May 1, 2014 | British Columbia

Students at 26 campuses will be equipped with tablets by end of summer 2014

Vancouver, BC – May 1, 2014 – The career training programs at CDI College continue to evolve. By end of summer 2014, more than 5,800 students at 26 campuses across the country will be using tablets as one of their primary learning tools.

CDI College first introduced tablets and e-textbooks in 2011 at campuses in BC, Alberta and Manitoba. With many advances in tablet technology, the college launched pilot projects at campuses in Surrey, BC and Ajax, Ontario to further integrate the tools to create a richer learning experience for students.

Along with access to course material via the Learning Management System, students have a personal computer they can use anywhere. Students can complete their lessons and work on projects at any time, making it easier for them to keep up if they can’t attend classes. In addition, they can complement their studies and access additional resources, including videos, presentations, apps and webinars.

“They make it a lot easier for us to learn,” said Marlene Bromley, a Practical Nursing student at CDI College’s Surrey campus. “You can make more detailed notes, using pictures and highlighting things. I like the splitting of the screen so I can read PowerPoint presentations and create flash cards as I go, instead of switching back and forth because that’s really time-consuming.”

Students also have greater connectivity with their classmates, instructors and school. There is more opportunity for virtual collaboration. The technology also makes it easier to accommodate students with different learning styles in the classroom. Instructors can take lessons deeper by augmenting curriculum with additional materials, sharing PowerPoint presentations and providing support and feedback when needed.

Students will also improve their digital literacy, enhancing their academic performance and acquiring essential transferable skills as tablet tech becomes more widely used in the workforce.

“Our main goal is to prepare students with the skills and experiences they need to be successful throughout their careers, not just when they graduate,” said Dr. Bohdan Bilan, vice president of academics and regulatory affairs at CDI College. “We want to make sure our students master the tools they’ll use when they graduate and develop the skills they can rely on in the future as technology evolves.”

For more information about programs at CDI College, fill out the form on the right.