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Educational institutions have shifted their delivery models over the past year, finding ways to enhance programming in a safe and efficient manner. Logistical challenges had tested these institutions creating lasting change for the future of education.

With three campuses, nine career centres and numerous program sites in First Nation community, SIIT is accustomed to adapting program delivery based on environmental conditions. This agility has proven an asset as we’ve shifted programming over the past 12 months. We also understand that building community and fostering relationships are critical factors in our students’ mental health and academic success. With this knowledge in hand, we made the decision to keep as much in person instruction as was safely possible under the SHA recommendations. Throughout the 2020/2021 academic year, we have also provided additional attention to the IT literacy of our students so that when/if we have to transition to online learning, they have the tool to make that shift with as little disruption as possible to their studies.

I think the pandemic has given us the additional space to think creatively about the structure of programs. They don’t necessarily have to run in person, Monday to Friday, between 9am and 4:30pm. The successes of this year have shown that some alternative models do work for our students and their families. This experience will definitely influence program plans going forward.

www.siit.ca

Most programs begin with full-time in person delivery and then slowly transition to a blended model. This blend of online and in person takes many forms: some programs have in person classes Monday, Wednesday and Friday with online learning on Tuesday and Thursday; others move all theory to online learning and only have practical or hands-on programming in person with social distancing, PPE and reduced class sizes. All on campus programs have staggered start and end times to reduce crowding in common areas. Whatever the model, it has been gradually introduced to ensure no students are left behind.

In alignment with other post-secondary institutions in the province, Saskatchewan Polytechnic moved to a two-pronged approach—a combination of online/distance instruction for theory, and inperson learning for hands-on training that cannot be completed online—giving students the best chance of academic success in the ever-changing environment of the global pandemic.

Those structural changes are the short answer to how Sask Polytech adapted to the pandemic; the longer answer speaks to a culture of creativity and innovation. Our employees and industry partners have shown remarkable initiative and ingenuity in exploring ways to do things differently—from technological solutions that enable remote learning to innovative hands-on assignments allowing for alternative or at-home execution.

Sask Polytech has been offering limited in-person learning experiences where needed, following COVID-19 safety protocols that include small, in-person cohorts, social distancing and strict use of PPE. Where in-person delivery is not possible, programs have had to adapt—imagining, then realizing alternative, virtual work placements for Occupational Health And Safety program students, for example, and cook-at-home assignments for Culinary Arts students. In other cases, high-tech solutions, from virtual blood-cell slides for Medical Laboratory Technology students, to a partnership with technology platform Riipen, have meant hands-on learning could continue at a distance.

Business and industry have had to pivot quickly to virtual ways of doing things over the past year, and the pandemic, like any time of great disruption, has created new opportunities. Sask Polytech recognizes this and is ready to help individuals and employers upskill and reskill. Our new School of Continuing Education will help businesses ensure their employees continue to have the skill sets they need to stay competitive as their industries change due to new technologies, shifting demographics and other unpredictable factors. New and creative approaches to education delivery have been necessary this past year. These new approaches are a positive outcome Sask Polytech plans to build on for years to come.

www.saskpolytech.ca

April 1, 2020 SBC College transitioned 90% of classes to an online learning management system (LMS). While initially it was quite disruptive for students and staff, everyone has transitioned well to the LMS and “new norm.” Our ability to adapt was a testament to SBC College management team, Instructors and students. Many students have commented they enjoy the convenience of attending classes from home.

A few of our health care diploma programs (specifically the supervised clinical labs) must be taught on campus. We deliver in small group settings and it has worked out fine.

Absolutely. The global pandemic has accelerated what was inevitably coming down the road….the use of LMS’s as a tool to deliver post-secondary education. Some colleges were early adopters of the technology but others had to adapt quickly (back in April 2020) in order to remain operational.

Today’s learners desire flexibility where they take classes and on their schedule. There will always be a strong demand for “on campus” learning; however, we are experiencing a solid uptake in online learning inquiries. If a student has a good experience taking a single on-line class, it can be a gateway to a full diploma program.

