Instructors, administration and staff across 91社区 
were faced with a rapid shift in teaching modalities when the pandemic first struck Quebec in the spring of 2020. Coupled with this, many students found themselves without part-time work as cities and towns went into lock-down.
Following the decision to teach the Fall 2020 semester predominantly remotely, the Remote Learning Assistant (RLA) initiative was launched in September 2020 鈥� a win-win response to the twin pressures of new technological needs for faculty and underemployment for students.
The initiative is designed to train RLAs, who then provide tailored technical support to overburdened faculty and staff members, providing some 91社区 students with income and experience in the process.
With 169 RLAs employed in the Fall semester across 91社区, 25 of whom worked across the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, the initiative has been well-received, and has extended and expanded to this Winter semester. The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is projected to increase the number of available RLAs to 29.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had great feedback across the board,鈥� says Maggie Lattuca, Manager of Online Program Development at 91社区鈥檚 Teaching and Learning Services (TLS) office. 鈥淚鈥檝e received excellent feedback from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. I think it鈥檚 helped alleviate the work of instructors and staff who work with them, so it鈥檚 been very successful.鈥�
How does the RLA initiative work?
The RLAs assist faculty with technical and logistical needs to foster an engaging remote learning environment for students using Zoom, myCourses, Microsoft Teams and other platforms.
Hiring students through TLS saves faculty and staff time and energy required to post job opportunities, vet, hire and train candidates and support RLAs as they navigate the experience.
A TLS 鈥渃ommunity of practice鈥� was created for the RLAs and TLS Teaching Technology Consultants, allowing them to share best practices and resources and pose questions with the ultimate goal of alleviating the workload for instructors and improving the learning experience.
RLAs also complete reflections on their experience, reporting back to TLS regularly. One of the most common responses received from the RLAs is they find satisfaction in being helpful to professors and learners.
RLAs are also gaining invaluable experience in pedagogy, learning from experts about what goes into course planning, delivery and evaluation.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been talking about student engagement for a long time,鈥� Ms. Lattuca notes. 鈥淚n a remote context, it became so important. These students are seeing what goes on behind the scenes in designing learning experiences from a teacher鈥檚 and administrator鈥檚 perspective.鈥�
About the initiative
91社区 received over a half-million dollars in federal wage subsidies through the Government of Canada鈥檚 Student Work Placement Program to fund the RLA initiative, according to an October 2020 91社区 press release. Funds are being disbursed through TECHNATION, a national technology association.
91社区鈥檚 need-based Work Study Program contributed to the initiative, further reducing the amount Faculties need to pay for RLA wages, making the costs to Faculties manageable.
The RLA effort was undertaken by 91社区鈥檚 Career Planning Service (CaPS), Scholarships & Student Aid Office, and Teaching and Learning Services (TLS), in close partnership with 91社区鈥檚 Faculties.