Distance Education at the Secondary Level in Québec Présentation à la réunion annuelle de la P/TDEA Ottawa, Ontario Pierre Giguère Robert Saucier 13 octobre 2005

Content SOFAD description Brief history of DE at the secondary level SOFAD : a detailed description Major recent developments and issues Conclusion

SOFAD description Adults Self-paced Materials In DE or in adult education centres Online and in print French and English

Brief history of DE at the secondary level One administrative unit at the Ministry for 50 years 1946 Lack of materials for vocational education Lack of technical schools Correspondance school 1972 General education Télé-Université 80’s Popular education and cegep level courses Business minded organisation Registrations peaked

Brief history of DE at the secondary level Early 90’s DE institution created for the cegep level First courses offered in English «Planned» decline of DE at the secondary level takes place 1994 Liaison committee is created: CLIFAD with SOFAD, CCFD and Télé-université End of the single unit for DE at the Ministry

Brief history of DE at the secondary level A new system with two subsets 1995, all services to the students go to the school boards 1996, SOFAD –a central body, outside the Ministry, administered by the school boards –to develop, produce or coproduce learning materials for general education, either in DE or in adult education centres –to promote DE –to carry out studies and research –to foster the use of new technologies –to encourage partnerships

SOFAD Detailed description For both French and English speaking communities For the adult population, 16 years and over More than 200 courses offered: All academic courses Secondary 1 to 5 (French and English) Vocational courses in Secretarial Studies and Accounting (French) A few professional training and popular education courses (French)

SOFAD Detailed description Specialized in Technological and instructional design Project management Quality control 26 people –Projects coordinators –New technologies consultant –Research & Development advisor –Institutional research & Communication advisor –Digital rights negotiator –Technical support –Web integrator –Client services –Support staff

SOFAD Detailed description Outsourcing for 2/3 of production costs –Subject matter specialists –Researchers –Authors –System analysts and programmers –Illustrators, recording studios, actors –Graphic designers –Interface designers –Content reviewers –Llinguistic reviewers –Proofreaders –Technical reliability testers –Webmasters

Major Recent Developments and Issues Course Registrations Continuous growth in DE course registrations course registrations Unequal growth of the registrations in DE over the territory

Major Recent Developments and Issues An Agreement Agreement about DE and e-learning in Québec School boards signed in december 2003 by four parties: The Ministry of Education La Fédération des commissions scolaires du Québec The Québec English School Boards Association SOFAD

Major Recent Developments and Issues An Agreement SOFAD’s mandate confirmed and expanded SOFAD identified as the privileged partner Changes considered about the organisation of DE –Consortia –Harmonization –Out of Québec students –Financing –Youth sector

Major Recent Developments and Issues An Agreement SOFAD’s mandate Learning materials Promotion Research Teacher’s continuing education Online preparation to the GED

Major Recent Developments and Issues Online Learning Some operational principles All credit courses developed online and in print Online and printed versions available at about the same price for the student Courses designed for DE as well as in-class students Courses also available to independant students

Major Recent Developments and Issues Online Learning Courses are complete elearning environments providing –all learners need to learn –all teachers/tutors need to support learning in an integrated fashion self paced and, when appropriate, collaborative learning within present school boards/SOFAD structure

Major Recent Developments and Issues Online Learning

eduSOFAD.com 3 sections Students Teachers Administrators

Major Recent Developments and Issues Online Learning Now online: 5 courses and 5 services –Test de classement en mathématiques –Test de classement en anglais langue seconde –Biologie de la reproduction et périnatalité –Réunions d’affaires –Communication bilingue –Industrialisation et urbanisation –Démocratie et culture –Initiation aux ressources informatiques –Éveil à la lecture et à l’écriture –Du français sans fautes

Major Recent Developments and Issues Online Learning By the end of 2005: 8 more courses or services –Test de classement en français langue d’enseignement –Biologie du système respiratoire –Géométrie III –Trigonométrie I –Méthode de doigté –Recherche d’information –À la recherche d’un emploi –Bilan et choix professionnel

Major Recent Developments and Issues Online Learning By the end of 2005: English portal, 4 courses or services –Placement test in Mathematics –Geometry III –Trigonometry I –The Human Reproductive System and Perinatal

Major Recent Developments and Issues Customized Services New sector: 5 people One big project with the Environment Ministry which makes SOFAD: producer of distance courses and organization responsible for training more than workers using or selling pesticides in Québec Main recent issue: make this new sector a profitable initiative Main recent challenge wished for: a contract to produce and deliver some online customized services

Major Recent Developments and Issues Various projects up and coming The need for new materials because of the reform of the curriculum DE for the youth sector SOFAD’s opinion A go-ahead from the board of directors to distribute the document and to actually do some things A research project about student support in DE E-portfolio for life-long learning (an international conference in Quebec City in the spring of 2006)

Conclusion Ten years old in a few months Still looking for a coming-of-age experience

Contact Pierre Giguère (514) Robert Saucier (514)