On the flip side, students and staff have indicated they miss the informal group discussion and “one-on-one” aspect an in-person classroom experience provides.

www.sbccollege.ca

From the start of the pandemic, Saskatoon Public Schools has remained committed to making decisions with the safety of students and staff members as the priority. With the lockdown of schools in March, our school division had to swiftly move to remote learning. This meant not only setting up our more than 2,600 staff members for working and teaching from home, but to support our more than 26,000 students and their families to adapt to learning at home. A shift this massive would have normally required a year’s worth of planning, but our school division did it within two weeks.

With the reopening of schools in September, every aspect of school operations that staff members would do by rote needed to be reimagined. Staggered recess and lunch times were scheduled, school assemblies were conducted via Zoom, lessons moved outside, hand sanitizer took up residence beside pencil sharpeners, and virtual connections to families were fostered. Different ages of students provided different challenges. However, the return to the routine of the school day and to connecting with classmates and school staff has been overwhelmingly positive for students.

The pandemic has led to the full implementation of K-12 education through our Online Learning Centre, which previously only offered courses from Gr. 10-12. This was another massive shift in our work but one that was made possible through the innovative thinking of our educators and operational support of our information services staff. Online learning, especially for our youngest learners, relies on the engagement and support of families at home. While every school day includes a few hours of synchronous learning with the teacher, there is an equal portion of activities and assignments for students to complete on their own. Through online learning, and the experiences of our in-school teachers making connections with families virtually, our school division has a greater understanding of parent engagement in their child’s learning. Unquestionably, this is an area that Saskatoon Public Schools hopes to build on as we consider our post-pandemic operations.

www.saskatoonpublicschools.ca

Everything changed to some degree. We now examine everything through a safety lens. Online delivery of education accelerated significantly. Our Cyber School has been operating for 20 years, but the pandemic forced all of our almost 20,000 students and about 1,700 teachers to use online learning tools, some of whom had not used those tools much.

When we returned in the fall, in-class instruction changed significantly too. Educators have spent decades evolving past the “sit in your desk, eyes forward, take notes” model of education. The layers of safety measures are sometimes at odds with current teaching methods, so in some ways, it was a step back. Our teachers are amazingly creative, and students and families adapted incredibly well.

Early-years instruction probably saw the most change. Handson learning is critical for early development. We purchased more learning equipment so children don’t have to share resources, and we’ve adapted instruction to decrease contact with others. Other experiential learning opportunities were modified through that safety lens. We go through a lot of sanitizer and disinfectant to make sure equipment is clean and students are safe during handson activities.

The sudden shift to everything online forced us to get better at using tools—now! Some had used things like Google Classroom, but few in a remote-classroom setting. We’ve gotten pretty good at integrating tools at our disposal, and I can see us continuing that to make learning experiences better.

We’ve developed a lot of good relationships as we adapted. It may seem counter-intuitive, but I think the enhanced communication with families has developed a sense of community in ways. Working together toward a common goal improved relationships—with other school divisions, various levels of government, partners and the SHA—and I hope we’ll be able to maintain that momentum to advance education as a whole.

www.gscs.ca

St. Michael Community School students in Michif class.

Giving Saskatoon's business community a positive start to the new year!

With the arrival of a vaccine and the beginning of our economic recovery, the panelists shared their outlook for the year ahead and reasons to be optimistic.

Shawna Nelson Chris Dekker

Brendan King Evan Drisner

Big Ideas. Lessons Learned. Advice from those who have started up and started over. It’s all on tap in this series of social events where our business community comes together to hear from our city’s movers and shakers.

February's Season Premiere featured Wally Start from Bamboo Shoots as speaker and Fabian Minnema as entertainment.

One year since the COVID-19 pandemic has required all businesses to rethink how they operate, serve their clients and customers, and get their products and services to market. Doing so has presented new challenges never before seen, including the stress from working from home, working within remote teams, serving customers from a distance or moving products and services online. This has brought mental health and awareness to the forefront of conversations in the workplace. Leon Ferguson Heather Ryan Jana Danielson