What’s in my Inbox: Periodicals, Blogs, and Social Media for Higher Education Researchers and Practitioners

This week, our academic program welcomes its newest cohort of Master’s and PhD students pursuing Higher Education studies. Returning students are connecting with incoming students via What’s App and outdoor socials to welcome them, offer peer mentorship and guidance as things get underway in what will be another virtual semester for students, faculty, and staff in our program.

With this in mind, I thought it might be helpful to offer a list of “things I read” pertaining to postsecondary education, inspired by subscriptions I receive in my email inbox and tweets I come across on Twitter. This list focuses on online periodicals, blogs, and newsletters dedicated to topics in postsecondary education that are regularly updated.

I personally find it very helpful to engage with these resources while undertaking higher education studies. Doing so helps me stay abreast of the many “hot topics”, issues, and the corresponding diversity of perspectives within the postsecondary sector.

Whether you are a newer or seasoned scholar, practitioner, or both, my hope is that one of these publications might be “new to you”, that you’ll check them out, and ideally subscribe!

Academica Group’s Daily Higher Education “Top Ten”

Academica Group sends daily emails containing ten notable stories pertaining to postsecondary education, focused on (but not limited to) the Canadian sector. I also encourage you to check out their biweekly “Indigenous Top Ten”. Academica Group’s Top Ten Website

Alex Usher’s One Thought Blog (Higher Education Strategy Associates)

Alex Usher oversees a consultancy- Higher Education Strategy Associates- that works with governments and postsecondary institutions. His “One Thought Blog” offers his timely takes on “hot topics” in Canadian and international postsecondary education. Alex Usher’s One Thought Blog

The Conversation Canada

The Conversation Canada’s website and newsletter feature journalistic and blog-style pieces written with academic rigour by individuals affiliated with Canadian postsecondary institutions. Many topics are covered, including postsecondary education. The Conversation Canada’s website

University Affairs

University Affairs is a magazine containing a variety of news, op-ed, and career-focused articles. Articles tend to focus on Canadian universities. University Affairs Website

Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO)

An agency of the Province of Ontario, HECQO’s website includes publications and a blog; both explore contemporary topics and issues pertaining to Ontario’s postsecondary sector. HEQCO’s Blog

BCcampus

BCcampus- funded by British Columbia’s Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training- undertakes teaching and learning-related research and projects in the interest of supporting postsecondary student success. For more information about these projects and to sign up for their newsletter, please visit BCcampus’ website.

The Chronicle of Higher Education

This frequently updated periodical addresses a variety of topics pertaining to higher education, often with a U.S. focus. The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Website

Inside Higher Ed

I find this publication has more of a website/blog feel in comparison to the Chronicle (the latter is published both in print and online). Inside Higher Ed publishes news, career-related, and op-ed style articles oftentimes with a U.S. focus. Inside Higher Ed’s Website

Times Higher Education

The Times Higher Education website covers comparable topics to the Chronicle and Inside Higher Ed, however, from United Kingdom and other international vantage points. Times Higher Education Website

Centre for the Study of Canadian and International Higher Education Blog (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education)

The OISE CIHE blog features the scholarship and ideas of faculty, students, and guests affiliated with the Higher Education program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education- considered the largest higher education studies program in Canada. OISE CIHE Blog

Supporting Student Success Blog

Coordinated by Professor Tricia Seifert (who works with me as a member of my dissertation committee), the blog includes articles from the largest study of how Canadian postsecondary institutions organize to support student success, with an emphasis on the contributions of student affairs and services practitioners. The blog often includes posts from guest authors, who work in student affairs and services in Canada and beyond. Supporting Student Success Blog

Ungated Higher Education Newsletter

This is a relatively new online publication authored by Professor Brendan Cantwell of the College of Education at Michigan State University (which I happen to be an alumna of). The newsletter has similar vibes to Alex Usher’s blog, featuring Professor Cantwell’s “hot takes” on contemporary issues and topics pertaining to higher education in the US and internationally. Ungated Higher Education Newsletter

Note: A good volume of what I read is recommended to me by individuals and through hashtags I follow on Twitter and other social media. As such, I recommend “giving a follow” to the Twitter accounts of people and organizations affiliated with the postsecondary sector.

Which hashtags should I follow? Here’s just a few examples of the many Twitter hashtags dedicated to postsecondary education:
#HigherEd and #Higher Education- used to tag any posts pertaining to higher education;
#CdnPSE- used to tag posts relevant to postsecondary education in Canada;
#ONPSE- same, but for Ontario. Note many other provinces have a similar specific hashtag (e.g., #BCPSE);
#SACdn- used to tag posts relevant to student affairs and services professionals in Canada;
#SAPro- same, but for student affairs and services more broadly, with a tendency to focus on the U.S. context.
The relevant hashtags for the postsecondary institutions you are affiliated with and/or that interest you (e.g., #UofT).

I hope that this list will be a helpful resource and I’m sure I will be making more of them as I continue to blog.

If you’d like to receive summary updates from my website, YouTube Channel, and other scholarly endeavours- please consider subscribing so we can keep in touch!

Until the next post, to everyone starting their semesters: wishing you a nonetheless beautiful beginning to another academic year like no other.

-Jacquie