Dawson College
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

Dawson's student population is split into two large areas. 1) Pre-university students making up the majority of the college student body, and 2) Vocational (technical) programs that tend to be 3-year programs making up the remainder. 

Pre-university programs are dominated by the Social Science program and the Sciences (including health sciences), both of which have the following outcomes (exit profiles) resulting in strong in sustainability content:

General Science & Health Science

Exit profile for all students: Use scientific knowledge and critical thinking skills to develop a deeper understanding of ongoing societal issues, make effective contributions to their own wellbeing, the health of their communities, and the biosphere.

Social Science

Exit profile for all students:  Explain how differences in social identities and world views could influence opinions, beliefs, values, and social interactions.

Integrate responsible environmental practices as citizens.

Effectively practice and maintain activities that promote their physical, mental, and social well-being as a life-long habit.

These program outcomes are reinforced by the entire institutional strategic plan:

Dawson College's Strategic Plan has three implementation orientations that act as a lens through which we think and implement our academic mission. Our 3 orientations are embedded in an environmental theme (see diagram above). Dawson’s strategic plan is an integration of social, economic, and environmental sustainability across the entire community, with orientation 3 focusing on embedding these principles into all facets of learning and working. This orientation underscores the interconnectedness of students, community, and the environment, aiming to foster awareness and inspire actions that support the long-term well-being of people, communities, and ecosystems. It reflects a holistic approach where progress in sustainability initiatives creates positive ripple effects, reinforcing the goals of student success and community inclusivity outlined in the Orientations.

■ Health and well-being. Students will understand lifestyle choices that contribute to sustained health and well-being.

■ Ethical understanding and behavior. Students will practice academic integrity and demonstrate ethical behavior appropriate to citizenship in a democratic society.

■ Social responsibility and community engagement. Students will develop an informed concern for the larger good, appreciate social and cultural diversity, respect the values of others and act responsibly towards the environment. Students will be encouraged to make a difference in the quality of life of their communities through both political and non-political processes.

 The Strategic Plan 2024-2029 presents a bold vision. Our commitment to the over-arching value of well-being for all will entail significant changes to our institutional culture and what it means to learn and work at Dawson. Our promises in the areas of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, as well as indigenization, will involve us in work stretching well beyond the timeframe of the next five years.

 Dawson College is committed to the process of Indigenization. Taking leadership from Indigenous students and employees, we seek to weave Indigenous knowledges and worldviews into the college’s culture and practices. As an academic institution, it is our responsibility to uphold the truth and we are dedicated to confronting the ongoing harm committed by settler colonialism. We endeavour to nurture a more inclusive and culturally safe environment for all.

 First is the over-arching value of Well-being for All. Each of the three orientations contains approaches that advance our primary mission of student success and, at the same time, support the wellbeing of our students, of the Dawson community of employees and of the environment that sustains us all.

 Values include:

 Well-being for All: An Over-arching Value

All Dawson students and employees are respected, valued and supported in the pursuit of their unique educational and professional goals. Together, we cultivate stimulating, inclusive and caring communities for learning and working. As individual. and collective growth are grounded not only in supportive communities but also in a healthy environment, we encourage awareness and actions that contribute to our stewardship role in the natural world. In sum, we act in service to the long-term well-being of people, communities and ecosystems ORIENTATION 3: ENVIRONMENT Goal 8 Social, economic and environmental sustainability are understood and practiced across the entire Dawson community.

 Introduction to the Orientations

The nested structure of the three Orientations – the student within the community within the environment – represents the integrative design of this Strategic Plan. The specific goals, strategies, and actions at each level compose a larger system of interrelationships that echo and reinforce each other. Progress in any one action should have positive ripple effects on multiple other actions.

