Online Learning News - February 22, 2023

Free Contact North | Contact Nord Webinar

Content Creation Using AI: How AI Can Be Used to Build Courses and Learning Experiences

Wednesday, March 29, 2023
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. (ET)

Register Now!

In this engaging and interactive webinar, our host, Dr. Stephen Murgatroyd, Chief Innovation Officer at Contact North | Contact Nord, introduces AI-enabled content creation, including:

• Which AI resources are available that can help you quickly create quality content.
• What you should be cautious about and what we know are problems with AI-enabled content creation.
• How to leverage AI text-to-speech and speech-to-text for learning material creation.
• How to use the AI design features for a variety of material creation activities.
• How content curation is a major opportunity for AI-enabled supports, especially for students with exceptionalities.

Leveraging ChatGPT Instead of Banning

Five Ways Faculty Can Help Students Use ChatGPT Productively

ChatGPT is cutting-edge AI technology developed to respond to natural language questions across a broad spectrum of subjects with speed and precision.

Despite its potential for academic dishonesty, such as in the creation of essays, it is recommended educators demonstrate the productive and educational applications of this technology to their students.

This article highlights five ways ChatGPT can enhance learning, including:

1. Brainstorming
2. Research
3. Summarization
4. Writing improvement
5. STEM subject assistance

Read the full story

Contact North | Contact Nord’s
Reflections on Micro-Credentials

A Growing Complex Ecosystem of
Learning Choices

Micro-credentials are a new way of learning in Canada, with Ontario being a leader in the development of micro-credentials.

Contact North | Contact Nord identified ten types of micro-credentials, including:

1. On Demand Micro-Learning Leading to Badges
2. Gap-Based, Competency Driven Learning
3. Social and Non-Profit Micro-Credentials
4. The “Tease” Micro-Credential
5. Industry Driven Micro-Credential
6. Pic-N-Mix Micro-Credential
7. Faculty Driven Micro-Credentials
8. Assessment Only Micro-Credentials
9. The Short Course
10. The Industry Delivered Short Course

Read the full story

Dr. Tony Bates’ Latest Blog:
Online Learning and Distance Education

In this blog post, Contact North | Contact Nord Research Associate Dr. Tony Bates reviews Part III of Olaf Zawacki-Richter, and Insung Jung’s Handbook of Open, Distance and Digital Learning (2023) that focuses on Global Perspectives and Internationalization.

Read Dr. Bates’ post:

Global Perspectives and Internationalization in Open, Distance and a Digital Learning: a book review

Podcasts and Vodcasts on Online Learning

Teaching In Higher Ed Podcast 
Faculty Development for Professors

Aimed at post-secondary faculty and instructors, this educational podcast features over 450 discussions and interviews with experts in the field, exploring the latest trends, theories, and approaches to teaching in higher education.

Each episode offers a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities that educators face, as well as practical tips and insights that can be applied in the classroom. Topics include digital pedagogy, students, work-life and teaching.

Choose your episode

This Week’s Must-Read Book
on Online Learning

Artificial Intelligence and Learning Futures: Critical Narratives of Technology and Imagination in Higher Education

By Stefan Popenici (2022)

This book explores the implications of artificial intelligence’s adoption in higher education and the challenges to building a sustainable system of schooling. As AI becomes integral to both pedagogy and profitability in colleges and universities, critical discourse about these developments is needed to push back against their potential to enable surveillance, control and oppression but also to enable their positive potential.

This book examines the development, risks and opportunities inherent to AI in education and curriculum design, the problematic ideological assumptions of intelligence and technology, and the evidence base and ethical imagination required to responsibly implement these learning technologies in a way that ensures quality and sustainability.

Leaders, administrators, and faculty as well as technologists and instructional designers, will find these provocative and accessible ideas applicable to their research, practice, decision-making and concerns.

Browse all Must-Read Books

Contact North I Contact Nord’s 
Searchable Directory of 65+ Open Universities Worldwide

More than 65 open universities around the world provide open and equal access to education, without requiring students to have formal education or credentials to be admitted. These institutions have a common commitment to open access to quality learning and student success.

Use the directory to search location, contact information, delivery modes, enrolment and more!

Search the Directory

Upcoming Events in Online Learning Education 

EDEN 2023 Annual Conference

Dublin, Ireland

June 18 - 21, 2023

The 2023 EDEN conference is designed to explore the theme, “Yes we can!” – Digital Education for Better Futures.

This theme focuses on the language of opportunity and challenges participants to dream big! While there are many big and small challenges that can’t be ignored in building a more inclusive digital future, the conference places the spotlight on the “art of the possible” in reimagining teaching, learning and assessment and delivering on the promise of better futures for all.

The conference theme asks:

1. What does a better future look like?
2. How can digital education contribute to this future?
3. What can you do to help make and shape a better future?

For more information and to register

About Contact North | Contact Nord

Contact North | Contact Nord is a free, local bilingual service to help residents in 1,500+ rural and remote Ontario communities access online programs and courses from colleges, universities and training providers without having to leave their communities.

Visit contactnorth.ca for more information

Most Popular Resources on teachonline.ca

1. AI in Higher Education Resource Hub
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5. Searchable Directory of 1,900+ Upcoming Education and Technology Conferences From Around the World