Making Dreams Come True St. Clair College Adopts New Delivery Methods STORY BY MICHAEL SEGUIN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY ST. CLAIR COLLEGE
Clockwise from above left: St. Clair College President Patti France; students in the Mechanical Engineering Technician program: Rahul Prabhalcar (goggles), Pamela Elijah (green jacket), Mahammad Abrar Vohra (glasses) and Jagjeevanpal Singh (white mask); Hairstylist student Stephanie Nelson; the new St. Clair College Sports Park.
be happy to return to traditional delivery when it is safe to do so.” That said, Patti admits, there are some skills that can only be taught in a hands-on environment. “While lectures will continue online in the fall semester, during the early spring we developed the ability to deliver some of our essential labs, workshops and clinics in-person,” Patti states. “We worked with 21 other colleges—Colleges Ontario and the Ontario government—to develop a pilot project for practical skills that required the completion of vocational learning outcomes.” As part of this pilot project, the entire college went through a rigorous assessment process. “We did a thorough assessment of every single program, including apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships,” Patti explains. “Every classroom. Every lab. Every area of the institution. This was to ensure the safety of our students and staff for face-to-face activity was possible. The assessment also included a comprehensive analysis of every course to determine the best blend of virtual learning opportunities. We’re designing everything to be flexible and accommodating.” As a result of this thorough process, St. Clair College was able to provide some students with on-campus learning opportunities over the summer. “We have about 500 students right now,” Patti states. “Almost all of the postsecondary students who have been with us over the summer were individuals in the final year of their studies at the end of 2019/2020 or during the spring semester. We also have
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PATTI FRANCE WAS FIRST HIRED at St. Clair College in April 1987. Since then, she’s been witness to countless seismic shifts in the postsecondary education system. However, in terms of sheer impact, nothing could equal the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, as the fall semester approaches its September 21st start date for most programs other than Health Sciences and BSCN, Patti reflects on how her institution has adapted to these unprecedented times. “The pandemic has changed our fundamental delivery method from in-person classes to online ones,” Patti explains. “We had a crash course in that when the pandemic first occurred in the spring. Windsor’s first outbreak happened during our March Break.” St. Clair College navigated the changing circumstances with astonishing speed. Within five working days, the faculty converted all classes to online instruction. “I have to commend our students as well,” Patti states. “They recognized the severity of the situation and they adapted to those changes. Online education is certainly not our preference, but its effectiveness is certainly not to be underestimated. Today’s technology does allow it to be highly interactive.” However, Patti notes that the current situation is far from ideal. “Reception has been mixed,” Patti admits. “Some love it. Some absolutely love it. But some don’t. Some want the face-to-face interaction. Everyone learns differently. Some really enjoy the freedom of online learning, while others find it very difficult. We will
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