(THUNDER BAY) – Contact North | Contact Nord today released its ten predictions for
online learning in 2020, which outlines ten patterns and trends it forecasts to
dominate online learning in 2020.

These bold predictions explore topics such as the increasing use of artificial
intelligence (AI) to provide 24/7/365 support to college and university students.
Computer-based assistants, known as “chatbots”, provide support to students on all
aspects of life on campus, including how to get help for a course, finding professor’s
office hours, assignment deadlines, exam schedules, how to apply for a scholarship,
where to pay fees, how to access health services and a host of other services.

Other topics explore how publicly available teaching materials, known as “open
educational resources” (OER), are reducing or eliminating the cost of textbooks for
college and university students. These materials are available to the public or have
an open license that permits no-cost use, adaptation and redistribution, and can be
incorporated into college and university course lessons and textbooks once
reviewed to ensure high quality content.

Click here to read the rest of the predictions.

While many of these predictions are focused on the global north (Australia, Canada,
European Union, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, South Korea,
United States), they will impact higher education practices all over the world.

The full text of Contact North | Contact Nord’s 10 Predictions for Online Learning In
2020 is available on its teachonline.ca portal, which provides information and
resources to over 275,000 faculty and instructors teaching online.