“Online learning is an important educational development in how students learn and how teachers provide instruction. It utilizes new approaches to how students acquire knowledge while developing important skills for the new economy. Online learning utilizes the strengths of the past while embracing new ways of acquiring and demonstrating new knowledge. The eLearning Consortium of Canada is an important leader in providing high quality online courses to students ensuring that character and personal interaction are at the forefront of the online experience.”
Dr. Muirhead is currently the Associate Provost, Academic and Information Technology at the University of Ontario, Institute of Technology (UOIT) located in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. As a founding academic administrator of the university, Bill has been responsible for developing Canada’s largest Technology Enriched Learning Environment, the Teaching and Learning Center, the Academic Success Center, the Health Education Technology Research Unit and is currently a founding researcher of the Educational Informatics Lab in the UOIT Faculty of Education. Dr. Muirhead has overseen the development of university policies and governance structures pertaining to all aspects of undergraduate curriculum and quality assurance.
Dr. Bill Muirhead
“I took the Anthropology, Psychology and Sociology online course when I was in Grade 11. I had always been interested in this particular field of social sciences but with a busy schedule of the sciences, I did not have enough room to take it at my school.
One of the main factors in my decision was also my past experiences with Careers and Civics online. I enjoyed the freedom of working at my own pace with check-points between each assignment/project, and noting my success in the aforementioned two subjects, I thought that online APS would operate in the same way.
I did value the way the online course challenged and definitely strengthened my organization, communication, and analysis skills because all forms of interaction were done electronically instead of those in a typical classroom setting.
Students with busy schedules should definitely consider taking an online course; it saves the time of having another course that you must physically attend while still giving you an education and credit.
I also noted that all of the teachers that were leading the APS course had taught at an Independent school, which ensures that the level of academics and expectations were held to the same standards as those of my school.
Above all, online courses also give students a chance to explore various subjects, some that may not be offered at their school! It is a great way to try something new and be exposed to projects that focus more on blogs and written/spoken expositions.
I would recommend others to try an online course; it absolutely exercises the principle of independence which is crucial for one’s success in the future.”
Olivia Arski Student at Hillfield Strathallan School
“I am a competitive figure skater, so I require a lot of flexibility in my course schedule so that I am able to leave school early to get to practices. Doing an online course allowed me this flexibility, all while still obtaining a high school credit.
I valued that you were able to fit the work into your schedule, so that you could do it at a time that works well for you. It gave me a lot of freedom and independence, and taught me great time management skills.
I think students should consider taking an online course as it is a great way to build important skills needed in university. With an online course I had to learn to be more resourceful, and responsible about my work and deadlines, as there wasn’t a teacher telling me face-to-face to get things done. This is similar to university, as professors won’t be searching you out to remind you of deadlines, you must be able to do this on your own.
ELCC was a great way for me to learn, and take courses that I wouldn’t have otherwise had time to take in my schedule. I was able to connect with students in a variety of schools, and also interact with teachers from other schools as well. It is a different way of learning than in the classroom, but I think it is a really beneficial skill to be able to learn in many different environments.”
Keiko Marshall, Student at Hillfield Strathallan School
