Covid 19 coronavirus: EIT continues programmes through online learning

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Hawke's Bay's Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) has not cancelled any courses and is working to continue programmes digitally and online.

An Academic Business Continuity group was established to work through temporary adjustments to ensure delivery and assessments could continue through the lockdown so students would remain engaged.

There is also a working group that addresses student hardship issues and, from April 15, EIT students will be able to apply for a one-off Covid-19 hardship grant.

Library and Learning Services continue to offer students learning support from home.

"Staff have been impressive in the ways in which they have continued to work with their students, whatever their circumstances, to support them in their learning," EIT's acting chief executive, Bill Kimberley, said.

"Staff are focusing on keeping things flexible and straightforward, using a wide range of delivery methods and online tools including platforms like Moodle, Google Classroom, Skype for Business and Zoom, and delivery methods such as discussion forums, online quizzes, voiceovers with PowerPoints, vlogs and many more."

EIT has identified staff and students who are in need of computers to work from home and couriered out the first wave of 40 laptops last week.

"While most students have been able to adapt quickly to the new style of learning, there are also some who have had no access to the internet and/or devices.

"There are also students where family responsibilities and digital literacy have impacted on their ability to study at this time".

Programmes such as the business and computing programmes have been able to move quickly to online learning, but some programmes require significant hands-on learning, backed up by theory, Kimberley said.

Those programmes are concentrating on the theory component of learning, leaving practical or applied aspects to be addressed when on-campus teaching can resume.

Glenn Fulcher, Head of School for Tourism and Hospitality, said that the cookery teaching staff were encouraging learners to feed their bubbles.

"We may be contributing to the national shortage of eggs, sugar and flour, but man, some of the goods are looking fantastic," he said.

He also recognised there was a limit to what could be done online, and that attention would need to shift to how to manage the extra work required once campuses re-open.