Laurier graduate students and postdoctoral researchers develop professional skills through ASPIRE program
Aug. 6, 2020
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The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges for the Wilfrid Laurier University community. ASPIRE – Laurier’s professional skills development training program for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers – has been successfully meeting them.
Early in the pandemic, Laurier’s Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies encouraged graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to seek out ASPIRE opportunities due to restrictions with other aspects of their programs. ASPIRE provides a framework to help students craft an individualized extracurricular learning plan tailored to their professional journey and entry into the workplace. Through lectures, group work, workshops, intensive seminars and one-on-one consultations, ASPIRE assists students in identifying, developing and translating knowledge and skills into job competencies.
Without face-to-face interaction due to the pandemic, ASPIRE partner facilitators were required to change their delivery method while providing the same engaging content participants had grown accustomed to. ASPIRE partner facilitators not only quickly adapted, but thrived as participants sought out ASPIRE opportunities in record numbers.
"Graduate students are engaged in our programming” says Marcia Chaudet, a facilitator with Laurier’s Teaching Development Team. “The number of participants in the ASPIRE program has increased.”
The Teaching Development Team is one of several ASPIRE partners that has seen participation growth, with many reporting that attendance has doubled compared to previous semesters. Chaudet says three factors have contributed to the ASPIRE program’s recent growth.
One factor has been an online delivery method. By selecting platforms that are easily accessible – including modules available on My Learning Space and video conferencing through Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Teams – and providing programming in a virtual setting, facilitators have been able to connect with participants across Laurier’s campuses and communities. In addition to providing workshops and sessions online, some facilitators are developing one-on-one consultation sessions for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
Another factor that has led to the success of the ASPIRE program is a focus on timely content. Facilitators quickly adapted offerings to include material that addresses the challenges created by the pandemic while continuing foundational instruction.
“By adapting our materials to speak to the shift to online engagement, students have been able to learn about what they can do now to position themselves positively and confidently in their career planning,” says Laura Bolton, a facilitator with Laurier’s Career Development Centre. “We changed the content and titles of our workshops to reflect this ever-changing time, including Career Planning through Chaos – Setting a game plan for the coming months and Interview Success – Be webcam ready and ace your interview, to name a few.”
Increasing the number and diversity of offerings during the spring and summer semesters has been a priority for ASPIRE partners and also led to much success. During previous years, spring and summer have been considered down times for the program. However, with many graduate students and postdoctoral researchers limited to where they can go and what they can do, the ASPIRE team saw an opportunity to promote the program.
“Historically we have not run ASPIRE programming through the spring and summer terms,” says Bolton. “However, we have found that this has been extremely well received and beneficial to students, especially during this time.”
ASPIRE partners will continue to offer programming remotely during the fall semester. They will also adjust content to best support Laurier’s graduate student and postdoctoral researcher community.
“It is great that graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are taking advantage of these opportunities,” says Brent Wolfe, associate dean of Laurier’s Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. “The faculty is grateful to ASPIRE partners for their efforts.”
To learn more about ASPIRE and current program offerings, please visit the ASPIRE webpage.
Early in the pandemic, Laurier’s Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies encouraged graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to seek out ASPIRE opportunities due to restrictions with other aspects of their programs. ASPIRE provides a framework to help students craft an individualized extracurricular learning plan tailored to their professional journey and entry into the workplace. Through lectures, group work, workshops, intensive seminars and one-on-one consultations, ASPIRE assists students in identifying, developing and translating knowledge and skills into job competencies.
Without face-to-face interaction due to the pandemic, ASPIRE partner facilitators were required to change their delivery method while providing the same engaging content participants had grown accustomed to. ASPIRE partner facilitators not only quickly adapted, but thrived as participants sought out ASPIRE opportunities in record numbers.
"Graduate students are engaged in our programming” says Marcia Chaudet, a facilitator with Laurier’s Teaching Development Team. “The number of participants in the ASPIRE program has increased.”
The Teaching Development Team is one of several ASPIRE partners that has seen participation growth, with many reporting that attendance has doubled compared to previous semesters. Chaudet says three factors have contributed to the ASPIRE program’s recent growth.
One factor has been an online delivery method. By selecting platforms that are easily accessible – including modules available on My Learning Space and video conferencing through Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Teams – and providing programming in a virtual setting, facilitators have been able to connect with participants across Laurier’s campuses and communities. In addition to providing workshops and sessions online, some facilitators are developing one-on-one consultation sessions for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
Another factor that has led to the success of the ASPIRE program is a focus on timely content. Facilitators quickly adapted offerings to include material that addresses the challenges created by the pandemic while continuing foundational instruction.
“By adapting our materials to speak to the shift to online engagement, students have been able to learn about what they can do now to position themselves positively and confidently in their career planning,” says Laura Bolton, a facilitator with Laurier’s Career Development Centre. “We changed the content and titles of our workshops to reflect this ever-changing time, including Career Planning through Chaos – Setting a game plan for the coming months and Interview Success – Be webcam ready and ace your interview, to name a few.”
Increasing the number and diversity of offerings during the spring and summer semesters has been a priority for ASPIRE partners and also led to much success. During previous years, spring and summer have been considered down times for the program. However, with many graduate students and postdoctoral researchers limited to where they can go and what they can do, the ASPIRE team saw an opportunity to promote the program.
“Historically we have not run ASPIRE programming through the spring and summer terms,” says Bolton. “However, we have found that this has been extremely well received and beneficial to students, especially during this time.”
ASPIRE partners will continue to offer programming remotely during the fall semester. They will also adjust content to best support Laurier’s graduate student and postdoctoral researcher community.
“It is great that graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are taking advantage of these opportunities,” says Brent Wolfe, associate dean of Laurier’s Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. “The faculty is grateful to ASPIRE partners for their efforts.”
To learn more about ASPIRE and current program offerings, please visit the ASPIRE webpage.
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