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November 28, 2007
$1.3 Million Donation Will Help Athabasca University Deliver Education to Remote Areas of Alberta
A $1.3 million donation to Athabasca University by distinguished philanthropist Allan Markin, chair of the board of Canadian Natural Resources, will fund a unique three-year pilot project to develop distance-learning systems for remote, rural and northern communities. The Learning Communities Project will help people in remote areas, particularly those in northern Alberta work camps, to earn a university degree while they work. The goal of the project is to allow people who are working away from home for extended periods to focus on their educational activities during their off-work hours. “I believe that education is one of the things people need to reach their full potential and to have a quality of life that they otherwise might never have,” Markin said. “The need for further education has been identified in the North, and the solution came from Athabasca University. The goal is to foster career advancement and eventually transform remote communities by giving people opportunities to address personal and professional educational goals. This way, we can increase capacity and meet current and future needs in remote areas. A more educated workforce benefits workers, communities and the province.” Athabasca University president Dr. Frits Pannekoek sees the Learning Communities Project as another way for the university to fulfill its mandate of increasing educational opportunities for adult learners. “We are very appreciative of Mr. Markin’s support,” he said. “This very generous donation will allow us to research and then tailor our program delivery to the needs of rural and remote learners. At Athabasca University, we take education to our students, and the flexibility of our distance and online delivery system allows people to obtain a quality post-secondary education wherever they are, whatever their schedule.” During the first stage of the pilot project, researchers will conduct a detailed assessment of learning needs in a number of communities in northern Alberta. Among other factors they will examine current education levels, participants’ goals and infrastructure availability. A major focus of the project will be researching and testing the use of mobile technology in the delivery of courses. This delivery method was recently studied by Athabasca University in partnership with the Mennonite Learning Centre in a project where cell phones were used to help immigrants learn English.
Source: Athabasca University, Alberta

November 23, 2007
University of Manitoba: Extended Education Students' Blogs on itsmyfuture.ca
“I’ve walked that path. I want to inspire others to take a better one.” writes Extended Education graduate Fred Beardy on his blog at itsmyfuture.ca. The website is the main feature of a new campaign, It’s My Future, recently initiated by the U of M to show how the university helps students succeed. Students and alumni were selected to reflect diverse areas of study, culture, interests and ages. In all, 17 students and alumni are profiled at itsmyfuture.ca. Using new media technology and social networking tools, they tell their stories throughout the academic year in weekly blog entries. Fred, who helps young Aboriginal adults access programs to further their education, is a graduate of Extended Education’s Aboriginal Focus Programs and is now pursuing a degree in social work. Colleen Watson is another contributor through her weekly blogs. She turned her passion for gardening into a part-time business after completing the Prairie Horticulture Program in 2000 through Extended Education’s Continuing Education program area. The It’s My Future campaign demonstrates the impact the U of M has made in the lives and careers of thousands of Manitobans and how they, in turn, are contributing to communities at local, national and international levels.
Source: University of Manitoba

November 19, 2007
Acadia University Announces Winter Term Credit to Continuing Students
Acadia University today announced that its current full-time undergraduate and graduate students who continue with their studies at Acadia in the winter term of 2008 will receive a one-time $275 credit to their student accounts in January. Full-time international students will receive a $375 credit. This credit to continuing full-time students distributes the net salary savings accumulated by the University during a 15-day strike by members of the Acadia University Faculty Association. The amount of the credit was calculated in consultation with members of the executive of the Acadia Student’s Union. The ASU has been a vigorous supporter of dispersing strike-related faculty salary savings directly to students. “Acadia’s students demonstrated remarkable patience during the strike and have enthusiastically returned to class,” said Dr. Gail Dinter-Gottlieb, Acadia’s President and Vice-Chancellor. “While the University remained open during the strike, faculty salaries were not paid and Acadia’s Board of Governors was determined from the outset of the strike to distribute net savings to students. Providing students with a credit towards their fees for the winter term lets our future alumni know that we appreciate their support of Acadia.”
Source: Acadia University, Nova Scotia

