Online In Line for Growth - Thompson Rivers University

THE
OPENSTANDARD
The Newsletter of the Open Learning Division of Thompson Rivers University
New Year Issue
March 2013
Online In Line for Growth
Changes are needed to ensure continuation of upward trend
for
online learning.
By Jennifer Read
T
he theme for online learning in 2012 was growth.
While the headlines were buzzing about open
educational resources and massive open online courses,
online learning was building in numbers and popularity
according to enrolment figures.
According to the 2012 Survey of Online Learning,
conducted by the Babson Survey Research Group and the
College Board, over 6.7 million students in the United
States took at least one online course, which represents an
increase of 570,000 students over the previous year.
“The rate of growth in online enrolments remains
extremely robust,” study co-author Jeff Seaman,
Co-Director of the Babson Survey Research Group, said.
“This is somewhat surprising given that overall higher
education enrolments actually declined during
this period.”
“(At TRU-OL) We see this ‘outside BC’ growth as a
positive indication of the growing national reputation
of TRU,” Gordon Tarzwell, Vice-Provost, TRU-OL, said.
“Furthermore, the overall growth demonstrates the value
that TRU is providing to students who are looking for
distance and open education.”
While Tarzwell attributes this growth in part to TRU’s
growing national reputation, Contact North (Ontario’s
Distance Education and Training Network) suggests that
a strategic focus in online learning must be developed at
the government level in order for online learning to grow
further in Canada.
Cont’d on page 2 >
In today’s US-based higher education sector, 32% of
students are taking at least one course online, according to
the survey entitled “Change Course: Ten Years of Tracking
Online Education in the United States.”
The story is similar in certain areas of Canada, with
Thompson Rivers University (TRU)’s Open Learning
Division leading the way.
With student enrolments from BC growing by 7% and
Canadian student enrolments growing by 12%, for an
overall growth rate of just under 8% this fiscal year,
TRU-OL’s growth is surpassing the rates at other Canadian
universities. Enrolments at Alberta-based Athabasca
University, for example, have been flat for the last two
years, which follows a number of years where
enrolments grew at a rate of 10%. At Athabasca,
the decline is associated to out of province enrolments.
THE OPEN STANDARD
Publisher:
Gordon Tarzwell
Editor:
Élise Desjardine
Contributors:
Jennifer Crall
Élise Desjardine
Lindsey Norris
Corey Wiwchar
Jon Fulton (photos)
IN THIS ISSUE
TRU Marketing and
Communications
Layout & Design:
Julie Hall
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
Growth in Online Learning
Strategic Partnerships
Technology and Learning
Email Signature Standards
Predictions for Online
Learning
>> Holiday Festivities Recapped
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
Pink to End Bullying
Facebook Contest
Student Wine and Cheese
Life in OL
TRU News
What’s News in OL
>Cont’d from page 1.
In its report entitled “Online
Learning in Canada: At a Tipping
Point, A Cross-country
Check-up 2012,” Contact North
suggests that in order to reach
the next level and see stronger
adoption and registration rates,
“some changes in the supports
available to faculty and a new
basis for funding post-secondary
education are required.” The
report also states that there must
be “widespread institutional
adoption of online learning as
a core strategic requirement”
in order for online education in
Canada to tip the scales towards
robust advancement. This shift
in attitude is already occurring in
the US, according to the Babson
2012 Online Survey, which
reports that a new high
of 69.1% of chief academic
leaders in the US say that online
learning is critical to their
long-term strategy.
In Canada, Contact North
says the key to the future of
online learning is related to
“more collaboration between
institutions within Canada –
more joint programs, more
shared open education
resources and more pooling of
faculty development.” ■
2
Strategic Change
TRU’s Strategic Partnerships department enters a
new era of responsibility.
O
pen Learning’s Strategic Partnerships department is being slightly revamped.
Dr. Uli Scheck, Provost and Vice-President Academic, Thompson Rivers
University (TRU), explained that the department’s responsibilities have been
expanded to include all of TRU’s academic units in their domestic development
activities.
The change was made in order to ensure “the effective development of domestic
relationships and support the initiatives of each academic unit,” according to
Scheck. Effective immediately, Strategic Partnerships will expand beyond the Open
Learning Division to work with the entire TRU community (excluding TRU World
and its international partnerships) to develop appropriate policies and practices. In
order to determine the various development needs of all areas within TRU, Strategic
Partnerships has begun working with various academic units to identify their
current and future partnership needs.
“This move just makes sense,” Don Poirier, Senior Director and department head
for Strategic Partnerships, said. “As TRU expands its initiatives and looks to respond
to an increasingly complex operating environment, the need to align resources
and coordinate responses will only grow. This is just one example of how TRU is
taking steps to positively address the needs of academic departments, students and
community stakeholders.”
