Teaching Methods

Canadian Education system encourages self-study, discussions and practical work. The students may have time tabled classes or might be encouraged to do more of independent work for a substantial amount of time depending on the course.

Most of the courses would include the following teaching methods:

• Lectures

  Lectures serve to guide the students by explaining the main points of a topic and introduction of new topics for study or debate. Usually, the class size is large often up to 100 students. In this method, the students get up-to-date information that might be missing in their text books, for a particular subject.

• Seminars

  The seminars are conducted in smaller classes and serve to provide a platform to the students for sharing their views on a given topic. The topic of discussion is provided to the students in advance and they are required to prepare a presentation on it. These discussions help the students to understand a topic better and enhance their communication skills.

• Tutorials

  Tutorials give you focused guidance on a given topic. The students individually meet their professors and discuss their concerns about the topic that they have undertaken, while seeking individual guidance.

• Practical Work

  This method of teaching imparts a practical experience of theories that the students learn in classes. It also develops practical skills in the students to prepare for future careers. Practical work can be done individually or in groups.

• Work Place Training

  In some courses the students get to working in employment related to their course of study. Thus, while remaining away from their classes, they get a global exposure of the market.

• Independent Study

  The students are expected to indulge in independent study, while in Canada. Students research a topic in detail and develop their own views about it. They can work individually or in small groups with other students and research a topic and produce written work or make presentation for a seminar.

• Written Work

  The written work can include essays, projects, dissertations or assignments. These may be assessed and given grades.

• Assessments

  The assessment may be in the form of essays, projects, dissertations, workshops, portfolios, presentations, performance in practical sessions or exams which can be either an open book test or closed book depending on the course.

Plagiarism

It is essential for the students not to copy other people's work. In Canada, copying can lead to students not being allowed to graduate. Plagiarism basically refers to presenting someone else’s work as one's own, without acknowledging the source or referencing. Most programs offer advice on this but, if not, you should check with your tutor for an acceptable way of referencing. Plagiarism is treated as a very serious issue by all Canadian institutions.