 ORIENTATION 1: STUDENTS

Goal 1 - Student success is enhanced through a coordinated, evidence-based approach to improving the quality of academic programs

Goal 2 - Delivery of services to students contributes positively to the quality of the student experience

Goal 3 - Students capitalize on the opportunities for academic, social and personal development as expressed in the outcomes of the Graduate Profile

 ORIENTATION 2: COMMUNITIES

Goal - 4 A comprehensive approach to the Indigenization of Dawson College is established

Goal - 5 Dawson’s learning and working communities are equitable, diverse, inclusive, and accessible

Goal - 6 Foster an institution-wide culture of well-being

Goal - 7 The physical environment is enhanced to support student success and employee collaboration and innovation

 ORIENTATION 3: ENVIRONMENT

HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT

“Infuse sustainability – environmental, social, economic – throughout the academic sector and all services to expand awareness and create opportunities for individual and collective action”

Goal 8 Social, economic and environmental sustainability are understood and practiced across the entire Dawson community

8.1 Expand opportunities for student and employee learning and action on sustainability and well-being

Actions:

8.1.1 Raise awareness of the three components of sustainability - environmental, social, and economic - through academic, para-academic and professional development activities.

High-level target: Initiatives to raise awareness of three-part definition of sustainability are developed, and implemented across Dawson community.

8.1.2 Create opportunities for students and employees to learn about and practice social entrepreneurship

High-level target: New opportunities are created for students and employees to learn and practice social entrepreneurship.

8.1.3 Support new curriculum development projects across programs, based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

High-level target: New projects in curriculum mapping and curriculum development for United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are developed across programs.

8.2 Strengthen Dawson’s leadership role in sustainability, share knowledge and build collaborative capacity

Actions:

8.2.1 Research and communicate the positive impacts of enhanced sustainability on academics and physical operations

High-level target: Community awareness of positive institutional impacts of sustainability is increased.

8.2.2 Create opportunities for knowledge sharing and collaborative projects within the college network, across Canada and internationally

Strategic Plan: https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/strategic-plan/wp-content/uploads/sites/163/Dawson-College-Strategic-Plan-2024-2029_EN.pdf

High-level target: New projects with new partners to share knowledge and collaborate on projects.

Programs containing sustainability  (Optionsl section below - Additional documentation)

Update 2024: Graduation numbers per program and profile obtained from registrar Dec. 2024.

The selection of the programs was made under the AASHE - STARS 2.2 standards and based on the Strategic Plan 2024-2029. A description of the same was made in the previous section including the results for the graduated students of each program

MAIN RESULT:  68.49% of graduates at Dawson are either in a program with sustainability outcomes or have taken sustainability-focused courses within their program (see chart attached).

The procedure was done as follows:

1. Review of the results and goals of each program to verify if it had sustainability components in the social, environmental and economic aspects as set forth in the STARS-AASHE standard.

2. The description of all courses in each program was reviewed and if it was related to the concept of sustainability, it was included in the justification of each program.

3. Reviewed which SDGs were covered and corroborated with specific activities and/or courses.

4. Verified by an external consultant

5. Verified by the Office of Sustainability

6. Cross-checked the results obtained with the previous application to AASHE to see progress in the development of programs related to sustainability and to detect areas of opportunity in the future.

All programs have a Ministry of Education mandate to create an Exit Profile (Outcomes) of competencies aquired by graduating students in each program. Sustainability outcomes: See attached document of all program outcomes (under Optional section - additional documents)

Programs containing sustainability  (Additional documentation)

1.    Interior Design

2.     Pure and Applied Science

3.     Health and Life Science

4.     Enriched Health and Life Sciences

5.     Enriched Pure and Applied Science

6.     Science, Computer Science and Mathematics

7.     General Studies

8.     Commerce

9.     Education, Family and Childhood

10.  International Business Studies

11.  Law, Society and Justice

12.  Social Change and Solidarity

13.  Psychology

14.  Society and Technology

16.  Civil Engineering Technology

17.  Electrical Engineering Technology

18.  Mechanical Engineering Technology - Automated Manufacturing Chris ADAM pending information

19.  Social Service

20.  Community, Recreation and Leadership Training

21.  Product Design Product Design

Update 2024: All revised programs and their exit profiles (program outcomes) were verified and updated on the AASHE submission document attached. Graduate student numbers for each program were taken from Dawson's registrar's office and all graduates from programs with sustainability outcomes combineed for a total. The percentage of 68.49% of graduating students taking a sustainability course(s) or being enrolled in a program with sustainability outcomes is a high number because the majority of Dawson's student population is enrolled in the pre-university sciences or the largest program, Social Science.

The most up-to-date Quebec information was used and compared to Dawson Office of Academic Development posted revisions and exit profiles of all programs for accuracy. This material was screened by both an external consultant and the Dawson College Office of Sustainability.