Red Deer College has developed a plan that aims to safely welcome more in-person learners for the fall 2021 term.
Minister of Advanced Education Demetrios Nicolaides recently said with the majority of Alberta adults expected to receive at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by July, post-secondary schools can go back to in-person learning in September.
In addition to more students being on campus in the upcoming fall term, RDC will continue to offer online, blended and hy-flex course and program delivery options. Hy-flex delivery allows students to select on-site or online learning, where possible.
“Our students are excited about the increased on-site learning opportunities for fall term, while still having the ability to choose from several course delivery options that best meet their needs and circumstances throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said Kylie Thomas, RDC academic and research vice-president.
“This past year, our faculty and staff have done a tremendous job adapting their teaching to a variety of delivery models to safely and effectively meet our students’ academic requirements.”
In some instances where hands-on learning, such as shops and labs, are key components of the educational experience, students will need to attend the college’s campuses in-person.
Dr. Peter Nunoda, RDC president, said the post-secondary institution is excited to welcome more students back on campus.
“As the COVID-19 situation has evolved, we continue to offer the same breadth of programming and valuable learning opportunities to our students,” Nunoda said.
For the fall term, students will have the option to utilize the college’s services online and in-person from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
RDC’s residences have remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students can apply to live in one of several residences located on the college’s main campus for the 2021-22 academic year.
The health and safety of RDC’s students, faculty, staff, and visitors remains paramount in the college’s planning, RDC said in a statement, adding the institution continues to monitor the pandemic and adjust its operations accordingly.
“It has been very impressive to reflect on how our college and community have been resilient this past year and continue to collaborate and persist through the challenging times of the pandemic,” says Nunoda.
“With everyone’s diligence, we will continue to work at keeping everyone in our college community safe by following Alberta Health Services (AHS) and RDC health and safety protocols.”
On April 20, students will be able to view RDC’s 2021-22 timetable, which will identify the method or choice of delivery of courses, labs, shops and seminars for fall term. Current students can begin registering in courses starting on May 4. RDC’s new students can start to register on May 18.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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