McMaster community members share what they believe this report means for the community, particularly with regard to possible use of GenAI Turnitin
To better understand how generative artificial intelligence could be used in educational settings at McMaster University, a Generative Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning Task Force was created in May 2023. The finalized report was then released to the McMaster community by Susan Tighe, provost and vice-president (academic), in late September 2023.
Erin Aspenlieder, the coordinator for the task force and associate director at the Paul R. MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation and Excellence in Teaching, first heard about ChatGPT in Nov. 2022 on a podcast. She had been fascinated with GenAI technology and was curious about what this could mean for educational settings. Since then she has been learning about GenAI and its many functions.
As Aspenlieder learned more and began to speak with the McMaster community, she found there were some who were excited about GenAI’s future while others were apprehensive.
Jovan Popovic, McMaster Students Union president, was brought onto the Task Force by Kim Dej, vice-provost (teaching and learning). Popovic and MSU vice president (education) Abigail Samuels were both task force members and were heavily involved in conversations surrounding implementing GenAI.
Popovic expressed in an interview with the Silhouette that the final report reads to him as a discouragement to the use of GenAI in classrooms. He believed that GenAI is one of the most powerful learning tools and he worried that, by discouraging its use, McMaster students may fall behind a society that is utilizing GenAI as a tool to assist learning.
Popovic also shared that he is disappointed that despite students being discouraged to use GenAI, one of the items included in the final report is the possible integration of GenAI Turnitin. Turnitin is a software that is utilized around the world to detect plagiarism by comparing work with resources that already exists.
Popovic also shared that he is disappointed that despite students being discouraged to use GenAI, one of the items included in the final report is the possible integration of GenAI Turnitin.
Popovic has shared written statements of disagreement about the integration of GenAI Turnitin with both the task force and the broader McMaster community.
Popovic referenced a piece by the Washington Post that examined the negative influences of GenAI Turnitin in educational settings. He also highlighted his concern for students falsely accused of cheating by the software and wanted to make sure that something will be done to ensure these students are protected.
“The biggest concern at the immediate moment is the Turnitin AI detection software. The concern of academic integrity cases flying through the roof on students who really shouldn't be going through [it] . . . I strongly believe that this may not deter the dishonest from continuing to use such resources, but it will deter those who study with ethics, seeing it potentially as a frightening threat,” said Popovic.
The biggest concern at the immediate moment is the Turnitin AI detection software. The concern of academic integrity cases flying through the roof on students who really shouldn't be going through [it] . . . I strongly believe that this may not deter the dishonest from continuing to use such resources, but it will deter those who study with ethics, seeing it potentially as a frightening threat.
Jovan Popovic, president, McMaster Students Union
Aspenlieder explained that McMaster is currently conducting a privacy risk assessment and cost/benefit analysis for the use of GenAI Turnitin and acknowledged that the software does come with some uncertainties. Currently, she says that its implementation at McMaster will be dependent on the results of the previously mentioned PIA and cost/benefit analysis.
Lucas Mei, a fourth-year linguistics student, shared in an interview with the Silhouette that he has been keeping up with the development of GenAI for a while. Despite being very impressed by the technology, he disliked its use in academics. He stated that he thought using GenAI tools, such as ChatGTP, in academics could often cause students to not problem-solve through their work by themselves.
Mei also expressed that when he read the task force's report he felt that the person who wrote the report may not necessarily be the most knowledgeable about GenAI. He attributed this impression to the fact that many people in higher positions are often unaware of the applications of advanced technology.
Ultimately, Mei hoped that as the university continues to look into GenAI there are people on the task force who can better speak to the understanding of newer AI.
“I'm hoping that someone [on the Task Force] is of our generation or a millennial . . . and can actually understand AI. I'm just really hoping for that. Because I've seen way too many times things completely fall through because of lack of expertise and poor management and egos getting in the way,” said Mei.
As the next steps begin to be explored McMaster students are encouraged to attend the November townhalls organized by the task force, which will be announced later in the semester.
If you are unable to attend the town halls Aspenlieder also shared they are working on the open feedback form and Popovic encouraged MSU students to reach out to Samuels and himself through their emails with any comments or concenrs.
From athletics and recreation fees to organization fees, the university lacks transparency when it comes to where your money is going
Each year, McMaster University and the McMaster Student Union collect over $1,400 in mandatory supplementary fees from each of their full-time undergraduate students. As tuition and supplementary fees were just due on September 25 this year, students, once again, enter a period of heightened financial stress after paying off significant balances to avoid late fees and interest charges.
