1. 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

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

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

4. 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

5. 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 1995-96 End of the single unit for DE at the Ministry

6. 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

7. 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)

8. 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

9. 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

10. Major Recent Developments and Issues Course Registrations Continuous growth in DE 1995-1996 10 600 course registrations 2004-2005 28 000 + course registrations Unequal growth of the registrations in DE over the territory

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. 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

15. 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

16. Major Recent Developments and Issues Online Learning

17. eduSOFAD.com 3 sections Students Teachers Administrators

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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 25 000 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

22. 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)

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

24. Contact Pierre Giguère (514) 529-2171 pierreg@sofad.qc.ca Robert Saucier (514) 529-2175 saucierr@sofad.qc.ca www.sofad.qc.cawww.sofad.qc.ca www.edusofad.comwww.edusofad.com