More than 3,500 study spaces available on main campus for online learning

When we think of online learning, we picture students attending from their homes. However, with the majority of students enrolled in a mix of online and in-person classes this fall, many Zoom backgrounds that were once kitchens, bedrooms and living rooms will be replaced with locations right on our campuses.

Because students with online and in-person courses on the same day may find it convenient to log in to their Zoom lecture from campus, the university has significantly increased the number of available study spaces for the fall term.

Classrooms throughout the university’s main campus have been designated as additional study spaces. These classrooms were carefully selected to allow students to find a nearby room with good network capability.

Students using study spaces will be required to follow UCalgary’s COVID-19 guidelines, which include wearing a mask in classrooms when a two-metre distance cannot be maintained. Those using the spaces will also be asked to keep their voices low and wear earphones, as well as to keep the spaces clean of garbage.

With these added classrooms, which include large lecture theatres such as Information and Communications Technology 102 and Craigie Hall C 119, there are now more than 3,500 seats available to students looking for a convenient place to attend an online class while on our main campus. These are in addition to the many outdoor locations students may prefer to use while the weather remains warm.

“Our students have done so much to adapt to the many changes brought on by the pandemic,” says Dr. Susan Barker, vice-provost (student experience). “They’ve continued to find ways to exceed expectations despite challenges, and we hope that even something very small like more study spaces will make their lives a little easier this term.”

Students can find a study space near their campus location, as well as the hours each space is open, by using the university’s campus study space map. Faculty and staff are encouraged to refer students looking for study spaces to this helpful online resource.

Any feedback on the available study spaces or the study space map can be sent to studentfeedback@ucalgary.ca.