The ‘New Normal’ in Canadian Colleges and Universities: E-Learning, Innovation and Experience

1. 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 ethayer@ilap.com

2. Introduction • 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

3. If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to keep getting what we’re gettingSteven Covey

4. ICTs in Canada • Knowledge Based Economy (population of Canada 30,000,000) • Shift from Resource Based Economy • Geography • Distance, Terrain, Weather • E-Literacy, E-Learning • Broadband availability: CA*net4 • Schools Connected: • Last school connected on Pictou Island March 31st 1999 • Community Access Centres: • Over 9,500 across Canada

5. ICTs in Canada (continued) • Canada’s SchoolNet 1993-present http://www.schoolnet.ca • Computers for Schools • 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.

6. CA*net4 • 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.

9. University and College Clients • 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

10. Growth is evolutionary, the ‘Net’ effect is Revolutionary Steven Covey

11. Canadian Universities/Colleges and ICTs • 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 e-learning • Each has its own ICT model which fits their student population, majority have wireless access

12. Canadian Universities/Colleges and ICTs(continued) • 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.

13. Canada’s Campus Connection • 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/

14. If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day, if you teach him how to fish, he eats for a lifetime

15. Campus Canada • 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 post-secondary credit equivalency http://www.campuscanada.ca

16. Campus Canada (continued) • 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

17. Canadian Virtual University • 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

18. Canadian Virtual University (continued) • 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

19. Open Universities • 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

20. Open Universities(continued) • 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

21. Laptop Universities • 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 career-focused 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

22. 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

23. The Canadian Experience • 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

24. The Canadian ExperienceContinued • 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 • 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

25. 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.”

26. Many ThanksMuchas Gracias Ethel Thayer Education Consultant 4108 Millcroft Park Drive Burlington Ontario Canada L7M 3V9 ethayer@ilap.com 905-336-3290 voice 905-630-6030 cell