Equipping and Empowering Graduate Students with Professional and Lifelong Learning Skills (v. 1.1 - May 2023)

Abstract

To achieve Ontario’s goal of fostering innovation and scientific discovery in today’s fast-changing global economy, exceptional training is needed for graduate students and other highly qualified personnel (HQP). However, many issues plague research and other graduate learning environments, including steep learning curves, where many professional and learning skills are rarely taught. Further, many equity-deserving groups disproportionately face barriers to success.

To partially address these issues, we created this resource as a self-directed online course that equips graduate students in any field with transferable skills through adaptable modules: learning skills (e.g., metacognition), mentorship, project management, academic resilience, and navigating difficult conversations. We are also developing a guide for educators. Our goal is to enable more inclusive, equitable, and productive research environments, while equipping graduate students with lifelong learning and professional skills. Learning outcomes anchor each module’s content, activities, and assessment; the course will readily integrate with each graduate student's actual program to maximize authentic, timely, and flexible learning.

Our collaborative approach is designed to maximize equity and involves graduate and undergraduate students as project partners. The project team implements EDDI principles, including in our own learning (and unlearning), recruitment, design, development, and knowledge mobilization.