This document discusses e-learning and distance education. It provides an overview of e-learning in Canada, highlighting how it allows for both synchronous and asynchronous learning through teleconferencing, self-study using email, and online exhibitions. It then summarizes some of the advantages of Athabasca University as a public, degree-granting university with open admission, distance education delivery of hundreds of credit courses available for year-round enrolment through flexible learning methods. The document also briefly discusses MOOCs, the Canadian Virtual University consortium of 15 universities, and some of the organizations supporting online learning across Canadian provinces.

1. E-Learning
Rory McGreal
UNESCO/COL Chair in OER

7. E-learning Canada
Overview
• Everybody is doing it
• Synchronous or asynchronous
• Teleconferencing
• Self-study with email
• WWW expositions

8. Where in the World

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10. Advantages
• Public university
• Degree-granting
• Open admission
• Distance education delivery
• Hundreds of credit courses
• Year-round enrolment
• Flexible learning methods
August 25,

11. Advantages
• Public university
• Degree-granting
• Open admission
• Distance education delivery
• Hundreds of credit courses
• Year-round enrolment
• Flexible learning methods

12. Athabasca University:
• Independent learning delivery mode
• Industrial model for course development
• Strong instructional design
• Text and workbook based courses
• Moving to online delivery
• Presently email and web communications with
+95% of students
• US accreditation 2005 (Middle States)
August 25,

13. Athabasca University
Innovation in Education
Call Centres Educational
Institution
Marriage
August 25,

14. An early attempt 2000 - 2003

15. MOOCs
• Scalable
• Networked
• Interactive
• Automated
• Open

17. Canadian Virtual University
• Consortia of 15 universities
• Pan-Canadian
• Credit recognition
• Sharing
• Common database
• Campus Connection

18. LORI Net to
2010: standards
• TELUQ
• Univ. of Saskatchewan
• Univ. of Waterloo
• Simon Fraser University
• Univ. of Ottawa

19. Newfoundland
Online Learning and Information
Network OLIN

20. The Maritimes
• NRC in NB
• Universite Ste-Anne
• Nova Scotia CC
• Fredericton University

21. Québec
• Téléuniversité du Québec
• Cognisource

22. Ontario
• Contact North
• Univ. of Waterloo
• Univ. of Ottawa
• Ontario Technological Univ.
• Univ. of Phoenix
• DeVries Institute
• UofT Accessibility

23. Saskatchewan &
Manitoba
• Interuniversities North
• First Nations University
• Univ. of Saskatchewan

24. Alberta & BC
• Athabasca University
• Netera Alliance
• K12 Consortia
• UBC
• Thompson Rivers University
• BCcampus

25. Copyright:
The Good Guys
”Research must be given a large and
liberal interpretation in order to
ensure that users' rights are not
unduly constrained”
• availability of a licence is not
relevant
• fair dealing is an integral part of
Chief Justice McLachlin the scheme of copyright law in
Canada.

26. Copyright:
The Good Guys
"Downloading a song for personal use
does not amount to infringement. I
cannot see a real difference between a
library that places a photocopy machine
in a room full of copyrighted material
and a computer user that places a
personal copy on a shared directory."
Justice Konrad von Finckenstei

27. Change: Steps
• Identify the innovators
• Find a high level champion
• Start ONE demo project
Project must be Top Quality

28. Systemic
Success Factors
• Secure funding
• Integrate with f2f delivery
• Build trust - get “buy-in”
• Collaborate – share costs
• Ensure relevance of courses
• Publicize success “no significant difference”
• Link to economic development

29. Human
Success Factors
• Human skills 1st not Technical
• Keep a human body in the loop
• Use volunteers – don’t coerce
• Be open with students – problems
• Build student – student support
• Pace students - deadlines

30. Network
Success Factors
• Move quickly in establishing sites
• Critical mass of sites (large & small)
• Content, content, content (>33% of $$)
• Find content – don’t create it
• Inform & market
August 25, 04

31. Course Development
Success Factors
• Take risks – expect failures
• Judge overall success not individual
projects
• Partner
• Find content if possible – don’t create it
• Generic courses (learning objects)

32. Technical
Success Factors
• Avoid proprietary solutions
• Build for latest technology (but ensure
backward compatibility)
• Choose tech. for pedagogical reasons
(but don’t forget $$)
• Incremental purchasing vs. all at once

33. from "A Shropshire
Lad"
by A.E. Housman
August 25,

35. THANK YOU
rory@athabascau.ca