College will maintain big online presence

Mountain Empire Community College announced Monday that most of its spring 2021 courses will be offered online to protect the safety and welfare of students and staff.

Programs such as welding, manufacturing, commercial driver’s training, construction, HVAC and others that require face-to-face instruction will be configured for smaller class sizes to allow for social distancing. Additional cleaning and sanitizing protocols will be implemented in these classrooms.

For students enrolled in health programs, such as practical and registered nursing, respiratory therapy and others, the college will ensure that students have the necessary safety equipment (personal protective equipment) to complete coursework and practicums.

All courses will have some online content, others will be entirely online, and some will be a combination of in-person and online (hybrid offerings).

In-person advising sessions will be held at the college to support students wanting to enroll, or who need assistance with advising and financial aid. A schedule for these sessions will be announced at a later date.

MECC will continue to support online learners, including assessment of online learning readiness, career exploration, tutoring, advising, online testing, etc., in a virtual format. In some instances, for face-to-face courses, this may require a modified schedule to address safety concerns and comply with safety requirements.

Online courses will be offered in various formats. Some online courses, which are synchronous offerings, are structured to meet at specific times on tools like Zoom, just like a traditional in-person class, so students can engage with their instructor and classmates together. Others offer a chance to learn material at one’s own pace to complete assignments or take exams by specific deadlines in faculty-facilitated courses, or asynchronous offerings.

For more information or to apply to enroll, call 276/523-2400 or visit www.mecc.edu.