Strategic Partnerships (See Sidebar) initiates and responds to requests for a range
of formal relationships with post-secondary, industry, non-profit, First Nation
and government organizations. The department is also active in recruitment and
marketing through attendance at various conferences, trade shows and
partner-related events. ■
Sidebar
Donald Poirier
Senior Director,
Strategic Partnerships
dpoirier@tru.ca
Lloyd Loveday
Director,
Strategic Partnerships
lloveday@tru.ca
Marjorie Serack
Interim Coordinator,
External Agreements
OLPartnerships@tru.ca
Don Poirier is department
head and the founding
member of Strategic
Partnerships. Poirier has
been with TRU since
2007 and has focused
on building relationships
with post-secondary
institutions, secondary
schools and private
trainers, and is
responsible for all
licensing agreements.
Lloyd Loveday’s
role in the Strategic
Partnerships team is to
build relationships with
non-profit organizations,
government, immigrant
populations and help
bridge First Nation
education needs with the
Open Learning Division
of TRU.
Marjorie Serack is
responsible for ensuring
that TRU fulfills its
contractual obligations,
monitoring agreement
activity and promoting
positive relations
with partners.
A Day of
Learning
TRU hosts an event to explore how
technology can be incorporated
into higher education.
By Lindsey Norris
I
f you follow much higher ed commentary, you may have
heard that education is being turned on its head. Fewer
students are enrolling in university straight out of high
school. Many expect a more direct path from school to
career. There is growing doubt that the lecture format is
the best way to give information to a younger, tech-savvy
generation. Then there are these little things called MOOCs,
or massive open online courses, which, if you believe the
hype, will make university campuses redundant and allow
everyone to take courses for free using a smartphone.
But not everyone agrees that technological advancements
mean education has to be radically overhauled or that most
students even want drastic change. And, while enrolments
in traditional university programs are slightly down in North
America, online course enrolments are up.
Brian Lamb, the Director of Innovation with Open Learning,
along with the Centre for Teaching and Learning, organized
a workshop this past December to look at how TRU can
introduce changes to learning environments.
“There is an argument to be made that technology has
not fundamentally changed us,” Lamb said. “But, if the
emergence of digital media is indeed a major transformation
in the way we gather, process and share knowledge, then we
have to ask what we are doing as educators to help prepare
students for that world.”
The workshop covered a range of topics from the
participants’ dream university, to fundamental questions
of how to structure a technology strategy to best support
learning. The day included a session with a question and
answer panel, composed of one Open Learning student and
two students who take courses on campus. The diversity of
views expressed made it clear that there are no quick fixes or
universal approaches that will meet all needs. It also brought
home the need to keep students in the conversation as
educational change continues.
Some of those changes may include moving courses
outside of specialty learning management systems such
as Blackboard or Moodle to web-based platforms, like
weblogs or wikis, “where discussion is not centralized, and
the experience becomes part of the learning,” Lamb said.
“Constructing and navigating these environments can
themselves serve as a critical investigation of how digital
media shapes how we learn and how we live.”
What do you think – do traditional education models need
an overhaul or is the technological revolution overblown?
Tweet us at @TRUOpenLearning. ■
3
Keeping Up Appearances
Here are some guidelines for creating a professional
and helpful email signature.
By Corey Wiwchar
A
s representatives of Thompson
Default Font
Rivers University, Open Learning
•Tahoma
•No smaller than 10 point
•Black
(TRU-OL), our emails to students,
colleagues, vendors and the general
public are often the first impression
we make. Just as we expect TRU-OL
letterhead to appear professional,
so too should we expect all emails
delivered on behalf of the Division to
appear as such.
The following is the recommended
approach all Open Learning staff
TRU-OL Brand Email Signature Elements
Note: Red text denotes areas for which you must add in your
personal information.
First Name Last Name, Credentials
Title, Department
Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning
Office Location | 900 McGill Road, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8
Phone (P. 250.000.0000) | Fax (F. 250.000.0000)
Email | www.truopen.ca
www.facebook.com/tru.ol | @TRUOpenLearning should implement when creating an
email signature.
Confidentiality Notice: This email, including any attachments, may contain
confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient,
please notify the sender by email and immediately delete this message and
its contents. Thank you.
Note: Social media addresses are optional. Use the TRU Logo jpeg provided.
Mac users do not have the ability in Novell GroupWise to insert an image.
GroupWise Instructions for PC:
Creating a Signature
1. Select TOOLS from the menu.
2. Click on OPTIONS in the drop down menu.
3. Double click on ENVIRONMENT.
4. Select the SIGNATURE tab.
5. Create your signature.
Setting Your Default Font
1. Select TOOLS from the menu.
2. Click on OPTIONS in the drop down menu.
3. Double click on ENVIRONMENT.
4. Select the VIEWS tab.
5. Set the default font and size.
Use the Help feature in the menu bar for further assistance.
