Assessing the use of Canadian Literature in teaching at Simon Fraser University

A Review of: Henderson, S., McGreal, R., & Vladimirschi, V. (2018). Access Copyright and fair dealing guidelines in higher educational institutions in Canada: A survey. Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, 13(2), 1-37. https://doi.org/10.21083/partnership.v13i2.4147 Abstract Objective – To investigate the interpretations of fair dealing applied across Canadian post-secondary educational institutions outside of Quebec and to determine whether such institutions have a licence with Access Copyright. Design – Descriptive/quantitative study. Setting – Canadian post-secondary education sector, excluding Quebec. Subjects – A total of 159 Canadian post-secondary institutions outside of Quebec, including 75 universities and 84 colleges. Methods – A list of Canadian post-secondary educational institutions outside of Quebec was compiled. Data from participants relating to the research objective—reliance on an Access Copyright licence or use and interpretation of fair dealing—was collected via internet searches or, if unavailable online, via direct telephone communication with participants. Main Results – A majority of Canadian post-secondary educational institutions outside of Quebec, approximately 78% (124 institutions), did not have a licence with Access Copyright. The smaller the institution, the likelier it was to have an Access Copyright licence. This was in part linked to the fact that smaller institutions typically do not have staff specializing in copyright; savings from terminating Access Copyright licences (charged on a per student basis) would not justify the creation of such positions. Regarding fair dealing, 18% of study participants based their approach on the Supreme Court of Canada’s six-factor test (29 institutions), while 53% applied the fair dealing guidelines created by Universities Canada (85 institutions). Conclusion – Most of the institutions studied did not have Access Copyright licences and were relying on fair dealing instead, suggesting a bellwether for the copyright climate in the Canadian higher education sector towards fair dealing. Institutions may benefit from a future national consensus regarding interpretations of fair dealing concepts.

Objective: Post-secondary institutions provide a unique opportunity to implement and evaluate leading edge tobacco policies, while influencing a key group of young adults. To date, however, we know little about...

A number of recent policy reports have suggested that Canadian universities and community colleges should play a more significant role in response to the adult education and training needs of Canada’s workforce. This article discusses the results of a study that examined investment trends and the characteristics of non-formal adult learner programming at Canadian postsecondary institutions. Public universities and community colleges were surveyed, and a purposive sample of key informants, representing the broad spectrum of postsecondary education in Canada, was interviewed. The results indicated that institutional investments in non-formal programs for adult learners have trended upward over the past decade. Colleges reported larger average annual institutional expenditures on and larger enrolments in non-formal adult learner programs. However, adult learners comprise only a small minority of the overall student population at post-secondary institutions. Financial barriers at both the institutional and individual levels were identified as key barriers to increasing access and participation. Limited operational funding at the institutional level has influenced the nature and scope of offerings and, for many institutions, has resulted in program offerings that do not necessarily target the needs of nontraditional and disadvantaged adult learner groups. The study findings have important public-policy implications for improving access and participation in non-formal adult learning, including the need for greater incentives for individuals (e.g., tax incentives) and increased support for disadvantaged learners to enhance basic-skills training.

This study provides a snapshot of tenure at Canadian post-secondary music institutions, with a particular focus on gender and race/ethnicity. The data show tenure has been granted at high rates over a five-year period, and that women are no more or less likely to achieve tenure than men. However, more men than women hold both tenured and tenure-track positions, at a ratio of 2:1. The sample size of non-white faculty was not large enough to conduct statistical analyses about tenure rates in relation to race/ethnicity, although the extremely low rates of non-white tenure-track faculty suggest that diversity remains a concern in post-secondary music programs.

The Age-Friendly Inventory and Campus Climate Survey (ICCS) is the most comprehensive instrument available to empirically examine age inclusivity in higher education. While widely used in the United States, it had not been used in Canada. The purpose of this article is to share our experience and outcomes from using the ICCS at a Canadian post-secondary institution – the University of Calgary. The inventory was completed by 10 administrators to determine the presence of age-friendly campus practices and environmental features at the university. The survey was completed by 178 faculty, 608 staff, and 1,167 students to understand their awareness and perceptions of age-friendly practices and features covered by the inventory. We found that the ICCS was transferrable to our national and institutional context with minor modifications. Some challenges were experienced in the administration of the instrument, particularly the survey due to administrative complexities in conducting a survey at a large institution. The results of the assessment indicated that our university is moderately age-friendly, but most survey participants were unaware of its age-friendly elements. The findings from this baseline assessment provided valuable insights that will inform the development of an action plan to enhance the University of Calgary’s age-friendliness.

