Success in First-Year Chemistry
HRG currently conducts a study examining factors influencing student performance in first-year chemistry, a foundational course with historically high failure and withdrawal rates. Recognizing that the disruptions of COVID-19 have amplified these challenges and shifts in the provincial math curriculum, this study seeks to identify academic, social, and economic predictors of success. The findings will directly inform the development of targeted support strategies to help future cohorts thrive in this critical gateway course.
Rethinking Resilience
Principal investigator Dr. Kim Hellemans co-developed the Rethinking Resilience module alongside Dr. Ashley Thompson, an online, asynchronous tool that equips undergraduate students with practical skills to understand and manage stress and coping. The goal of this module is to implement stress awareness and academic resilience training for students in post-secondary learning environments. Using videos, interactive activities, and reflection exercises, the module supports students as they explore traits that foster academic resilience, persistence, and self-directedness.
Life Long Education Development (LEAD)
HRG is involved in the LEAD (Lifelong Education and Development) project, a cross-institutional initiative aimed at helping students strengthen core learning and metacognitive skills, essential tools for navigating increasingly complex educational and career landscapes.
Across all of these initiatives, the lab's SoTL work is driven by a desire to mobilize practical, research-informed strategies that promote student resilience, academic achievement, and inclusive learning environments. The research focuses especially on approaches that integrate neuroscience, mental health, and educational research to inform systemic change in teaching practices and student support systems.