When the provincial government shut down schools in March due to COVID-19, students and teachers alike were thrown into virtual classrooms with mixed results.
But when done right, online learning can meet students鈥� needs for interaction, conversation, teamwork, and communication in a supportive environment that offers professional enrichment.
鈥淭here is a difference between emergency online learning and quality online learning,鈥� says Dr. Annie Prud'homme-G茅n茅reux, the director of Continuing Studies at Capilano University.
鈥淭his is not your kid鈥檚 Zoom class. This is not your mother鈥檚 online PDF course experience.鈥�
Continuing Studies at Capilano University is proud to launch 50 brand new online courses that were designed specifically for adult learners who need flexibility.
Prud'homme-G茅n茅reux鈥檚 background is in distance education. When she assumed the director position last year, her goal was to transition Capilano to more online learning within two years. The COVID-19 pandemic inspired the school to fast-track its plans, pivoting from in-person classes to totally online.
鈥淲e put everything on pause while we developed an entirely new suite of courses,鈥� Prud'homme-G茅n茅reux says.
鈥淲e are now more focused on career upskilling and helping people retool to get the skills they need to advance in their careers.鈥�
Offerings include courses in online entrepreneurship for small business, data analysis and visualization, digital marketing, and project management. For leadership training, Capilano offers a series of 10 courses that coach emerging leaders and help them network with peers from other organizations.
鈥淲e鈥檙e focusing on the early to mid-career professional, as well as the small business community,鈥� Prud'homme-G茅n茅reux says.
Quality online learning is not about sitting quietly during a Zoom lecture or just watching a Powerpoint presentation. Today鈥檚 cutting edge online learning is not a static experience. It allows for a wide variety of learning mechanisms and can be fun and social.
Continuing Education students have several options for the type of online learning they would like to pursue. Cohort-based classes are taken with other students with the goal of cooperative learning. For students who want more flexibility, Capilano offers self-paced courses, where students work through the courses on their own schedule while still being coached by an expert in the field.
Courses are open enrollment with few prerequisites, and all are assessed with hands-on assignments.
鈥淎s long as you鈥檙e willing to participate and do the work, you will pass,鈥� Prud'homme-G茅n茅reux says.
Completing assignments helps students to apply what they have learned and provides them with the opportunity to measure their progress with expert feedback.
鈥淲e recognize that adult learners are not blank slates. Whatever experiences they bring to the course, the assignments can be linked to their real-world jobs, whether that鈥檚 creating a strategic plan or developing a marketing plan for their small business,鈥� Prud'homme-G茅n茅reux says.
鈥淭he courses are very tangible and applicable to what they鈥檙e already doing.鈥�
The practical learning starts with the instructors who teach Capilano鈥檚 Continuing Studies courses.
鈥淲e look at our instructors as being a coach to students,鈥� Prud'homme-G茅n茅reux says.
鈥淚nstead of a sage on a stage, our instructors are a guide on the side.鈥�
Capilano鈥檚 Continuing Education instructors are working professionals who are leaders in their fields and passionate about what they do. They鈥檙e able to bring real-world insight to the classroom and reinforce the practical nature of the school鈥檚 courses.
鈥淭hey truly are passionate about sharing what they love,鈥� Prud'homme-G茅n茅reux says.
For those on the fence about trying out a new style of learning, Capilano is offering a free self-paced course on file management so that learners can get a sense of what online education feels like.
鈥淚t鈥檚 good for someone who wants to get comfortable in that online environment with zero risk,鈥� Prud'homme-G茅n茅reux says.
鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid. Your course will be practical, interactive, and you will get feedback from an expert who will coach you through.鈥�
