The following is a message to the York University community from Associate Vice-President, Teaching and Learning, Will Gage:
You may have already heard that the provincial government is making one-time funding available to universities and colleges for developing and implementing an eCampusOntario Virtual Learning Strategy (VLS). Let’s come together as a community to respond to this call for applications. We need your input and feedback.
On Jan. 13, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., I will host an online community meeting to: a) present you with some ideas, b) hear your ideas, and c) collaborate in defining York University’s response to the call for applications. We need your input and feedback on current ideas for strategy, and to determine what is missing and what might be improved. The best ideas will emerge through inclusion and collaboration and will form the basis for one or several funding applications.
This discussion of the eCampusOntario VLS will serve as a starting point for further discussion about the future of eLearning and will also inform the development of our own York University Virtual Learning Strategy. In light of our new University Academic Plan 2020-25, the time is right for these important conversations.
The online registration form for the Jan. 13 event is now posted on the AVP T&L website. We will circulate the program details and Zoom link to registered participants in January and distribute broadly through our Associate Deans Teaching and Learning Council when ready.
If you visit the eCampusOntario Virtual Learning Strategy, you will see that proposals will be focused in four categories:
- Digital content: Creating a portfolio of high-quality online materials and virtual simulations and/or lab content.
- Digital capacity: Providing supports in the form of instructional design, open education librarians and learning technology rovers (paid students).
- Digital fluency: Developing aids for students and faculty, along with professional development opportunities for improving virtual teaching and learning.
- Digital delivery: Providing support in identifying, procuring and deploying educational technologies to support digital courses, programs and offerings.
We, and the rest of the sector, have been given extremely short notice for this opportunity; the provincial deadline for an institutional response is extremely tight. To ensure success, your input is essential to assisting York in creating the best possible proposals.
We are eager to hear from you on Jan. 13.