Online Learning News - October 20, 2021

Read time: 5 mins

A bi-weekly update from Contact North ǀ Contact Nord, Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network

Now on teachonline.ca:

MOOCs Are Back!

As the pandemic began to impact people in every corner of the world in 2020, many looked at their time in lockdown as an opportunity to engage in learning.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), particularly from the six major MOOC providers — edX, Coursera, Udacity, Udemy, Swayam and FutureLearn — experienced major growth in registrations, especially for programs leading to credentials.

MOOCs are back big time. What does their resurgence mean for higher education in Canada?

Read about:

Three major benefits;
Three major challenges; and
Three new developments for Canadian colleges and universities.

To find out more, read MOOCs Are Back.

A Contact North | Contact Nord Free Webinar

How to Take Control of Your Digital Privacy and Security

Register Now!

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (Eastern Time)

With cybercrime on the rise, our privacy and the security of our information systems are under attack. In fact, in the first half of 2021 alone, more than 18 billion data breaches occurred worldwide.

What can be done to ensure personal privacy is protected and that data and materials are secure?

In this interactive webinar, Safa Ghnaim, Project Lead at Tactical Tech explores:

The severity and risks associated with data and privacy on your devices
The consequences of a breach of your personal data
A systematic approach to data protection and security to secure your devices and give you peace of mind

A Contact North | Contact Nord Free Webinar

10 Ways on How to Make your Fall Classes Better

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)

Register Now!

Student engagement is the holy grail of online learning. The more engaged students are and the more they feel part of a learning community online, the more successful they are — and teachers can do many things to improve engagement.

This webinar is based on years of experience and experimenting in class and online with what works.

In this engaging webinar, our host Dr. Steven Mintz, professor at the University of Texas, Austin, explores:

The importance of engagement, participation, support and flexibility in the design of learning experiences
Specific actions you can take to increase engagement and improve learning outcomes
10 examples in action and understanding their strengths and weaknesses

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

In this blog post, Dr. Bates looks at the limits of online learning and the limits of face-to-face teaching.

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

Why we need some humility about online learning – and about face-to-face teaching

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. Mohsen Keshavarz, Director of the Virtual Education Center at Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences in Iran.

This Week’s Must-Read Book
on Online Learning

Teaching for Learning Gain in Higher Education: Developing Self-regulated Learners

By Diane Montgomery (2021)

Students need to spend more time reflecting not just on what they are learning but how they are learning. The question is “how do I improve the way I understand and apply knowledge?”. Instructors and instructional designers need to see learning to learn as important as learning to know. Diane Montgomery explores how this can be done, including a focus on doing this in distance and blended learning, in this well-written and practical book. An experienced educator, she explores both theory, practice, and skills in this focused text.

Browse all Must-Read Books

Contact North | Contact Nord’s Searchable Directory

95+ EdTech Start-Ups

Contact North I Contact Nord’s searchable directory of 95+ EdTech Start-Ups includes companies developing communication/collaborative tools, learning management systems, and online tutoring, student assessment, and presentation/delivery tools.

Explore the Directory

Upcoming Events in Online Learning

ICDE Virtual Global Conference Week 2021: Upskilling and Upscaling for Quality Open, Flexible and Distance Learning (OFDL)

October 25–29, 2021

The academic program will provide insights into the latest research and best practices of delivering quality OFDL and will also be a stepping-stone for further development of ICDE’s global advocacy campaigns.

Sub-themes are:

Upskilling and upscaling for quality OFDL: flexibility, accessibility, scalability and innovation in quality assurance
Upskilling and upscaling for open education and OER: evolutions for open education and open learning ecosystems
Upskilling and upscaling for innovation in education through new technologies and practices

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

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Why we need some humility about online learning – and about face-to-face teaching

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