Nipissing announces innovative new centre for flexible learning
Nipissing University is pleased to announce the launch of the new Centre for Flexible Learning (CFL).
The Centre, which will be formally established effective July 15, 2010, will be housed in the new Learning Library and at the two regional campuses in Brantford and Bracebridge-Muskoka.
The CFL team will work collaboratively with faculty, graduate students, and staff to advance teaching and learning in three areas:
1. Curriculum development, instructional design and the scholarship of teaching;
2. Learning technologies, online and blended course development; and
3. Information literacy and research skill development.
Drawing together existing expertise in e-learning, technology-enhanced teaching and learning, flexible learning and best practices in post-secondary education from Nipissing’s three campuses, the Centre will be managed by an academic director. The director will report to the vice president academic and research, and will collaborate with the chief information officer, Bob Keech, in relation to technical aspects, and with the dean of the Schulich School of Education, Sharon Rich, with regard to post-secondary education, and scholarship of teaching. Keech remarked, “The Centre will be an incubator for innovation in technology-enhanced teaching and learning, lifelong learning and continuing education for professionals and practitioners. The CFL represents a major step forward in the strategic evolution of Nipissing University.”
With significant support from educational philanthropist Seymour Schulich’s generous benefaction to the Schulich School of Education, the CFL will further establish Nipissing as an innovator in post-secondary education. According to dean Rich, “It will allow faculty across the university to build a scholarship of teaching and learning that will enhance student engagement and improve achievement and success. Faculty members awarded Schulich Teaching Fellowships will be seconded to the Centre for a semester and will have the opportunity to prepare scholarly articles and work with colleagues and students to develop innovative and effective practices in teaching to be shared across the university and beyond.”
“Nipissing is already engaged in a blended model of course delivery for college diploma graduates who wish to complete the bachelor of commerce degree; with local tutors as well as online instruction, we have a model that is working well on several Ontario community college campuses” added Rick Vanderlee, dean of applied and professional studies. Dean Rich commented, “It is very important to be able to offer university learning to students who are site-bound. That is a challenge not only for learners in isolated communities in the North, but for people across Ontario who may be unable to attend a university campus.” “We have a unique opportunity to develop synergy and accelerate the development of superior models for online, blended, and on-campus teaching and learning” said Nipissing president, Lesley Lovett-Doust. “We are enormously grateful to Mr. Schulich for his investment in the exciting future of post-secondary education”.