Sask. universities looking beyond classroom setting
Online, blended programs can help schools grow, but challenges remain
Increased demand since the pandemic for more online courses and undergraduate programs has led the University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina to explore options beyond a traditional classroom setting.
Learning opportunities for students living in rural Saskatchewan and around the globe have opened up in recent years and continue to trend that way, school officials say.
“Certainly, it would widen our reach and our service to the province, which is really what we're here for, is to ensure that we are accessible and can connect to people in the modes and ways that they want to continue to study, while still maintaining that high-quality provision,” said Nancy Turner, senior director of teaching and learning enhancement at the University of Saskatchewan.
“I think that's one of the key benefits we can see in terms of connecting to learners wherever they might be located, so they can access the high-quality programming we have.”
The University of Regina has been exploring a partnership through the faculties of education, arts and media, art and performance, said Christie Schultz, dean of the U of R's Centre for Continuing Education (CCE).
“We're very much in the early stages at exploring the possibility, but we do see the interest and indeed demand for this kind of degree program, primarily from those three faculties,” Schultz said.
Both university officials acknowledge challenges faced by students and faculty when it comes to studying completely online.
Some courses require hands-on learning or specific tools and laboratories that aren't readily available or possible digitally. Schultz noted the lack of face-to-face social interactions.
“That's something, so far, we haven't been able to replicate online. That's one of the reasons I do think an online-completable degree might be ideal in many ways, but certainly we do love to connect with students in-person, and we observe that students really enjoy connecting with one another in-person on campus, too,” Schultz said. “I think that is truly one of the greatest challenges.”
Added Turner: “We learned a lot in the pandemic about both what was possible but also what some of the challenges are.”
Just like hybrid offerings in the workplace — where employees spend time in the office and working from home — blended approaches for more courses are being explored by the Saskatchewan universities.
For instance, Schultz said, some courses could allow for a semester in Regina and then a semester in a student's home community.
Programming like that is appealing to Moosomin's Sunnette Kamffer, who as a first-year kinesiology student at the U of R enrolled entirely in online classes.
Kamffer said she took online courses because she likes being at home around family, her boyfriend, her farm, her dog and her work. Moosomin is approximately 225 kilometres east of Regina.
“Everything I love is here,” she said.
Kamffer thinks a mix of in-person and online courses offers the best of both worlds. Financially, that's appealing since it would allow her to continue living mostly at home. Socially, she would get chances to experience what university life has to offer.
“I also think that would come in with experiencing the big city and getting to know what it's like being there, rather than just doing everything online. I think that's important to at least get away from home to experience that,” she said.
Looking at a variety of ways to offer classes “certainly has been driven by the needs of our students, but also the fit with the academic program,” Turner said.
“We know there are some programs where there's a need for hands-on learning, where the learning outcomes can't be achieved fully online or are certainly more challenging.
“So it's both ensuring that we are maintaining that high-quality learning experience, and we are providing the type of learning that will allow for achieved outcomes while also responding to the interest and needs of students and service to the province, in terms of the type of provision we have.”