Blog Posts

5 Trends and Innovations Shaping Higher Learning

Higher learning has undergone a major transformation over the past few years. Changes in technology, different opportunities after graduation, and the demand for better student support has led to some new developments and innovations in the higher education sector. Here are some of the most noteworthy trends to consider. 1. Artificial Intelligence for Personalization Recently, there has been a greater understanding that each student has different needs . Higher learning has not traditionally catered to these differences, as class sizes are often large and there’s only so much individual attention each student can receive. Artificial intelligence is changing this by enabling personalization in learning. For instance, algorithms and tools allow instructors to adapt their teaching to the preferences and learning styles of each student. In addition, predictive analytics are able to identify at-risk students early to provide support and prevent these students from dropping out. 2. Immersive Learning One way students can learn in ways that better suit them is through simulations, such as with virtual and augmented reality. This provides them with immersive opportunities to put their skills into practice and try out their knowledge in safe situations. For instance, students may participate in virtual labs or make decisions in realistic scenarios. 3. Hybrid Learning The pandemic revealed that virtual learning is possible at college, but that it’s not ideal for everyone. This has led to an increase in hybrid models. These have many of the benefits of virtual learning (such as greater flexibility for students) but prevent the sense of isolation students may feel if they never interact with their peers or instructors. Students may have the chance to decide whether to attend classes virtually or in person or they may just have occasional days on campus. 4. Emphasis on Soft Skills Employers often care as much about soft skills as they do about industry knowledge, especially since many positions now involve a wide range of duties. This has led more higher learning institutions to make sure students continue developing skills like leadership, communication, and critical thinking. Now, these have a place in the curricula of all majors, meaning employers can be confident that anyone who has completed college will have gained these skills. 5. Micro Credentials It’s becoming more important to have additional credentials to prove your expertise in other skills and knowledge. Students may gain these credentials after they finish college or concurrently to their college programs. They can often gain micro credentials through the same institution or online. It’s important that students realize that their learning experience is unlikely to be over when they graduate — constantly upskilling will be crucial for standing out as a top candidate and for ensuring you have re levant knowledge to continue being a valuable employee. Despite all these new trends , one thing remains true: it’s worth continuing to higher education. To make the experience more enjoyable, it’s important to find the right housing. An alternative to Durham College residence is Foundry Simcoe. You’ll be close to campus and around other students, but you’ll have your own space in a fully-furnished apartment with high-speed internet and top-of-the-line appliances. Book a tour to see where you could be living.

A Guide to Eco-Friendly Living on Campus

Being more eco-friendly doesn’t need to mean a huge lifestyle change: doing several small things can add up to make a big difference . When you start university is the ideal time to become eco-friendly because you’re more in control of your life. Better yet, many of the habits you develop, you’ll keep for life. Here are a few ideas to get you started. 1. Unplug Your Appliances Keeping appliances plugged in uses standby power. Get into the habit of unplugging any you’re not using. This goes for everything from your laptop to your coffeemaker. 2. Switch to CFLs Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) use far less energy than regular halogen light bulbs. If your apartment doesn’t already have CFLs, switch out the light bulbs to save energy — you can always replace them with the originals when you move out. 3. Buy Secondhand and Local Make eco-friendly purchase decisions by choosing secondhand and local products. Thrift stores are ideal for everything from clothing to furniture — and this is much cheaper than buying new. Plus, by purchasing local products, you reduce shipping. In addition to looking for local produce, try to buy school supplies and furnishings locally to avoid needing to transport everything with you from home. 4. Bring Your Own Grocery Bags Whenever you go grocery shopping, bring your own reusable bags. This will prevent you accumulating single-use plastic bags, which break if you try to use them more than a couple times. It’s also worth keeping a shopping bag that folds up small with you at all times , just in case you decide to make a purchase. 5. Minimize Your Water Usage There are multiple ways to cut down the amount of water you use. This includes taking shorter showers, turning off water while you brush your teeth, and only doing full loads of laundry. Whenever you’re using water, be conscious of your usage. 6. Take Digital Notes Using paper to take notes for your classes will result in a large amount of waste. If you find it comfortable to take digital notes, consider doing this instead. Whenever you do need to use paper, try to use sheets you already have, such as the back of old handouts you no longer need. When you need notebooks (such as for labs), buy ones made with recycled paper. 7. Join Green Organizations Find out if there are any organizations on campus dedicated to eco-friendly living. They’ll provide you with more tips on how to improve your lifestyle and give you the chance to become involved in larger projects, including advocating for eco-friendly policies or helping other people become greener. 8. Donate Old Belongings Avoid throwing things out that you no longer want but are still useful. This includes clothing, electronics, furniture, and books. Donate them to a local organization or find out if other students would like the items. Living on campus doesn’t always give you a chance to be eco-friendly because you’ll likely be sharing a bedroom and need to be on a meal plan (which tends to lead to a huge amount of food waste). You’ll be able to make a bigger difference if you live in off-campus student housing. Oshawa has the ideal accommodation at Foundry Simcoe. Minimize your purchases by moving into fully-furnished rooms and have more control over your life by preparing your own meals in your kitchen and choosing what products you use in your en suite bathroom. Book a tour to check out the suites and townhouses for yourself.

