Transcript International Seminar

The ‘New Normal’ in
Canadian Colleges and
Universities: E-Learning,
Innovation and Experience
Seminario International de Uso de Nuevas
Tecnologias para la EducacionSuperior
August 4 – 5, 2005
Biblioteca Virgilio Barco, Bogotá, Colombia
Presented by
Ethel Thayer
Education Consultant
Burlington, Ontario, Canada
[email protected]
Introduction
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ICTs in Canada
CA*Net 4
University/College Clients
Canadian Universities/Colleges and ICTs
Canada’s Campus Connection
Campus Canada
Canadian Virtual University
Open Universities
Laptop Universities
Wrap-up
If we keep doing
what we’re doing,
we’re going to keep
getting what we’re
getting
Steven Covey
ICTs in Canada
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Knowledge Based Economy (population of Canada
30,000,000)
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Geography
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Distance, Terrain, Weather
E-Literacy, E-Learning
Broadband availability: CA*net4
Schools Connected:
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Shift from Resource Based Economy
Last school connected on Pictou Island March 31st 1999
Community Access Centres:
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Over 9,500 across Canada
ICTs in Canada
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Canada’s SchoolNet 1993-present
http://www.schoolnet.ca
Computers for Schools
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over 500,000 distributed
Over 80 Refurbishing Centres
Model implemented by Colombia
Computers in business
Smart Communities
Computers in homes
E-Government
E-Health etc.
CA*net4
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Evolved from CA*net3, the world’s first
national optical internet research and education
network
Interconnects the provincial research networks
and through them universities, research
centres, government research, laboratories,
schools, and other eligible sites with each other
and with international peer networks.
University
and College Clients
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E-literate, have used ICTs since the early years
in school
Have experienced e-learning in elementary and
secondary school
Have had access to ICTs at home and in the
community in addition to school
Some have experience with online learning
Keyboarding skills
Growth is evolutionary,
the ‘Net’ effect is
Revolutionary
Steven Covey
Canadian Universities/Colleges
and ICTs
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Technology is ubiquitous on every campus
They are autonomous institutions
 Publicly funded
 90 Universities
 150 Community Colleges
 Each has technology for research and technology for elearning
Each has its own ICT model which fits their student
population, majority have wireless access
Canadian Universities/
Colleges and ICTs
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The use of ICTs vary, the technology is current, and
evolving as new ICTs become available.
Project/problem/resource based learning being
implemented, best practices shared
Faculties are trained and supported e.g. University of
Alberta
All students have a computer or access to one
Electronic communication with faculty and other students
Access to assignment information, resources, multimedia
etc.
Canada’s
Campus Connection
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Industry Canada Program, part of SkillNet.ca
Provides access via Canada’s Campus Connection portal to
facilitate online learning
Over 80 universities and Community Colleges participate
Over 2,700 courses available
Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates conferred in partnership
with Campus Canada
Access to resources e.g CanLearn, StatCan, National Library
of Canada, Online English Grammar - Digital Education
Network
http://campusconnection.ca/
If you give a man a
fish, he eats for a
day, if you teach him
how to fish, he eats
for a lifetime
Campus Canada
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Created August 2000, supported by Industry Canada
Consortium of post-secondary institutions focused on
providing adult learners with greater access to university and
college credentials via online learning
Has representation from the Canadian Virtual University and
the Canadian Virtual College Consortium
National Credit Review Service Program was developed in
partnership with the Conference Board of Canada. It is a
comprehensive, rigorous process to determine whether courses
offered by employers and associations can receive postsecondary credit equivalency
http://www.campuscanada.ca
Campus Canada
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Programs have been designed to provide ease of course
transfer for online learners
Works with Canada’s Campus Connection to provide:
 Prior Learning Assessment (Includes workplace training as
well as international credits and training)
 Credit Recognition
 Credit Banking
 The Conferral of Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates
granted by one institutional member
 Registrar and Student Services
Canadian Virtual University
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Consortium of 12 of Canada’s leading universities in
distance and online learning
Interoperability and common standards. Collaborative
model facilitates learning
280 degrees, diplomas and certificates available
including MBA programs
2,300 courses available online or via distance
education – searchable from a single website
300 courses available in French
Last year 150,000 course registrations
http://www.cvu-uvc.ca
Canadian Virtual University
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Universities share marketing, student advising,
administration services, program development and
best practices
Students save fees when they take courses from
more than one CVU university
Most courses open to students living anywhere in
the world
Students can start to study courses online and
transfer them to a Canadian Degree when they
come to Canada
International university graduates may receive
credit toward a Canadian university degree
Open Universities
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Many universities are a hybrid solution, on-campus learning
and distance learning
Athabasca University is an open university delivering distance
education to students around the world
Designed for rural students however 80% of enrolment is from
cities
500 support staff located in Edmonton Alberta
Asynchronous learning
Affordable fees which include all learning materials
Admission is not based on prior academic achievement
Entrance all year round
Open Universities
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Flexibility whether students need one course or many
or want to discover whether they can do the work at
university level
Provides accessibility for the deaf, disabled, and those
who are ill at home or in hospital.
Elite athletes are also served
Focus on Innovative learning
Agreements with many partner colleges and
comprehensive credit recognition
Research in online learning
Has earned US accreditation
Laptop Universities
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Not in the majority but are a feature of some universities
including Mount Allison NB, Dalhousie NS and the University
of Ontario Institute of Technology ON
UOIT is Canada’s newest university and specializes in careerfocused degree programs
Provides students and faculty with information and
communications technologies, multidisciplinary educational
software and multimedia to support and enhance both teaching
and learning
Computers are leased by students and replaced every 2 years
Plans to establish distance learning and online programs in the
near future
Knowledge is said to be
power, and it is power in
the same sense that wood is
fuel. Wood on fire is fuel.
Knowledge on fire is power.
Henry MacKenzie 1745-1831
The Canadian Experience
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Online learning provides learners with equity of access and the
flexibility to study 24/7, at their own pace and schedule
Distance learning is a collaborative model using enabling
technologies
“Universities and colleges continue to develop an e-learning
culture that systematically integrates technology into the
learning process.
Requires the collaboration of delivery partners: technical and
administrative support, instructional design and facilitation
teams, content experts and resource allocation
Creation of online courses is led by determined professors
willing to take risks and able to marshal resources”
Dr. Colla J. MacDonald, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Education 2005
The Canadian Experience
Continued
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Flexibility and innovation are key
Universities and Colleges continue to provide an environment for
creativity and innovation using ICTs e.g. Research in Motion (RIM,
the Blackberry)
University of Waterloo is one of the most innovative universities in
engineering, computer science and mathematics
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Graduates live in 137 countries around the world
60% are male, 40% are female (Most universities are 50-50)
E-Learning is key to all levels of education
Life-long learning is the norm, facilitated by ICTs in every aspect of
Canadian life
The use of ICTs in Tertiary education continues to evolve and will
look very different five years from now as new learning models and
innovative technologies are created
Albert Einstein was monitoring an
exam for graduate physics students
and was told there was a problem
because the questions on the exam
were the same as on the previous
year’s test. “That’s okay,” he
replied, “the answers are different
this year.”
Many Thanks
Muchas Gracias
Ethel Thayer
Education Consultant
4108 Millcroft Park Drive
Burlington Ontario
Canada
L7M 3V9
[email protected]
905-336-3290 voice
905-630-6030 cell