However, finding detailed information on your student fees isn’t as easy as it should be.
While the MSU provides an accessible breakdown of the specific fees they manage, there is limited information available on how those funds are used by the MSU. For instance, to better understand how the organization fee, which costs students over $150, is used, you’d have to rummage through lengthy financial documents that are largely inaccessible to the average student. Not to mention, the list of fees on the MSU website is inaccurate and outdated based on the fee breakdown students can find on Mosaic or the Office of the Registrar’s website.
In comparison to the MSU’s less-than-satisfactory efforts towards transparency, though, the university lags even further behind. For McMaster-specific fees, there is little to no information available on how student funds are managed.
In comparison to the MSU’s less-than-satisfactory efforts towards transparency, though, the university lags even further behind. For McMaster-specific fees, there is little to no information available on how student funds are managed.
Take, for example, the administrative services fee which can cost up to $43 and is designated for transcripts, letters, tax form and certificate fees. Beyond that brief description in the title of the fee there are no further details on how the funds generated by this fee are used by the administrative team. What makes the unclarity of the fees even more frustrating is the fact that students are still required to pay $3 for an official e-transcript or $30 for an official paper transcript with express shipping.
This administrative service fee is just one example from that never-ending list of fees slipped onto your balance with tuition costs.
For many students and their families, the set of student fees they are required to pay can represent a significant financial burden, especially given the current economic climate.
As students at McMaster, we deserve to know exactly how our money is being spent. Creating a sense of transparency around student fees would not only improve attitudes towards fees, because students can better understand the value of their fees, but it also holds the university accountable to their budgeting, ensuring every student’s hard-earned penny is well spent.
As students and consumers at McMaster, we deserve to know exactly how our money is being spent. Creating a sense of transparency around student fees would not only improve attitudes towards fees, because students can better understand the value of their fees, but it also holds the university accountable to their budgeting, ensuring every student’s hard-earned penny is well spent.
For example, students are charged $260 for an expense labelled as the Athletics & Recreation Sports Complex Building fee. Beyond the title of the fee, there are no further details provided on where these costs are going and how they would benefit students. Without accessible information on these vaguely defined fees, students are left in the dark, unsatisfied with the dozens of unreasonable additional costs their forced to pay.
As inflation continues to take a toll on students, the burden of student fees is undeniable. Both the university and MSU need to prioritize transparency and work to build a more accessible and equitable system of student fees that better supports students and their needs.
Quarterback Keagan Hall helps lead the Marauders to great heights during first games of the season
In their first game of the regular season, the Marauder men’s football team faced the University of Windsor Lancers. In the highly anticipated matchup, the Marauders failed to defeat the Lancers though, losing the game 21-17.
The game was played in front of a packed Ron Joyce stadium, with McMaster University’s move-in day bringing in students and parents alike. The recorded attendance stood at 2,140.
The game was likely played with plenty of nerves from the McMaster team, especially for new starting quarterback Keagan Hall. Despite the tense atmosphere though, Hall delivered a phenomenal performance, rushing 31 yards and completing 19 of 37 passes.
After the graduation of fifth-year Andreas Dueck, Hall has found himself in the spotlight of the Marauders football offense. After falling short of qualifying for the playoffs last season, Hall and the rest of the team are looking to redeem themselves following impressive results early on this year.
In the Marauders’ second game of the season, they narrowly lost to Western University with a score of 22-34. Despite their defeat, the team had improved upon last year’s match against the Mustangs where they lost 14-47.
The Marauders' third game of the season saw them dominate York University with a score of 71-0. Hall continued to prove himself, with the quarterback throwing a total of 300 yards in the massive win.
As the Marauders head into a matchup against Guelph University, they will likely be looking to keep their energy up. Hall in particular will likely be looking to deliver another great performance and spur the Marauders onto a winning streak.
McMaster experts comment on anticipated spike in COVID-19 cases and discuss how students can stay safe
Many Canadian COVID-19 experts have recently raised concerns surrounding a potential spike in COVID-19 cases on university campuses.
While case counts have been relatively low for many months, over the last few weeks, the country has already started see an increase in COVID-19 cases. This uptick includes 10 Canadian regions displaying an increase in cases and Hamilton COVID-19 data reporting an increase in test positivity over the last month.
Additionally, two new COVID-19 variants, EG.5 and BA.2.86, have recently emerged and are also suspected to have contributed to the uptick in cases.