How to Find the Best Student Housing

Finding the right student housing for you will make a big difference to your experience at college. It will influence how much you spend, whether it’s easy to arrive to classes on time, and what people you meet. Although this is a major decision, you can easily narrow down your options by figuring out what you want from your housing. Here are some considerations to bear in mind as you make your decision. 1. Dorm Room vs Independent Apartment There are two main types of housing to choose from: a dorm room on campus or an independent apartment, including one in a student housing community. Living in a dorm means you’ll have a shared room on campus. Whereas this does mean you’ll be close to classes and around other students, you won’t have much privacy, the housing is often noisy, and it’s unlikely you’ll have facilities to prepare your own meals — instead, you’ll need to pay for a meal plan. In contrast, there are many advantages to renting an independent apartment. For instance, you’ll have your own room, a kitchen where you can cook, and a variety of other facilities you won’t find on campus. The main issue when you start college is you either need to find people to share with or rent a room in a house — which means you may not be around other students. The solution is to live in a student community, where you’ll be paired with roommates. This also means you’ll only be responsible for your ow n lease. Plus, it’s more likely that the rent will include utilities and furniture. 2. Consider Your Budget Counterintuitively, it tends to cost less to live in an independent apartment than on campus — even though you’ll have a private bedroom and much more space. To figure out what you can afford, calculate your budget, taking into account expenses like food, bills, and entertainment. If you find a nicer place you can’t quite afford, consider if you have options to increase your income, such as with a part-time job or gig work. 3. Find a Safe Building If you decide to search for independent apartments, make sure you stick to safe neighbourhoods . You’ll often be carrying many personal belongings with you between campus and your apartment, including a laptop. Neighbourhoods close to campus are likely to be safe, but you should still listen to your gut. In addition, check the security features of the building itself. Do the windows and doors have secure locks? Are there security cameras? How will you access your apartment? 4. What Amenities Do You Want? Finally, you should consider what kinds of amenities you want your housing to have. You certainly need fast WiFi , but you may also want to have laundry facilities in the building and useful services nearby, such as cafés, restaurants, or a gym. If you’ll be living off campus, you may like to search for an apartment with an en suite bathroom, balcony, or parking. Most students decide the best option is to search for rooms for rent. Oshawa students don’t need to look far: you can find a home at Foundry Simcoe. You’ll have your own room in a comfortable suite or townhouse located a short distance from campus. All the apartments are furnished and have full-size appliances, including a washer and dryer. Apply now to secure your spot.

A Guide to Selecting a Graduate School

Deciding to go to graduate school is exciting — but it can also be stressful, especially when you’re trying to figure out what programs you should apply to. You’ll need to narrow down your options from a huge number to just a few to make the application process manageable. Figuring out what you want from the experience can help you come to a decision. 1. What Career Do You Want to Pursue? When you start your undergrad degree, it’s reasonable to have only a vague idea of what you want to do later. Graduate programs, in contrast, tend to be closely related to a particular career. You may end up studying a specific field or researching a niche topic. When assessing programs, consider which align most closely with your interests. If a program covers a reasonably broad range of classes, find out if it’s likely to match your interests and career goals by looking at the type of research the professors at the school have completed. Read the biographies of the faculty members to gain a better picture of their backgrounds. 2. What Can You Afford? Each graduate school charges a different amount for tuition. Furthermore, some offer financial aid, whereas others expect you to pay the full amount yourself. What you can afford will depend on both your savings and if you’ll be working at the same time as studying. If you want financial assistance , search for programs that offer scholarships (these could be related to your field of study or merit based) or that have opportunities for teaching or research assistantships. Also bear in mind that some scholarships are only available once you’ve started a program or if you did your undergraduate degree at the school. 3. Where Do You Want to Live? If you’ll be starting graduate school straight after you complete your undergraduate degree, your living situation may be flexible. However, if you’ve already settled somewhere, you may like to find a program in your area. This is especially useful if you want to continue working at your current job. 4. Do You Want to Take a Semester Abroad? Perhaps you had a great time when you took a semester abroad during your undergraduate degree and now you want to repeat the experience. Alternatively, you may have always regretted not taking advantage of the opportunity. Now, you have a second chance at graduate school. Many programs offer one or two semesters abroad as a chance for students to complete their research. If you have a preference as to the kind of atmosphere you want while you’re abroad, take this into consideration when evaluating programs. Wherever you decide to attend graduate school, you’ll need to search for housing. Since you won’t want to live on campus during grad school, this will mean finding a student rental. Oshawa students can join the community at Foundry Simcoe. You’ll have a private bedroom and en suite bathroom in a five-bedroom townhouse or three-bedroom suite. All the apartments come with a washer and dryer, high-speed internet, and stainless steel appliances. Book a tour to coincide with your visit to Ontario Tech University.

