The Fall Pause - Issue 14 - An overview of the current Canadian university landscape and a review of the related emerging literature

Oct 15, 2026

Many Canadian universities have added a Fall Pause to academic calendars, yet decision-makers lack national overviews of existing practices or models. Limited research also constrains evidence-informed justification for introducing such a pause. This article addresses both gaps by providing an overview of the current Canadian university landscape regarding the Fall Pause and conducting a scoping review of related emerging literature, supporting more informed planning for inclusion or continuation of the pause.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Mid-term pause practices in Canada

Need for national overview and rationale

Goals and scope

Keywords

The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Volume 11 | Issue 2 | Article 14 | | --- | --- | | Fall 09-30-2020
The Fall Pause: An Overview of the Current Canadian University Landscape and a Review of the Related Emerging Literature
Daniel B. Robinson
St. Francis Xavier University, [drobinso@stfx.ca](drobinso@stfx.ca)[ ](drobinso@stfx.ca)Erin Andrews
St. Francis Xavier University, [erin.andrews@fmpsd.ab.ca](erin.andrews@fmpsd.ab.ca)
Follow this and additional works at: [https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca](https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca)
[https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2020.2.10236](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2020.2.10236) | | Recommended Citation Robinson, D. B. & Andrews, E. (2020). The fall pause: An overview of the current Canadian university landscape and a review of the related emerging literature. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 11(2) . [https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2020.2.10236](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2020.2.10236) The Fall Pause: An Overview of the Current Canadian University Landscape and a Review of the Related Emerging Literature Abstract In recent years, many Canadian universities have added a Fall Pause to their academic calendars. However, those who have been making these decisions have been doing so without having access to any resources that provide an overview of existing Fall Pause practices or models across the nation. Additionally, there exists a paucity of literature that provides a sound rationale for the introduction of a Fall Pause. This paucity of literature makes research-informed decision making about the introduction of a Fall Pause an especially difficult task. Given these observations, we have undertaken the task of writing this article with two goals in mind: (a) to provide an overview of the current Canadian university landscape with respect to the Fall Pause; and (b) to provide a scoping review of the related emerging literature related to the Fall Pause. With this information made available, it is our hope that university faculty and administrators will be better positioned to make informed decisions about the possible introduction or continued inclusion of a Fall Pause in their own universities’schedules. They, and we, might also then be able to have a better (informed) sense of the researchbased outcomes for those who have already introduced and/or experienced a Fall Pause. Depuis quelques années, de nombreuses universités canadiennes ont ajouté un congé d’automne à leurs calendriers universitaires. Toutefois, celles qui ont pris cette décision l’ont fait sans avoir accès aux ressources qui fournissent un aperçu des pratiques relatives au congé d’automne ou aux modèles d’un bout à l’autre du pays. De plus, il n’existe que très peu d’études qui fournissent un justificatif solide pour l’introduction d’un congé d’automne. Cette quasi absence de publications fait en sorte que la décision basée sur la recherche d’introduire un congé d’automne devient une tâche particulièrement difficile. À la lumière de ces observations, nous avons entrepris la tâche de rédiger cet article avec deux objectifs en tête : (a) fournir une vue d’ensemble du paysage actuel des universités canadiennes en ce qui se rapporte au congé d’automne, et (b) fournir un examen de la portée des publications émergentes connexes qui se rapportent au congé d’automne. Avec ces renseignements devenus disponibles, nous espérons que les professeurs et les professeures, ainsi que les administrateurs et les administratricesd’universités, seront mieux préparés à prendre des décisions éclairées sur l’introduction possible ou la continuation d’inclure un congé d’automne dans leurs calendriers universitaires. Ils pourront, et nous aussi, être également en mesure de mieux comprendre les résultats basés sur la recherche pour ceux et celles qui ont déjà introduit et/ou fait l’expérience d’un congé d’automne. Keywords

FAQs

What problem does the article address regarding the Fall Pause?

It addresses the lack of national resources summarizing existing Fall Pause practices and the scarcity of literature providing a sound research rationale for introducing one.

What are the article’s two main goals?

To provide an overview of the current Canadian university landscape related to the Fall Pause, and to conduct a scoping review of the related emerging literature.

Who is the article intended to help with Fall Pause decisions?

University faculty and administrators, enabling them to make informed decisions about introducing or continuing a Fall Pause at their institutions.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Anna Hans