November 8, 2007
AIU Online: Moms Under 30 Want to Go Back to School and Change Careers
Mothers spend a lot of time making sure they’re satisfied with their children’s education, but a new survey finds that four out of every five young mothers say they need more education and better career skills. The national survey of more than 1,000 mothers with children up to 16 years of age, reveals that three-fourths of them want to earn a bachelor’s or a graduate-level degree. More than half of the women surveyed favor a career change and recognize that acquiring additional education serves as the key to achieving that goal. “This is especially true for mothers who are 18 to 29 years old and for moms who have some college education,” says Dr. George Miller, chief executive officer of American InterContinental University. “For mothers of all ages, the chief motivation to acquire further education is a desire to increase their financial contribution to the household, especially for the sake of their children.” Stay-at-home moms, the survey suggests, are more likely to favor returning to school than those who work part-time. And mothers who head back to school are most likely to enroll in education and health care programs. None of the surveyed mothers currently work full-time.
Employers Favor More Education
This survey reflects the trend of employers to seek and to hire job candidates who have earned college degrees. According to a 2006 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the pursuit of further college education or career training is imperative as mothers explore re-entering the workforce. The survey also finds that the majority of mothers interested in furthering their education look for more flexible programs such as “blended-classes” – a hybrid of online and traditional classroom learning. These classes offer moms more convenience and flexibility at the time when many are juggling family and work duties. In addition, mothers just returning to school find the blended environment a more-approachable format. Moms beginning their college careers can be apprehensive about competitive academic environments and are more likely to prefer online classes than are mothers with more education. “With the rapid growth of online learning and blended learning options, it’s easier for mothers to pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree, even with the demands of busy lives,” says AIU’s Dr. Miller. “AIU prides itself on offering accessible education options and a learning format that reflects the real world. Our goals are to help people improve their lives and achieve success in the workplace as it exists today.”
Other Survey Findings
-Two-thirds of moms favor getting additional career training.
-Accelerated-degree programs and the quality of instructors are more likely to entice mothers with higher education levels.
-Mothers in the Midwest and South are the most likely to be interested in returning to school in order to make a career change.
-Single moms are more likely to prefer traditional in-person classes over online learning than are married mothers.
-Single mothers are more likely to desire additional education in order to facilitate a career change than are married mothers.
-Financial considerations and a limited availability of time are the main reasons why moms hesitate in returning to school.
As for the personal benefits of furthering their education, mothers cite the likelihood of more career opportunities and greater flexibility in their job choices. Mothers with less education are more likely to think they will increase their confidence levels by returning to school. “By pursuing more education, today’s moms understand that they are increasing their employment opportunities and improving their ability to provide a better life for their children,” says Miller.
Methodology
From August 29 to September 4, 2007, American InterContinental University commissioned an online survey of mothers in order to gauge the level of satisfaction they have with their place in the workforce. The survey reached 1,024 moms with children ranging in age from 0 to 16 years who are not employed or work no more than 30 hours per week. The margin of error at the 95% confidence interval on a sample of 1,024 is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Source: American InterContinental University Online, Illinois

November 7, 2007
Fort Hays State University: Transition to Teaching Program Expecting High Numbers in the Future
With the education system in need of more teachers, Fort Hays State University developed the Transition to Teaching (T2T) program as a way to fill teaching vacancies in school districts through an alternate route to teacher licensure. "We don't feel like it's a shortcut to our traditional program," said Dr. Debbie Mercer, dean of the College of Education and Technology. "We feel like it's reaching out to a population of people that probably could not afford to quit jobs and relocate to Hays to take courses. It is a population who otherwise would not have been able to be in a classroom." The program includes recruiting and training mid-career professionals seeking a career change. The T2T program uses the restricted license and has developed an online professional education curriculum meeting all of the Kansas Professional Education Standards. This alternative licensure program is designed for people with a content bachelor's degree who lack a teaching pedagogy background. It allows for direct access to the full responsibility of a classroom teacher, while concurrently learning through graduate level education coursework. "Their backgrounds are very rich in content, both through coursework and experiences, but they lack the professional education classes," said Mercer. The program is geared toward people who are typically hired to begin teaching jobs in August. Everyone is required to take an induction course the summer prior to beginning the school year. The requirements to get into T2T are an undergraduate or graduate degree or equivalent course work in the chosen content area, at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA (Graduate School requires 2.5 GPA on the last 60 hours) and verification that a school district has made an offer for employment in the content area for which the restricted license is sought. The program accommodates secondary (grades 6-12) or all licensure levels (P-12). Currently it does not address early childhood or elementary teaching licenses.
Source: Fort Hays State University, Kansas

November 2, 2007
Thompson Rivers University: Premier Opens $12.3-MILLION Open Learning Centre
Premier Gordon Campbell officially opened the $12.3-million B.C. Centre for Open Learning, a state-of-the-art building at Thompson Rivers University that is a base to deliver programs for students to complete a post-secondary education throughout the province. “With new video-conferencing capabilities, online learning programs and the latest in data collection technology, the B.C. Centre for Open Learning provides the choice and flexibility for students to upgrade their skills and education, no matter where in British Columbia they live,” said Premier Campbell. “More British Columbians than ever are continuing their education from remote locations or while balancing work and family commitments and it is important we provide the tools necessary to help them succeed.” Staff at the B.C. Centre for Open Learning support students throughout B.C. taking open learning courses and programs either online or by traditional print-based distance methods. The centre is more than 3,700 square metres, and contains video-conferencing rooms, computer data space and offices for up to 180 TRU Open Learning employees. “By investing in TRU Open Learning’s facilities, we’re helping the staff who help thousands of students to balance work and family commitments with their goals for the future,” said Claude Richmond, Minister of Employment and Income Assistance and MLA for Kamloops. “The new centre will support students across B.C. and around the world to enrol anytime and start their post-secondary education within days, rather than having to wait for the next semester,” said Kevin Krueger, Minister of State for Mining and MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson. More than 15,000 students a year are taking 400 courses in 52 programs through TRU Open Learning. The programs, which lead to degrees, diplomas and certificates, include health and human studies, information technology, arts and science, business and management studies, adult basic education, general studies, and transfer, continuing studies and extension programs. Credits are transferable to other post-secondary institutions, and students can use prior learning and experience to gain their credentials faster. “Thompson Rivers University is Canada’s most comprehensive university, and with the addition of the Open Learning division, we are now able to provide distance and open learning education and training to students throughout British Columbia, Canada and the world,” said TRU president Roger Barnsley. The new centre incorporates environmental sustainability features, including natural lighting, and artificial light controlled by occupancy sensors; dual-flush toilets, low-flow faucets and waterless urinals, which reduce water use by 40 per cent; and recycled workstation furniture systems. Other recent capital projects funded by government at TRU include $3.8 million for the expansion of the shipping and receiving warehouse and $12 million for the Williams Lake campus replacement.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia