Most TDSB students, parents and teachers don't want e-learning, survey suggests
The vast majority of people who responded to a recent Toronto District School Board (TDSB) survey don't support the province's plan to bring in mandatory e-learning courses for high school students, the board announced Tuesday.
In a letter to Minister of Education Stephen Lecce, TDSB chair Robin Pilkey implored the ministry to listen to the concerns of students, parents and teachers.
"It is also concerning that our students are now choosing their courses for the upcoming school year, with little to no knowledge of what your government's e-learning courses will look like, and yet it will be mandatory for them to not only take two e-learning courses, but to also succeed in them in order to graduate," Pilkey wrote.
"We fear this could hinder our students' achievement and well-being levels, and affect their graduation and post-secondary education opportunities."
The board says 5,000 people responded to its survey about the issue, including 428 students from Grades 7 to 12, 1,938 parents and guardians, and 2,730 secondary school teachers. It was conducted between Jan. 30 and Feb. 11.
When asked if they supported the ministry's decision to institute mandatory e-learning courses, 87 per cent of students said no, compared to 81 per cent of parents, and 97 per cent of teachers.
When asked if mandatory e-learning would benefit students, 67 per cent of students said no, while 21 per cent said they weren't sure. Sixty-five per cent of parents said no, while 18 per cent said they weren't sure.
Finally, 91 per cent of teachers said no, while six per cent said they weren't sure.
"I want to make it clear that the board is not against e-learning," Pilkey said in her letter to Lecce.
"However, our survey found that there are significant concerns among students, parents and teachers related to your government's plan for mandatory e-learning."
In a statement, Education Ministry spokesperson Alexandra Adamo did not answer questions about the survey's results, nor did she provide specifics about the province's plan.
"We remain committed to building a world-leading online learning system to strengthen Ontario students' competencies in the modern economy," she said in an email.
"We are proceeding with developing and implementing a made-in-Ontario program that will ensure student flexibility, technological literacy and a vast selection of courses, through two mandatory courses over the lifetime of a student's high school career."
E-learning has become a major issue in the ongoing labour battle between the provincial government and education workers, alongside class sizes and compensation for teachers. Thousands of students have been affected by rotating strikes across Ontario in recent weeks.
The province announced last year that it would require high school students to take four online courses to graduate. After considerable blowback, the government scaled that number back to two.
Students graduating in 2023-2024 would be the first cohort required to complete the two courses, selecting from options like Grade 11 biology, Grade 12 data management, and Grade 10 career studies.
adam.carter@cbc.ca
