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TRU CLASSES

Online learning model likely to remain in place at TRU until COVID-19 vaccine is developed

May 25, 2020 | 4:07 PM

KAMLOOPS — Thompson Rivers University is planning to operate most of its courses online in the fall, and it says until a vaccine is developed, it will be much of the same moving forward.

TRU Vice-President of Administration and Finance Matt Milovick confirms all academic courses in the fall will be done virtually. There will be some in-person instruction for students who need more practical experience.

“It’s going to be primarily alternate delivery. Most of it will be in an alternate form, so a lot of online work,” noted Milovick. “There will be some stuff in class, so things like nursing, trades, some of the visual and fine arts. But if it’s theory-based, you can count on it being online.”

TRU says the model of online learning is the tentative plan for the winter semester as well, unless there are medical advances related to COVID-19.

“I think the general thinking is, unless there’s a vaccine, it’s going to be more of the same in the fall. We’re speculating. We don’t know that for sure,” said Milovick. “Certainly fall is definitely going to be primarily alternative delivery. Small classes if we have to have on-campus classes. Winter [is] anybody’s guess.”