Find out about online learning at Humber
To shine the spotlight on its online offerings, Humber College recently launched a site where prospective learners and current students can get all the information they need in one convenient location.
“Humberonline.ca is really all about the experience,” says Mark Ihnat, the director of eLearning at Humber’s Centre for Teaching and Learning, which is a hub focused on faculty and student support. “We put so much energy into building our online courses that we saw this as an opportunity to claim our place and space as an important part of learning at Humber.”
Launched last November, the site allows visitors to take a quiz to f ind out if online learning is for them, browse through and apply to online programs and courses, view infographics that detail how students would work through course content, access online support resources and even be introduced, through videos and bios, to some of the faculty members who teach online.
“When we design online courses, we are thinking about building community spaces and, in order for that to happen, we have faculty members who really understand online teaching,” says Ihnat. “It isn’t about putting up a PowerPoint presentation, having students complete quizzes, crossing our f ingers and hoping students are successful. It is about encouraging students to connect with faculty and one another to really understand the content, so we wanted to spotlight the people making that happen. Online students should know they are never alone.”
Unlike traditional online learning landing pages that simply offer course descriptions, Humberonline.ca kicks the engagement factor up a notch. Visitors, says Ihnat, don’t just read about courses but actually have the opportunity to get a sample of what a class may feel like. Featured courses, for example, include bonus content such as course trailers and “experience” elements that may include a quiz or other interactive features.
“That kind of personalized experience is especially important when it comes to online learning,” says Ihnat, who was part of the team that oversaw the creation of Humberonline.ca. “We are constantly updating the site and we want visitors to really get a sense of the ‘wow’ factor.”