The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning - Volume 14 - Issue 1 - Article 4 - Growth and Goals Module: A Course-Integrated Open Education Resource to Help Students Increase their Learning Skills

Oct 15, 2026

We developed and launched an online, course-integrated module called Growth & Goals to help students build evidence-based learning skills. The module targets five core concepts: self-regulated learning, goal-setting, metacognition, mindfulness, and mindsets along a growth–fixed continuum. Growth & Goals is a no-cost open education resource available for educators to download, offered in both French and English and customizable for any university course. Delivery combines text, videos, and interactive activities to strengthen learners, support ongoing postsecondary success, and improve proficiency. Since 2017 it has been used in 15+ university courses by 8,000+ students, with preliminary evaluation largely positive.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages29

Reading Time1 h 13 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Module design and learning concepts

Delivery format and customization

Implementation and preliminary evaluation

The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Volume 14 | Issue 1 | Article 4 | | --- | --- | | Spring 05-31-2023
Growth and Goals Module: A CourseIntegrated Open Education Resource to Students Increase their Learning Skills
Emily O’Connor
University of Ottawa, [eocon058@uottawa.ca](eocon058@uottawa.ca)[ ](eocon058@uottawa.ca)Kevin Roy
University of Ottawa, [kroy059@uottawa.ca](kroy059@uottawa.ca)[ ](kroy059@uottawa.ca)Fergal O’Hagan
Trent University, [fergalohagan@trentu.ca](fergalohagan@trentu.ca)[ ](fergalohagan@trentu.ca)Elizabeth Campbell Brown
University of Ottawa, elizabeth.campbell@uottawa.ca Gisèle Richard
University of Ottawa, [grichar2@uottawa.ca](grichar2@uottawa.ca)[ ](grichar2@uottawa.ca)Ellyssa Walsh
University of Ottawa, [ewalsh2@uottawa.ca](ewalsh2@uottawa.ca)[ ](ewalsh2@uottawa.ca)Alison Flynn
University of Ottawa, [alison.flynn@uottawa.ca](alison.flynn@uottawa.ca)
Follow this and additional works at: [https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca](https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca)
[https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2023.1.9371](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2023.1.9371) | Help | Recommended Citation O’Connor, E., Roy, K., O’Hagan, F., Campbell Brown, E., Richard, G., Walsh, E., & Flynn, A. (2023) . Growth and goals module: A course-integrated open education resource to help students increase their learning skills. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 14(1). [https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2023.1.9371](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2023.1.9371) Growth and Goals Module: A Course-Integrated Open Education Resource to Help Students Increase their Learning Skills Abstract We developed and launched an online, course-integrated module called Growth & Goals aimed to help students better develop evidence-based learning skills. The module focuses on five main concepts: self-regulated learning, goal-setting, metacognition, mindfulness, and mindsets (growth and fixed continuum) . Growth & Goals is an open education resource available for download at no cost to any [educator through](educator through FlynnResearchGroup.com/GrowthGoals. The module is available in both French and)[ ](educator through FlynnResearchGroup.com/GrowthGoals. The module is available in both French and)[FlynnResearchGroup.com/GrowthGoals](educator through FlynnResearchGroup.com/GrowthGoals. The module is available in both French and)[. The module is available in both French and](educator through FlynnResearchGroup.com/GrowthGoals. The module is available in both French and)[ ](educator through FlynnResearchGroup.com/GrowthGoals. The module is available in both French and)[English and can be customized to any university course. The module addresses the aforementioned](English and can be customized to any university course. The module addresses the aforementioned)[ ](English and can be customized to any university course. The module addresses the aforementioned)concepts through a combination of text and videos, with interspersed interactive activities that students use to develop their learning skills. Growth & Goals is intended to help students effectively manage the challenges they may encounter as they progress through their postsecondary academic career and beyond and become more proficient learners. Since 2017, the module has been implemented in more than 15 university courses and has been used by over 8000 students. The preliminary evaluation of Growth & Goals has been largely positive, indicating that the module has been well received by both students and educators and that it successfully guides students in learning the module’s concepts. Nous avons mis au point et lancé un module en ligne intégré au cours intitulé Growth & Goals (Croissance et objectifs) qui vise à aider les étudiants et les étudiantes à mieux développer leurs compétences d’apprentissage basées sur l’évidence. Le module se concentre sur cinq concepts de base: l’apprentissage

FAQs

What is the Growth & Goals module designed to help students do?

It helps students develop evidence-based learning skills. It focuses on self-regulated learning, goal-setting, metacognition, mindfulness, and mindsets (growth vs. fixed).

How is the module delivered and what learning activities does it include?

The module uses a combination of text and videos. It also includes interspersed interactive activities for students to build their learning skills.

What evidence is provided about the module’s use and initial reception?

Since 2017, it has been implemented in more than 15 university courses and used by over 8,000 students. Preliminary evaluation is described as largely positive, indicating strong reception by both students and educators.

Oct 15, 2026

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