WINNIPEG -- Fall 2020 classes are set to be held online at Red River College.
In an interview with CTV News, Aileen Najduch, Acting Vice-President, Academic for RRC said as the college looked ahead to the fall term, the decision had to be made.
“We need to let staff know, we need to let students know what the fall is. The only certainty that we have is that we can deliver in an online format. And we’re also doing a lot to make sure that we’re supported in doing that in a quality way,” said Najduch.
Najduch said that should public health directives change, some on-campus courses can be held.
“We had our health and safety folks go around and look at our classrooms thinking about the physical distancing rules. Likely those are going to be in place, what does it actually look like? How many students fit in a classroom? How many fit in a lab?” she said.
They will be very limited on the number of students allowed into in classroom and hands-on environments like labs she said. RRC will prioritize where students are in their programs. Students who had classes and practicum placements that were interrupted in March will be priorities.
“There were some courses and programs that were able to be fully completed. But there were some that couldn’t be because there was a key hands-on piece that was needed. So we’re looking already at what are those pieces that students might need in fact to finish a program and graduate,” said Najduch.
She added RRC isn’t the only institution that will be looking for work placements to send students to.
“If all of the institutions for example who deliver health-related programs are all of a sudden at the same time looking to put students into facilities, they can only accept so many students,” she said.
Another thing Najduch said they have to consider is students may be dealing with a very different home life.
“This fall is going to be a lot of looking at where students were at. What they need to complete their program and what is the best way possible to get them that,” Najduch said. “Instructors are coming in and filming themselves with equipment or doing demonstrations. “
She said they are working to protect students and staff from exposure to COVID-19.
“The world of work is now changing. Everybody has had to work from home. A lot of that is going to be continuing in the future, that ability to operate in an online environment. That’s not going to go away, so helping our students to be able to learn and also demonstrate and work in that environment is something they are going need and is valuable,” Najduch said.