4
Email Signature Example
GroupWise Instructions for Mac:
Creating a Signature
1. Select GROUPWISE from the menu.
2. Click on PREFERENCES.
3. Select SEND.
4. Choose the SIGNATURE.
5. Create your signature.
Note: Mac users do not have the ability to insert
an image into their signature.
Setting Your Default Font
1. Select GROUPWISE from the menu.
2. Click on PREFERENCES.
3. Select GENERAL.
4. Choose the GENERAL tab.
5. Set the default font and size under “Default Compose View and Font” section.
Note: Mac users do not have the ability to set the default font within the signature field.
Use the Help feature in the menu bar for further assistance.
Considerations
• An email signature is most important when communicating externally and providing
recipients with access to your personal contact information. Attaching an email
signature to internal emails may be less necessary and is oftentimes, cumbersome.
Including your signature for internal communications is therefore optional.
• Use a white background with a black colored font and do not use multiple font types.
• Keep your email signature concise. The recipient will then know which way you prefer
to be contacted.
• Do not use an image-based email signature as it may be blocked and may not allow
for the recipient to copy and paste your contact information.
• Do not include contact information to personal telephone numbers, websites, social
media or email accounts. Telephone numbers, websites and accounts used on behalf
of your TRU-OL position are permitted. ■
For further information please contact the Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning Marketing and Communication
department at olmarketing@tru.ca.
5
edictions
Forecast
Predicting
2013
Learn what the year ahead may have in store for online learning.
O
nline and distance learning is on the rise, bolstered by upward enrolment numbers in 2012. The question is how does this
growth affect the future of online learning in 2013?
Contact North Research Associate and online learning specialist, Dr. Tony Bates, explains his predictions for online learning based
on the Canadian education industry. The year 2013 is a “transformative” one for online learning, according to Bates.
Here are some of his predictions for the year ahead in online learning.
PREDICTIONS
1. From the periphery to the centre
Bates believes that 2013 is a “terrific year for online learning”
as it will move “from being an interesting sidebar, operating
on the fringes of an institution’s core, to becoming central to
an institution’s operation,” Bates writes. “Online learning …
will start to become integrated within the core activities of
faculties and academic departments.”
2. Hybrid learning
Driving this shift of online learning to the centre of
institutional operations will, according to Bates, be hybrid
learning (i.e. the redesign of courses to integrate the best of
online and campus-based teaching). “This is being driven by
dissatisfaction with very large lecture classes in first and second
year university courses, the need for increased productivity/
better learning in times of economic austerity and faculty’s
increasing familiarity with online learning in supporting
regular lecture-based classroom teaching.”
6
3. A strategic institutional approach to online and
flexible learning
Bates believes that online learning will increasingly appear as
a strategic initiative within institutional plans. He writes that
factors driving this trend will include:
• Political pressure from boards and governments looking for
greater productivity and innovation.
• Massive open online courses (MOOCs). Institutions
interested in MOOCs will begin determining what their
long-term goals and strategies are for online learning before
making any significant investments in MOOCs.
• Changing demographics. Lifelong learners (those over
25) will be increasing in numbers of new admissions. Online
learning is likely to be a key strategy for dealing with this
change in demographics.
• Hybrid learning. The move to this type of learning will
raise issues of resources, organization and priorities requiring
institutions to begin: formal academic planning; deciding on
the methods of delivery – such as hybrid or fully online; and
planning what courses or programs will fit into planning cycles
and decision making.
Predict
2013
Predicti
Forecast 2
4. Outsourcing
8. Flexible course design (FCD)
The services most likely to be outsourced according to Bates,
include:
The focus of FCD will not be to reduce the cost of course
design, by shortening the process, but to “enshrine core
pedagogical principles while responding to a constantly
changing academic, technological and organizational
context,” according to Bates. “FCD will increasingly focus on
the design and integration of learner-directed activities.”
• 24×7 technical support.
• Learning management systems.
• Marketing of online courses.
• Online student administration.
• Registration, assignment submission, assessment.
• Learner support/tutoring.
• Course design.
• All online activities as a separate unit, with fees/royalties paid
to the institution.
5. The evolution of MOOCs
While MOOC activity may ramp up in 2013, as many new
MOOCs will begin to roll out, Bates expects that towards
the end of the year they will start entering the “trough of
disillusionment.” “I do expect MOOCs to survive over the
long term, but they will be smaller, more diverse in design
and targeting, and better integrated within ‘the system’ of
post-secondary education,” Bates writes. “MOOCs will provide
an accessible, low-cost source of up-dating for professionals,
although there will still be increased demand for qualifications
from lifelong learners through credit programming.”
9. Going International
The adoption of online learning depends on the country,
according to Bates. He expects that Mexico will become a
huge market for online learning as a result of Presidential
promises to create a national online virtual university. India
is another area of growth according to Bates who explains
that the country is creating a national high-speed network
connecting the major universities and colleges, which may
open up more opportunity for distance-based learning.
