Ontario moves closer to online high school classes
Published November 21, 2019 at 10:44 pm
The provincial government has announced its intention to modernize the way Ontario students learn.
The provincial government has announced its intention to modernize the way Ontario students learn.
In an effort to provide students with the best possible education that takes advantage of the technology currently available, Ontario curriculums will be launching an online learning program.
In the lead up to the program’s launch, the government intends to consult students and educators to ensure the program is designed to best meet their needs.
Students can begin taking online courses that will count towards their graduation requirements next September, and the class of 2024 will be the first required to take two online courses to graduate.
Videos
Some examples of courses that will be offered online starting next year include: grade 10 career studies, which will help students plan their time after graduating through activities and interactive modules; grade 11 biology, which will allow students to visit endangered ecosystems through virtual reality; and grade 12 data management, which will allow students to learn math using games and probability.
“The world is changing rapidly, and our students need the ability to learn and thrive in a world increasingly disrupted by technology,” Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, said in a news release.
“To succeed in this environment, it is important students graduate with the skills and technological fluency they need in a competitive global labour market. This plan will provide more course offerings – including STEM courses – that will benefit students well beyond the classroom,” he continued.
This new program will provide students across the province access to a wider variety of courses that will meet their interests and needs no matter where they live and go to school, as well as new and more engaging ways for them to learn that aren’t provided in a traditional classroom setting.
Further, including online courses as part of students’ graduation requirements will allow them to explore courses they otherwise wouldn’t be able to in a classroom, such as coding.
In order to facilitate these changes, beginning in September 2020, all publicly funded schools in Ontario will have access to reliable, fast, secure and affordable internet services. Further, many of the programs offered online will be designed to be possible to complete without an internet connection.
insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising