Publications and Reports

Student Facing Learning Analytics Final Report

With conversations happening about how administration and instructors might make use of student data, eCampusOntario invited campus teams to participate in a series of co-design sprints to yield a student-facing learning analytics blueprint that member schools could use to make further progress in this area.  What emerged from our work was clarity around student needs for analytics about their learning data, typical experiences that would trigger students to need analytics about their learning data, and how to help students help themselves with that data. This report highlights student stories, student needs and student use cases.

Learning Analytics in Ontario Post-Secondary Institutions: An Environmental Scan

This report was commissioned by eCampusOntario to determine the scope of learning analytics activity at public post-secondary institutions.

Infographic: The Rise of Online Learning in Canadian Universities and Colleges

Select results from the 2019 national survey that tracks the development of online and digital learning in Canadian public post-secondary education. Full survey results at onlinelearningsurveycanada.ca

Previous Infographics: 2018

Web version / Print version

Micro-certification Business Models in Higher Education

eCampusOntario commissioned this qualitative scan of international practice in micro-certifications in late 2019, as part of a systems approach to fostering shared approaches to these flexible learning and recognition practices. The intent was to provide a strategic planning tool to help Ontario institutions build their own sustainable micro-certification initiatives and to help encourage the development of a shared recognition ecosystem in the province. The focus was on digital credentials for ongoing recognition rather than for gamification and learner engagement.

Micro-certifications: Policy and Regulatory Context in Ontario

This report analyses the current regulatory framework in Ontario—the set of policies and directives of the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, and the various provincial-level quality assurance processes—as the framework applies to micro-certifications. The report is intended to provide information to colleges and universities about how the current framework enables or might constrain the use of micro-certifications.

Ontario Extend in Practice

In late 2019, Kyle Mackie Consulting Ltd. was contracted by eCampusOntario to conduct a survey and follow-up interviews to identify the number of Ontario post-secondary institutions that have adopted and/or customized the Ontario Extend (OE) modules or resources in some format, with attention paid to:

• Formal teaching and learning department adoption and customization;
• Informal local adoption and customization;
• Module-specific adoption and customization;
• Delivery modes; and
• Technology used for customization.

Student-Facing Learning Analytics Values, Principles and Guiding Goals

This document was developed by a working group of post-secondary representatives in Ontario. This is a living document, created to inform the high-level design of a Student-Facing Learning Analytics tool that empowers students to learn from, interpret and act on their own learning data in ways that improve learning experiences throughout their student life cycle.

Infographic: Online and Digital Learning at Ontario’s Publicly Funded Colleges and Universities

Using data from an in-depth report in 2019 by the Canadian Digital Learning Research Association (CDLRA) and co-supported by eCampusOntario, this new Ontario-focused infographic tracks the impact of online course registrations, forecasts future enrollments and describes technology.

Previous Infographics: 2018

Web version / Print version

Micro-certification Principles and Framework

This document was developed by a working group of employers and post-secondary representatives in Ontario to provide high-level guidance for micro-certification pilots across the province. This is a living document. Partner organizations and institutions are encouraged to test this framework in their contexts and share their findings publicly to enable the development of a healthy micro-certification ecosystem that serves all Ontarians.

eCampusOntario 2016-18 Project Funding Review

Between 2016 and 2018, eCampusOntario provided support to 167 education projects designed and developed by member college and universities from across the province of Ontario. This report was prepared through analysis of output patterns and key attributes of funded projects.

Core Commitments for Shared Success

The purpose of this framework is to articulate a set of shared values and principles to govern stewardship of the digital learning ecosystem.

A Place for Policy: The Role of Policy in Supporting Open Educational Resources and Practices at Ontario’s Colleges and Universities

This study, commissioned by eCampusOntario, considers the benefits of open educational resources and practices (OER/P) and the obstacles hindering their uptake at colleges and universities. Focusing on institutional policy, this report makes the case that targeted policies can remove some of the obstacles facing OER/P.

Trades OER Environmental Scan

As part of eCampusOntario’s ‘Open at Scale’ project, the Green Hat Educational Services team was contracted to conduct an environmental scan of Trades and Apprenticeship open educational resources (OERs). Under this project, the eCampusOntario Digital First: Trades and Apprenticeship initiative targets the development of open educational resources in a specific discipline or area of study for a high-impact approach. The first stage of the project includes an environmental scan of existing OER repositories and programs to ensure that all existing open Trades and Apprenticeship learning resources are leveraged for reuse and adaptation where appropriate.

