DARLENE BLOOM, Office of Lindsey Park MPP
DURHAM: The Ontario Government is providing over $4 million in support of 12 innovative virtual learning projects at Durham College and 19 projects at Ontario Tech University. These projects will help provide students with more choices and access to high-quality post-secondary education and retraining opportunities.
The projects, announced last December, support key priority areas: creating or adapting digital content, equipping faculty and students with skills and resources to teach and learn online and identifying educational technologies to support online courses and programs.
“By increasing virtual course offerings, we’re increasing flexibility for the next generation of workers, innovators, researchers, and leaders to develop the skills and training they need to succeed in their careers,” explained Lindsey Park, MPP for Durham. “Some students are looking to access post-secondary learning right out of high school. Others are looking for training mid-career.”
Durham College will receive $1,560,350 in funding as the lead in 12 projects, some in collaboration with other institutions, including Ontario Tech University. A new digital health technology management practice course at Durham College will create a common practice for health technology that will strengthen staff capacity, promote management of technology, and explore best technical supports for those in health services.
“By investing in new digital resources and supports, the Government is providing post-secondary students with a revolutionized virtual learning experience,” stated Lorne Coe, MPP for Whitby, and Chief Government Whip. “Ensuring the implementation of high-quality online programs will give our students more flexible access to the world-class learning available at our post-secondary institutions in the Region of Durham.”
Ontario Tech University will receive $2,451,004 in funding as the lead in 19 projects, some in collaboration with other institutions, including Durham College.
A new online course at Ontario Tech University will develop modules to explore the field of artificial intelligence and its uses, to be used by secondary and post-secondary students, teachers, professors and others.
“Our government’s significant investment of over $3,000,000 in virtual learning strategy at both Durham College and The University of Ontario Institute of Technology will assist students [to] learn and gain important skills,” said MPP Rod Phillips Ajax. “By gaining these important skills, students will gain the tools to become leaders in their respective fields.”
“The Virtual Learning Strategy is aimed at creating a platform that will allow all post-secondary institutions like Durham College, Ontario Tech University and others to provide post-secondary students with more flexibility and access to high-quality education and retraining opportunities,” shared Peter Bethlenfalvy, MPP for Pickering-Uxbridge. “Ensuring that Durham Region’s post-secondary institutions offer responsive and flexible digital courses. And programs will help students build the skills and competencies they need to be competitive in today’s 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 be competitive in today’s economy,” said Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “Our Virtual Learning Strategy is aimed at creating a platform that will allow all post-secondary institutions to compete in the new and necessary environment of learning from home.”