eCampusOntario is “leveling up” Ontario’s game this fall

The start of any fall semester brings new possibilities, including many exciting opportunities for technology-enabled innovation across Ontario’s higher education system. Here’s what some of the eCampusOntario team members are most excited about for Fall 2019.

Thinking bigger and better

The idea of scaling opportunities is really exciting, where instead of looking at implementing educational technology from an individual or institutional lens, we look at it from a broader lens. I think there are a lot of opportunities at our disposal that weren’t there even 5 or 10 years ago, and with that type of scaling comes a lot of benefits: savings, community building, change management. Looking at things collaboratively like this is really exciting.

— Michel Singh, Chief Technology Officer

Filling skills gaps

Our Adaptive Learning Platform Pilot will be in full swing this fall, which is exciting for me. We’re partnering with four Ontario colleges to develop individual learning modules for a specific training standard within the electrician – construction and maintenance, automotive service technician, and plumbing trades. Using digital adaptive learning platforms, trades students will have the ability to fill gaps in their knowledge and ultimately, boost their success rate on the Certificate of Qualification exam.

— Brandon Carson, Program Manager

New tech for accessible learning

I’m excited to offer member institutions the opportunity to participate in the second round of our Educational Technologies Sandbox, to either test emerging technologies in the classroom or to help co-design new technologies that meet the needs of administrators, faculty, and students in higher education. Our focus this round is augmented/virtual realities and learning analytics – two topics our member institutions have identified as priorities. Through our Sandbox, we’re presenting opportunities to bring creativity, innovations in teaching, and new experiences to the classroom through technologies that our member institutions might otherwise not have an opportunity to test.

— Emily Carlisle, Digital Program Lead

Education with preparation and purpose

I am excited for institutions to embrace experiential learning opportunities for students, which proactively bridges academia with real-world skills and employment experience. Students invest time and money in their postsecondary studies, so there is an expectation that this investment will prepare them for the workforce. Experiential learning prioritizes meaningful opportunities that directly contribute to skill development and employability.

— Chris Fernlund, Lead, Student Supports

Building ed cred

I’m excited about stepping up our work in micro-certification. Our micro-certification working group, composed of colleagues in Ontario higher education and industry, is a unique opportunity to get a diverse group of people together and tackle this issue from a systemic perspective to meet the future needs of the workforce. There is a huge level of interest in this topic from institutions right now and a lot of expertise being generated to move us forward.

— Lena Patterson, Senior Director, Programs and Stakeholder Relations

Faculty teaching resources

There is a real need and desire for technology-enabled teaching and learning in Ontario right now. For Fall 2019, I’m excited about programs like Ontario Extend, which provides a digitally-focused, professional learning opportunity for educators. The program is aimed at those new to teaching and existing faculty at Ontario institutions. Teaching and learning centres in Ontario’s higher education community can really benefit from this technology-focused, capacity-building opportunity that can be adapted to suit the needs of their institutions.

— Lindsay Woodside, Program Manager

Action-focused communities

I’m excited to bring educators and learners into our new community of practice: The Ontario Open Library Network (OOLN). The OOLN will be a place for OER users and advocates to ask questions, share ideas, and get inspiration for local work at their campuses. I can’t wait to hear about all the wonderful work our institutions are doing, and to watch ideas be sparked and connections be forged. Keep your eyes peeled for more information about how to join this new community of practice.

— Lillian Hogendoorn, Digital Access and OER Lead