Faculty (LHAE)

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    Case Study of the Innovative M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership Cohort initiative Introduced at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto
    (2014-11-19) Janzen, Katharine
    This was a mixed-methods evaluative case study based on the experience of the first three cohorts of students who completed the innovative M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership Cohort option at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. The program content (seven core courses and three electives), and program delivery format (cohort based, collaborative groups and compressed scheduling) responded to the needs of the target student population. The most risky innovation was the admission of some very experienced professionals - “middle management” staff in colleges and universities - into the program for a Master’s in Higher Education degree - even though they had not earned the normally required four-year or honours undergraduate degree. Students were admitted by one of three routes: standard admission, non-standard case consideration, or the certificate route, depending on their past academic achievements and professional experience. While there were important lessons learned from the way in which the initiative was introduced and developed, feedback from all participants regarding the efficacy, effectiveness and efficiency of this program option was overwhelmingly positive. Seventy-seven students (of 86 invited, for a 90% response rate) completed a lengthy on-line survey questionnaire; 17 (of 23 randomly selected or 74%) of them also participated in individual follow-up interviews. Four senior administrators who were directly involved in the initiation and approval process for this option, six of the seven faculty who taught the required core courses, and four program faculty who had not taught any of the core courses also participated in audio-recorded interviews. Student achievement and satisfaction with the program was phenomenally high for all variables assessed, such as program completion rates, satisfaction with the value of the program content, delivery methods and functional support. Most notably, the Grade Point Average (GPA) achieved by the students was virtually the same that is 3.92, 3.86 and 3.90 respectively for students admitted by the standard, non-standard or certificate entry routes. This report concludes with implications of the findings and recommendations for practice, policy and further research.