Dr. Manali Mukherjee, an affiliate scientist with the research institute at St. Joeseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, assistant professor with the McMaster University Department of Medicine and long-COVID researcher, shared her thoughts on the predicted resurgence.
“COVID has never really left us; it's just the incidence has gone down. With more mingling, more people coming in, we are expecting a spike. We are already hearing a number of cases of friends, family, near and dear ones in community, who are testing positive for COVID. So, it is not a surprise,” she said.
"COVID has never really left us; it's just the incidence has gone down. With more mingling, more people coming in, we are expecting a spike. We are already hearing a number of cases of friends, family, near and dear ones in community, who are testing positive for COVID. So, it is not a surprise."
Dr. Manali Mukherjee, affiliate scientist, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton research institute
Dr. Matthew Miller, director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research and Canada Research chair in viral pandemics, explained that the back-to-school season commonly marks a spike in other respiratory pathogens, including influenza.
Miller explained that these pathogens also pose a threat alongside COVID-19 upon our return to campus. Staying up to date with booster vaccines and seasonal flu vaccines will help relieve a burden off our healthcare system.
“If we look back to last year, one of the biggest stresses that our healthcare system faced was the co-circulation of [respiratory syncytial virus] and influenza. What that really stressed was our pediatric hospitals. Obviously, that's very worrisome because we want to make sure those hospitals have lots of capacity to deal with children who are sick for other reasons.” said Miller.
"If we look back to last year, one of the biggest stresses that our healthcare system faced was the co-circulation of [respiratory syncytial virus] and influenza. What that really stressed was our pediatric hospitals. Obviously, that's very worrisome because we want to make sure those hospitals have lots of capacity to deal with children who are sick for other reasons."
Dr. Matthew Miller, Director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research
The availability of fall COVID-19 booster vaccines has not been confirmed yet, but Miller said it is likely they will be made available alongside and can be co-administered with seasonal flu vaccines.
Regarding the severity of the spike, both Mukherjee and Miller said that it is hard to predict the magnitude of the case spike.
“I think it's hard to predict the magnitude and overall impact of this spike because there are so many factors that determine those things. What I would say is that maximizing air circulation while indoors can be really helpful for reducing the likelihood of transmission. As the weather stays nice, trying to keep windows open and try to socialize outdoors as much as possible,” he said.
"I think it's hard to predict the magnitude and overall impact of this spike because there are so many factors that determine those things. What I would say is that maximizing air circulation while indoors can be really helpful for reducing the likelihood of transmission. As the weather stays nice, trying to keep windows open and try to socialize outdoors as much as possible."
Dr. Matthew Miller, director, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research
Miller also noted wearing high quality masks in indoor environments can further help prevent the spread of the virus.
Almost three years have passed since the start of the pandemic and this time has allowed the medical community to develop many tools to effectively handle the virus when it resurges, such as new therapeutic modalities.
Mukherjee explained that no matter the severity of the case spike, she is confident in the tools and insight the healthcare community has developed for us to properly handle a virus resurgence.
“We are almost dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic. We have vaccines, we know how to deal with this, we know how to social distance, we know the ifs and buts of what to do. I think we are way better prepared than we were when it first hit us or the rounds that kept on coming after that,” she said.
"We are almost dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic. We have vaccines, we know how to deal with this, we know how to social distance, we know the ifs and buts of what to do. I think we are way better prepared than we were when it first hit us or the rounds that kept on coming after that."
Dr. Manali Mukherjee, affiliate scientist, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton research institute
More information on COVID-19 in Hamilton and prevention is available from the city of Hamilton website.
New university task force works on clearer protocols around use of AI tools in the classroom, provides provisional guidelines ahead of the fall semester
The recent rise in generative artificial intelligence use has pushed universities to address the lack definitive and researched protocols for its use in the classroom.
On May 1, 2023, the Paul R. MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation and Excellence in Teaching launched their Generative Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning Task Force. The task force’s goal is to better understand the impact of generative AI through an educational lens and develop recommendations for policies around its use for at McMaster University.
"Task Force members representing all six Faculties included faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, staff and senior administrators. The efforts of this diverse group of experts are summarized in a Final Report. . .The Final Report will also include recommendations for continued work across all areas of the University, which may include research, teaching and learning and staff work,” said Kim Dej and Matheus Grasselli, co-chairs of the task force, in a written statement.
On Sept. 10, they will submit their recommendations to Susan Tighe, provost and vice president (academic), after which they will undergo further review before being released.
Until this is completed the provisional guidelines have been released by the university to help guide the use of generative AI in the meantime.