This paper describes the preliminary findings of the implementation of recovery colleges - a strengths-based, peer-driven, mental health learning model in five postsecondary institutions in Canada. Using exploratory methods and a sample of 124 participants completing a pre-participation and 72 completing a post-participation survey we aimed to answer two research questions; (1) Who is accessing the postsecondary recovery college? and (2) How is recovery college participation impacting students individually and interpersonally? Addressing the first research question, 80% were female students, between the ages of 18–25 years (73%), and 73% were in their second year of study. With regards to the second research question, recovery college participation improved students’ knowledge of coping and life skills and supported their mental health and wellbeing. Results provide evidence of impact of recovery college in postsecondary settings and may contribute to mental health system transformation to explore novel ways to support emerging adults’ mental health.

This study investigates the motivation for Nigerian migration to Canada for undergraduate education, with a focus on parent-sponsored undergraduate Nigerian students in Canadian universities. Using a qualitative research methods approach, the study shows that middle-class and upper-class Nigerians send their children to Canadian universities for undergraduate education because the student visa provides employment opportunities for international students, during and after studies, and Canadian permanent residence upon graduation. It is demonstrated in the paper that migration for higher education fits the neoliberal agenda of the current Canadian immigration policies and practices that target “designer im/migrants,” that is, im/migrants that are young, skilled, highly productive, educated, and self-sufficient. It is claimed throughout the paper that migration for higher education is not fortuitous for the parents and their wards and the Canadian state, as higher tuition paid by international students augments the declining public funding of post-secondary institutions in Canada and avails international students the opportunity of employment and permanent residence in Canada. The study in essence reveals the contradiction in the claim that the neoliberal state is a neutral entity as evidence shows that Canada’s post-secondary institutions implement neoliberal programs with the aid of the Canadian state.

Institutional open access (OA) policies can act as a solid foundation on which to build university-wide support for open access. This is the first paper to reflect on the entire process of developing, implementing, and reviewing an institutional open access policy at a Canadian post-secondary institution. Simon Fraser University (SFU) is one of a few Canadian universities with an institutional open access policy. As a leader in open access, SFU is well positioned to share observations of our experiences in the first three years of our OA policy. Throughout this paper, we reflect on the role that the policy plays in the broader culture of openness at SFU and on the OA resources and supports provided to SFU researchers. Other institutions may find our observations and adoption of the SOAR (strengths, opportunities, aspirations, results) appreciative inquiry framework useful as they explore future policy development or review and work to promote a culture of open access within their university community.

As Canadian universities increasingly serve diverse student populations, there is a need to understand the experiences of racialized students, including their experiences of bias and perception of the quality of postsecondary education. We utilize qualitative interviews with 38 ‘Asian-Canadian’ undergraduate students at a Canadian university as a case study to explore challenges to identity expression, strategies to earn admission, and campus resources. The findings reveal that students’ perceive stereotyping. They point to their families as preparing them for university admission as well as describing extracurricular endeavours and international baccalaureate education as helping them meet admission requirements. Study participants described challenges in university, including accessing some services. The findings are limited in the sense of not being able to distinguish whether the concerns related to access to resources was unique to these students or the broader student population. More research is needed on the experience of racialized students in Canadian postsecondary institutions.

Introduction: As the social prescribing movement grows in Canada, there is a need to understand whether students (a) are aware of this concept and (b) think it is important. Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine student perceptions and awareness of social prescribing in a Canadian university. Methods: This study was conducted at Brock University. Data collection took place between March and June of 2023. Eligibility criteria included (a) being a student at Brock University and (b) being able to read and write English. Participants completed an online survey. Quantitative data analysis consisted of basic mathematical computations. Qualitative data analysis consisted of qualitative content analysis. Results: Most participants (138/183, 75.4%) had never heard about social prescribing before. Once they were told what social prescribing is, the vast majority of participants thought that it seemed like a useful way to support health and well-being (121/126, 96.0%), felt that offering it on campus would be beneficial (129/130, 99.2%), believed that it is relevant to future health care professionals (121/128, 94.5%), thought that it should be part of the curriculum for health sciences programs (118/128, 92.2%), and expressed that they would be willing to follow their physician’s advice if they were to suggest social prescribing at an appointment (119/126, 94.4%). Conclusion/Discussion: Given the lack of awareness about social prescribing and the positive perceptions about this concept among the student body, Canadian post-secondary institutions are encouraged to (a) integrate this concept into the curriculum for health sciences programs and (b) offer social prescribing on campus.

