Teachers’ union calls on province to end mandatory e-learning in Ontario schools

A classroom is seen at an elementary school in Toronto on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) is calling on the province to eliminate mandatory e-learning courses in high schools, arguing the policy is inconsistent with efforts to reduce screen time and distractions in classrooms.

The union says any changes to cellphone restrictions in schools should be paired with changes to mandatory online learning requirements.

“We’re calling for the elimination of mandatory e-learning in Ontario high schools,” said OSSTF/FEESO President Martha Hradowy. “Right now, students are required to take one e-learning course. And we are, in fact, seeing the expansion of more options for e-learning and we at our staff think that that is absolutely the wrong direction to go.”

Ontario students are currently required to complete at least one online learning credit to graduate, unless they opt out.

OSSTF argues the policy was introduced as a cost-saving measure rather than an educational benefit.

“This is just a cost saving measure for the government. It’s not what is best for kids,” Hradowy said. “What’s best for kids is in a classroom, in person, engaging with the teacher.”

The federation says online courses are funded differently than in-person classes, allowing for larger virtual class sizes.

“In-person classes are funded at 23 students per teacher, but virtual classes are only funded at 30 students per teacher. And that’s baked into the funding formula,” explained John Bernans, District 11 and Teachers’ Bargaining Unit president.

The union also says mandatory e-learning undermines the province’s push to reduce classroom distractions caused by technology and cellphone use.

“I think it’s entirely inconsistent with this idea that students are getting too much screen time and there’s distractions from electronics and saying that they have to take two e-learning classes,” Bernans said.

Bernans adds teachers support reducing cellphone distractions in schools, but says the current rules are not being enforced consistently.

“It’s absolutely true that cell phones are a distraction for students,” he said. “Even if it’s off and face down, it’s still a distraction. So certainly supportive of that. But there does need to be a more consistent rollout and more consistent support for teachers for implementing it.”

Students, meanwhile, had mixed opinions about virtual learning.

“Personally, I do more work in-person school, so if I was online, I probably wouldn’t care as much,” said Grade 9 student Gunner Croghan.

Another student, Landen Ryder, says he is considering taking online courses next year because of the flexibility they offer.

“I was thinking of doing that next year, for two of my courses,” Ryder said. “I was going do at least like one in the morning so I don’t have to come to school as early, and I can do them whenever I want in the day.”

Grade 11 student Ayush Darjee says he prefers in-class learning because it is more interactive.

“Prefer in class because it’s like more hands on and I can just see the stuff,” Darjee said.

OSSTF says it will continue bringing forward recommendations to the provincial government and at the bargaining table focused on improving learning conditions for students.