Education At Your Fingertips
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Session Topics
 Background
 How it works
 Why it works
 Course Development & Facilitation


Standards
The Technology
Questions and Answers
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Background
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
What is OntarioLearn.com
 Partnership of 22 Ontario Community
Colleges
Launched in 1995

 Partners design and deliver on-line
courses for their students
 Share course curriculum and avoid
duplication
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Membership
OntarioLearn.com
Membership
OntarioLearn.com
Algonquin
Cambrian
Canadore
Centennial
Conestoga
Confederation
Durham
Fanshawe
George Brown
Georgian
Humber
Lambton
Loyalist
Mohawk
Niagara
Northern
Sault
Seneca
Sheridan
Sir Sandford Fleming
St. Clair
St. Lawrence
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Organizational Structure
 Board of Directors
 Executive Committee
 Regional Committees
 Administrator
 College Coordinators
 Technical Service Provider
 Project Coordinator (NEW)
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Enrollment Trends
27,858
23,108
19,000
11,314
14,029
7,762
4,500
500
750
1,500
95-96
96-97
97-98
98-99
99-00
00-01
01-02
02-03
03-04
*04-05
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
How OntarioLearn Works
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Role of a Host College




Develop the course
Hire the instructor
Provide “course information” to all partner
colleges each semester
Provide the final grades
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Role of a Registering College







Select courses from the OntarioLearn
Course Inventory to offer at their college.
Advertise the courses
Register students and collect fees
Order and sell required textbooks
Invigilate final exams
Pay share of the instructor fee to Host
College
Pay Technical Service Provider
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Example:
Accounting 1
15 colleges contributing
to the overall course
enrolment.
Total Registrations = 40
Loyalist
Fanshawe
4 registrations
Northern
3 registrations
Algonquin
5 registrations
George Brown
1 registration
Sault
2 registrations
Canadore
2 registrations
Lambton
1 registration
Seneca
4 registrations
Confederation
1 registration
Mohawk
3 registrations
Sheridan
2 registrations
Durham
4 registrations
Niagara
4 registrations
St. Lawrence
1 registration
(Host College)
3 registrations
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Benefits for Colleges
 Access to each colleges strengths
 Eliminate course duplication
 Combine registrations - able to

“run” a course with minimal students
Cost effective
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Benefits for Students
 Improved connection between





students and instructor
Participation, interaction and
collaboration
Flexibility for different learning styles
Improved access
Schedule flexibility
Diverse selection of courses
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com



Other Details
All courses have a start and end date.


All courses are instructor-led.
Many courses have final exam requirements. The
exam format may be:




Semester-based (majority)
Monthly Intake
Online
In-person at the Registering College
Invigilated by an “approved” proctor
The student’s Registering College is the credentialing
institution.
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
How a Student Gets Started….
1.
The student selects their course.


Course Inventory section at www.OntarioLearn.com
Partner college information (web site or college publications)
2.
The student registers for the course through one of
the partner colleges.
3.
The student is provided with their course access
details by their Registering College.
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
OntarioLearn Course Inventory
 >700 courses currently available.
 >330 courses under development.
 No duplicates allowed.
 College has one year to develop
and deliver course.
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Why It Works
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Relationships
 Collaboration
 Cooperation
 Communication
 Recognition of others contributions
 Trust
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Economics
 Low Risk
 Rationalize resources
 Avoid duplication
 Choice
 Flexibility
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Course Development and
Facilitation Standards
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Course Development Standards

Established minimum standards and created
resources for partner colleges
 OntarioLearn Developing & Facilitating Online Courses

manual.
Course Development Checklists which specify mandatory
and recommended design elements
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Enforcing Course
Development Standards

Implemented a “Course-Standards
Evaluation Process” to provide a
mechanism to evaluate all courses against
established course development standards.


Strive to evaluate 20% of all courses annually.
Host College has one semester to correct any
identified design problems.
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Facilitation Standards

Established minimum standards and created
training resources for partner colleges
 OntarioLearn Developing & Facilitating Online Courses manual.


Online Facilitation Course for all faculty (available 2005).
Publish an online Faculty Newsletter each semester.
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Enforcing Facilitation
Standards
 Implemented a “Course Review”
process that is completed at the end of
each semester.
 Students complete an online course evaluation
survey.

Any course with poor ratings is subject to further
“review” to determine if sanctions are required.
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Our Commitment to
Quality
 In the event of design and/or facilitation
problems a course can be placed on


Level One Course Evaluation Follow Up Status
Level Two Course Evaluation Follow Up Status
(which could mean the cancellation/ suspension of
the course).
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
The Technology
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Technical Service Provider
 Embanet Corporation (Toronto)
 Largest e-Learning provider.
Supported
1,000,000 enrollments last year with
over 30,000 student saves
 Provides hosting, live 24/7/365 support
for faculty and students, course
development and training
 Specializes in increasing retention and
completion rates for online programs
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Platforms Used
 FirstClass
 Blackboard
 WebCT
Additional Platforms Embanet
Supports:
 ANGEL, IntraLearn and SAKAI
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Summary: Total Calls Taken By
Embanet Helpdesk
 Period of January 1st
2005 to March 31st
2005
Embanet
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
Summary of Calls
Date
Category
% of Total Calls
Average Speed Ans
Jan 1 - Mar 31
2005
# Phone Calls
Percentage
Minutes
1762
38%
25 Seconds
# Webforms and
Emails
Percentage
Minutes
2706
58%
19 m 39 s
Total Saves
1900 Saves
Total Calls
Total for Month
4632
100%
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com
QUESTIONS?
 http://www.OntarioLearn.com