A roaring comeback for FADIO
New collaboration agreement
Launch of the 2017 Partner Meeting program

Rimouski, September 13, 2017—Teaching establishments across Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine are proud to announce the renewal of their collaboration agreement to continue developing distance learning programs across the region.

This agreement, in effect until 2020, will enable establishments to further develop their distance learning projects at high school, college and university levels. A new partner, the Eastern Shores School Board has also joined the group. “It’s a pleasure to work with other establishments, as we have seen this project evolve since 2013, and having access to such a large pool of experts is something we can definitely benefit from,” said Howard Miller, President of the Eastern Shores School Board.

Affected by the evolution of technology, distance learning is at the centre of new education models. It’s an increasingly attractive option, and the variety of programs makes it very interesting for learners. To develop the population’s skills and to respond to the increased need for a qualified workforce, distance learning, through its flexible teaching method, is a very advantageous solution.

To counter the challenge of accessible training, given the demographic decline, establishments came together in 2013 for a project where they would share their skills, educational and technical resources to develop distance learning programs. The project titled FADIO (formation à distance interodres—inter-level distance learning, in English), enables educators across the region to improve their knowledge and competency in distance learning by sharing their expertise and establishing communities of practice. The group’s actions are based on five areas of focus:

• Developing training programs on the educational and technical aspects of distance learning for teachers, professors and professional educators;
• Promoting distance learning by sharing success stories;
• Techno-pedagogical and technical support from partner establishments;
• Creating communities of practice to share expertise;
• Developing research and experimentation projects based on innovative practices and new technologies.

“The partners invest so much in this collective project because they believe in it. The spirit of collaboration between the teaching establishments in our regions has developed impressively. Our establishments are no longer left alone to develop projects, whether for the implementation of a distance learning program or to buy equipment, we can always count on the support of our partners, which helps us make smart choices,” stated François Dornier, Director of the Cégep de Rimouski.

The 2017 Partner Meeting – A Program Showcasing Regional Expertise
On October 11 and 12, 2017 the Cégep de Matane will host the third edition of the FADIO Partner Meeting. This meeting, reserved for the employees of FADIO member establishments, is the chance to discover techno-pedagogic techniques linked to exploration and experimentation in distance learning. The rich and varied program showcases the leadership and professionalism demonstrated by teaching establishments in the Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine regions when working together for a shared goal. To ensure that the most people possible can attend this meeting, the workshops will be broadcast live online via this link:

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Source:
Mylène Simard, FADIO Coordinator
Telephone: 418-723-1880 ext. 2189
mylene.simard@cegep-rimouski.qc.ca

[About FADIO]

The FADIO group (formation à distance interordres—inter-level distance learning, in English) in Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine is a partnership between eight school boards, five CEGEPS, two institutes, and one university, which promotes the sharing of distance learning-related educational and technical expertise.

It was created to enable these sixteen teaching establishments to offer high quality distance learning programs across the region and to aspire to become a benchmark for its distance learning initiatives.