eCampusOntario and York University's Glendon College are embarking on a new strategic partnership in support of the Camerise communities, a province-wide initiative dedicated to the retention of French as a Second Language (FSL) teachers and the strengthening of professional development in French as a Language of Instruction (FLI) across Ontario.
This partnership is grounded in a shared commitment to supporting the Francophone and FSL education community through the development, sharing, and long-term sustainability of high-quality Open Educational Resources (OER) that reflect the realities of Ontario classrooms.
"This partnership reflects our commitment to providing meaningful, practical support for French educators across Ontario. By working with York University and the Camerise communities, we are helping ensure that useful, open, and classroom-informed resources are easier to find, use, and adapt over time." Robert Luke, CEO, eCampusOntario
Expanding access to sustainable French-language resources
At the core of this collaboration is the integration of nearly 150 Open Educational Resources developed by the Camerise communities into the eCampusOntario Open Library. This integration will significantly improve the visibility, discoverability, and reuse of resources designed by and for FSL teachers, teacher educators, and researchers.
As a provincial infrastructure dedicated to open education, eCampusOntario helps ensure the long-term sustainability of these essential resources while supporting their adaptation and reuse across the K-12 and postsecondary education sectors.
Building capacity and leadership in open education
The partnership also includes the upcoming development of a micro-credential in open education practices and OER creation. Co-developed by eCampusOntario and the Camerise Communities team, this initiative will equip teachers, trainers, and educators with the skills to co-create open content and to sustain open education and open pedagogy as collaborative, ethical, and lifelong professional practices within a networked community of practice that fosters innovation within the French language teaching profession.
This work supports a triangulated collaboration model that brings together teachers, trainers, and institutions, helping to align research, initial teacher education, professional development, and classroom practice.
A tangible impact for the Francophone and FSL education community
Through this partnership, the education community will benefit from:
- centralized access to high-quality open French-language resources;
- tools that support ongoing professional learning, inter-institutional collaboration, and the sharing of practice;
- a dynamic ecosystem that enables continuous improvement of resources based on classroom feedback.
"The Camerise communities were created in response to a real need for collaboration, support, and shared learning among French-language education professionals. The partnership between York University's Glendon College and eCampusOntario allows the extended reach of this collective work and ensures that these resources remain accessible, relevant, and closely connected to everyday teaching practice." Dominique Scheffel-Dunand - Project lead of Camerise communities
Over time, this initiative will contribute to improving the quality of French-language teaching, supporting teacher retention, and offering learners more authentic and engaging language learning experiences across the province.
