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Survey Says Ontario University Professors Favour Research Over Teaching

By Ryan Leclaire
  |  
  1 Min Read
Research Over Teaching

Ontario University Professors favour research over teaching.

According to a report published by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), almost three-quarters of surveyed university professors feel focusing on research is more vital than teaching.

“This report should be on the desk of anyone concerned about the quality of a post-secondary education in Ontario,” said Meaghan Coker, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA).

The report, entitled University Faculty Engagement in Teaching Development Activities, also found that 95% of professors said that teaching is important or very important to their professional practice, while far less (61%) feel that teaching is important or very important to their institution.

The report also points to obstacles that keep Ontario’s professors from focusing on teaching, such as:

  • Overemphasis on research funding
  • A lack of incentives
  • Flawed expectations of how to balance research and teaching
  • A sudden transition from grad student to faculty position, which doesn’t allow a chance to learn how to teach
  • Ignoring the needs of sessional and contract lecturers

“Ontario’s professors clearly want to do more to enhance the quality of their teaching, but they are discouraged by a system that is driven by research dollars and institutional prestige rather than learning outcomes for students,” added Coker.

One response to “Survey Says Ontario University Professors Favour Research Over Teaching”

  1. Dojodrifter says:

    this is just utter crab and parents want to know why us students complain so much its because they teach so little i’m paying for them to teach as oppose to highschool so i demand that they actually teach but students will never strike  

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