LAKELAND - While this week's virtual graduation ceremonies at Portage College will mark the end of courses for hundreds of learners, it is also the start of another round of virtual learning. Officials at the college —which has campus locations in Lac La Biche, St. Paul, Cold Lake and several Indigenous communities — announced last week that when courses start again after the summer break, they will be continuing the online format brought about in March due to the Coronavirus virus pandemic protocols.
“It is in the best interest of serving students to have a predictable plan,” said Nancy Broadbent, President and CEO of Portage College. “We will invest in assisting faculty to move from the emergency response that happened in the 2019-20 academic year, to a robust, engaging delivery with students for the fall. Making a decision for fall semester now will allow more time to further improve our virtual experience for our students."
Evaluation and discussions on the following semester, which begins in January of 2021, will begin in October.
Broadbent says the 26 post-secondary facilities in the province are making similar decisions for the fall semester. She told the POST on Friday that college officials are following the lead and instruction of provincial health officials in their decision-making process.
Since public health protocols to reduce the spread of the global respiratory virus forced the closure of classrooms, Broadbent says staff, faculty, students, board members and administration have been working to create "robust" online classes in an emergency situation. The virtual classrooms have been successful for the most part, says Broadbent due to the ability to "pivot" during uncertain times. More pivoting will be required in the coming months to provide a longer-term virtual plan.
"There is lots of high-level coordination planning to make it better for us in the long run," she told the POST last Friday, explaining that much of the virtual programming will stay as supplemental learning material for students even after classes re-open. "We will be keeping the online training, as there is a real value."
For students registering for the fall semester, Broadbent says there will be some program changes due to COVID-19 restrictions.
"I know the Heavy Equipment Operator program is delayed, and some of the trades, like pre-employment welding ... because they are mostly face to face courses," said Broadbent. "Our hair-styling course has also been delayed."
Overall, however, she says the vast majority of programs have moved to a virtual plan that will continue to provide "predictable" and "reasonable" learning. One class that has transitioned from hands-on to a temporary online version, is the college's Culinary Arts program normally offered from the St. Paul campus.
"Students are learning from home and working over video. They pick up recipe supply kits and work virtually," said Broadbent, giving full credit to staff and students for adapting to the forced changes. "Our instructors, for example have been phenomenal in their creative thoughts ... and our IT department has been busier than ever."
Where necessary, Portage will accommodate on-site labs in the fall through small groups and social distancing measures.
The decision to keep classrooms closed has affected some staffing positions, but the college president says only a small amount of temporary layoff notices have been issued so far. Some departments have been busy during the closure, she said, saying staff in the operations and maintenance have been taking advantage of the empty buildings to keep busy with pro-active maintenance.
Fighting for education
The resiliency of the students and staff at Portage is part of Broadbent's graduation message to the students at this Friday's virtual convocation. Her message to students is that their commitment to learning despite obstacles in some very uncertain times is similar to the resiliency shown by students more than 50 years ago who staged a 26-day sit in when the government said it was going to halt funding to the facility's training programs. The protest by the mainly Indigenous student group worked, and funding continued. Broadbent says it is that kind of resiliency and dedication to learning that she sees in current students who continue to learn despite the challenges of the COVID pandemic.
"They've shown it. They shown their connection to learning at Portage," she said.
Online grad night
Friday's convocation ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. and is open to the public. The ceremonies will include virtual visits from from local dignitaries as well as video comments from students and staff. Online meeting rooms will be available for 'class visits'.
In the last month, the hundreds of students graduating have been sent 'grad packs' that include their convocation cap and other ceremony keepsakes.
Access to the virtual graduation can be found at www.portagecollege.ca. The ceremony is expected to last an hour.
While it has all been a big change, Broadbent thanks those inside the college and the communities it serves for the continuing support.
"We have had a great level of engagement and support throughout the entire organization and in our communities," said Broadbent, adding that part of the college's corporate management identity has been revised to reflect that engagement. "The new value vision for Portage College is based around collaboration."
