPPORT

Universities and colleges provide students with an opportunity to gain skills and experience beyond the classroom - but only if students are aware how and why to access those opportunities. After more than a decade as a post-secondary student and nearly a decade teaching in post-secondary environments, what I’ve learned through first-hand experience and countless conversations is that despite a plethora of information available online many of these are a “well-kept” secret. In other words, students often learn about these opportunities through word of mouth and near the end of their academic journey.

Recognizing this gap in the post-secondary experience, I’ve received a grant to build an online self-directed course at the University of Ottawa for students transitioning from high school to university called Preparing for University: Skills for Surviving and Thriving in University and Beyond. The course is (essentially) a practical prep program that helps incoming students get their bearings before they start classes. It focuses on core skills and information to help students navigate university life, handle assignments, and use technology responsibly.

Module 1: Taking charge of your university experience

module 2: getting ready for university assignments

This module aims to strengthen students’ reading and writing skills, and would be a pre-cursor to mandatory courses such as ENG 1100 – Workshop in Essay Writing, which I am currently teaching in the Department of English

module 3: Leveraging technology strategically and ethically

This module will focus on appropriate and ethical uses of AI and other digital tools.