Page 22 - Eclipse - RVC Alumni Magazine - Autumn 2020

New term, changed campus
As a new term has been getting underway, teaching at the RVC is being transformed to meet our commitment to keeping our community safe. Changes to our campuses continue apace and RVC staff and students are doing everything they can to ensure that the risks of COVID-19 are minimised for all.
The RVC Resilience Commitment asks everyone to make a pledge to protect oneself and others.
Our Campus Services teams were
ready for the new term – the RVC
is keeping population density on all campuses at reduced levels, and the teams have introduced a series of safety measures across all buildings. Signage is reminding everyone of relevant safety measures: staff, students and visitors alike must wear a face covering and remain two metres apart, where possible. Teaching spaces have been assessed and spacing models have been validated, exam spaces have been reviewed and safety screens have been put in place where they can be across campus.
The RVC has extensive outbreak plans
in place, which have been submitted
to Government and has a robust track
and trace notification policy for staff and students both on and off campus, including the recent installment of QR codes.
To learn more about how the RVC
is adapting to COVID-19,
please visit our website: www.rvc.ac.uk/about/coronavirus
Teaching
Teaching on-site is limited to small group teaching, practicals and rotations. Much of the lecture-based learning has moved online to create a blended learning approach.
Changes that teaching staff have made to their personal teaching styles has been received with enthusiasm and energy and a new framework for the RVC’s approach to blended learning has been developed.
Blended learning, whether for a designated on-campus or off-campus cohort, is a shift in how we deliver our teaching, learning and assessment and
has necessitated a shift in some of our supporting administrative processes.
Over the summer, the teaching and course teams planned sessions and worked on timetabling live class-based events to ensure the autumn term is as seamless as it can be. Blended learning allows students flexibility with how they schedule their study time and interact with learning materials, at a time that is convenient for them. All our students are receiving guidance and tips on how to study online and online inductions are scheduled to continue throughout this term and in to the next.
Student Success Coaches are being recruited to provide both proactive
and reactive support for all students as they undertake new ways of learning. These coaches are recently graduated RVC alumni, who will be in contact
with our students using coaching conversations to support with learning and overall academic success, as well as imparting their invaluable experience and knowledge of studying at the RVC.
Our Learning and Wellbeing teams, along with our Access teams and
the Students’ Union have been busy designing programmes to induct new and returning students to study and university life. Freshers Week this year went online too! You can read more about Freshers Fair on page 37.
Kickstart induction includes sessions on how to learn online, tools and tips for how to plan study schedules, life skills sessions and much more. Five ways to be well follows on from this, with a series of live events and wellbeing sessions and projects running across the RVC and beyond.
Our campuses
As our community started to return to work and study, the RVC has done and is continuing to do everything it can to make our campuses a safe place to be. All returning students have been equipped with relevant PPE packs – these include masks, sanitisers, thermometers, visors and safety goggles, as well as detailed health and safety information.
Our international students arrived throughout September and October
and those from non-travel corridor countries were under 14-day quarantine procedures in their new accommodation. Our Professional Services teams have kept them entertained with a programme of events and ensured they were comfortable, informed and ready to join the rest of their classmates once their isolation period ended.
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