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AHOSKIE – Giving students options. That’s what it’s all about at Roanoke-Chowan Community College (R-CCC) as the campus rolls out new smart technology in six classrooms and labs– just in time for the spring 2021 semester to kick off in January.

The smart technology will consist of an 86-inch SMART Board, a laptop docking station and Dolby voice camera in each of the classrooms. Instructors will use their laptops to connect to the equipment and to the college’s learning management system with integrated web-conferencing tools.

The result will be classes that can be conducted both in-person and online at the same time. This type of instruction is called synchronous learning, a process that enables students to engage in learning activities in real-time simultaneously, regardless of physical location.

“This equipment will give our students greater flexibility in how they attend class. For those who are comfortable attending class in-person, they can do that. For students who would rather connect online, but would like the interaction that a face-to-face class provides, now they can join that way, too,” said R-CCC Director of Distance Learning Melanie Temple. “It really provides maximum choice for our students.”

R-CCC faculty members are embracing this new style of instruction.

“The ability to offer classes to students wherever and whenever they need them is very exciting. This technology can be a real difference maker for our students,” said English Instructor Dr. Peter Pellegrin. “This blending of face-to-face and online is the new direction of higher education, and as an R-CCC faculty member, I am proud that the college can now offer this to our students.”

Courses will be created in the learning management system so that students have access to the same course materials and assessments. Instructors will conduct synchronous courses much like face-to-face classes, meeting during certain days and times as outlined on the course schedule.

“This is exciting for our campus and for me as a distance learning professional,” added Temple. “As with many institutions this year, R-CCC had to move most courses online last spring due to the coronavirus pandemic. In preparation for spring 2021, we want to provide more options to our students and help them achieve their educational goals in a whole new way.”

For more information about R-CCC online or synchronous learning opportunities, contact Temple at metemple7181@roanokechowan.edu or call 252-862-1242.