Texarkana College has outlined four specific options students can use when attending classes this upcoming school year, whether from home or on-campus.
Each has its own quirks, but they all have the same purpose of positioning students in a situation for them to learn.
Flex Campus
The flex campus option allows students to decide whether they'd prefer to attend class physically or virtually.
There will be a rotation of students on campus, based on the maximum class occupancy.
Students can decide to attend virtually on any day they please, but those who do want to be on campus can do so only if the number of students doesn't exceed this maximum capacity.
TC vice president of instruction Donna McDaniel said if there are 30 students in a Monday-Wednesday class, but the maximum occupancy is 15, then one group of 15 can attend on Monday, while the other 15 attend on Wednesday.
"Regardless of whether you're on-campus or virtual, you're going to be attending class in some type of manner both days that you're required to come," McDaniel said. "It's just easier to explain in a scenario situation, because there could be various options."
Maximum class occupancies will vary, depending on the size of the classroom.
For on-campus students, there will be a screening process to ensure student safety. This will include a drive-through with a series of questions, a disposable check-in bracelet and a temperature check. Buildings will be monitored to ensure students are wearing masks, have their bracelets from the drive-through and apply hand sanitizer.
For more information on TC's COVID regulations, visit https://www.texarkanacollege.edu/coronavirus/.
Hands-on Hybird
This option is mostly for students who are in courses that require more hands-on learning, such as health sciences. The process will give students the opportunity to operate in labs and other practical methods provided in courses, while in small groups, and while following social distancing guidelines.
Most class instruction, however, will be delivered online.
"These courses require hands-on lab work," McDaniel said. "So for these students, there's not an option for them to not come to campus for this hands-on learning and practical testing,"
McDaniel also mentioned that lab rooms for these courses might tend to be a bit bigger, allowing for a higher maximum occupancy rate.
Online on a Schedule
The Online on a Schedule option will be for schedule-oriented students, who want to adhere to a normal, school-day schedule, but prefer to do so remotely.
Students will use Microsoft Teams, a program similar to Zoom, to stream classes and lectures on a specific schedule.
McDaniel said these classes will go on as if they were in-person, but just presented from a webcam.
"We've had the summer to prepare and we have lessons learned," she said. "Now we want to provide more engagement."
Online Anytime
Online Anytime learning is the most flexible of the options, which allows students to work from home at their own pace.
A completely online option, students will not come on campus with this method.
McDaniel said this shouldn't be difficult to implement because they've had similar options to this available before the COVID-19 pandemic occurred. She also said that those who are working from home must have the necessary equipment available to be present for virtual classes. .
"One of the factors that was not allowing us to do what we would've liked to have done in the spring is that students didn't have computers or access to technology," she said. "Moving forward, a requirement of the courses is that you have a computer with camera and microphone access, and the ability to run (Microsoft) Teams."
TC's website shows that Dell laptops are available in the bookstore for approximately $600, which may be purchased using financial aid.
"The reason we went to the class options is listening to what our students and faculty are saying," McDaniel said. "You have a spectrum of how people feel about COVID-19. Some people are very conservative and very concerned, while others are very liberal on their feelings about it and less concerned. So we wanted to provide options for our faculty and students for these various delivery methods."
TC's fall semester begins Aug. 19.