Meet Dr. Karen McCloskey, Learning Strategist at Royal Ontario Academy

Effective online learning requires more than providing students with digital lessons and assignments. Courses must be carefully structured, academically meaningful and designed to help students understand how their learning connects to real situations and future study.

As Learning Strategist at Royal Ontario Academy, Dr. Karen McCloskey supports curriculum development, course quality and the design of engaging online learning experiences. Her work helps ensure that ROA courses combine appropriate academic expectations with clear instructions, meaningful activities and practical opportunities for students to apply their knowledge.

Educational and Professional Background

Karen holds graduate qualifications including a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy. Her professional background includes experience in curriculum development, instructional design, post-secondary education, consulting and educational quality assurance.

She has also completed specialized Quality Matters training, including professional development related to the review and improvement of online and blended courses.

This combination of academic study and professional experience supports Karen’s work in developing courses that are organized, engaging and responsive to the needs of online learners.

Karen’s Role at Royal Ontario Academy

At Royal Ontario Academy, Karen supports the development and review of courses across a range of Ontario secondary school subject areas.

Her work includes:

• Reviewing course structure and curriculum alignment
• Supporting clear learning goals and success criteria
• Improving lesson organization and student instructions
• Reviewing assessments, activities and course sequencing
• Promoting active learning and real-world application
• Supporting accessibility, inclusion and student engagement
• Applying quality-assurance principles to online course design
• Helping maintain consistency across ROA courses

Designing Meaningful Online Learning

Karen believes students learn most effectively when they understand both what they are studying and why it matters.

For this reason, ROA courses are designed to connect Ontario curriculum expectations with relevant examples, thoughtful practice and opportunities to apply knowledge in authentic situations.

Going Beyond Credits and Grades

What may surprise families most about Royal Ontario Academy is that our courses are designed to do more than help students earn credits or improve their grades.

We want students to understand why they are learning each concept, how it connects to real-life situations and how they may apply that knowledge in future studies.

This approach is built into ROA’s course design by Dr. Karen McCloskey and Lead Instructor Natasha Pomeroy. Together, they develop courses that emphasize meaningful application, clear reasoning and connections between curriculum expectations and the wider world.

Their goal is not only to help students succeed in high school, but also to prepare them to apply their knowledge with confidence in university, college, employment and other future learning environments.

A Commitment to Course Quality

Online courses should be reviewed and improved over time. Curriculum requirements, learning technologies and student needs continue to evolve, making ongoing quality assurance an important part of online education.

Karen’s experience in curriculum development, post-secondary education and online course review supports ROA’s commitment to developing courses that are academically strong, student-focused and suitable for contemporary online learning.

Areas of Expertise

• Curriculum development and review
• Online and blended learning
• Instructional design
• Course quality assurance
• French language curriculum
• Assessment and learning design
• Student engagement and active learning
• Inclusive and accessible education
• Faculty and instructor support

Supporting Academic Excellence at ROA

Karen’s work helps Royal Ontario Academy provide online courses that balance flexibility, academic rigour and meaningful student support.

Through thoughtful curriculum development and ongoing course review, she helps ensure that ROA students have clear opportunities to build knowledge, demonstrate achievement and prepare for success in post-secondary education and beyond.

Contact Dr. Karen McCloskey at karen.mccloskey@royalontarioacademy.com .