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LU looking into providing most classes online in fall 2020

Several Canadian universities have already announced they're going this route
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The "bowling alley" hallway at Laurentian University, seen here in a file photo, might be mostly empty this fall. (File)

Laurentian University says it's looking into how it can provide the majority of its classes through online distance learning in September amid announcements by several other Canadian schools that they're moving mostly online for fall 2020.

“I think what you'll see the sector in general tending towards would be that,” said Serge Demers, Laurentian's interim vice-president, academic and provost, in an interview with Sudbury.com. 

“I think there is so much uncertainty right now in terms of the power of the virus, and what the situation will look like come September, and what the health unit will permit us and not permit us to do.”

Sudbury.com reached out to Laurentian University, Cambrian College and Collège Boréal to look into their plans for the fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

All three said a final decision has yet to be made on how classes will be delivered, as officials are currently working out the details. Both Laurentian and Boréal said they expect a decision by late May.

Demers said Laurentian staff are currently working in conjunction with the university's faculty association on the matter. A decision then has to be made by the university's Senate.

Just to recap, students at Ontario colleges and universities were forced to finish out the school year online in March and April due to the pandemic. 

The spring semester has now started, and with COVID-19 ongoing, classes are still entirely online.

Canadian Press reports that in recent days, several universities — including McGill University, the University of British Columbia and the University of Ottawa — have unveiled broad plans for the fall that centre on offering classes primarily online.

In Montreal, students at McGill will see classes delivered largely through remote platforms, while the French-language Université de Montreal said only a few courses or parts of courses will take place on campus. Concordia said it is still finalizing its plans for the fall.

Larger classes will be held online at UBC, the school said, with a select number of smaller classes conducted in person in accordance with physical distancing and other guidelines.

Demers said Laurentian is also looking at allowing “a certain proportion” of its students to return to campus for instruction in instances where there's a larger need for face-to-face interaction and hands-on activities.

He said there are aspects of certain programs that don't lend themselves well to online learning, an example being nursing students learning medical procedures.

When classes moved online in March due to the pandemic, it was more of a “trial by fire” for instructors, Demers said.

Those teaching spring session classes had about a month to prepare to teach online, if it wasn't already an online class.

For the fall, “my feeling would be with three or four months' notice, faculty members will be able to really get a grasp of what the possibilities are for this new mode of teaching,” he said.

As for enrolment, Demers said there are actually a healthy number of students currently taking spring session courses.

Spring session students tend to be existing Laurentian students, however, he said.

As for fall 2020 enrolment, Demers said that’s an unknown right now, as registration doesn't open until next month.

“I think the big potential dip will come from new students not materializing come the fall on campus, virtually or physically,” he said. 

That dip could include international students — an important source of revenue for universities and colleges — as travel is made difficult due to the pandemic, Demers said.

Canadian Press reports a survey released Tuesday suggested a significant number of students are rethinking their plans for college and university due to the financial impact of the pandemic, as well as concerns over limited support and the comparative quality of remote learning.

The survey, which polled more than 1,000 prospective and returning post-secondary students, found 30 per cent said they might change their plans about enrolling this fall.

Half of respondents said the pandemic has made it more difficult to afford tuition and living costs, according to the survey commissioned by the Canadian Association of University Teachers and the Canadian Federation of Students.

-With files from Canadian Press 


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