In 2021 and 2022 several projects at Trent received over $900,000 through the province's Virtual Learning Strategy (VLS) to develop and improve digital content and capacity. The results? Seven high-quality and expertly crafted open educational resources developed by Trent faculty and in collaboration with Trent Online, the Centre for Teaching & Learning, and students, instructors, and designers across the province.

Trent's VLS Open Educational Resources

• Exercise and Physical Activity in Indigenous Health by Dr. Rosalin Miles and Mitchell Huguenin
• Forensic Toxicology: From Crime Scene to the Virtual Lab by Dr. Sanela Martic
• Career and Workforce Readiness by Careerspace, Trent University
• Liberated Learners: How to Learn With Style by Terry Greene
• Understanding Homelessness in Canada: From the Street to the Classroom by Dr. Kristy Buccieri
• Knowledge Management and Communication: Ontario University Research Collaboration by Dr. Cathy Bruce
• Leadership for Nurses in Clinical Settings by Dr. Kirsten Woodend

Exercise and Physical Activity in Indigenous Health by Dr. Rosalin Miles and Mitchell Huguenin

Exercise and Physical Activity in Indigenous Health by Dr. Rosalin Miles and Mitchell Huguenin
This resource aims to tell the story of physical activity, exercise, and health in Indigenous communities. Divided into four main sections, learners will begin their journey by uncovering some of the history of physical activity in Indigenous health. Read the book.

Forensic Toxicology: From Crime Scene to the Virtual Lab by Dr. Sanela Martic

Take a virtual tour from fundamental toxicology through laboratory demonstrations to court cases that focus on analysis, interpretation and reporting of toxicological results in a forensic science context. Read the book. 

Career and Workforce Readiness by Careerspace, Trent University

As work-integrated learning becomes a key component of higher education in Ontario and with increased prevalence in university and college level learning, ensuring students are well-prepared in essential workplace skills to support successful integration into the workforce is essential. The Career and Workforce Readiness resource is an openly accessible, six module course that seeks to provide learners with the opportunity to practice, reflect, and develop the strategies they'll need to get started, refine their process, or put the finishing touches on current efforts. View the course.

Liberated Learners: How to Learn With Style by Terry Greene

Following in the footsteps of the Ontario Extend: Empowered Educator program is its predecessor, Ontario Extend: Liberated Learners. The original program worked to prepare educators to be better able to teach in a digital realm. The Liberated Learner seeks to do the same for the learners themselves. As such, the project has four modules: The Learner, The Navigator, The Collaborator, and The Technologist. Taken together, the modules aim to enable a well-rounded and ready-for-almost-anything post-secondary learner. For Learners. By Learners. View the resource.

Understanding Homelessness in Canada: From the Street to the Classroom by Dr. Kristy Buccieri

Have you ever wondered about why homelessness exists in Canada? This book brings together lived experience representation and the most recent research to explore homelessness in Canada, from a range of different perspectives. Readers are challenged to think about homelessness from various academic viewpoints, including the fields of Indigenous and Canadian Studies, Mental Health and Public Health Studies, Population Studies, Social Sciences, and Health Sciences. The authors pose seemingly simple questions and then, through the use of real life scenarios, embedded interview videos, artwork, and interactive activities, demonstrate how the answers are actually rather complex. "Understanding Homelessness in Canada: From the Street to the Classroom" is a must-read for Canadians everywhere. View the resource.

Knowledge Management and Communication: Ontario University Research Collaboration by Dr. Cathy Bruce

Researchers across the natural sciences, sciences, engineering, businesses, humanities and social sciences in Ontario are rapidly generating important findings and new knowledge as leaders in Canada and internationally. However, managing and communicating that knowledge is rarely part of formal training or ‘know-how’. Further, researchers may not have explicit strategies for connecting with industry and government partners to move the knowledge forward. Knowledge Management is an integrated approach to defining, structuring, retaining and sharing knowledge. It also involves networking, building community partnerships, and understanding market uses. Knowledge Management has at its core, the purpose of sharing knowledge in a strategic approach with the right partners at the right time in order to reduce overlap, inform policy and decision-making, and accelerate innovations. This project will involve eight higher education institutions working together to generate a series of learning modules that can be bundled for a professional development program and/or micro-credential for students and early career researchers. View the resource.

Leadership for Nurses in Clinical Settings by Dr. Kirsten Woodend 

This is a 12 module graduate level course to prepare nurses who are thinking of taking on leadership roles and for those who are already in those roles and would like to learn more about clinical nursing leadership and management. View the resource.