Online learning has been around for some time, but the current pandemic has pushed the format squarely into the spotlight. Call it online, synchronised, blended or any other name being used for virtual learning, fortunately ACAP is no stranger to these delivery modalities.
Yet, despite all that experience, moving the entire college to virtual delivery was not an easy task. So many stakeholders to consider. So much technology to get working. But, most importantly, so much work happening in the background to ensure continuity of the students’ learning experience.
Additionally, we began to hear from some students that ACAP was their only stability during the turmoil of lost jobs, social distancing and uncertainty about what will happen next month, next week or even tomorrow.
Making a change is challenging, but especially on the scale we witnessed at ACAP during the transition to virtual learning. But, what quickly became apparent was the formation a new type of partnership via collaboration between the college, educators and students.
One and all were putting as much effort as they could into making it work . ‘One ACAP’ as Dean Craig Ellis called it, when I asked him what he’d found to be the most thought-provoking moment of the college’s pivot to virtual delivery. Not necessarily curriculum related, he said the most thought-provoking aspect for him was the genuine commitment of the staff – academic and professional – to making fully online delivery work - for our students and teachers alike.
Craig stated:
“Everyone in the College contributed and worked longer than normal hours so that our students’ studies would not be disrupted any more than absolutely necessary by the imposed social isolation rules. The way the College pulled together in this unprecedented time of crisis helped to reinforce for me that we are indeed One ACAP.”
ACAP’s General Manager George Garrop response was that for him, it was the need to stay connected with colleagues. “In times of intensity and crisis, it is easy to default to process and leave the humanity behind, but we all work better connected with each other, and for the staff and students at ACAP our focus was on creating forums for continuous connection during this period. This continues to this day as we make plans to return to physical connection” George said.
There is still a great deal of work to do, improvements to be made and partnering needed to weather the storm. We are still a while away from reaching calmer waters with little certainty as to how long it will take to get there. People, including everyone that works for the College and the students, will continue to be impacted by the current situation in one way or another.
The best partnerships are created in rough times. Our hopes are that ‘One ACAP’ is not only here to stay, but will be built upon with vigour and reaffirmed purpose to provide a world class learning experience and instil confidence into the new wave of human services professionals that are needed now more than ever before.
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