the briefing room

Canadian Federation of Students not a fan of having up to 3 of 5 courses online

A report before the Ontario government is calling for universities and colleges to move a third of their courses online — a proposal that’s received a failing grade from a prominent students’ organization.

The draft report obtained by The Canadian Press calls for a shift toward web-based learning that would have students take up to three courses out of five online each semester.

“As the world of online learning expands, Ontario will be at the forefront of this digital, portable and low-cost alternative,” reads the document, which was prepared for the ministry that oversees post-secondary education.

It advises that “approximately one-third of courses each year be available online and count toward a student’s undergraduate degree.”

The courses would be offered through each institution and the province’s long-promised Ontario Online Institute, which has yet to materialize even though it was slated to launch last summer.

Three plans to ‘revolutionize’ Ontario’s universities

The policy paper, which hasn’t been released to the public, lays out three main strategies meant to “revolutionize Ontario’s university system” over the next three years as the province grapples with mounting financial pressures.

Dubbed “3x3,” it recommends emphasizing three-year undergraduate degrees and bulking up the summer semester to promote year-round schooling — measures also suggested by economist Don Drummond in his report on government cost-cutting… Read More