PurposeThe Government of Canada is adopting the pedagogical practice of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) to help youth develop the career ready skills needed to transition from school to work. As a result, colleges and universities are receiving funding to grow academic programs that link theoretical learning with practical work experience. However, there is limited research about the resources available to students with disabilities who engage in WIL. From an environmental scan of disability supports for WIL on 55 Canadian post-secondary institutions’ websites and survey results from WIL professionals we ask: Do post-secondary institutions in Canada help students with disabilities become career ready? The data reveals that 40% of schools have no reference to disability services for any career related activities and only 18% refer to disability supports for WIL. Survey respondents report they are not being trained nor have access to resources to support students with disabilities in WIL. The authors therefore recommend changes to public policy and resource allocation to ensure colleges and universities provide disability services for all WIL programs, train practitioners about career related disability management, and hire professionals who specialize in supporting students with disabilities in WIL.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted an environmental scan of 55 Canadian post-secondary schools with a student population of 10,000 or more and identified services and resources publicly advertised online for students with disabilities in relation to employment and/or WIL activities. From this broad search, codes were developed based on general themes found in the recorded information, such as the location of information and the type of resources and services advertised for students with disabilities. During the environmental scan, the authors also collected names and emails of people listed as working in career and/or WIL departments who received an anonymous survey about their experiences working with students with disabilities.FindingsAs the Government of Canada expands WIL to improve labour market outcomes for youth, the research findings of the authors provide valuable evidence that post-secondary institutions are not supporting youth with disabilities to become career ready. Surprisingly, 40% of post-secondary institutions have no reference to disability supports for career related activities and only 18% reference supports available for engaging in WIL on their websites. In addition, WIL practitioners are not receiving the resources nor training to support this demographic to transition from school to work. This research can provide direction on resource allocation; specifically, the need for disability related supports and dedicated professionals for students who engage in WIL programs in higher education.Research limitations/implicationsA limitation of the methodology in scanning public sites is that universities and colleges could have services or supports advertised on sites that can only be viewed by the faculty, staff and students from that school. Thus, it is possible that employment information for students with disabilities is available for those with login privileges. The authors attempted to mitigate this limitation by collecting survey responses about programs and services from WIL practitioners who work at the schools. The authors also did not measure marketing of services on social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Instagram). Another limitation is that the WIL practitioner survey results are based on their perceptions. The sample size was not randomized, nor can the authors confirm it is a representative sample of all WIL practitioners in Canada.Practical implicationsAs countries continue to grapple with how to deal with the intersectionality of disability on an already disadvantaged demographic in the labour market, they must ensure that students with disabilities have access to career ready activities while in school. The authors therefore recommend public policy and resource allocation, not only in Canada but at a global level, that ensures post-secondary institutions: (1) create disability management programs and resources for all WIL and career activities; (2) hire dedicated professionals who specialize in working with students with disabilities in WIL; and (3) provide mandatory training for WIL practitioners on how to support students with disabilities in programs that develop their career ready skills.Social implicationsPreparing students with disabilities to be career ready when they graduate will benefit the Canadian economy. This wasted human capital not only negatively impacts a labour market with an aging demographic, it affects social service programs as Canadians with disabilities are one-third times more likely to live in poverty compared to Canadians without disabilities (Canadian Survey on Disability, 2017). The G20 report also stated that if employment rates for people with disabilities who are able to work were the same as for people without disabilities, economies around the world could increase their GDP by 3–7% (ILO and OECD, 2018).Originality/valueThere is no research in Canada to date that provides a national overview of the services in higher education advertised to support students with disabilities in WIL.

International students are critical to the academic, social and economic vitality of post-secondary institutions in Canada, yet, their retention can be challenging. When relations between host and home nations are strained, students are at risk of being required to return home, or of having their scholarships revoked. During the pandemic, international students, forced to study entirely online due to campus closures, were at risk of not having their visas renewed. Another challenge to international student retention is non-compliance with academic integrity policy. Non-compliance can result in penalties leading to dropouts and expulsion. Unlike other external challenges, ensuring compliance with academic integrity policy is entirely within institutional jurisdiction, yet Canadian colleges and universities assume varying degrees of responsibility in this regard. Using colleges in Ontario, Canada, as a case study, this paper explores the extent to which each of Ontario's 22 English-medium colleges provides its international students with ready access to intelligible academic integrity policy and pro-active training therewith. Using a mixed-methods approach, this research consists of content and document analysis, as well as descriptive statistics, to examine the academic integrity policy and support provisions (accessed online through Google searches) of each college. Colleges were ranked as exemplary, adequate or in need of improvement along a number of dimensions including acknowledging different cultural understandings and availability of translated material. Findings demonstrate that there is much more that colleges can do to support international students (upon whose tuition fees they are so dependent) in the area of understanding academic integrity compliance.

