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Houston Link to Learning offers study space to university students

Intends to help cope with virtual learning
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Houston Link to Learning will also have experience university students volunteer to help the first year students. (Houston Link to Learning photo/Houston Today)

Houston’s Link to Learning has launched a unique inititive for University students who will be attending classes virtually this semester.

Due to the pandemic, a lot of poeple are working from home and university students would also be taking their classes virtually instead of attending classes in-person.

“A lot of University students have chosen to stay home because they won’t be able to go to classes physically in University because the classes are all online anyway. So we had been hearing from the community of students who were in this position and how there were concerns of how that was going to be really hard,” Houston Link to Learning manager Marian Ells.

Ells, who herself has a university-going kid, and one who has just completed university studies, is well aware of the practical issues of studying from home. Apart from the several distractions at home, not having the usual cheerful university interactions would also be something that would be missing for this year’s university students.

“Some neighbors and friends of us were also talking to us about how they were going to miss the interaction in the university. At Link, we have a computer lab and we also have a conference room so we thought we could open that up and allow university students to potentially study there at times rather than at home,” she said.

She also said that a lot of students had told her that that studying at home was hard for them, including her own kids because of the many distractions at home.

“But coming somewhere here which is quiet mostly, and also would be more school-like could prove to be helpful for the students.”

Link to Learning just opened up the place and don’t yet have enough uptake but “the offer is there.”

“It is just a good place for students to study, work on their projects, together with physical distancing instead of studying on their own in their rooms. And we will stay open for the semester and see how it goes. If people are not wanting this then it is fine but it is not costing us anything to offer this service; we just feel it would be a good option for independent study where we don’t even need to supervise unless they need some help,” she said.

The centre also had a couple of volunteers who are in their fourt year of university or have just completed their university and are willing to come in and help the first years in terms of navigatings through everything and not through actual subjects.

Study times would have to be scheduled and sign up would be required. If students needs more information on the mentorship or the booking itself, they are encouraged to call on 250-845-2727 or email manager@houstonlinktolearning.ca.

“We would just like to offer this space to help students in some way through this tough time,” she said.


Priyanka Ketkar
Multimedia journalist
@PriyankaKetkar
priyanka.ketkar@ldnews.net


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Priyanka Ketkar

About the Author: Priyanka Ketkar

Priyanka Ketkar has been a journalist since 2011 with extensive experience in community-driven news writing, feature writing, and editing.
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