LinkedIn Learning Casebook

This LinkedIn Learning Casebook was developed as part of the province-wide LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) pilot project that runs from 2017-2020. In 2017, the Government of Ontario asked eCampusOntario to administer the pilot and foster a community of practice to support engagement and experimentation with the platform. This casebook captures that community of practice in action. Nine different authors approach the LinkedIn Learning collection from a variety of perspectives, sharing their experience implementing the platform and reflecting on the value of the tool to augment and enhance their work.

EdTech Sandbox Casebook

Support for the growth and expansion of technology-enabled learning and teaching is central to the mandate of eCampusOntario. In June 2017, eCampusOntario announced expressions of interest inviting its 45 member post-secondary institutions to participate in up to three different Educational Technology Sandboxes. The aim was to provide an opportunity to explore new tools to support technology-enabled learning in risk-free environments and across many spectrums. The institutional reports included in this publication were written by the project leads from the pilot projects and, aside from small editorial changes, are in their own words.

Open Quality Standards (eCampusAlberta)

The eCampusAlberta Quality Suite is a set of standards for creating effective, interactive and accessible online courses. Developed by a team of faculty members at colleges and universities throughout Alberta, the guidelines cover standards for web design, course information, writing, resources, organization, pedagogy and technology.

Nursing OER Environmental Scan

As part of eCampusOntario’s ‘Open at Scale’ initiative, a team from the University of Windsor and Western University conducted an environmental scan of nursing-related open educational resources (OER). This environmental scan aimed to identify existing or soon-to-be released nursing OER that can be adopted or adapted for nursing courses delivered by post-secondary institutions based in Ontario, Canada. It also aimed to surface gaps in the existing OER landscape as potential targets for future strategic OER development initiatives.

Business OER Environmental Scan

As part of eCampusOntario’s ‘Open at Scale’ initiative, Kyle Mackie Consulting Ltd. was contracted to conduct an environmental scan of business-related open educational resources (OER). This environmental scan is meant to identify existing or soon-to-be-released business OER that can be used in college and university level business courses by post-secondary institutions based in Ontario, Canada.

Advancing an Educational Technology Shared Services Strategy for Ontario: Province-wide Consultation Phase

Following on a continuing process to advance an educational technology shared services strategy for Ontario public post-secondary institutions, Peter Wolf and Vivian Forssman, on behalf of Carleton University, hosted 4 online workshops scheduled between November 1 – 28, 2018, inviting representatives from all 45 Ontario public colleges and universities to participate. The workshops brought together 82% of member institutions (37 institutions), with a total of 76 participants, representing IT, academic administration, teaching and learning centre staff, and librarians.

The workshops were designed to validate findings from the August 2018 Educational Technologies Shared Services Survey and inform a collaborative go-forward strategy.

Ontario Extend Research Report

This study of Ontario Extend explores the experiences of educators who participated in the initial iterations of the program.

eCampusOntario collaborated with six colleges and four universities in Northern Ontario to develop resource materials that could provide a common baseline of knowledge and complement specific training and development programs for online learning development. This study sets out to identify strengths and weaknesses that could be remediated by redesigning selected program elements.

Shared Services Reports

The Educational Technology Shared Services Survey was distributed to each of 45 Ontario colleges and universities (English & French) between July 4 and Aug 2, 2018, to consider a provincial educational technology shared services strategy. Overall, the survey identifies interest in further exploring educational technology shared services as a way forward for colleges and universities in Ontario. The Educational Technology Shared Services Survey project was awarded to a University of Ottawa team led by Aline Germain-Rutherford (AVP Teaching and Learning Support Services), and Richard Pinet (Director, Centre for Innovative Pedagogies and Digital Learning). U of Ottawa outlined a workplan which included project quality oversight, translation services, and access to U of Ottawa’s licensed survey tool (SurveyMonkey), with all communications planning, survey design, and data analysis to be undertaken by independent consultants Peter Wolf and Vivian Forssman.

Research Report

The survey, Awareness and Use of Open Educational Resources (OER) in Ontario, was conducted by eCampusOntario in spring 2018. The purpose of the research was to learn more about resource elements of post-secondary teaching practice in Ontario, including: the types of resources educators use, the key decision-making criteria educators use when selecting resources, educator awareness about OER, and actual use of OER – including open textbooks. Findings from this research will help inform eCampusOntario programming and partnerships with member institutions as the potential of open practice is explored.

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