Saturday March 14, 2020 ~ VICTORIA
by Mary Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
Camosun College is open but now transitioning to alternative delivery for the rest of the semester.
In an update sent this evening at 8:15 pm from Camosun College President Sherri Bell, it was stated that students can finish the semester and be assured they can continue their program.
The new measures apply to all programs including continuing education courses and will be in effect until April 24, which is also the end of the winter examination period. This date is subject to review.
Here is the full statement:
“Thank you for your patience and understanding during a very challenging and complex time. Camosun College continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation and is taking measures to keep students and employees safe,” wrote Bell in her message.
“Camosun’s COVID-19 Response Coordination Team and Deans met today to discuss additional measures on how we can maintain social distancing on campus to minimize close contact with each other. We continue to align with the guidance from the Provincial Health Officer and are working with the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training. At the same time, we want to ensure students can continue their education or training and complete the winter semester.”
“Camosun will be transitioning from face-to-face instruction to alternative instruction and assessment as part of measures to support social distancing. Instructors will be in direct contact with students regarding transition and be available on campus on Monday,” said Bell.
“It will take time to transition. Transition will look different for each instructor based on what they teach and learning outcomes need to be met. With more than 160 different programs, hundreds of Continuing Education courses and programs that are not on the semester system that all use a variety of instructional formats, a single approach to completion of courses and exams would not be appropriate.”
“Instructors are asked to plan the most appropriate alternative delivery method and assessment for their students using their own professional judgement. Instructors are also asked to communicate their plans for completing courses and assessment to their students as soon as possible and to their department chair by Friday, March 20, 2020.”
“Instructors can choose how to best deliver their courses such as email and/or tools from Camosun’s eLearning capabilities including:
· D2L to post content, upload video or audio.
· Collaborate Web Conferencing to meet with students virtually in real time.
· Kaltura video streaming to create and post videos to D2L.
To assess whether learning outcomes have been met, during this time, instructors can do the following, while ensuring consistency across courses:
· Change the weighting of assignments or tests to determine a final grade.
· Assess remaining assignments that do not require in-person delivery or attendance.
· Add a new assessment component.
· Determine a different way of assessment to an in-person final exam.”
“The Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning has published Guidance for Remote Instruction.”
“The new measures apply to all programs including continuing education courses and will be in effect until April 24, which is also the end of the winter examination period. This date is subject to review.”
College services and supports
“The college campus, services and supports will remain open and available to students, while taking measures to support social distancing. We realize that this is a very stressful time for many students and employees. Regular supports are still up and running such as counselling and access to computers at the library to name a few. All the services that students count on remain available.”
“The Centre for Accessible Learning can assist with providing services and educational accommodations for students with a diagnosed disability.”
“We know that these new instruction and assessment measures will require some adjustments for students, staff, deans, chairs and instructors. Thank you to everyone in our college community for your ongoing cooperation, flexibility and understanding. We can get through this by working together. Our focus remains on the health and safety of our community and ensuring our students succeed.”
“The most current information and FAQs for students, employees and campus visitors are posted and regularly updated on the college website at camosun.ca/covid19 “
Camosun College has two campuses in the Greater Victoria area, Lansdowne and Interurban, which serve about 19,000 learners each year in upgrading, certificate, diploma, bachelor’s degree, post-degree diploma and continuing education programs.
==== NOTES:
The University of Victoria has also announced their shift from face-to-face to alternative means of course delivery, in a message from UVic President Jamie Cassels dated March 13, to be effective Monday March 16 for all classes.