EDUCATION

Local community college students returning to class

Gavin Stewart
The Gaston Gazette
Gaston College Instructional Technology Specialist Karen Duncan demonstrates how to use Canvas on a Clear Touch Interactive board ahead of the upcoming college semester.

Two area community colleges are scheduled to conduct in-person and remote instruction starting this month.

At Gaston College, almost every class will be a hybrid of in-person or remote learning – what Gaston College refers to as Plan A. The first day of school is Aug. 20.

However, Gaston College has other implementation plans set up in case the spread of COVID-19 becomes a greater risk across the campus.

For Gaston College students who don’t feel comfortable learning in the traditional setting, they can sign up for a remote version of the class under the same instructor.

Teachers can teach both groups of students in real time while using either a camera or Clear Touch Interactive display – similar to SMART Boards – as well as several other popular educational programs, including Blackboard Collaborative and Zoom.

Gaston College implemented a few Clear Touch Interactive boards when COVID-19 forced community colleges to switch to remote learning in March. The boards worked so well, the college ordered 64 more for the fall semester.

Karen Duncan, instructional technology specialist and professional development instructor at Gaston College, said the interactive boards are not only good for teaching, but also for checking in with students.

“You could start the meeting, come in early, let the students show their face if they want to, chat with them and break down the tension,” Duncan said.

Additionally, students who opt to learn remotely but don’t have internet at home can soon use several Wi-Fi hotspots across Gaston College campuses.

Hotspot locations on the Dallas campus include the north wing of the David Belk Cannon building, across the street from the new Vet Tech building, the student parking lot by the tower, the area between the Robinson and Rauch buildings and outside the Dalpiaz center. Wi-Fi will also be available in the parking lot near the Lincoln campus’ Cochrane building.

Aside from actual learning, students who come to class must have their temperature taken before entering a building, and students and staff must wear masks while in buildings and in areas where social distancing is difficult.

Gaston College President John Hauser said the college used CARES Act funding to purchase 100 handheld infrared thermometers, as well as 20 walk-up thermometers on pedestals in high-traffic areas on campus.

Additionally, students and staff must download a mobile app, CampusClear, to use as a daily screening for COVID-19. Every student given the OK will wear a sticker, which clears them to go to class.

“The purpose of that is to give us real-time data. So we can see if the health of our college family is not well, that’s going to be an indicator for us [that] we might need to transition Plan B,” Hauser said.

Under Gaston College’s Plan B, campus access would be stricter and remote learning would be utilized in as many classes as possible.

Plan B would also limit in-person instruction for public safety and health classes, as well as other programs deemed critical for COVID-19 response, according to Gaston College.

Under the college’s Plan C, no classes would meet in-person, and campus access would be limited to administrators and those who “support essential functions” of Gaston College.

“I’m confident in what we’ve done because we’ve researched it, we’ve talked to the medical profession, we’ve talked to our local hospitals, and I feel that we have provided a safe environment,” Hauser said.

The last day to enroll at Gaston College is Aug. 18.

At Cleveland Community College, classes are the same size as before COVID-19, but in most cases, students will alternate which days they come to class, which is similar to A/B blended plans that some K-12 school districts are using.

“If there’s 30 students in the class, half of them will attend on Monday if it’s a Monday Wednesday schedule, the other half would attend on Wednesday,” said Cleveland Community College President Jason Hurst.

“And when they’re not in class face-to-face, the remainder of that class would be a hybrid online component,” he continued.

Fortunately, many classes at Cleveland Community College were already being offered in an online-only format, and the college was already developing online versions of lab and hands-on based courses, such as biology, law enforcement and computer science.

“We are and we have purchased some simulation software that is about as close as you can get to actually touching the equipment,” Hurst said.

Career and technical programs, such as welding, carpentry or plumbing, or healthcare programs will be 100-percent in-person until simulation software becomes available.

The college strongly encourages students and staff to wear masks, especially where social distancing is impossible, but the college won’t enforce the wearing of face coverings, according to Hurst.

“But where it is possible, we’re trying to leave that up to the student and to the employee,” he said. “We’re trying to educate students and to say ‘hey, this is a smart thing to do,’ but we’re not going to the level of forcibly remove them if they don’t wear a mask.”

Cleveland Community College begins classes on Aug. 17, and the deadline to enroll in traditional fall semester classes is one week later.

Both colleges will have hand sanitizer placed in convenient areas, as well as provide students and staff with face coverings.

You can reach Gavin Stewart at 704-869-1819 or on Twitter @GavinGazette.

A community college student wears a protective mask due to coronavirus pandemic.