Online Learning News - January 26, 2022

Free Contact North | Contact Nord Webinar

How to Design a Micro-Credential that Meets Demand

Wednesday, February 2, 2022
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)

Register Now!

Canada has about 10,000 micro-credentials. But many do not meet the definition of what they are intended to be: short, focused, and intensive learning linked to skills that are in demand from employers, industry, or a profession.

Join our Host, Dr. Stephen Murgatroyd, Chief Innovation Officer at Contact North | Contact Nord, as he explores:

• The current state of micro-credentials in Canada and the U.S.
• Five major limitations of the current offerings
• Assessment-driven approach to skills and competency development linked to gap-based microlearning
• Five major design changes needed to make micro-credentials work for students, employers and communities
• The future of micro-credentials and long-form credentials

Beyond the Basics: Teaching with Zoom’s
New Tools

Many instructors have mastered Zoom’s basic features. Now it’s time to up the engagement factor in your live classes by learning Zoom’s newest, most engaging tools.

If you’re stuck in a Zoom rut and you’re tired of limiting your classes to basic video, screen sharing and polls, Beyond the Basics, free, live training is made for you. In this training session led by Contact North | Contact Nord’s e-Learning Training Facilitator, you will learn how to increase engagement and accessibility for all types of learners:

• Enable live transcriptions for added accessibility
• Use PowerPoint as a virtual background, as a more immersive way to present
• Use focus mode to help learners avoid distractions by only seeing the host's webcam
• Use immersive view for creative discussions
• Set up and use exit surveys for all types of feedback

Register now for a one-hour live FREE training session!

Five Bold Actions for Canada to Strengthen Its Position as an Education Superpower

What can Canada do to build upon our national education successes and continue to develop one of the best public education systems in the world?

Read the five bold actions suggested by
Contact North | Contact Nord

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

In this blog post, Dr. Bates reflects on what has changed in online learning since January 2021.

Read Contact North I Contact Nord Research Associate Dr. Tony Bates’ blog post:

Groundhog day in online learning? What’s different this time

Leaders & Legends of Online Learning

Dr. Mark Nichols’ Podcast

Leaders & Legends of Online Learning is a podcast that brings first-person perspectives from online learning experts that inform and inspire. Each interview lasts about 30 minutes and links to each guest's work and profile.

In this episode, Dr. Mark Nichols interviews Dr. Diana Laurillard, Professor of Learning with Digital Technologies, University College London (UCL), Institute of Education.

This Week’s Must-Read Book
on Online Learning

Transformative Teaching Around the World Stories of Cultural Impact, Technology Integration, and Innovative Pedagogy

Edited by: Meina Zhu, Curtis J. Bonk (2022)

The purpose of learning is more than the mastery of knowledge and skill. It is about transforming the lives of people, families, and communities. Anyone who has travelled to remote communities and seen what learning can do understands this bigger purpose. This collection of inspiring and insightful materials captures stories, examples of inspiring teaching and creative uses of technologies for learning that has transformative impact. The book captures the creativity and imagination that teachers and learning designers bring the work of learning and learning design and does so powerfully. What comes alive on these pages is an enthusiasm for the task of helping people learn for a bigger purpose. It is a good read.

Browse all Must-Read Books

Contact North | Contact Nord’s Directory of 75+ Ontario EdTech Companies

Ontario is a major hub in the fast-growing EdTech market, with more than 75 established and recent start-ups in educational technology and corporate training.

With this searchable directory, Contact North | Contact Nord provides colleges, universities, training providers and investors from around the world with information on how to find the latest products and services from Ontario-based EdTech companies. Their products and services often lead to improved learning experiences.

Explore the directory

Upcoming Events in Online Learning

Tenth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF10)

Virtual and In-Person

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Wednesday, September 14 – Friday, September 16, 2022

Hosted by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and Athabasca University (AU), the Tenth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF10) is designed to explore applications of open and distance learning in widening educational access, bridging the digital divide, and advancing the social and economic development of communities and nations at large. The Forum’s focus is on topics relating to developing countries and the participation of practitioners from these countries.

For More Information and to Register

About Contact North | Contact Nord

As Ontario's community-based bilingual distance education and training network, Contact North | Contact Nord helps underserved residents in 1,300 small, rural, remote, Indigenous and Francophone communities access education and training without leaving their communities.

Visit contactnorth.ca for more information

Most Popular Resources on teachonline.ca

1. A New Pedagogy Is Emerging... and Online Learning Is a Key Contributing Factor
2. Ten Facts You Need to Know About Micro-Credentials
3. COVID-19 and the Impact on Online Learning
4. Ten Guiding Principles for the Use of Technology in Learning
5. Five Bold Actions for Canada to Strengthen Its Position as an Education Superpower