An independent evaluator’s report bodes well for distance education for Ontario teachers.

Distance education expert Thierry Karsenti of the University of Montréal confirmed that French-language teachers who took Additional Basic Qualification (ABQ) courses through distance education engaged in a positive learning experience.

French-language teachers from all across the province started taking the on-line ABQ courses for a pilot project in the summer of 2001. The faculty of education of the University of Ottawa offered the ABQ Intermediate Division-History in French and l’École des sciences de l’éducation of Laurentian University offered the ABQ-Intermediate Division-Mathematics, also in French.

"The evaluator’s report was very positive and constructive," says Margaret Aubé, the College’s Co-ordinator of Professional Affairs. "It was an opportunity for everybody at the table to share what they had learned and celebrate the success of the pilot project."

One of the major points of the evaluation was that all the teachers said they would take another course delivered by distance education.

The College initiated this pilot project in response to concerns raised by French-language members about access to AQ courses. The Ministry of Education funded the project. These courses offered through the Internet made it possible for French-language teachers in Ontario to take an ABQ in their language from anywhere in the province.

Representatives of Laurentian and Ottawa universities, the Conseil ontarien des directions d’éducation de langue française, the Ministry of Education, the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens, the Association des directions et directions adjointes des écoles franco-ontariennes and the College were involved in this project. The majority of these education partners met with Karsenti on April 9 at the College for a presentation of his report.

Some of the evaluator’s recommendations are that:

• distance education courses that are developed foster increased communication and interaction, both between instructor and learner, and among learners
• the courses should be organized in modules
• the learning activities that are part of the distance education courses encourage peer interaction and teamwork.

An executive summary of the evaluator’s report can be found in English at www.oct.ca/english/professional_affairs/evalreport.asp or in French at www.oct.ca/french/professional_affairs/evalreport.asp.