By Tim Johnson. A few years ago, Gould Street in downtown Toronto was a favourite shortcut, a two-lane fast-track out of the city core, used by stressed drivers as a way to circumvent the gridlock of Yonge Street and bypass its intersection with Dundas Street, one of Canada’s busiest corners. Now, Gould Street is the pedestrian-friendly heart of Ryerson University. Just one block northeast of Yonge and Dundas, two long blocks of Gould serve as an urban oasis, a sanctuary cordoned off from street traffic where nary a horn nor revving engine can be heard. More...

By Heather Cray. When PhD candidates embark on their thesis journey, the first thing they will likely learn is that their research must be a “significant original contribution to knowledge.” On the face of it, the idea seems simple enough: create something new, establish a niche for oneself, further science and add some important piece to the sum of human understanding. And yet, there is little to no consensus as to what exactly this phrase means. This lack of consensus is particularly challenging for students, as it opens them up to risk in matters of external review and their graduate school progression. More...

By Peggy Berkowitz. “My fellow graduates – oh, I do like the sound of that!” began Rick Mercer, after accepting an honorary degree – his eighth – from Western University this past June. As he told the assembled gathering of academics, graduates and guests, he doesn’t hold a single earned degree. More...

By Jody Gorham and Barbara Roberts. Reaching diverse student populations presents many classroom challenges. Requests for accommodation of disability and consideration of international, first-generation and additional language speakers can make curriculum design and delivery complex. How to meet so many needs and still deliver the goods equitably?
The Massachusetts-based Center for Applied Special Technology, or CAST, introduced Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the mid-1990s, based on the neuroscience of learning. More...

By Alan MacEachern. This Fall I begin my second year as graduate chair. You would think that, having directed a master’s program earlier in my career, I would have known better than to volunteer for the job. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun to be back in grad school, an environment which at its best is like Harry Potter meets The Newsroom: idealistic, impassioned, articulate. (And which at its worst is like Harry Potter meets The Newsroom: self-righteous, dorky.) More...