President Evans announced his intention to offer more online and hybrid programs at OCU. This initiative has emerged as many courses moved to both formats in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many were able to become fully virtual, some courses still required in-person activity while others were able to become asynchronous. Students were able to work at their pace to meet assignment and test deadlines through the online D2L course platform.
Helen Gaudin, Interim Provost and VP of Academic Affairs explained some more on President Evans online initiative. “The initial launch will occur with two programs launching in August 2022,” Gaudin said.
Gaudin said there are two fully online programs being offered with this initial launch, and both are offered with OCU’s Kramer School of Nursing. The two initial programs are the RN-to-BSN program and the MSN program, which is a Master’s of Science in Nursing. Both programs will be offered fully online with the initiative after it launches in August.
Other academic programs are currently being examined to determine whether or not they could be offered fully online as well, but those decisions have not yet been reached regarding programs other than those of the Kramer School of Nursing.
In April, promotions of the two initial programs will begin for the public. Information about coursework and online program tuition costs will also be available to the public in April along with promotional materials. Gaudin noted that tuition costs and coursework related to online programs will not affect other OCU academic programs already in existence.
The shift to online classes reflects a shift to a more commonly remote workforce after the COVID-19 pandemic. Miriam Ortega, Assistant Director of Career Services at OCU, explained the shift to remote work and its relation to remote and virtual learning.
Ortega said that when the pandemic began, many companies recruiting students canceled internships and in-person positions due to the need for quarantines and mitigation. “As the world tried to get a grip of the situation, we saw an increase in remote opportunities than ever before. Our students benefited from being able to work from their homes and keep internships/positions that were not based in Oklahoma City,” Ortega said.
Though many areas have begun a return to pre-pandemic life, some changes to remote operation have remained in place. “A lot of filled positions never transitioned back to working in person and have remained remote,” Ortega said. Some of the most common career fields which have maintained remote work status include “tech companies, human resources and recruitment, operations, e-commerce, insurance, graphic design/marketing/social media, legal based work, and statistical work.”
Ortega also explained that many companies in varied career fields have begun promoting work-life balance, and offer hybrid work formats where employees may alternate working remotely and in-person based on personal needs. “Some companies have expressed the need for reliable internet connection and computer access that would be the equivalent to reliable transportation,” Ortega said.
Asked about the largest challenges with online programs for learning, Ortega said that some students have expressed that their social skills feel limited after two years of remote learning being so common. “I foresee this to be a big challenge for some of our students,” Ortega said. Additionally, some students have felt challenged by a lack of connection to company recruiters and potential employers.
Career Services is responding to these challenges by offering online networking activities, such as the Virtual Career Fair. This virtual opportunity allowed students to connect with company recruiters and learn about skills for the professional environment. “Although they can be seen as challenges, I’d like to think of them as opportunities, opportunities to keep us innovating and improving,” Ortega said.
Leave a Reply