Trends in Adult Education

Trends we are seeing in adult education through the first few months of 2024

Housing Crisis:

The housing crisis in Canada is not new in 2024. However, we are seeing trends that lead us to believe that it could continue to get worse throughout the year. This is especially significant to students enrolling in colleges and universities outside of their hometowns. Here in Williams Lake, BC this crisis is a major limiting factor for students attending TRU WL, who are not from the Cariboo area. Our campus has done our best to house students by reaching out to locals and asking if they would rent out rooms to students, while also reaching out to rental companies to keep in mind new students coming to the area. The community has gone even further, linking with TRU WL to possibly build student housing near our campus. 

If you would like to read more please visit:

Housing Crisis in Canada

AI will become even more prominent: 

As everyone knows, AI is becoming more and more prevalent in 2024. With the creation of AI engines like Chat GPT in 2022, students have endless information and easy essay writing tools at the click of a button. This is a heated topic of discussion between educators. Is it good, or is it bad? Many seminars and workshops have been introduced on the good, the bad, and the ugly of AI. At TRU WL we have had multiple sessions based upon Al with multiple guest speakers. Being an electrical instructor this hasn't been much of a problem for me as AI information around electrical tends to fall toward the American side, that being said, I know that future students will start to bring AI into even my classrooms. 

If you would like to read more please visit: 

AI: Helpful or Harmful

Game based learning:

What a neat idea! With the improvements in virtual reality gaming, learning through gaming could be a tremendous step for adult education. At TRU WL we are in the process of updating our library to include a game-based learning center for students. 

For nursing this could mean having an Oculus gaming headset with haptic feedback that will allow students to see, feel, and hear the effects of  dementia. Along with a game program that would allow them to administer patient care drugs in a "real" way without needing live patients to practice on.  

For Trades this could be a great way to get familiarized with different electrical parts and materials. Having a game-based program that would allow students to take parts and materials from shelves and move them around the game platform. This could go even further, giving students a platform to practice their wiring and electrical skills outside of the electrical shop or jobsite.  

If you would like to read more please visit:

Game-based learning

Trends in the Electrical field pt. 2

One of the largest and most followed trends in the electrical field is the move toward electric cars. With our new global aversion to fossil fuels and combustion engines we are seeing a massive improvement in electric vehicles. Although electric cars are seen as a green choice, the process used to create the electrical energy for our electric cars may not be. If the electrical energy we use for our electric vehicles is produced by coal, the overall emission's can be comparable to a combustion engine. Please see link below for more information. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/02/climate/electric-vehicles-environment.html

(Source: https://digitalassets.tesla.com/tesla-contents/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/Homepage-Model-S-Desktop-LHD-6.22.jpg)

This has also led to many discussions involving our storage of electrical energy. Many electric vehicle manufacturers are using a lithium-ion battery. This lithium is recovered though traditional mining techniques, which can have long-term affects on the land it was mined from. Leading these electric car manufacturers to explore better, and more sustainable energy storage systems. As the science behind energy storage improves, so will our overall global carbon footprint. To explore these topics further please follow the links below. 

(Source: https://car-images.bauersecure.com/pagefiles/94766/bmw_i3_battery_electric.jpg)

https://www.androidauthority.com/lithium-ion-battery-alternatives-3356834/

 https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/10/three-ways-electric-vehicles-will-change-our-world/\

https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/lithium-in-the-world-1.6841339

Trends in the Electrical field pt. 1

The electrical trade has had a major uptick in the research, development, and sustainability of renewable energy. With the world pushing back on fossil fuels, it's more important than ever for renewable energy sources to be funded and backed by the Canadian government. There are a variety of ways this is being accomplished. 

Wind - Wind farms have been adopted primarily by the prairie provinces. Many are seen throughout southern Alberta. British Columbia has taken advantage where applicable, most notably in Chetwynd BC. Wind produced power, however, is not limited to wind farms, there are many different wind turbine kits for residential use. 

(Source: https://www.constructioncanada.net/albertas-largest-wind-farm-begins-operations/)

Solar - Solar electricity is an ever growing field, from the installation of solar farms throughout Canada like the 4,032 solar-cell modules installed in an abandoned mine in Kimberly BC (https://www.kimberley.ca/sunmine) to grants offered to Canadian homeowners installing personal solar cells by the Canadian government. Solar energy is becoming a staple in all new construction. 

(Source: https://thenarwhal.ca/old-mine-is-now-b-c-s-largest-solar-farm/)

There are many different renewable energy options available to both consumers and providers, but cost is our biggest hurdle to overcome. If you are interested in exploring these other options please follow the links below:

https://justenergy.com/blog/7-types-renewable-energy-future-of-energy/

https://iaeimagazine.org/industry-news/looking-ahead-the-2024-outlook-for-electricians-and-the-electrical-industry/

I wanted something more from life...

 My name is Mason, I'm the instructor of electrical on the Williams Lake Campus for Thompson Rivers University. I have been an electrician for 14 years. Cutting my teeth in Calgary, I worked for a company that was contracted to wire 100 custom homes a year. Chasing experience I went into the mining, milling, and oil and gas sector to gain knowledge in industrial processes. This led me all over British Columbia, northern Alberta, and even northern Ontario. My days in the field often left me feeling exhausted, grumpy and not much fun for my family to be around. Although this abundance of experience led me toward a career I take tremendous pride in, it also drove me to make the changes my family and I both required. This chasing of experience is what eventually lead me to Williams Lake, the home to the famous Williams Lake Stampede. 

                                  (Williams Lake Stampede) https://williamslakestampede.com/

Moving to Williams Lake has been an adjustment for both me and my family. When the instructor job for TRU was posted I applied as a way to gain experience in formal interview settings, never thinking I'd be considered for the position. When they offered me the position, my family and I thought this might be just the change we needed. Giving up the busy city life and settling down on 5 acres 30 minutes from Williams Lake in the community of Big Lake, BC. We have truly embraced the "Cariboo time" lifestyle. With an abundance of outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and outdoor adventuring my family has truly settled into this small, quiet community.