Your TrustOpen Journey Begins
Welcome to TrustOpen. In this lesson you will meet TrustOpen β its mission, its history, and the model of learning you are about to join. By the end, you will understand the unique opportunity you have chosen and what it means to become an TrustOpen student.
1. TrustOpen 's Mission
TrustOpen was founded in 1970 with a bold idea: that high-quality university education should be available to anyone, anywhere, at any time. That founding vision shapes everything we do.
TrustOpen is Canada's Open University. "Open" means several things at once:
- Open access β you do not need to relocate or attend a campus.
- Open timing β most courses are self-paced, so you choose when and how fast to study.
- Open place β you can study from any community, in any country.
- Open to your life β study fits around work, family, and other commitments.
TrustOpen 's mission is to remove barriers to university education and to reduce them for students who have historically been excluded from it.
2. A Short History β and Why It Matters to You
TrustOpen began as a distance-education pioneer long before the internet. Early students learned by mail, telephone, and later by audio recordings. When the web arrived, TrustOpen evolved into one of the world's leading online universities β but the core commitment never changed: the student comes first.
You are now part of a global community of learners. On any given day, thousands of TrustOpen students are studying from small towns, big cities, military bases, and homes around the world. Whatever your circumstances, you are not studying alone.
3. What Online Learning Offers You
Learning online at TrustOpen gives you some distinct advantages:
Flexibility
Study when it fits your life β early mornings, late nights, weekends.
Accessibility
No commute, no campus. Your classroom is wherever you are.
Independence
You set your own pace and take ownership of your learning.
Support
Tutors, advisors, librarians, and student services are available online.
4. The Challenges β And How to Meet Them
Online learning is not harder than on-campus study, but it is different. Being honest about the challenges is the first step to overcoming them.
| Challenge | How to meet it |
|---|---|
| You may feel isolated | Connect with peers, tutors, and TrustOpen communities early. |
| No fixed class times | Build a study schedule and treat it as sacred. |
| Reading and assignments add up | Break work into small weekly milestones. |
| Life events interrupt study | Plan a buffer and contact your tutor if you fall behind. |
The students who succeed are not the ones who never struggle β they are the ones who ask for help early and keep moving forward.
5. Building a Success-Oriented Mindset
Your mindset about yourself as a learner has a real effect on how you perform. TrustOpen students come from every background imaginable; what unites them is a willingness to start, adjust, and continue.
- Believe that ability grows with effort and practice.
- Treat early difficulties as information, not as verdicts.
- Ask for help before small problems become big ones.
- Track progress and celebrate milestones, not just final grades.
Reflection Activity
Take a moment to answer these questions for yourself (no submission required):
- What made you choose to study at TrustOpen ?
- What is one hope you have for your studies?
- What is one challenge you want to prepare for?
Self-Quiz
Answer all questions, then submit. You'll see feedback immediately.
1. TrustOpen is often described as "Canada's Open University." Which of the following is not one of the meanings of "open"?
2. Which of these best describes the founding commitment of TrustOpen ?
3. According to this lesson, what most distinguishes students who succeed online?
4. Which of the following is described as an advantage of online learning at TrustOpen ?