As an active partner in the OntarioLearn.com consortium, Conestoga College shares the honours with 21 other Ontario colleges as winner of a prestigious national award bestowed by the Canadian Association for Distance Education (CADE).
The 22-member OntarioLearn.com consortium was recognized last week at CADE's national conference through presentation of the CADE Award for Excellence and Innovation in Partnerships/Collaboration.
CADE is a national association of professionals committed to excellence in the provision of distance education in Canada. The Ottawa-based organization presents only five national awards for excellence each year - in student services, research, graduate research, instructional design and partnerships/collaboration.
OntarioLearn.com provides distance education opportunities to part-time learners. Through the consortium, students can enrol in courses offered by distant colleges without having to leave their own communities and the familiar support of their local colleges. For the partner institutions, OntarioLearn.com allows for an effective way to pool resources and expertise, avoid duplication, and collectively produce and offer more courses more rapidly and efficiently.
It is the largest online educational consortium of its kind in Canada. It has developed and maintained high-quality standards and processes in all phases of its operations, and it listens to participants - every student involved in any OntarioLearn.com course is provided with an online survey instrument in order to evaluate and furnish feedback on the experience.
Courses cover a wide array of subject areas: business, health sciences, management and professional studies, information technology, language and communications skills, social sciences/community services and technical skills for industry.
In 1995-96, enrolment in consortium courses was 500. This year, enrolment will top 22,600. Currently, the OntarioLearn.com course inventory numbers more than 570, with an additional 300 courses under development.
CONTACT: Dan Piedra, 519-748-5220, ext. 3406, dpiedra@conestogac.on.ca