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Minor - Educational Studies

OverviewStudents sit in the couches that adorn Charles Hall's second floor. The four students in the foreground are smiling and laughing.

The Minor in Educational Studies is a fully online, six-course program designed to provide students with a foundation of educational knowledge and skills to complement their main program of study. This minor is available to students majoring in any other faculty at Ontario Tech University, and can be combined with various disciplines to prepare students for a career that involves training and education in corporate, governmental and non-governmental (NGO), community-based, and professional workplace environments. 

The Minor in Educational Studies: 

  • Promotes knowledge and skills to support graduates' careers in professional training and education. 
  • Offers multiple courses with convenient scheduling to complement your major program of study.
  • Is conducted entirely online, using virtual classrooms to maximize interaction, collaboration, and community building. 
  • Offers flexible scheduling, allowing you to study from anywhere in the world and to pursue your studies part-time or full-time. 
What is the online course structure? 

The courses available to students in the Educational Studies minor program are offered entirely online using virtual classrooms to maximize interaction, collaboration, and community building. A typical three-credit course is 12 weeks long and includes: 

  • Asynchronous work -- including short video clips and readings -- to provide foundational knowledge and spark inquiry before participating in class.
  • Weekly one-hour synchronous tutorials moderated by an instructor or teaching assistant in Zoom or Google Meet, drawing on the analysis and synthesis questions posed in the asynchronous work as the starting point for discussion. 
  • Online discussions in Canvas (a learning management system) or other asynchronous tools. 
  • Work on problem-based learning (PBL) with a collaborative team. 

Each student is expected to actively participate in the tutorial sessions by using their webcam and microphone, since it is easier to understand the ideas communicated by others when their facial expressions and body language can be seen, rather than just listening to them. 

What technology do I need? 

Students require access to a computer, preferably a laptop, with these minimum characteristics: 

  • A combination headset/microphone. External speakers are not acceptable as they tend to cause feedback noise.
  • Good quality Internet access (download speed greater than 20 Mbps and upload speed greater than 2 Mbps). 
  • Video capabilities with either a built-in or external compatible webcam. 
What software do I need? 

Your courses will make use of open-source software packages as much as possible. Each course instructor may also require the use of course-speaker software. 

The basic software required includes: 

  • Operating system: Windows 10 or newer, or MacOS X 10.6x or newer. 
  • Web browser: Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, or Microsoft Edge. 
  • Office software: Microsoft Office or Google Workspace (i.e., presentation, spreadsheet, and word processing applications).
How do I participate in the online virtual classroom? 

You will use videoconferencing software (e.g., Zoom or Google Meet). These programs allow you to actively participate in a real-time virtual classroom. 

What teaching approach do you use? 

Classes are highly interactive, collaborative, and use an inquiry or problem-based approach where "students, working in small teams, examine a problem, situation and, through this exploration, are expected to locate the gaps in their own knowledge and skills in order to decide what information they need to acquire in order to resolve or manage the situation".

Integral to our courses will be the application of foundational educational principles to workplace/K-12/community-specific contexts and problems to ensure depth and breadth of understanding. Understanding is further enhanced through exposure to contexts beyond students' own intended work/life environments.

What courses do you offer? 

Click on the Courses tab to explore our rich course selection. 

How many courses do I need to complete the minor? 

You must complete a total of six three-credit courses (18 credits in total) with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 to graduate with a minor in Educational Studies. 

How do I declare a minor? 

If you are interested in pursuing a minor in Educational Studies, please start by speaking with an Academic Advisor in your major faculty. They will be able to guide you on the best path forward! After speaking with an advisor, you can begin the process by completing the Change of Minor form through MyOntarioTech.

  • You require a total of six courses with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 to successfully complete the Minor in Educational Studies. 
  • View full course descriptions here. 
Core course (required): 

EDST 1000U - Foundations of Learning

Foundational courses (one required): 

EDST 1100U - Problem and Inquiry-Based Learning
EDST 2110U - Assessment for Learning
EDST 2150U - Teaching Methods
EDST 2500U - Foundations of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Elective courses (four required)*: 

EDST 1100U – Problem and Inquiry Based Learning
EDST 1110U – Foundations of Adult Learning
EDST 1160U – Digital Communication Technologies
EDST 1230U – Design Thinking and Visual Design for Educational Contexts
EDST 2110U – Assessment and Evaluation
EDST 2120U – Culture and Digital Technologies
EDST 2140U – Creating Digital Tools
EDST 2150U – Teaching to Facilitate Learning
EDST 2170U – Designing Inclusive Learning Environments
EDST 2500U – Foundations of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Education
EDST 3110U – Information Literacy
EDST 3120U – Workplace Learning
EDST 3160U – Developing Literacy
EDST 3170U – Developing Numeracy
EDST 4120U – Serious Gaming and Simulations
EDST 4530U – Social Justice Issues in Education
EDST 4140U – Instructional Design
EDST 4150U – Holistic Learning in Early Childhood Education

* Please review the Academic Calendar or speak with Academic Advising to learn more about course prerequisites. 

Documents: 
Websites: 

For general inquiries, contact edstudies@ontariotechu.ca 

Susan Snelling
Senior Academic Advisor
905.721.8668 ext. 2703
FEDadvising@ontariotechu.ca

Diane Tepylo, PhD
Program Director
905.721.8668 ext. 3763
diane.tepylo@ontariotechu.ca