As McMaster prepares to release its specific policies and guide for generative AI, everyone is encouraged to use the provisional guidelines and resources provided on the Generative Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning website.
Transparency is at the core of these guidelines. Instructors are permitted to integrate generative AI tools, such as Chat GPT, into their courses, if they so choose, but they must communicate clearly with their students the extent to which these tools will be and are permitted to be used.
When it comes to student work and assessments, while instructors are again permitted to integrate generative AI tools into these tasks, unless told otherwise, students should operate with the assumption that the use of these tools is not permitted.
If members of the McMaster educational community have any comments or concerns about the Provisional Guideline provided and future guidelines they are encouraged to share through the task forces form.
While my undergrad has been the hardest years of my life, it has also been the most crucial to my overall growth
If you were to ask me in high school what I thought university was going to entail, I would have just told you some stress but still an overall exciting four years. Although that has been true, it does not depict or merely explain what these four years were.
From the first day of my undergrad in 2019, I was so excited to start this new life of mine. University was all I ever dreamed about, especially during the number of times in high school I was eager to leave. Now that it had arrived, it was seeming exactly like I had rehearsed over the years in my head.
Stress, loads of reading and writing, but overall growth and change; I was one step closer to my life. Yet little did I know what I was going to endure. It was the complete opposite.
These four years have been the most difficult years of my life and although it may be easy to point the finger at 20-page papers, this wasn't the only reason.
Your early 20s are the epitome of your adulthood. You grow immensely and the growing only begins. The second I walked into university, I not only lost friends, but I went through the hardest break up of my life, then had to finish the rest of the two years of my undergrad online because a global pandemic was underway.
Half of my undergrad was spent virtually, my mental health was crippling and I never felt more alone. This was university?
I had so many ideas in my head as to what I thought it would be and this wasn't it. But those ideas were also part of the problem.
I learned that I needed to let go of the idea I had and wanted and instead accept my journey for what it was. Moreover, I could always still the reigns back, so I did. In the peak of pandemic I started working on my mental health and took a chance to breathe.
I learned that I needed to let go of the idea I had and wanted and instead accept my journey for what it was. Moreover, I could always still the reigns back, so I did. In the peak of COVID I started working on my mental health and took a chance to breathe.
Healing all of the heart break and loss was immensely needed, thus I instead viewed the pandemic with admiration in ways, a lesson I learned I’ve learned time and time again.
Walking into McMaster University, I was beyond scared, selfless in unhealthy ways and overly self-critical. After spending time alone at home for so long, I learned I truly was my only fan, supporter and friend and that I needed to take care of that.
And it was when I was stuck at home that I remembered touring the campus and seeing The Silhouette’s office around my first week – all I loved to do was to write and while everything seemed so far and impossible at that point, I still thought why not? and started writing.
I started growing with my writing with the Silhouette. As I became a staff writer, I also began spacing out my studying and understanding how to do things that were best for my abilities and well-being.
I found beauty in being in my own presence, beauty in my work and craft and beauty all around me. My undergrad never stopped testing me as I dealt with more grief, stress and mental health struggles regardless of the grip I started to have.
Although one may see university as just improving your own logic for your future, more specifically within your work field, university bettered me as a human-being.
I learned how to take care of myself. I learned more things about myself when I thought I already knew it all and more importantly – I kicked university's butt and some.
I did things I never thought I could for myself and for my future self. Now I am the Opinions Editor for the Silhouette and I am just weeks away from graduating. I have learned so much along the way, met so many amazing people and gained so many new skills.
It turned out to be a lot better than what I thought it was. A lot better.
After a full three years of serving as the group's president, the McMaster professor steps down following an array of controversies
The past few years have been some of the best for Canadian soccer to date. In 2021, the women's national team achieved a spectacular achievement, winning the gold medal at the Olympics in Japan. This remarkable milestone was the first golden medal any Canadian soccer team won on the global stage, which has shown that there is significant potential within the country's soccer program.
Just a year later, the men's team has done something that hasn’t been done since 1986 — they qualified for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The success that Canadian soccer was picking up over the last two years period has been remarkable and has shown signs of improvement in both sections after a very long time.
All this success occurred under the recent president of Canada Soccer Association, and McMaster University professor, Nick Bontis. Bontis became the president of Canadian Soccer in Nov. 2020, after being selected by the board members in a successful run. However, on Feb. 27, he stepped down amid a letter from territorial and provincial soccer federations requesting he resigned due to the vast labor dispute between the women's and men's senior national teams.
