Sheridan College retooling curriculum to accommodate online learning

Sheridan College is working to retool its courses to better accommodate online learning. 

In order to avoid compromising students’ education during the pandemic, Sheridan’s faculty members have faculty retooled, rethought, and reorganized nearly 3,000 courses and–with the help of Sheridan’s Centre for Teaching and Learning–ensured they could be delivered remotely. 

Additionally, now that the winter semester has concluded, Sheridan faculty members are working on adjusting curriculums to support alternate/remote course delivery for the duration of the Spring/Summer semester, which begins on May 19.

In order to assist faculty members with this task, Sheridan’s Centre for Teaching and Learning, and Library Learning Services have provided an online guide, which provides tools and insight regarding an approach that is both relevant and rational for Sheridan students. 

“This guide is a timely addition to the curated suite of services provided to faculty to support ongoing excellence in teaching as we adapt to the evolving learning context,” Marian Traynor, director of Library and Learning Services at Sheridan, said in a news release. 

“The guide is designed to provide an accessible, well-researched and comprehensive overview of tools and practices that will continue to drive student engagement and learning outcomes,” she continued. 

The guide, which is built on classroom practices and pedagogies, highlights Learner-Centered Principles for Higher Education as an organizing framework–principles that have broad applicability to all teaching and learning contexts. 

“Quality and pedagogically driven curricula should not be measured or constrained by the medium, whether that be traditional face to face instruction or online delivery,” Janet Shuh, associate dean of Educational Development and Technology, said in the same release. 

These principles include: 

• actively engaging learners
• demonstrating empathy and respect
• communicating clear expectations
• encouraging student independence
• creating a teaching and learning community 
• using appropriate assessment methods
• committing to continuous improvement 

“As we navigate the challenges presented by COVID-19, we remain squarely focused on our students and the quality of their learning experience,” Sheridan’s President and Vice Chancellor, Janet Morrison, said in the release. 

“The integrity of Sheridan’s programs and our commitment to academic excellence is unwavering, no matter the medium or mode of course delivery. I want to applaud my colleagues for developing this guide as a tool for bolstering that promise,” she continued.