10. Expect the unexpected
The unpredictable areas Bates deems worthy of thought
and discussion include the privatization of post-secondary
education in the US as he believes that online learning will
increase in financially challenged states without privatization.
He also suggests that Apple, Google, Facebook or Amazon
may jump into the online learning market, perhaps through
partnerships with existing elite universities. There are many
areas of uncertainty that may affect the outlook for online
learning in 2013. ■
6. Open textbooks
Bates believes that as the cost of education rises, free open
learning resources will become increasingly important.
7. The year of the tablet
While tablet use is poised to grow in 2013, as they are suitable
devices to store and access textbooks that also provide easy
and portable access, Bates expects it to be a slow process due
to expense, roaming costs and compatibility issues.
7
FIVEDays of Festivities
Open Learning celebrated the holiday season
with everything from chocolate to charity.
I
n December 2012, Open Learning’s LOL Club hosted
“Five Days of Festivities” in celebration of the Winter Holidays.
These events included:
“Festivus Fire Up” – Staff from the BC Centre for Open Learning
(BCCOL) gathered to enjoy hot chocolate, candy canes
and camaraderie.
“The Giving Tree Grows” – Staff decorated a holiday tree located
in the BCCOL with donations of new scarves, hats and mittens
for Christmas Amalgamated. Donations to the TRUSU Food bank
and toys for Christmas Amalgamated were also collected. A total
of 83 items were collected from off and around the tree!
“Eat, Drink and be Merry!” – Cookies and holiday treats were
nibbled at a holiday bake share while others took part in a
cookie exchange. The first wine raffle was held with winners
Deb Sproull and Don Parker taking home over 20 bottles
each. Hilary Parsons was the winner of a beautiful handmade
afghan blanket, created by Marjorie Serack, which raised $465
through a raffle sale with all proceeds going to the Cameron
Beddome Endowment Fund (See Sidebar, page 9).
“Don Ye Now Your Holiday Threads” – Reds, greens and antler
headdresses adorned BCCOL staff who dressed in their best
holiday apparel for one spirited day!
“Holiday Lunch at Heroes Pub” – The “Five Days of Festivities”
culminated with a buffet lunch at Heroes Pub, which included
prize draws and live musical appearances from our very
own Ronda Olds! ■
8
Sidebar
Cameron Beddome
Endowment Award
The Cameron Beddome Endowment Fund has been established
by family, friends, Thompson Rivers University (TRU) employees
and community partners in memory of Cameron Beddome,
Chief Recruitment Officer TRU, Open Learning (2007-2011).
Cameron died tragically in an automobile accident in
December 2011.
Cameron believed in the principles of Open Learning and
displayed his dedication to helping all those who took up the
challenge of bettering their personal and professional lives
through education. Through his leadership, professionalism and
compassion Cameron exemplified the very best attributes of
TRU, Open Learning.
The Cameron Beddome Endowment award will be given
annually to a TRU, Open Learning program student who has
successfully completed a minimum of one Open Learning
course in the last two years. The award is to be used for further
enrolment. Candidates are asked to submit a short essay
(maximum 250 words) describing how the award will help them
achieve their personal and professional educational development
goals. The essays will be adjudicated by a panel and the
winner(s) announced in mid-October of each year.
Interested award applicants can email OLfinaid@tru.ca and
list “Cameron Beddome Endowment Award” in the subject line.
Applications will be reviewed yearly after the third Friday
of September.
To make a donation to the Cameron Beddome Endowment Fund
please contact:
OLfinaid@tru.ca
To date, all of the events held by the LOL Club have raised $885
towards the Cameron Beddome Endowment Fund.
9
PINK SHIRT DAY
Open Learning shows
support for the national
day to end bullying.
By Jennifer Crall
B
ullying is a harsh reality that exists beyond the locker-lined halls of
schools, extending into workplaces, homes and online. Noxious
bullying behavior has therefore become more and more difficult to escape
as it can reach us wherever we go. The only option to overcome bullying
is to work together to eradicate it by bringing the issue to the forefront,
screaming out loud that bullying is not okay by anyone, in any form and
therefore empowering people to call out their bullies. Thompson Rivers
University, Open Learning (TRU-OL) staff and TRU’s IT employees added
their voice to the cries to stop bullying on February 27, otherwise known
as Pink Shirt Day. On this day, staff at the BC Centre for Open Learning
were encouraged to join millions of other Canadians in wearing something
pink to “symbolize that we as a society will not tolerate bullying anywhere”
(www.pinkshirtday.ca). The idea comes from two Nova Scotia high school
students, David Shepherd and Travis Price, who organized a high school
protest to wear pink in sympathy for a Grade nine boy who was being
bullied for wearing a pink shirt. Shepherd, Price and their teenage friends
distributed pink t-shirts to all the boys in their school to take a stand against
the harassment of the new Grade nine boy. The waves of pink in the hallways
spoke volumes and the bullies skulked away, never to be heard from again.
On February 27, TRU-OL staff congregated donning not only their pink
piece of clothing but also pink feather boas and goofy glasses to make some
visual noise against bullying. The Pink Shirt Day event, which included tasty
treats and a fun photo op, was organized and funded by Jennifer Crall,
Rosalind Flockhart, Sherry Murdoch and Brenda Shandro. ■
WEAR PINK. STOP BULLYING.
10
We supported anti-bullying day.
#LearnYourWay
T
ES
CONT
The “Your Way” campaign inspires a new student contest.
By Lindsey Norris
T
hey do it on the couch, the kitchen table and even the
bus. Now even more of the creative ways students fit
schoolwork into their busy lives will be highlighted by an
upcoming contest, through which participants will submit
their own unique headlines describing their study habits.
Dubbed “Learn Your Way,” the contest will involve current
students and alumni as well as a broader audience. It is styled
after the “Your Way” campaign, launched in September
2012, which was designed to both target potential students
by demonstrating that schoolwork can fit into a busy
schedule as well as catch the attention of everyone who
saw the ads, which ran in transit stations, print publications
and online.
To enter, individuals can visit the Open Learning contest
webpage and complete the sentence “I do it…” Once the
submissions are reviewed, all eligible entries will be posted
on the Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning (TRU-OL)
Facebook page at facebook.com/tru.ol. When the voting
period begins, fans of the page can vote for the headline that
appeals to them. The writer of the headline that collects the
most votes will receive a $100 gift card to the TRU bookstore
in addition to 20 t-shirts that have been customized with the
winning headline.
This contest will be decided by external votes, which means
that TRU employees may enter. Anyone who has taken a
course delivered by Open Learning and has a student number
is eligible to enter.
Visit truopen.ca/learnyourway for more details.
11
Wine + Cheese
= Students
Open Learning
students gather
to meet peers
and provide
feedback on
their TRU
experience.
H
igh winds and a continuous barrage of snow amassing to over
a foot of the white stuff couldn’t keep the most determined
Open Learning students away. The alluring call of wine, cheese and
student camaraderie was just too great.
For the first time ever on January 28, 2013, the Strategic
Partnerships department of Thompson Rivers University hosted an
off-campus Open Learning (OL) student wine and cheese event,
which coincided with the Canadian Education Research Institute
for Counselling (CERIC) National Career Development Conference,
in the nations capital. Lloyd Loveday, a Director with Strategic
Partnerships, explained that the purpose of the event was to bring
Ottawa area OL students together to give them the opportunity to
mingle with their peers and network with TRU partners and select
conference attendees, as well as provide TRU with feedback on
their experiences with online and distance education through the
OL Division.
Of the 188 Ottawa area Open Learning students and the six
partner organizations invited, approximately 40 guests were
expected. With great spirit, and great experience with Ottawa’s
unforgiving winter conditions, “15 brave souls” made the event
with some facing a trip of over 90 minutes in confused and
congested traffic.
Despite the small turnout Loveday declared the event, which was
held at the Westin Ottawa hotel, a huge success for student and
TRU alike.
“All (student) feedback was extremely positive,” Loveday said
explaining that all guests were thrilled by the opportunity to
meet their peers, in addition to an OL representative, face-to-face.
“One student, who is enrolled in the BTTL (Bachelor of Trades and
Technology Leadership) program, came expressly to tell me how
much the program has already positively changed his life and how
he communicates.”
Of the other guests in attendance, some explained that they
enrolled with OL to “further their careers with the federal
government” while others had heard positive praise about OL
from their instructors at Algonquin College, which has a strategic
partnership with OL.
The sentiment from Ottawa-based OL students was unanimous.
Their experience was 100% positive, all planned to continue
their studies with OL and the wine and cheese event was a great
success as it made them feel connected to both their peers and the
university, thus bestowing a sense of appreciation upon them. ■
12
LIFE in OL
Admissions and Advising congratulates Margaret West who
was the successful candidate for the temporary Supervisor
of Admissions position in the campus Registrar’s Office. West
will serve in this position for six months and will return to her
work with Open Learning in August. The department also
congratulates Scott Walker who recently began a temporary
position assisting with transfer credit articulation.
■■■■■■■■■
Curriculum Development welcomes Melissa Schuurman
to the position of Curriculum Assistant. Schuurman,
a graduate of TRU, has previously worked with Open
Learning in the Intellectual Property Office and Business
Intelligence Unit as well as TRU’s Department of
Institutional Planning and Analysis.
Open Learning bids a fond farewell to Richard Baldelli
who served as the Web Manager in the Marketing and
Communications department for approximately four and a
half years. Best wishes are also sent to Barbara Hubert who
has left the position of Director, Business Intelligence and
Operations after two years of leadership. Francesca Miccolis
has also left her position as Curriculum Assistant after six
months with the Curriculum Services team, who wish her the
best in her new endeavours.
■■■■■■■■■
■■■■■■■■■
Melodie Hull, an Open Learning Faculty Member, is celebrating
the launch of her newest book Medical Language: Terminology
in Context. The book, published by F A Davis Company, USA,
engages readers in an ongoing storyline that follows five select
characters through an emergency situation to acute care and
into rehabilitation, recovery and restoration of health. The
characters each face a health care challenge and the book
teaches the language necessary to understand each specific
situation. This includes key medical and anatomical terminology,
the language of diagnostics, pathophysiology and a wide variety
of health and allied health careers. The book begins with two
introductory chapters based directly on understanding how
medical terms are constructed and how to recognize their word
parts. Medical Language: Terminology in Context is available in
hard copy and as an e-book.
13
LIFE in OL
■■■■■■■■■
Each year Open Learning sponsors a variety of events to not
only help raise TRU’s profile, but to also make a recognizable
and positive impact on the communities the University
serves. This year, OL was the proud sponsor of the 2013 TRU
Foundation World of Dance Gala. This spectacular event
helps raise funds for TRU students, programs and projects. In
addition to sponsoring the 2013 Gala, TRU-OL also purchased
a table at the event, which took place on February 2. For the
first time ever, seats at the table were raffled off to OL staff!
Winners included Christina McLennan, Ronda Olds, Sherri
Ressler and Scott Walker, all of whom brought a guest and
sat with Vice-Provost Gordon Tarzwell at the event. The
raffle raised $170, which went to the Cameron Beddome
Endowment Fund.
■■■■■■■■■
In order to encourage the spreading of love this Valentine’s
Day, the LOL Club set up shop at the BCCOL’s main entrance
and sold hundreads of candygrams to be delivered and
devoured. The cards, which came with a special treat, were
hand delivered to recipients by LOL “Cupids” (thanks go
out to Andrea Rhodes and Sonia Gill). The candygrams
sold out quickly and raised $177, which went towards the
Cameron Beddome Endowment Fund. The LOL Club also
hosted its second wine raffle in honour of February’s day of
love, romance and appreciation. Amanda Laughton was
the happy winner of the “Nectar of the Gods Valentine’s Day
Wine Raffle.”
■■■■■■■■■
14
Beginning Thursday February 14, TRU students, staff and
faculty can get some stress relieving love of the furry kind.
St. John Ambulance therapy dogs will be sniffing around
BMO Student Street every Thursday from 10 am to 2 pm,
up until and including April 11, in attempts to help the TRU
community reduce their stress levels. Participants, such as
Open Learning staff Toni Faulkner, Shirley Jackson and Jen
Gulak (shown in picture), are encouraged to: talk with the
volunteer and interact with the dog; feel, touch, pet and/or
cuddle the dog; receive unconditional love from the dog;
and walk the dog on a leash. ■
TRU
NEWS
Days Added to TRU Convocation
For the first time ever, Thompson Rivers University (TRU)
will be spreading Spring Convocation over three days this
June. Ceremonies are scheduled to run June 12, 13 and 14,
with a ceremony each day at 10 am and 2 pm. Each of the
six ceremonies will be about 90 minutes in duration and all
will be held in the TRU Gymnasium. Gowning will take place
in the lower level of the TRU Gymnasium and the reception
following each ceremony will be held in the area above the
main floor. n
By TRU Marketing and Communications
BC Commits $1.39 Million to
New Skills-Training Equipment
The government of BC is investing $1.39 million in new
skills-training equipment at Thompson Rivers University
(TRU). The funding is part of a $17-million province-wide
Skills and Training Plan investment to support public
post-secondary institutions to upgrade equipment and put
the latest tools in the hands of BC students. Equipment
purchases and replacements at each institution are based
upon a review and analysis of existing inventory, current
and future program and industry requirements and current
government priorities to provide skills training that is aligned
to the needs of the economy in each region. “The ministry’s
commitment towards the purchase of much-needed
equipment for our skilled trades programs is very much
appreciated,” Alan Shaver, TRU President and Vice-Chancellor,
said. “Our programs have a long history of preparing youth
and adult learners for career success in British Columbia.
