Message from Fiona Allan, vice president, Academic:
I am pleased to share that the preliminary results from the inaugural Program Experience Survey contain good news for Niagara College, and identify areas where we can focus our efforts for continuous improvement. The online survey was administered from November 9th to 20th by email invitation to students enrolled in the second term of their program or above.
The majority of respondents said that academic programs at Niagara College are helping them develop the hard and soft skills they need for future careers: 89% were satisfied with the knowledge and skills they are learning for future careers; 89% agreed that programs are developing their ability to work with others; over 90% reported programs are helping them develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills – all highly valued skills and abilities that employers are looking for in graduates.
Almost 9 in 10 felt that program faculty and staff support their success. This speaks to the level of dedication and care of all our faculty and staff to ensure students are supported within an online and hybrid delivery term due to the pandemic. Please accept my sincere thanks for all your hard work to support our students during this challenging year.
Diversity competency skills also emerged as a strength, with 87% of respondents reporting that their programs develop these skills. This baseline will help support the development of a formal blueprint for diversity and inclusion as part of the College’s ongoing commitment to strengthen and expand inclusivity, diversity, and cultural and global engagement on campus and beyond.
Applied and work integrated learning also received high marks from students, even within the context of the pandemic: 80% were satisfied with the quality of applied and/or work integrated learning; and 84% were happy with the connection of theory to applied and hands-on aspects of their learning experience.
The Fall 2020 term has been challenging for many students. These results are a testament to the commitment and dedication of all faculty and staff, and our shared focus on our students’ satisfaction and success. Let’s retain this momentum as we approach the next round of the program experience survey in the winter term.
The pandemic landscape remains challenging and ever-evolving, and Niagara College continues to adapt with it. I’m amazed at some of the innovative new learning experiences and supports we’ve created for our students and the ideas that continue to come forward.
At the same time, we know there is still work to be done. The 2020-21 academic year has brought its own unique challenges and opportunities, with remote and hybrid learning and a period of unprecedented change for our college. I continue to be impressed with the passion and student-centric approach the entire college community has brought forward in addressing this new reality, and I am confident that we will emerge a stronger college because of this.
I encourage you to watch for more results as they become available. If you have questions regarding the survey, please contact Katerina Gonzalez, Director, Planning and Institutional Research at [email protected].
For background information on this survey, click here.
For student FAQs regarding the survey, click here.
