Ottawa Carleton e-School
Ottawa Carleton e-School enables students to study online in more than 50 high school courses online. With flexible start dates, students can register for courses on a continuous basis throughout the year. This flexibility enables them to study courses that may not currently be available to them in the traditional classroom, and to work at their own pace and schedule. All of the high school credits earned at e-School count toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma in the same way as a credit earned in a traditional classroom. Some students use our courses to get ahead, others to make-up a course, and some to get a course otherwise not available to them.
e-School courses also fill a need for students who cannot attend classes in a traditional high school setting. Whether it is due to physical or psychological barriers, the pursuit of athletics, an early career in the arts, or simply the choice to homeschool, students find e-School courses offer them the flexibility they need. One of the principals of e-School, Annette Levesque explains that parents and the school “ensure that the student will have adequate support throughout their course. Online learning offers a valuable alternative learning opportunity for students; the ability to self pace through their course, learn one concept before moving on to the next, and the ability to choose the hour of the day that is most conducive to effective learning for the student. However it is important to recognize that the greater the individual needs of a student (academic or physiological/psychological), the greater the student support that is required in order to ensure that student experiences academic success.”
| Sometimes, working at one’s own pace means slowing down to fully understand a concept before moving on to the next area of study. “The biggest benefit from eLearning is the flexibility that students receive. They are able to work at their own pace and spend more time on concepts that they are having more difficulty with prior to continuing to the next cumulative unit of study. Having a solid understanding of each concept will assist in the success of a student and the ability to experiencing difficulty will increase their level of achievement,” explains e-School teacher, Celeste |  |
Schofield. Students agree. “E-learning is convenient. It fits my scheduling needs. I can learn at my own pace,” said Nicholas Harris. Harris is among one of more than 6,000 students who have earned credits through Ottawa Carleton e-School since its inception.
“Students are preparing themselves to work in an environment which is rapidly expanding into everyday living. Students will complete their e-School course aware of their abilities to organize, plan and effectively implement personalized learning in the online environment. A skill that is going to be key going into their post-secondary education or even directly into the workforce,” concluded Levesque.