This investment will help ensure our instructors and students
have up-to-date learning tools so we can continue to meet
the demands of industry with excellent graduates.” Terry
Lake, MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson, was on campus
to make the announcement, and said, “With growing trades
opportunities, it’s important to prepare our students with
the best education possible – and that includes placing them
with the proper tools for a proper education.” Institutions
will also pursue partnerships with local industries and other
stakeholders to purchase or donate equipment, ensuring
students continue to train on the latest equipment being
used in the workplace. According to John Yap, the Minister of
Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology, the funding
announcement is part of the BC Jobs Plan and the Skills and
Training Plan. “We’re taking action to provide education
and training opportunities aligned with the needs of our
economy,” Yap said. “This provincial investment, coupled
with contributions from private industry partners, will ensure
students are training on the same calibre of equipment
their employers will be asking them to work on after
graduation.” The type of equipment slated for new purchase
or replacement at TRU – unless otherwise donated from
industry partners – includes equipment such as a skidder, an
excavator, a metal shear, a steam boiler and a backhoe. n
BMO Financial Group’s Gift
Renames Student Street
On January 17, the BMO Financial Group
announced a $600,000 donation to Thompson
Rivers University (TRU) to support renovations
of the Old Main building, which is home to
many of TRU’s student services and will house
the University’s law school. As a result of the gift,
TRU has renamed Student Street as BMO Student
Street. The donation is the largest BMO has ever
made in BC outside of the Lower Mainland. BMO
Student Street is part of the revitalization of the Old
Main building, which includes 40,000 square feet
of learning space and an entire new floor that will
accommodate the law school. n
TRU Welcomes New Interim
Vice-President Administration
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) welcomes Dr. Larry Prins
as the new Interim Vice-President Administration and Finance
following Cliff Neufeld’s retirement. Dr. Prins has been with
TRU for over 30 years and his distinguished career includes
appointments as Chair of the Allied Health Department,
Dean of the Faculty of Science and Associate Vice-President
Academic. He has deep experience in the university
administration and governance including serving as Chair of
the Academic Realignment Committee, contributing to the
transition of the Research and Graduate Studies Office and
in oversight of Faculty Relations. Dr. Prins largely developed
the policy and framework for Academic Program Review and
assisted in the development of the Centre for Teaching and
Learning. Lately he has been assisting with collaborative
ventures between Open Learning and the Faculty’s and
TRU World. n
15
WHAT’S NEWS
I N
O P E N
L E A R N I N G
Harvard Law School is preparing to offer a free
course through edX, the platform Harvard University
uses for massive open online courses (MOOCs).
However, the course, which focuses on copyright, will not be
completely open or massive, as enrolment will be capped at
500 students. According to the course description, enrolment
is limited in order to ensure high-quality education, which in
the legal world depends partly upon facilitating “supervised
small-group discussions of difficult issues… that can be
supervised effectively by the 21 teaching fellows.” While
enrolment is limited, access to the course materials, including
readings and recorded lectures, will be made available to
the public.
■■■■■■■■■
In a University of British Columbia (UBC) Reports
interview some UBC executives mentioned that
online learning would be an option for a 2023
UBC applicant. The Vice President of Finance said blended
learning would help UBC improve access to post-secondary
studies, which is vital in BC where the post-secondary
graduation rate of 57% is below the national average. In the
interview, an Associate Provost said “the moment students
worldwide decide that an online degree from a top university
like UBC has more prestige than a degree at their local
university we are in a different world and weaker universities
will disappear.” He added, “The biggest shift by 2023 is that
universities will be tailoring their programs to fit as closely as
possible what individual students want and need.”
More than 6.7million students took at least one
online course during the fall 2011 term, which
represents an increase of 9.3% from the previous
fall, according to a new US survey of more than 2,500
post-secondary education institutions. The 2012 Survey
of Online Learning conducted by the Babson Survey Research
Group reported that the proportion of students taking at least
one online course reached 32%, an all-time high. The survey
also posed questions about massive open online courses
(MOOCs) and over 55% of respondents said they were
undecided about their plans for offering MOOCs. Nearly
one-third of institutions reported they had no plans to offer
such courses while 2.6% of respondents currently have a
MOOC and another 9.4% said they were in the planning
stages of offering one.
■■■■■■■■■
Coursera, a US-based provider of massive open online
courses (MOOCs), will give students the opportunity
to earn “verified certificates” for select MOOCs for
a small fee. The option, which is called Signature Track, is
available on a course-by-course basis and aims to verify the
identity of the students doing the coursework. Students will
have to decide early in the course and pay upfront if they
desire a verified certificate. Coursera’s verification system
involves several steps including what company officials call
“keystroke biometrics,” or the analysis of each user’s pattern
and rhythm of typing to serve as a type of fingerprint.
■■■■■■■■■
■■■■■■■■■
Syracuse University and Johns Hopkins University
are offering free tools to help students polish their
online presence. In a world where social media is filled with
ill-considered pictures of drunken frat parties or prank videos,
graduates’ may find their job prospects compromised as
employers are starting to use Google to find out more about
their job applicants. Online reputation repair tools can put
the graduate’s more professional profile at the top of a search,
although embarrassing posts will not be erased. In an attempt
to aid students in their online profile polishing, Syracuse
University supplies free BrandYourself accounts to all of its
students and alumni. The Director of Syracuse University’s
career services said “It’s becoming more and more important
for students to be aware of and able to manage their online
presence, to be able to have strong, positive things come up
on the Internet when someone seeks them out.”
