Monday, September 30, 2013

Access to Mathematics E- Learning Resources

Through my ABQ Math class I learned about Ontario E-learning resources at HTTP://resources.elearningontario.ca/d2l/home. I was very excited and spent many days exploring the database of very use full and student enriching activities and lesson plans that are very impressive. In my excitement I wrote to the Ontario Ministry Of Education E-Learning contact person asking for access to this remarkable source of information. Besides being informed that it is only for provincially funded school systems, I was also told that “Teachers and students in private schools are not deemed to be eligible users.” At this point a question kept flashing in my mind "Should knowledge be only accessible to “eligible users” or all Canadian Taxpaying Citizens should be allowed to access this resource.” Should teachers and students of private schools and students who are home-schooled, be allowed to benefit from Mathematics E-Learning resources such as available at OERB? I believe that all taxpaying Canadian Citizens should be allowed access to knowledge especially children and youth as they are very important members who contribute to strengthen their communities that they grow up in. No matter which school system they go to, the common goal is to educate our next generation of Canadians. I would like to initiate an intellectual discussion, if as educators we agree or disagree to this approach.