Yes. It’s a leap toward the future

Ontario’s high school landscape will look very different starting in the 20202021 school year, when students, with some exceptions, will need to complete an average of one online course credit per year in order to graduate. Education will never be the same. It is about time. The introduction of e-learning will allow students to gain the skills they need to succeed in today’s rapidly changing world. In fact, the Institute for the Future estimates 85 per cent of the jobs that will be performed in 2030 have not even been invented yet.

When identifying essential skills required for professional success, the Conference Board of Canada highlights problem-solving, teamwork and continuous learning, to name just a few. E-learning courses will equip our students with the core competencies they need to thrive in the 21st century.

E-learning provides unique advantages. In the traditional classroom, teachers deliver structured lessons and students are rewarded for repeating concepts without truly understanding them. They are not given the space to develop the problem-solving and critical-thinking skills that they need when they transition from high school to post-secondary studies and the workplace. The structured classroom conditions students to believe that the answers to all problems lie within explicit boundaries, that they can be quickly solved, and that every piece of required information, nothing more and nothing less, will be neatly presented.

The issues that we face today require us to search for information, filter out irrelevant ideas and come up with outside-the-box solutions. E-learning is designed to teach our students exactly that. Critics will argue that e-learning is a rigid option that hurts students’ social development, and benefits some learners at the expense of others. While these opponents have good intentions, their arguments are incomplete.

E-learning is the exact opposite of a one-size-fits-all solution. The digital classroom maximizes student achievement because students and teachers have meaningful interactions that facilitate individualized learning objectives.

Instead of spending time teaching a structured lesson to students with different learning styles, teachers in the online classroom are able to more effectively use their expertise to work directly with students and help them achieve their goals.

Online courses allow students to develop the social skills they need in life beyond school. They learn teamwork skills by collaborating with classmates and teachers on dynamic assignments, which will serve them well when they work on project teams.

Students learn how to solve problems by understanding and appreciating different perspectives, which will help them to navigate personal and work relationships. E-learning integrates academic, professional and social success by facilitating deep engagement with the learning process.

While some individuals may say that e-learning is only suited for motivated and independent students, they fail to point out that the very skills that facilitate success in the digital learning environment are those that are required to excel in the workplace. Teachers have a responsibility to prepare our students for life outside the classroom.

It is true that for some learners, elearning is not an ideal option. This is why educators will have the option, in some cases, to waive the online course requirement for graduation. This is a suitable solution because it will ensure all students, especially those from vulnerable populations, are put in the best position to achieve their potential. We are putting our trust in the professionals who work hard every day to prepare our students for success.

As we move toward implementing this groundbreaking policy, all stakeholders need to work together to ensure that we give students the tools they need to flourish in today’s global economy.

We need to invest in the technological infrastructure and professional development that will make e-learning a reality across the province. Classroom innovation is essential for success.

Fostering student achievement is the ultimate goal of education. By giving students exposure to the benefits of the digital classroom, we are taking a giant leap forward. It is up to the government to follow through on its promise.