The pandemic has shone a light on the possibilities that exist with online learning.

For nearly a year, most post-secondary students in Canada have received their education exclusively online. As cases of COVID-19 decline and restrictions are lifted, many students will return to in-person instruction. Others, however, will choose to remain online or enrol in a mix of in-person and virtual courses.

Robert Luke, CEO of eCampusOntario, says the future of learning is about options and intentionally designing these options with the human learner in mind.

In an upcoming presentation, Luke will discuss education’s shift from adopting digital learning as a pandemic pivot to a renewed focus on mindfully and artfully designing learning environments that are human centred, inclusive and flexible.

“Digital by design — Education for the post-pandemic world” will take place Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. as part of the free Business Breathers webinar series facilitated by Goodman Group, the Goodman School of Business’s community-focused learning and development services provider.

“The biggest change I see is already here,” says Luke. “It’s the normalization of virtual learning and the recognition that virtual learning is real learning. The ongoing relationships with hybrid learning will be an advantage for Ontario and any jurisdiction that can do it well.”

Luke expects the demand for online and hybrid course options to increase over the next several years and stresses the importance for Indigenous institutes, universities and colleges to design courses with people at the centre of technology.

“We always need to remember there are humans on the other side of the screen. We shouldn’t expect people to adjust to a technological environment; we adjust technology to human expectations,” he says.

“We also need to ensure there is some sort of overarching framework between the online and in-person learning environments that helps students connect with their peers and professors, and access the support services they need to successfully manage their ongoing career progression.”

As part of the presentation, Luke will also discuss system-wide opportunities for engagement and collaboration; ways in which technology exacerbates existing social biases and how human-centred design can weaken these biases; and how virtual learning will be integrated as part of a core competency of education.

Prior to his role as CEO for eCampusOntario, Luke spent 10 years supporting research and innovation at Ontario universities and colleges in executive management roles, including Vice-President, Research and Innovation for George Brown College and OCAD University. His expertise in human-centred knowledge media design includes the development of academic business, innovation and incubation initiatives; the theory and practice of online learning; and using Internet technologies in education and research.

Everyone is welcome to attend Business Breathers webinars, which feature 30 minutes of industry and faculty expert-led discussions, followed by a 15-minute Q&A period. Topics focus on leadership. Management and innovation, as well as the financial and social impacts of trending topics.

Interested participants are asked to register online. A confirmation email will provide a link to access the webinar at the date and time it is planned.

Upcoming Business Breathers:

Digital by design: Education for the post-pandemic world
A presentation by Robert Luke, CEO of eCampusOntario
Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. 

History of retail: Would anyone go to a store again?
An interview with Deepak Chopra, former President and CEO of Canada Post
Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 11 a.m.