Engaging Students in Life-Changing Learning
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While numerous institutions across the globe are currently developing institutional educational frameworks to improve student outcomes, experiences, and success, scholars have long lamented mismatches between theory and practice. In this book, educators and scholars describe how they implemented Royal Roads University's Learning and Teaching Model in practice, illustrating how educational theory translates to practice.
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Item Engaging Students in Life-Changing Learning: Royal Roads University's Learning and Teaching Model in Practice - Revised Edition(Royal Roads University, 2016-06-01) Grundy, Stephen L.; Hamilton, Doug; Veletsianos, George; Agger-Gupta, Niels; Márquez, Pedro; Forssman, Vivian; Legault, MyriamWhile numerous institutions across the globe are currently developing institutional educational frameworks to improve student outcomes, experiences, and success, scholars have long lamented mismatches between theory and practice. In this book, educators and scholars describe how they implemented Royal Roads University's Learning and Teaching Model in practice, illustrating how educational theory translates to practice.Item Conclusion(Royal Roads University, 2016-06-01) Hamilton, DougThis book was produced to illuminate faculty, student, and staff perspectives on and experiences with the Royal Roads University Learning and Teaching Model. Our intention was to enable this model to come alive by illustrating its application in various and diverse learning and teaching contexts.Item The role of curriculum committee related to the Learning and Teaching Model and curriculum development at Royal Roads University(Royal Roads University, 2016-06-01) Young, Michael G.; Malisius, Eva; Dueck, PeterCurriculum Committee at Royal Roads University (RRU) is mandated with ensuring that program and course curricula are of sufficient high academic integrity, are consistent with other academic institutions, are delivered in a manner consistent with program outcomes, and align with the recently adopted Learning and Teaching Model (LTM). Yet, the apparent simplicity of the committee’s role is overshadowed by much confusion about what the committee does, how and why it does what it is intended to do, and whether it is effective in fulfilling its mandate. This paper explores the role of Curriculum Committee at RRU regarding the tensions that the committee encounters fulfilling its role. It begins with an historical review of Curriculum Committee, which is followed by a look at some of the factors that influence decision-making during committee meetings. Next, it examines the tensions posed by trying to strike a balance between form, function, and the context of curriculum proposals. The paper concludes with an observation that Curriculum Committee continues to evolve as it incorporates the lessons learned from ongoing self-reflection and feedback from faculty members and the broader university. Recently approved new terms of reference and pending committee restructuring are evidence of CC’s commitment to curriculum excellence, within the context of the LTM, and student success. A previous version of this paper can be found in the Universal Journal of Educational Research 3(12):1070-1073, 2015.Item “Research that makes a difference”: Conceptualizing and assessing the Royal Roads University research model(Royal Roads University, 2016-06-01) Belcher, BrianNew approaches to research engage with and deliberately contribute to transformations in complex social and natural systems. Such research is problem driven, transcends disciplinary boundaries, and it is often grounded in the belief that knowledge needs to be co-produced through collaboration to effectively support decision making and practical action for sustainable development. Royal Roads University is uniquely equipped for this kind of contribution, with low disciplinary boundaries, faculty and students who blend academic and professional experience, and an emphasis on problem-oriented research. This paper examines the research component of the RRU Learning and Teaching Model at the university. It provides an overview of RRU’s unique research model and develops and discusses a prototype theory of change. Promising new approaches to evaluate transdisciplinary research (TDR) are discussed, including broader principles and criteria of research quality, and approaches that use theories of change (ToC) to identify key stages and changes in a hypothetical change process and seek evidence to test the ToC empirically. A review of 506 abstracts from completed RRU graduate research projects found that a relatively small proportion (<8%) fully apply key principles and criteria of effective TDR. A full assessment of 48 projects selected for having high potential impact scored well on many criteria, but with systematic areas needing strengthening to improve effectiveness. It is intended that this paper will help build a conceptual and theoretical basis for improved research design, monitoring, evaluation, and learning.Item Flexible admission and academic performance(Royal Roads University, 2016-06-01) Grundy, Stephen L.The effect of flexible admission practices on academic performance are examined. A data set consisting of over 8,000 student records of which 27% consisted of non-traditional (flexible) admissions was examined. The results of this analysis showed that there was no significant effect on academic performance by the admission type, indicating that flexible admission students do equally well to those admitted on the basis of previous academic credentials. Further analysis also indicated little effect on academic performance either by gender or age. This study supports the notion of a more flexible approach to university admission, particularly in the applied and professional fields.