Returning to In-Person Learning: Questions, Tips, and Best Practices

It is that time of year: the days are getting shorter, summer nights are getting cooler, and we’re starting to think about back to school.

Getting things organized to return to the classroom is challenging in a normal year; this year, added layers of uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic mean that institutions and instructors may have to put extra care into their planning.

While rising vaccination rates and a lower number of cases mean fewer restrictions and more opportunities to learn in person, instructors still have a lot of questions about what post-pandemic learning looks like.

Is Canadian Higher Education Returning to In-Person Classes?

Across Canada, approximately half of post-secondary schools will offer in-person classes in the fall, while 30 per cent will offer online and in-person options.¹ After a difficult spring semester, it looks like many students will have the opportunity to learn in person again.

In Ontario, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities has advised post-secondary schools that they can offer in-person learning in the fall without social distancing restrictions or capacity limits, but a mask mandate remains in effect across many provinces and territories.² 

At the time of this post, only one university — Seneca College — is mandating vaccines for all students, while several have announced plans to require students living in residence to be fully vaccinated. Even if higher education institutions in Canada aren’t requiring vaccines, most are encouraging students to get their shot and even running vaccination clinics on campus.

Considering all these things, it seems like the 2021-22 school year will hopefully be a little more normal than last year’s spring semester.

What About International Students?

While travel restrictions are beginning to ease for international students returning to Canada, there are still barriers and considerations for international students heading back to school. Border closures and flight delays may prevent some students from arriving back in Canada for the fall semester, or even put extra financial and emotional stress on them as they learn. Here are some tips for supporting international students in your classes:

• Refer students to your school’s policy when it comes to vaccinations, quarantine, or safety protocols.
• Keep in mind this health crisis isn’t equitable. Students in countries with fewer resources and higher case rates might be powerless to return to in-person learning.
• Approach the situation with empathy. Some students may have been separated from their families for a long time or are busy trying to navigate confusing guidelines in an unfamiliar country.

5 Tips for 2021 Fall Session 

Whether you’re teaching a hybrid course or stepping foot in a lecture hall for the first time in over a year, here are some tips to help you teach effectively this fall:

1. Use technology to protect vulnerable students. Whether they’re immunocompromised or living with at-risk family members, hybrid learning courses can offer at-risk students a way to engage with classroom materials. Virtual office hours and online course materials give students safe, effective ways to connect with you and the class.
2. Give students a variety of options when it comes to learning materials. Lori Loeb, an associate professor in the University of Toronto’s history department, says that she’s keeping one thing from online learning: non-print educational materials. “I incorporated more video, podcasts, and audiobooks into my classes,” she says. “Students learned more. I’ll keep using books, of course, but I’ll also use multimedia resources that complement the printed page.”
3. Recognize that students are nervous and excited about returning to classrooms, too. “While some students will be excited to get back to normal, many students will be anxious — about the safety of their classrooms, about their stamina for long commutes, about their ability to concentrate,” says Loeb. One of her priorities is incorporating reassurance and flexibility into her fall courses so students feel supported and confident as they return to classrooms.
4. Follow best practices for teaching online. If we’ve learned anything over the past year, it’s that learning management systems and online tools like Google Docs give students and instructors more ways than ever to connect. Virtual office hours at different times, robust online discussions, a variety of learning materials, and clear guidelines are all ways to ensure students are successful whether they’re learning online or in person.
5. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. Everyone wants this school year to be a success, but the last year has shown us that normal is far from guaranteed. As you plan your courses, find ways to future-proof your teaching: providing flexible materials from the first class, making plans for a sudden pivot to online learning, or laying out a clear way for students to find contact info and course information.

This year is different than anything we’ve experienced before. “We’ve spent a year and a half living in fear and uncertainty,” says Loeb. “But moving forward means acknowledging the trauma of surviving a worldwide, once-in-a-century pandemic. We all have to prepare to be surprised by what we have learned as we re-enter the world.”

It seems that whatever the learning looks like, educators will approach it with the needs of their students, colleagues, and themselves top of mind.

^{[1] Jennifer Brown, “Canada’s colleges and universities roll out fall pandemic plans,” Course Compare, https://www.coursecompare.ca/covid-19-canadas-colleges-and-universities-roll-out-fall-pandemic-plans/}

^{[2] The Canadian Press, “Ontario’s universities and colleges told to prepare for normal fall — with backup plans,” CBC, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-university-college-covid-fall-measures-1.6108134}