Purpose – This paper aims to report on a census of high-level sustainability initiatives at all accredited post-secondary institutions in Canada by documenting the institutions that have undertaken sustainability assessments, have signed one or more sustainability declarations, have sustainability offices or officers or have sustainability policies. The aim was to better understand the broad-scale patterns of commitments by post-secondary institutions to these sustainability initiatives by exploring the interrelationships among them, and with geographic and institutional characteristics. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected on existing high-level sustainability initiatives at Canada’s 220 accredited post-secondary institutions. Patterns in the data were analyzed using exploratory statistical techniques. This paper proposes a sustainability initiative score to help understand the diversity and patterns of sustainability initiative uptake. Findings – Institutions located in larger communities, and in British Columbia and Québec, tended to have higher sustainability initiative scores. Institutions in Saskatchewan and the territories had the lowest sustainability initiative scores. It was found that sustainability office(r)s, assessments and policies co-occurred disproportionately, potentially suggesting positive reinforcement mechanisms. On the other hand, having signed a declaration was not strongly linked to other sustainability initiatives. Terminological preference had shifted from “environment” and “sustainable development” to “sustainability”. Research limitations/implications – The scope was limited to a discrete set of high-level sustainability initiatives appropriate for a nation-wide census, at a moment in time, and is therefore not exhaustive in subject or temporal extent. This broad-scale comparative analysis compels further study into the relationship between the sustainability policy environment and sustainability practices on the ground, as well as implications for how post-secondary institutions engage with sustainability. The patterns and interrelationships this paper discovered help to structure future critical and comparative in-depth analyses of sustainability policies and practices within post-secondary education. Originality/value – Almost no extensive, comparative empirical studies of sustainability policy and practice in post-secondary institutions exist. This void is addressed by documenting and analyzing high-level sustainability initiatives across all accredited post-secondary institutions in Canada.

Indigenous peoples have been engaged in research since time immemorial, and have always acknowledged the power of their own knowledge systems, ways of being, and approaches. However, Indigenous peoples continue to be underrepresented in health research within academic institutions. There is an increased need for Indigenous leadership in health research, including greater Indigenous autonomy, mentorship, and self-determination in health research. This scoping review aims to explore Indigenous mentorship within Indigenous health research in post-secondary institutions in Canada, the US, New Zealand, and Australia. A review of empirical studies, case studies, reviews, commentaries, and grey literature was conducted. Four databases were used: Web of Science, PubMed, Native Health, and Google Scholar. Out of 1594 articles, 11 articles met the inclusion criteria. Four overarching themes were identified: (1) reciprocity: giving back to community; (2) supporting the development of research skills to build research capacity; (3) fostering a sense of belonging; and (4) building student ownership and confidence. The findings suggest that Indigenous mentorship is vital to creating supportive research environments for Indigenous students in the area of health sciences. Indigenous mentorship holds promise to address challenges faced by Indigenous scholars within post-secondary institutions, including intellectual, social, and cultural isolation, and can help to foster greater integration of Indigenous worldviews in Western-dominated academic settings and research systems. Future research should examine place-based mentorship opportunities for Indigenous students in community-based health research environments. Fostering Indigenous mentorship in health sciences is essential for advancing the health and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples and communities.

Disorders of decreased sound tolerance such as misophonia and hyperacusis cause significant distress through strong negative emotional and physiological reactions to everyday sounds. These conditions have been associated with poor mental and physical health as they impact day to day life. Prior to the recent development of consensus definitions of misophonia and hyperacusis, attempts to determine the prevalence of these conditions have been hindered by the ambiguity and inconsistency of their descriptions. Despite this, certain populations have been suggested to more frequently experience misophonia and hyperacusis, namely younger people and autistic people. Furthermore, there has been conflicting evidence regarding whether these conditions are more prevalent among women. Post-secondary campuses are often sensory-rich. As such, students with misophonia and hyperacusis are likely to experience distress. For this reason, we sought to investigate the prevalence of misophonia and hyperacusis in a Canadian university sample, and explore the relations between these conditions and gender, autistic traits, and overall social competence. As exposure to many everyday sounds can be highly aversive for individuals with misophonia and/or hyperacusis, these individuals often attempt to avoid environments in which distressing sounds are encountered. It is therefore possible that poorer social competence may be a secondary effect of these conditions. To investigate these relations, 2080 students completed an online survey using multiple established self-report measures of decreased sound tolerance. Clinical misophonia was detected in 12–18% of participants, and hyperacusis in 6–17%. Both conditions were significantly more prevalent among women than men. Both conditions were found to be weakly to moderately positively correlated with autistic traits, and weakly to moderately negatively correlated with social competence. These results highlight decreased sound tolerance as a significant issue at Canadian post-secondary institutions, calling for steps to be taken to mitigate its effects.