What exactly happened to the Canadian Soccer federation as of late?
It all began with the She Believes Cup, a women's soccer tournament between four different countries, including Canada. Prior to the start of the tournament, CSA released a funding statement that outlined expenses for both men's and women's soccer teams where women's funding was significantly below their counterparts. Additionally, the team was informed that due to budget cuts, their time at the camp and the number of players invited has been reduced.
This information sparked outrage and soon enough the women’s soccer team started a strike right before the cup took place, to which Canada Soccer sharply responded.
“Headed into the February window, CANWNT was set to participate in the tournament with the likes of USA, Brazil and Japan. Just as they arrived, they’ve been informed that due to the budgeting issues they will have to spend less time on camp and not have as many players invited. The players decided to strike and not play the SBC, to which CSA threatened to sue the group,” said Mariam Kourabi, founder of “She Scores Bangers”, a popular podcast that focuses on women's soccer in Canada and around the world.
Although there has been a significant dispute between the association and women's players, men’s players in the likes of Alistair Johnson have also stepped up to support the team in their actions.
After weeks of negotiations, Nick Bontis had decided to step down as president of the CSA, citing that “change is needed”. Although the change has been welcomed by many fans and analysts, it’s still not perfect according to Kourabi.
“It’s the first step in the right direction, he had treated the WNT as an afterthought with no vision in the program. The current acting president, Chermaine Crooks, has been the vice president until now and has been a part of his team throughout which is worrying,” explained Kourabi.
Not only has Crooks been a part of Bontis’ team until her presidency, but the players have also made it clear that they don’t have confidence in her as the acting president.
Although recent years have been some of the best for Canada Soccer, there are still these huge underlying issue to be resolved. The funding for both teams has not been equal and had not reflected the success of the women’s team, especially after the Olympics gold medal. After all the success, we are yet to see real change in the structure of the Canadian Soccer Association.
Academic provost and vice president Susan Tighe delivered the State of the Academy Address on Mar. 1, which was interrupted by a protest about graduate student funding
On Mar. 1 at 2:30 p.m., academic provost and vice-president Susan Tighe gave the State of the Academy address, which covered McMaster University’s 2021-2022 initiatives and progress and the university's aims for the 2022-2023 academic year.
In her address, Tighe emphasized the importance of experiential learning at McMaster, whether through co-ops or hands-on experience, and gave an update on equity and inclusion initiatives spanning over multiple faculties, including McMaster’s new Indigenous Studies department. She also announced McMaster’s new Digital Learning Strategy, to be launched on May 8.
Tighe provided a snapshot of the year, highlighting some key statistics about McMaster’s performance. According to Tighe, 42,000 students accessed the health and wellness centre, the Pulse saw an average of 4,500 daily check-ins, the average admission grade was 91.9 per cent out of 36,000 students and McMaster was placed thirteenth on the Forbes Canada’s Best Employers List.
In addition to this, Tighe spoke to strategies for growing the frozen enrolment rate and recruiting international students. She also spoke about how these strategies have contributed to the post-pandemic consolidated budget.
“McMaster is one of the very few institutions in this province that is healthy financially . . . but we are facing pressures . . . pandemic closures, rising expenses, including utilities and other operating costs, hyperinflation, and certainly government deficits are all impacting bottom lines,” said Tighe.
Near the end of the address, a group of approximately 10 protesters interrupted Tighe by standing up and reading their open letter, in protest of current graduate student funding.
Near the end of the address, a group of approximately 10 protestors interrupted Tighe by standing up and reading their open letter, in protest of current graduate student funding.
Kate O'Melia, News Reporter
The open letter, which is addressed to the McMaster University Graduate Council, has three key demands regarding graduate student funding: extending the funding floor to all full-time graduate students at McMaster, raising the funding floor to $24,000 after tuition and indexing the funding floor to inflation. The open letter also discusses current cost of living in Hamilton, citing a January 2022 report.
“The average cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Hamilton was $1,559 per month as of January 2022, which means the minimum funding floor of $13,500 per year barely covers the cost of just 8 months of housing,” said the open letter.
At the time of publication, the letter has 548 signatures from individuals and support from a number of local organizations, including the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, the Disability Justice Network, CUPE 3906 and others.
At the beginning of her address, Tighe had announced the Graduate Funding Task Force, a new initiative that aims to collect data on graduate student income and offer short- and long-term solutions to combat affordability issues for McMaster’s graduate students.
