May 12, 2021
The University of Lethbridge has announced that it will be running the It’s Worth a Shot contest to encourage students to get their COVID-19 vaccinations prior to the Fall 2021 semester. Students who are vaccinated on or before September 8th will be eligible to enter a contest to win prizes such as full domestic tuition and fees or gift certificates to ULethbridge’s bookstore. “This is an investment we are making in ensuring our campus is as safe as it possibly can be,” says ULethbridge President Mike Mahon. “Our responsibility is to create a safe campus and contribute to the health of the Lethbridge and Calgary communities, and we anticipate this campaign will have a significant impact.”
ULethbridge |
Lethbridge Herald |
Global News(CP) (AB)
The Government of Ontario has proposed legislation that would replace the Ontario College of Trades with Skilled Trades Ontario, a new Crown agency that would streamline and simplify ON’s apprenticeship system. Skilled Trades Ontario would lead the development and promotion of apprenticeship training and curriculum standards, in addition to providing client-facing services such as apprentice registration, issuance of certificates and renewals, and equivalency assessments. The new agency is intended reduce confusion and barriers for those pursuing a career in the trades and to help meet employer demand for qualified skilled trades workers.
ON |
Canadian Plastics (ON)
The Government of British Columbia has announced changes to the Private Training Regulation and the Fees and Student Tuition Protection Fund Regulation. The amendments will implement the 36 recommendations from the BC Ombudsperson’s 2015 report, which concluded that there was a lack of effective oversight mechanisms for the sector. The key changes include the requirement for every institution to create a student statement of rights and a sexual misconduct prevention policy, as well as mandating facility and equipment inspections for first-time certification applications. BC states that there will also be a change in fee structures for private training institutions.
BC (BC)
Ontario Tech University Associate Professor Dr Sharon Lauricella and Assiniboine Community College Instructor Dr T Keith Edwards collaborated over the past year on ludic pedagogy and how instructors can bring play and fun into the classroom. Lauricella and Edwards define the four pillars of a pedagogical model – fun, play, playfulness, and humour – which can be used to create a positive learning environment without sacrificing rigour. Among other benefits, the instructors found that the model helped to improve cohesion among students, develop a rapport between students and faculty, and create an atmosphere that fostered increased learning. They discuss some of the potential challenges to the model, and assert that there is a “huge opportunity” for cultural change if faculty apply this form of pedagogy to their classrooms.
Teach Online (National)
The Premier’s Economic Recovery Team in Newfoundland & Labrador recently released their report,
The Big Reset, which outlines a path to right the province’s fiscal situation within six years. The report includes several recommendations for PSE, including calling on Memorial University of Newfoundland and the College of the North Atlantic to establish a Centre of Excellence in Green Technology, updating the College Act and Memorial University Act to provide the institutions with new autonomy, and reducing provincial operating grants to the institutions. CBC reports that MUN president Vianne Timmons described the 30% cut to operating grants as “an impossible target,” and VOCM states that unions such as MUNFA and the provincial chapter of the Canadian Federation of Students are calling on the government to reject the report.
NL (PDF) |
Saltwire |
CBC |
VOCM (NL)
Sault College and Algoma University have signed an agreement that will create new pathways between the two institutions for computer programming students. Graduates of Sault’s two-year computer programming diploma program will be able to enter the third year of AlgomaU’s three or four year Bachelor of Computer Science degree programs. “Through this unique partnership, we’re supporting ongoing learning and providing diversity in options and enhanced accessibility to quality education,” said Sault President Dr Ron Common. “Together we are providing another opportunity for an enriched learning experience that encompasses the strengths of both post-secondary institutions and offers learners more choices in their academic pursuits providing them with a solid foundation in their career paths.”
Sault (ON)
The University of Winnipeg has announced the recent opening of the Aabijijiwan New Media Lab and the Kishadigeh Collaborative Research Centre, which span over 4,000 square feet inside Richardson College. The spaces will provide new opportunities for learning, skills training, and development for Indigenous youth. The Aabijijiwan New Media Lab houses four different spaces with unique production focuses, while the Kishadigeh Collaborative Research Centre is a learning space that is able to host workshops, events, and intergenerational knowledge transmission. The lab and centre are led by Dr Julie Nagam and Dr Jaimie Cidro.
UWinnipeg (MB)
The University of Windsor is embarking on a new research project led by Engineering Professor Narayan Kar that is focused on electric vehicle drive systems. The $1.8M project will investigate ways to make improvements to electric vehicles to make them more powerful, efficient, and reliable, while also being less costly. The project’s funding will enable academic and industry partners to collaborate and will provide training opportunities for the next generation’s experts on electric vehicles. “With this project, we want to create a paradigm shift in the field of transportation electrification,” said Dr Kar. “We hope to give Canada a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.”
UWindsor (ON)
The Fédération nationale des enseignantes et des enseignants du Québec (FNEEQ) launched a two-day strike at noon on Tuesday. The FNEEQ represents 15,000 teachers across 45 member unions, including instructors from many cégeps in the province. The union has been engaged in negotiations with the provincial government over the past 18 months, with job security and improved working conditions among the key issues. The FNEEQ argues that these issues have a direct impact on the learning conditions of students. The
Montreal Gazette reports that the FNEEQ member unions have voted mandates for five strike days to be “used at an opportune moment.”
Montreal Gazette |
Journal de Montréal (QC)
Lambton College has announced that it has renamed its athletics centre the Cestar Group Athletic and Fitness Complex after receiving a $2M donation from the Cestar College of Business, Health and Technology. The donation will primarily be used to support the expansion of Lambton’s athletics and recreation offerings. Lambton President Judith Morris noted that Cestar Group and the college have worked together for many years. “This donation is an extraordinary tribute to our collaborative partnership,” said Morris, “and a huge investment in the mental and physical health and well-being of our students and College community.”
The Observer (ON)
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