- More than 2 million college and university students moved to
on-line learning since March
- While 'Education Technology' investment has grown 14x since
2010, only 16% of university and 12% of college students in
Canada learned primarily online in
2019
TORONTO, June 2, 2020 /CNW/ - A new world of
possibilities has opened up for Canada's post-secondary educational
institutions since their campuses closed down due to COVID-19,
according to a new discussion paper from RBC.
With more than two million college and university students
learning on-line, and as many as 540,000 students completing their
programs at a distance, the report's author Andrew Schrumm urges post-secondary institutions
to develop new learning models to provide students with greater
flexibility in where, when and how they learn.
In the not too distant future, for instance, students may be
able to choose from a menu of micro-credentials, online, on-campus
and blended, college and university level courses from various
institutions. These so-called "self-directed" programs are an
effective way to develop job-ready skills for a fast-changing
labour market.
"The swift shift to online learning demonstrates the amazing
capacity of our post-secondary institutions to transform," said
Schrumm. "Students, faculty and administrators have gained new
experiences and preferences that are unlikely to subside, even as
the health crisis does. This space is ripe for innovation."
Two steps are critical in making the shift to digital-based
learning:
- Colleges and universities must cultivate the scale needed to
make online learning profitable. Collaborations across schools and
levels of learning are needed to give students more choices and
specializations.
- An inclusive approach to alternative learning must be adopted.
This can be achieved either through experiential learning or
micro-credentials that provides students flexibility in how and
where they obtain academic credits. At the same time, educators
will need to integrate the tools of augmented reality and machine
learning to personalize education to student's unique learning
pathways.
Big test still to come for colleges and universities
RBC anticipates there will be a much more competitive
environment to attract students to campus post-pandemic. (This
could represent a significant challenge for Canada as its post-secondary international
student population contributes about $22
billion in GDP and about 11,000 new permanent residents
annually.) As students around the world have demonstrated, their
ability to learn from anywhere, institutions will need to show why
their learning experience is different.
Online education will be a key differentiator for schools, as it
is borderless, scalable and untethered to the traditional academic
calendar. However, prior to the crisis, half of Canadian
post-secondary educational institutions said they lacked the
resources and expertise to develop online learning. This
challenge is more pronounced among smaller institutions.
Moreover, even as institutions of higher learning make the shift
online, the report cites various other challenges that must be
addressed. For instance, the online environment can struggle to
develop socio-emotional skills such as active listening, speaking
and critical thinking skills. RBC's 2018 report, Humans
Wanted, concluded that these skills will be in the
highest demand by Canadian employers. Online instruction requires a
different pedagogy than in-person learning to achieve the same
learning outcomes, and to develop these human skills it needs to
support various forms of social interaction.
Access to online learning is another concern. About one in four
Canadian households in lower income categories use smartphones as
their primary internet access. At the same time, roughly 10% of
households -- mostly in rural areas -- lack reliable broadband
internet. Indigenous students are over-represented in these
categories. For students with accessibility concerns -- from
auditory to vision to mobility – institutions may need to provide
custom digital tools to ensure continuity in their learning.
"Our colleges and universities have taken the first steps to
transform the student experience for the better," said Schrumm.
"There is every reason to believe they can build on their momentum
to ensure our country thrives and prospers well into the
future."
About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with
a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading
performance. Our success comes from the 84,000+ employees who bring
our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients
thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank, and one of the largest
in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified
business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional
experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 34 other countries. Learn
more at rbc.com.
We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives
through donations, community investments and employee volunteer
activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.
SOURCE RBC