MOBILITY IN ONTARIO’S
PSE: CURRENT TRENDS
URSULA MCCLOY, PHD
STUDENT PATHWAYS IN HIGHER EDUCATION
CONFERENCE
JANUARY 26-27, 2012
Informing the Future of Higher Education
HEQCO'S LEGISLATION: TRANSFER AND
MOBILITY
"Functions Section 6(c) to conduct research on all aspects of
post-secondary education with a view to helping the Council
achieve its object, including research,
(i) on the development and design of various models of postsecondary education,
(ii) on the means of encouraging collaboration between various
post-secondary educational institutions in general and in
particular in matters relating to the recognition of such
institutions of courses and programs of study provided at
other such institutions",
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Focus on college to university pathway in Ontario:
• Recent mobility trends in Ontario
– How many? Share/number of students transferring
– Who are they? Program areas, region, demographics
• Student perceptions and experience of recent
transfer students
–
–
–
–
Reasons for transfer
Timing of decision
Information sources
Satisfaction
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CURRENT TRENDS IN TRANSFER
PREVIOUS EDUCATION OF ONTARIO
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS (NSSE)
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Source: Carleton NSSE Frequency tables
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http://oirp.carleton.ca/surveys/html/surveys.htm
COLLEGE GRADUATES ENROLLED IN
DEGREE PROGRAMS: TRENDS
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Source: Ontario Graduate Satisfaction Survey
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WHO TRANSFERS AND WHERE?
CHARACTERISTICS
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Source: Ontario Graduate Satisfaction Survey
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HOW DOES TRANSFER RELATE TO
ACCESS?
• Higher proportion of Aboriginal students, students with
disabilities, low income, first generation students, students
from smaller communities in Ontario colleges.
• These groups are not actually “underrepresented” in colleges
relative to the Ontario population; but are in university.
• Would enhancing transfer increase access to university for
these groups?
– BC and American data indicate that these groups are in a higher
proportion among transfer students.
– Additionally, in Ontario’s destination based curriculum, course
decisions as early as grade 9 can determine university access (need
alternate pathway).
TRANSFER STUDENTS MORE LIKELY TO BE FROM
UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS
MAP OF ONTARIO COLLEGES BY
REGION
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% OF GRADUATES WHO GO ON TO UNIVERSITY
DEGREES: BY COLLEGE REGION
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Source: Ontario Graduate Satisfaction Survey
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GEOGRAPHIC MOBILITY: COLLEGE GRADUATES
WHO TRANSFER REMAIN CLOSE TO HOME
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Source: Ontario Graduate Satisfaction Survey
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DISTRIBUTION OF TRANSFERS
RELATIVE TO UNIVERSITY ENROLMENT
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% OF GRADUATES WHO TRANSFER TO UNIVERSITY DEGREES:
BY COLLEGE PROGRAM TYPE
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Source: Ontario Graduate Satisfaction Survey
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COLLEGE TRANSFERS MORE LIKELY TO
ENTER SOCIAL SCIENCES AND BUSINESS
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Source: Ontario Graduate Satisfaction Survey;
MTCU USER enrolment data
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STUDENT PERCEPTIONS AND
EXPERIENCE
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REASONS FOR CONTINUING:
% MAJOR REASON
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Source: Ontario Graduate Satisfaction Survey
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DECISION TO TRANSFER OFTEN OCCURS AFTER
ENTERING PROGRAM
100
90
17
80
32
70
60
50
46
53
54
46
43
49
After the program
40
72
30
55
20
10
26
26
32
33
35
During the program
40
At the start of the program
Before the College program
0
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Source: Ontario Graduate Satisfaction Survey
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WOULD HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED WITHOUT
ATTENDING COLLEGE FIRST: SAMPLE PROGRAMS
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Source: Ontario Graduate Satisfaction Survey
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INFORMATION SOURCES FOR GRADUATES
WHO TRANSFER (2009-10)
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Source: Ontario Graduate Satisfaction Survey
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SATISFACTION OF GRADUATES WHO
TRANSFER
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Source: Ontario Graduate Satisfaction Survey
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SATISFACTION WITH ACADEMIC
PREPARATION DIFFERS BY PROGRAM
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Source: Ontario Graduate Satisfaction Survey
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WHAT DON’T WE KNOW?
• Unsuccessful transfers (those who attempted
• Students who transfer before completing
college, and graduates who transfer after 6
months
• # Credits transferred related to program affinity
• Performance of students after transfer-need
appropriate control group to evaluate
• Is transfer an effective way to increase degree
attainment for underrepresented groups?
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NEXT STEPS
• Continue to track transfer trends using available datasets
• Incorporate OEN for tracking between institutions
• Potential to mine NSSE data to measure engagement for
transfer students (can also look at immigrant, Aboriginal
status, first generation)
• Track student performance through both sending and
receiving institutions in articulated and non-articulated
programs; controlling for previous academic (HS, previous
PSE) socioeconomic, and demographic characteristics
• Work with other provinces for data on Ontario transfer
students
• Look at transfer through learning outcomes perspective
Thank you!
Ursula McCloy, PhD
umccloy@heqco.ca
www.heqco.ca
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