The LearningHUB, Avon Maitland District School Board

The LearningHUB Website
Organization: 
The LearningHUB, Avon Maitland District School Board
Geography: 
Online
Sector: 
School board-based program
Stream: 
Anglophone
Change Makers: 
Mary Ellen Foran
Mary Ann Doyle
Vanessa Yeats
Heather Robinet

The LearningHUB is an innovative and successful model for online training in the literacy and essential skills field. Since October 2007, the Centres for Employment and Learning of the Avon Maitland District School Board have been offering online literacy training programs through the LearningHUB as part of MTCU’s (Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities) e-Channel Strategy Initiative. They are one of four e-Channel leads on this initiative. Others include Sioux Hudson Literacy Council (Native stream), CAF Plus (Francophone stream) and College Sector Committee (ACE Distance Delivery). The Deaf stream e-Channel delivery is still in development. All e-Channel lead agencies are supported by Contact North and AlphaPlus.

Since its inception, the HUB has served over 3,052 learners and sees an average of 15 new registrants every day. Through careful tracking, they have seen over 69% of learners meet their goals at exit. Their success is due to effective marketing, staying connected with literacy agencies across Ontario and the quality of their exciting programs.

The HUB offers literacy, basic and essential skills upgrading through flexible learning options that include live classes online, independent study or a mix of both. Their programs have been especially relevant for rural and/or remote learners who make up 42% of their registrants, and displaced workers, who make up 17%.

Watch the staff video to hear what the staff have to say about their unique learning environment. 

Change Action: 

The staff at the LearningHUB have been busy making connections with people they met at the conference and sharing resources. Given that so many of their learners are referred to them by other literacy agencies, these connections are especially important.

The online marketing and social media tools featured at the conference have proven highly useful for the team at the LearningHUB. They began accessing Facebook and Twitter to do learning activities with students and, over the next few months, plan to use new tools such as Aztec to further their work.

Staff Video: 
See video

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