The protesters acknowledged this task force and said it was not enough to make up for their funding concerns.
During the protest, the moderator asked the protesters to sit down, saying they would be asked to leave. The event finally ended when Tighe came to speak to the moderator onstage, stating that the event would not continue. By 3:30 p.m. almost all attendees had exited L.R. Wilson concert hall.
The planned Q&A session did not take place, due to the premature ending of the event.
The planned Q&A session did not take place, due to the premature ending of the event.
Kate O'Melia, News Reporter
The address was open to all students and staff, as long as attendees had pre-ordered their free tickets. . If any students or staff were unable to attend, a recording of the address will be available on McMaster’s Youtube Channel.
Abbott’s campaign aims to increase student engagement with the MSU, suspend the Maroons and increase the quality of the student experience
cw: mentions of sexual assault
Sam Abbott is a second-year environmental science student running for the role of the McMaster Students Union president.
In an email to the Silhouette, Abbott stated that his three-pillar platform aims to increase student engagement with the MSU, address issues with MSU Maroons and increase the quality of the student experience at McMaster University.
In his email, Abbott described his campaign as not very serious and based on a joke between friends; however, he also stated that he is passionate about solving issues on campus.
Abbott plans to accomplish his first platform point, increasing student engagement with the MSU, by providing more money to MSU clubs. He believes that extracurricular involvement leads to more balanced lifestyles and positive university experiences.
Abbott’s second platform point is to address issues with the MSU Maroons, specificially those related to the allegations of sexual assault that came to light in 2018. To accomplish this platform point, if elected Abbott stated that he plans to remove the MSU Maroons from campus events. He also said he would support the eventual return of the Maroons, but only if there is a shift in the culture of the organization during its hiatus.
The third pillar of Abbott’s platform focuses on increasing the quality of service provided by the university. He aims to achieve this by advocating for a pedestrian-focused campus, amplifying student voices on the university planning committee and working with McMaster to preserve homecoming as an annual event. Abbott stated that as banning homecoming did not achieve the desired outcome, it would be more productive to engage with the tradition constructively.
For more information on Sam Abbott’s platform, visit his Instagram profile.
Voting for the MSU presidential election takes place from Jan. 24 to Jan. 26 using the Simply Voting platform and more information about the election can be found on the MSU Elections website.
This article was not produced by the Silhouette.
Presented by McMaster Student Success Centre
By: Karen Rosenberg, PhD, Academic Skills Program Coordinator (Graduate Writing Specialist)
The start of a new term is a great time to reset and reflect on your learning strategies. Ask yourself, how effective are they, and what impact do they have on your overall well-being?
When I was an undergrad and I got stressed out by my workload, I’d retreat. I’d study by myself until I felt caught up or ran out of steam. I got the job done, but my isolation strategy was more painful (and lonely!) than it needed to be. When I was in graduate school and studied about how people learn, I realized that I had missed out on one of the great opportunities of university life: learning alongside others.
When I was in graduate school and studied about how people learn, I realized that I had missed out on one of the great opportunities of university life: learning alongside others.
Karen Rosenberg, Academic Skills Program Coordinator (Graduate Writing Specialist), McMaster Student Success Centre
Research shows that participating in communities of learning can enhance student learning and help students overcome challenges (Matthews et al., 2012). As a university student, you’re already part of communities of learning, whether you realize it or not. Classes, study groups, workshops and clubs are all environments where you get to learn alongside others and support one another’s success.
Here are some ways that you can make the most of communities of learning this term.
Take an inventory. What communities are you already in?
Consider the benefits and limitations of each one. In a large lecture class, for example, you may find that you’re learning a lot of new material, but you may not feel comfortable getting answers to all of your questions.
Reflect. How can you get the most out of your communities of learning?
One of the major shifts from secondary to post-secondary education is that you have a lot more control over (and responsibility for!) your learning. Ask yourself what you can do to get the most out of each community of learning. Keep in mind that one of the best ways to engage is to support the other learners in your communities.
Check out some new learning opportunities beyond the classroom.
As you figure out what January Reset means for you, consider joining some new communities of learning. Take some risks and try new things!
Talk to your friends and classmates. Attend workshops based on your goals for the term. Make connections at on-campus events that could lead to new study groups and other activities outside the classroom.
Check out the January Reset page on the Student Success Centre website for more ways to get involved: bit.ly/january-reset
Matthews, R. S., Smith, B. L., & MacGregor, J. (2012). The evolution of learning communities: A retrospective. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2012(132), 99–111.