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Studying for Finals

No matter how you like to prepare for your finals, there are some things you should never do. Studying the wrong way is not only ineffective — it can even result in worse grades than not studying at all. There are a few key mistakes in particular you need to make sure you avoid. 1. Beginning Too Late There’s no way around it: studying for an exam will take a certain amount of time. Waiting too long to start can have unpleasant consequences. For instance, you may need to skip your other classes, cancel social commitments, or miss extracurriculars. Spending hours cramming may also take time away from activities that keep you healthy, such as meals, exercise, relaxation, and sleep. This can easily lead to burnout. Furthermore, when you lack regular breaks, you retain less. Plus, you’ll be unable to sleep enough the night before finals, meaning it will be more difficult to recall information during your exams. 2. Neglecting Some Material A big risk of beginning preparation for your finals too late is you won’t have time to cover everything. Unless you know exactly what the exam will cover, you need to study all the material from the semester. Although none of this should be new information , it may take time to remind yourself of the fine details and memorize key facts. If there are concepts you found difficult the first time you learned them, bear in mind you may need extra time to ensure you understand. 3. Lacking a Schedule For difficult classes, it may be necessary to start preparing for finals several weeks in advance. However, even if you have the best intentions, it will be difficult to stay on track with your studies if you lack a study schedule. Rather than just marking time on your calendar to study for a particular class, be specific about what activities you’ll complete. 4. Becoming Stressed A certain amount of stress is unavoidable, but you can take action to prevent stress from becoming unmanageable. Simply giving yourself sufficient time to study, sleeping enough, and feeling as though you are prepared for your finals can be a huge help. You should also try to think positively about your results — if you’ve worked hard all semester, there’s no reason to believe you’ll do poorly. 5. Falling Prone to Distractions Your study time needs to be distraction free. Turn off the notifications on your phone, tell your roommates not to talk to you, and fight the urge to do anything but study. If you find background noise helpful, choose some relaxing music — preferably without lyrics. It’s important to have a quiet place where you can go to study in peace. You’re unlikely to find this at home if you’re living on campus. However, you can find an alternative to Ontario Tech University residence at Foundry Simcoe. You’ll have your own private bedroom (fully furnished with a desk and chair) and high-speed internet throughout your apartment. Living here will also avoid you wasting time on activities that distract you from studying — for instance, all our units come with a washer and dryer and you can request a reserved parking spot. Apply for a lease now.

How to Land Your Next Job on LinkedIn

Even before you graduate, you may want to find a job in your field. One of the best ways to find a suitable position is through LinkedIn. The platform gives you the place to detail your experience, present a portfolio of related work, and network with people who could prove to be useful connections. To land a job on LinkedIn, it’s crucial to set up your profile correctly and take advantage of all the features the platform has to offer. 1. Use a Professional Photo Choose a headshot of yourself where you look professional. If you don’t already have something you could use, ask a friend to take some photos of you and pick the one you like the best. 2. Be Creative with Your Headline At the moment, you’re a student and you may have a part-time job. However, since you can put anything you like in your headline, it’s better to express what you want to do. Make sure you use keywords that will help your profile appear when a potential employer is searching the platform for people like you. 3. Add a Detailed Bio At the most, your headline gives you space to fit a few words about your current situation and what you want to achieve. You can expand further on these points in your bio. This is your chance to show employers why they should want you on their team. When you’re talking about your experience and goals, infuse the words with your personality to help people gain a better sense of who you are. 4. Include All Your Relevant Experience If you’re looking for your first job, you may think you have no experience. In fact, you definitely have gained experience at various points during university — whether at an internship, through a student leadership role, or even when working on group projects for your classes. Include anything that shows you have important skills for the workplace. It’s even better if you can support your words with examples of your work. 5. Grow Your Network Every contact you add on LinkedIn will connect you with far more people. Add your classmates, professors, faculty members, and friends (especially from extracurriculars). Ask them to leave you recommendations to prove you have the skills you claim to have. You can also connect with users you don’t know, such as people who have your dream job or who are working at a company where you’d like to work. Send them personalized messages explaining why you’d like to connect and perhaps ask for advice for the next steps you should take. 6. Check for Jobs Regularly Employers post new jobs on LinkedIn every day. Visit the platform often to check what’s new and create job alerts for the kinds of positions you’re interested in. 7. Connect with Employers You can also reach out to employers who are not actively advertising jobs. Find out if they may have anything in the near future or just ask if you can have a quick chat over video call. Finding a job while you’re still at university will mean you can afford better student housing. Besides, it makes sense to improve your living situation if you want to work remotely or if you’ll need to take work home occasionally. At the same time as you start your job search, begin looking for apartments for rent. North Oshawa students can look no further than Foundry Simcoe. You can have your own room and en suite bathroom in a three- or five-bedroom fully-furnished suite. All the units have a washer and dryer, high-speed internet, and modern appliances. Apply now to take advantage of the lowest rates of the year.