In a world where access to education remains uneven and prohibitive for many, online learning is emerging not simply as a convenience, but as a necessity. In this context, online education must be more than just a digital delivery method for traditional learning frameworks. It has the potential to be a pillar of accessibility, a transformative tool for inclusion, and a powerful means of cultivating the kind of human intelligence our rapidly evolving world demands.
Making Liberal Arts Education Accessible to All
As transformative as it can be on a personal and societal level, getting a university education can pose a series of barriers for many people. Geography, financial limitations, institutional silos, and rigid program structures have made it difficult for many learners to engage with its potential benefits. The University of Ottawa Faculty of Arts’ new approach to online learning is designed to address those barriers by reimagining the way liberal arts education is developed and delivered.
In 2022 I took a secondment in the Office of the President to lead my university’s digital transformation in teaching, research, knowledge mobilization and lifelong learning. Working with campus colleagues and in collaboration with external partners in government, the private sector, and leading universities, I witnessed first-hand an enthusiasm for new paradigms for learning, and at the same time a determination that higher education remain a public good, and that our use of technology serve the needs of society. Informed by this experience, I returned to the Office of the Dean to implement the digital strategy in our Faculty of Arts.
Together with Marc Charron, Senior Advisor to the Faculty, Strategic Initiatives, we launched a series of initiatives, such as a Learning Futures Fund, open to all full-time and part-time professors, to create a living laboratory for learning where we could continually adapt and improve how we teach, using technology not to replace thinking, but to expand it. We also launched a new campaign promoting “Human Intelligence” and videos featuring our own uOttawa students.
The new programs, courses and workshops are being developed to reach a broader range of learners, from all backgrounds, ages and life paths. These offerings are not reserved for full-time, on-campus liberal arts majors; they are accessible to lifelong learners, working professionals, STEM students, and anyone with a desire to think critically and creatively about our world and our future.
The Liberal Arts as a Force for Inclusion and Opportunity
Liberal arts education helps students make sense of complex human experiences. It provides tools for ethical reasoning and critical thinking, cross-cultural understanding, and civic engagement. In a diverse and interconnected society, these are foundational, enduring tools that help us succeed. Bringing these benefits to a larger audience, through a combination of approach and technology, is vital.
Online platforms enable us to meet learners where they are, both literally and intellectually, while a more inclusive approach takes into account who they are. Whether a student is working full-time, parenting, living in a remote community, or simply exploring new areas of interest, they can now participate in a conversation about art, identity, power, and resilience. This shift allows for more diverse perspectives in the (virtual) classroom, enriching the dialogue and deepening the learning for everyone involved.
A Foundation for the Future
By expanding online offerings, the University of Ottawa Faculty of Arts is doing more than making education accessible, it’s laying the foundation for a more empathetic, resilient, and thoughtful society. Our commitment to cultivating human intelligence is grounded in the belief that the liberal arts are not just relevant in today’s world, they are essential. By making arts education accessible, equitable, and innovative, more learners are invited into the conversation. This new approach to online learning will empower individuals to reflect, imagine, connect, and contribute to co-creating a better future for all.