Red Deer College has developed a plan for spring and summer terms that focuses on balancing learning outcomes and student choice with health and safety measures.
Students taking courses starting in May can learn through a combination of online, in-person and HyFlex delivery, where they may choose to attend in-person or online for their courses.
“Throughout winter term, we’ve had success offering courses through these delivery methods, so we will continue to build on that for spring and summer terms,” says Kylie Thomas, RDC vice president academic and research.
“For some courses, such as shops and labs where hands-on learning is required, students will need to be in-person on RDC’s campuses. For other courses, they will have a choice as to whether they will learn online or in-person. This element of choice is very important for us to offer students, as it allows us to meet them where they may be at during the pandemic, while also providing a pathway for their education.”
Spring term is often a time when students engage in practicum opportunities with partner organizations. This year, practicums will be provided for students through either in-person or online work experiences, depending on the curriculum requirements of a particular program and following Alberta Health Services’ measures.
RDC is collaborating with partner organizations and will be working with each practicum student to establish the most appropriate pathway for them to complete their practicum requirements.
Services for students will continue to be available through both in-person and online options throughout spring and summer terms. Faculty and staff will also continue to work in-person on campus or remotely, as required for their particular roles at the college. These measures will allow RDC to continue to plan for and limit the number of people on campus at any given time.
Everyone who comes to campus, whether students, employees or guests, is required to adhere to RDC’s enhanced health and safety protocols to help limit potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus.
“As we approach the one-year mark for COVID-19 impacting our college and community, it is truly remarkable to consider how much we all have learned and adapted,” says Dr. Peter Nunoda, RDC president.
“As an institution, our main goal is always to provide students with an education that will meet their goals and prepare them for the future.
“As we look to spring and summer terms, I am confident we can take all that we have learned to provide students with a high-quality education while also working together to keep each other safe.”
Details on course offerings for upcoming semesters are available on college’s website under timetable. The college is also actively planning for course and service delivery in fall 2021 term; additional details will be shared with students, employees and other college stakeholders by the end of March 2021.
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