■■■■■■■■■
16
OCAD University has released a report that lays out a five-year
Mobile Action Plan to improve productivity, competitiveness
and public services in Ontario. Among the areas explored
is post-secondary education with electronic learning
(e-learning) and mobile learning (m-learning) representing
fundamental means to allow students to: move between
institutions; pace their education more effectively; condense
their time to completion; and enable experiential learning via
enriched work placement and service-learning experiences
supervised by mentors or professors in a remote location. The
report said m-learning will allow post-secondary educational
institutions to respond to fluctuations in enrolment without
applying pressure on capital resources or needing investments
in physical infrastructure that will be underused when
enrolment levels decline. The report notes post-secondary
enrolment is expected to increase in the next 10 years, then
return to 2003-06 levels by 2024.
■■■■■■■■■
WHAT’S NEWS
The US National Governors Association released
a policy brief suggesting that Governors should
work together to review states’ policies on online
education. The suggestion was responding to the speed
at which the online industry is taking off and the amount
it will cost states and institutions to create and adhere
to regulations. The paper lays out the landscape of state
regulation of distance learning and suggests areas that a study
might examine, including whether states would consider
joining a multi-state compact or reciprocity agreement for
authorizing online programs.
■■■■■■■■■
Peter Okebukola, a distinguished Professor of
Science (Education) and Pro-Chancellor of Crawford
University, open education would like to see open
education become more of a priority in Nigeria. In a
lecture delivered at the National Open University (NOUN),
Okebukola explained how open education could enhance the
provision of literacy, numeracy, technical and vocational skills
in a flexible, largely-free and learner-friendly manner. He also
said that open education could catalyze the attainment of
Nigeria’s vision 20:2020 through human capital development.
Okebukola defined open education as distance education that
focuses on freeing learners from constraints of time and place,
while offering flexible learning opportunities. He affirmed
that distance learning gives opportunity to both the old
and young to combine family responsibilities and work with
educational opportunity.
■■■■■■■■■
The University of British Columbia (UBC)’s first
massively open online course (MOOC) experienced
more than 130,000 enrolments. The free online science
course offered by UBC and Stanford University researchers
attracted learners from every Canadian province, every US
state and 183 countries. The course, which focused on game
theory, is the largest MOOC involving a Canadian university
delivered through the US-based Coursera platform. In May,
UBC plans to pilot three additional MOOCs, with topics
including genetics, computer science problem design and
climate literacy.■ ■ ■ ■
■■■■■■■■■
The massively open online course (MOOC)
“Fundamentals of Online Education: Planning and
Application” was shut down after only one week
into instruction. Georgia Institute of Technology, which
offered the course, claimed that technology and design
problems were largely to blame for the course’s problems.
Many of these problems related to the course’s use of Google
Docs to sign up for group discussions. The course instructor,
Fatimah Wirth, sent an email to the 41,000 students enrolled
in the course saying, “We want all students to have the
highest quality learning experience. For this reason, we
are temporarily suspending the ‘Fundamentals of Online
Education: Planning and Application’ course in order to
make improvements.”
■■■■■■■■■
In accordance with International Safer Internet
Day, Alberta Human Services Minister Dave Hancock
unveiled a new online course aimed at helping
parents protect their children and education
themselves about potential online risks. The course,
entitled Internet Savvy, is meant to increase awareness
about the dangers children are facing in a rapidly changing
technological world. Internet Savvy is meant to educate
parents on the dangers youth face online, ranging from
cyberbullying and social networking to online marketing to
children and sexual exploitation. The program consists of
three educational modules teaching parents how kids use
the Internet, how to understand the challenges they face
and practical tips on talking to and warning children about
their Internet risks. The program, which cost the province
$168,000, includes samples of family online agreements
parents can engage their children in and a list of sample
house rules for children’s online access.
■■■■■■■■■
According to the 2013 Horizon Report, prepared
by US-based New Media Consortium, massive open
online courses (MOOCs) and tablet computers are
on the top the list for emerging post-secondary
education technologies. The report describes six
technologies that are expected to influence teaching and
learning during the next five years. MOOCs and tablet
computing are expected to enter mainstream use within the
next year, according to the report. Learning analytics and the
ideas of “game and gamification” are expected to come into
mainstream use in the next two to three years. 3-D printing
and wearable technology may come into mainstream use
within four to five years. ■
17
WHAT’S NEWS
T
S
E
ONT
C
The Marketing and Communications department of Open Learning
would like to offer a special prize to the sixth individual to correctly
answer the following question.
QUESTION:
Name the Open Learning Faculty Member who
recently released a new book.
Answers should be sent to OLMarketing@tru.ca by 4:30 pm on
Monday, March 18, 2013.
The winner will be informed by 4:30 pm on Tuesday, March 19.
Details about the prize will be sent to the winner thereafter.
Story Ideas or Questions…
If you have a story idea or a question about Open Learning
that you would like answered, please send an email with
your ideas or questions to: edesjardine@tru.ca. Watch for
your story or answers to your questions in the next issue of
The Open Standard.
18