Holland College adjusts to part-time student model

Teachers at Holland College are using the extended Christmas holiday break to prepare for a big change at the college.

Students haven’t yet started classes, so instructors like Brent Nicholson are figuring out the details of a new approach that sees programs broken down into a series of semester-long courses.

Some of the courses are open to any student at the P.E.I. college.

Twenty-six programs have converted to the new model this year and the college hopes to have another 16 switched over by the fall of 2017. 

“It's a little harder on us at least initially to get used to the idea of part-time students, reshaping our material into really obvious courses that begin and end at a semester,” Nicholson said.

“Now that we are semestered and have a course-base model, there might be the opportunity to pick away at the paramedic program, instead of coming and being gone from the workplace.”

For decades, most of the college's programs have been set up differently. Welding students, for example, haven't had much freedom to choose courses. 

They've all followed a rigid schedule together to graduation. 

More flexibility

But the college's director of adult and community education says that model doesn't work for a lot of potential students. 

“There's a pool of learners that are keen and looking at upgrading and different skill sets and want to be provided opportunities, but also have to work," Natalie Mitton said.

"[They] need to be provided opportunities where they can come take courses at non-traditional times or not committing to full time.” 

Instructor Errol Affleck is also preparing for the new approach.

“I've been able to revise my syllabus, adjust some of my learning activities, and kind of feeling that I've got everything a little bit tighter before we start next week when the students arrive,” Affleck said.

Jessica Praught is hoping to enter the college's nursing program. She said the new approach makes a lot of sense. 

“The flexibility in just being able to maybe have the extra time outside your courses to have a part-time job, because going to school isn't free,” she said.