Two area colleges have announced their plans for instruction in the Fall. Lincoln Land Community College says that four formats will be offered at their campuses. LLCC representatives say the formats are designed to give student options for their preferred learning environment while keeping safety in mind. They will be offering the traditional face-to-face classes, traditional online courses, and two new options.
A remote course option will meet on scheduled days and times via Zoom or other online communication technology. Students and instructors in this type of course will interact online in real time. Students will access the course via the internet to view and participate in live lectures and activities. A flex course will be a combination of the three other styles, with the percentage of each style determined by individual faculty for the course.
Illinois College says that it will move from traditional classes at the start of the semester to remote learning after the Thanksgiving holiday break. The campus will also follow a revised academic schedule that includes staggered move-in dates for students and the removal of Fall break for a longer Thanksgiving break.
First-year IC students will arrive on campus before the start of classes on August 25th, the majority of other students will return over a staggered period, begin classes online for a week, and transition to in-person classes on August 31st. This arrangement will provide additional special opportunities for new student orientation and reduce the number of people moving into residence halls simultaneously.
IC officials say the remote instruction period after Thanksgiving will reduce the risks associated with students traveling throughout the country and returning to campus. Thanksgiving break has been extended to a full week, with the last day of face-to-face instruction at IC on Friday, November 20th. Students may choose to remain in residence on campus for the full semester.
IC officials say they expect a large enrollment this fall as many families are seeking smaller schools. Officials also say they will be actively seeking to reduce class sizes, commons areas in residence halls, and traffic at the dining hall. A more detailed plan is expected to go out to students later this month.
Illinois College’s announcement can be found here.
Lincoln Land Community College’s plans can be found here.