Province funding 20 virtual learning projects at Seneca

The province is investing more than $ 70 million in implementing a virtual learning strategy

PRESS RELEASE
MPP VINCENT KE
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The Ontario government is sponsoring 20 innovative virtual learning projects at Seneca to give students more choice and access to quality post-secondary education and retraining opportunities.

“These projects will help ensure our post-secondary institutions have the tools they need to create great curricula online,” said Vincent Ke, MPP for Don Valley North. “By expanding the offering of virtual courses, we are helping the next generation of workers, innovators, researchers and leaders develop the skills and training they need to be successful in their careers, when and where they need it most need.”

The projects are part of the province’s virtual learning strategy announced last December and support key areas of focus, including creating or adapting digital content, equipping teachers and students with skills and resources to teach and learn online, and identification of educational technologies to support online courses and programs. Seneca will lead seven projects and collaborate on 13 more.

Projects include:

• Providing additional training for learners to ensure they have the knowledge and skills to work with suicidal clients; Seneca is working with Centennial College to create and develop a virtual game simulation that enables learners across the province to make complex decisions when working with suicidal clients in a safe learning environment.
• Assisting international students and newcomers to Canada learning English; Seneca is working with Humber College to develop four micro-certificates for educators to support English learners in post-secondary courses. These micro-proofs will highlight essential strategies for educators to support language development through written communication, oral interaction, presentations, reading course materials, and understanding lectures.

The province is investing more than $ 70 million in implementing Ontario’s virtual learning strategy, including $ 21.4 million announced in Ontario’s 2021 budget, Ontario’s Plan of Action: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy.

“Ensuring that Ontario’s post-secondary institutions offer responsive and flexible digital courses and programs will help students build the skills and competencies they need to compete in today’s economy,” said Ross Romano, Minister for Colleges and universities. “Our virtual learning strategy aims to create a platform that enables all post-secondary institutions to compete in the new and necessary environment of home learning.”

The Ontario government is transforming virtual learning across the province by supporting nearly 400 innovative projects at colleges, universities and indigenous institutes.

“Seneca is excited to partner with post-secondary institutions across Ontario to build our collective digital content inventory,” said David Agnew, President of Seneca. “This investment by the Ontario government will help us create new, flexible virtual teaching and learning opportunities for our students and professors.”

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source https://collegeeducationnewsllc.com/province-funding-20-virtual-learning-projects-at-seneca/