The OCSB has offered e-learning courses since 2014. Both course offerings and participation have grown significantly since then. This year, 15% of students in grades 11 and 12 enrolled in one or more of the 35 e-learning courses we offer. When surveyed last year, 89% of OCSB e-Learning students said they would take another e-learning course. Next year our selection of e-learning courses will double to 70!
New Graduation Requirements
We increased e-learning offerings to support changes to the Ministry of Education’s high school graduation requirements. High school students must now complete two e-learning courses before the end of grade 12. (This year’s grade 12 students are unaffected, and students who will be in grade 12 next year (2023-2024) are only required to complete one e-learning course.)
e-Learning Explained
e-learning is not the same as the virtual learning schools and students adopted during the pandemic. Instead, e-learning courses are asynchronous, meaning that while a teacher provides the course lessons and homework, there are no formal real-time lessons where the students and the teacher are online at the same time. All e-learning courses are instructed by a certified Ontario educator who provides on-going feedback, assessment, evaluation, and reporting. Like a regular classroom teacher, E-learning teachers also incorporate any accommodations and/or modifications identified in a student’s Individual Education Plan. The difference is the coursework is organized so students can log in and access the course content anytime during the day.
Benefits of e-Learning
There are many practical advantages when it comes to students participating in e-learning. As the number of e-learning offerings grows, students have access to a broader selection of courses and are not limited to those offered by their home school. Because the courses are asynchronous, scheduling also becomes more manageable. It’s less likely that students will need to change their course selections because of timetabling issues, and it will be easier for them to pursue specialized programs such as co-op.
e-Learning also allows students to learn at a time best suited to their lives, enabling them to fit the coursework around their other commitments. Beyond these practical benefits, e-learning also assists students in developing their digital literacy and other essential transferable skills. These skills will help prepare them for success after graduation and in all aspects of their lives.
Registering for e-learning is easy
e-Learning courses are designated with a V in myBlueprint, and students can register for them the same way they register for regular courses. Students can also talk to their guidance counsellor to access additional courses offered by school boards across Ontario.
Have more questions?
Please see our e-Learning FAQ for more details and answers to your questions about e-learning courses and the new graduation requirement.