December 2019 Newsletter

Welcome to the countdown to the holidays. If you are lucky enough to be pursuing the heat, we wish you safe travels. If not, we hope you enjoy outdoor exercise!CANeLearn will be presenting and networking at the 2nd annual DLAC in Austin(Feb.24-26) and BOLTT, Apr. 2-3 in Toronto. The DL Symposium 2020 in Vancouver/Burnaby (Apr. 19-21) will feature a number of #CANeLearn members, board leaders, along with researchers and leading practitioners. Early bird rates close December 20 and the hotel sells out. Register and book your room today!

CANeLearn and Michael Barbour, principal researcher for the State of the Nation: K-12 E-Learning in Canada report, have completed the digital updates for the annual survey which is posted here, and you can read more about it below. David Porter, CEO of eCampusOntario and CANeLearn board member, is moving on to build yet another new program – this time at Humber College. Read about it here. We thank both for their continuing contributions to e-learning in Canada and the CANeLearn network.

Stay tuned for more on the role that e-learning is playing in policy and funding reforms going on in many provinces. Check out the latest in Ontario’s shifting landscape on our blog site here. Also, check out People for Education’s summary of the November 2nd panel presentation on “the Pros and Cons of e-Learning”.

Finally, happy holidays from the CANeLearn board, team, and network supporters!

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter #CANeLearn, Facebook, or YouTube.

Please forward this on your own networks using the tools at the bottom.

Photos, unless otherwise noted, by @rlabonte or Unsplash

In the News

2019 State of the Nation Report

CANeLearn and Michael Barbour, principal researcher for the State of the Nation: K-12 E-Learning in Canadaresearch launched digital updates for the annual survey posted here
The 12th issue of the report is the seventh year of CANeLearn support
New policy changes in several provinces have sparked public debate about the effectiveness and application of e-learning
Now, more than ever, research specific to e-learning in K-12 education in Canada is necessary to inform policy changes and the conversations generated
Check out issues papers and informative vignettes in Nova Scotia, Québec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, Northwest Territories, and the federally supported FNMI programs

Blockchain Application in K-12?

A new consortium piloting a “learning credential blockchain” that allows for sharing of student’s digital learning records in a “tamper-evident” environment
Read about it here

Contact North|Contact Nord

Check out the five major social and pedagogical challenges in online learning for Ontario posted here and reposted on the State of the Nation website here

2019 Survey of Online Learning in Canadian Post-Secondary

Canadian Digital Learning Research Association (CDLRA) has just released the national report on its third annual survey of online and distance education in Canadian public post-secondary institutions
Over 3/4 of all Canadian post-secondary institutions offer online courses for credit and enrolment grew by 10% from 2017-18
Negative perceptions of online learning decreased with increasing acceptance of online learning
Institutions also offer blended/hybrid courses which are also growing in number
79% of institutions reported inadequate training for faculty, and faculty are rarely required to take part in professional learning for teaching online
Read the report here…
Check out Michael Barbour’s analysis of the report here

Featured Events

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Digital Learning Collaborative Annual Conference

February 24-26, 2020 – Austin TX

https://www.deelac.com/

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2020 BOLTT (Bringing Online Teachers Together)

April 2-3, 2020 in Toronto

http://www.boltt.ca/toronto-fall-conference/

Download a flyer to share here (PDF)

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2020 Digital Learning Symposium

April 19-21 in Vancouver BC

Early bird group/member rates – $395/person!

One day registration for Sunday only…

https://new.canelearn.net/symposium20/

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OTESSA ~ Inaugural Conference!

Open/Technology in Education, Society, and Scholarship Association

May 31-June 2 in London ON

https://otessa.org/

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Clayton R. Wright List of EdTech Conferences via @Downes

https://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=70103

Resources for the Digital Classroom

Canva for Education: Pro version now free for educators/students

Canva’s pro features are now available free for classrooms (application required).

Create infographics, presentations, posters, and visually appealing documents.
“Canva provides students with the tools to create memorable presentations, collages, and striking infographics.” Richard Byrne, FreeTech4Teachers.com
Find out more here

SunWest School Division’s Resource Bank

Discover activities, lessons, reading materials, and resources for every Saskatchewan learning outcome in SunWest’s repository. Check it out here.

Common Sense Education

A publication of digital classroom tools and teacher-approved resources — including apps, tools, and videos
The summary is posted here

Adventures in Archives

Aurora Institute (formerly iNACOL) Symposium 2020

Check out the shift in the organization and its focus based on this assortment of keynote presentations from the October Symposium in San Antonio posted here

Newsletter

December 2019 Newsletter