A careful start to the 2020 academic year : receiving students in the best possible conditions

After several months of closure, ENSTA Bretagne opened its doors once again at the end of August 2020. The teaching teams and support services have prepared for the students return, keen to provide them with complete and high level training. The main objective is to guide the students towards the professional world with just as much success as for the previous years.

The application of a strict and complete health protocol

From the month of June, a health protocol was drawn up ready for the new academic year. Published and sent to all the staff and students, it already provided for the compulsory wearing of masks in the enclosed spaces of ENSTA Bretagne.

This document has been regularly updated to include official instructions and to take into account developments in the epidemic. It includes general preventative measures for the entire campus, as well as specific measures for the restaurant, the multi-media library, the students’ building etc. It takes into account, all manner of places and situations possible.

Students are involved

All the health measures have been put in place with the help of the staff and the students. A prevention ambassador has been nominated in each group of 25 students, to help implement the preventative measures and enable the school to adjust spaces, material and practices immediately if necessary. All the students have been asked to bring their own computer or to borrow one from the school to reduce the use of shared equipment.

Teaching has been adapted

One of the biggest changes for the new school year has been managing blended learning groups. Whereas most students are present on campus, some are following lessons remotely. This is the case for some international students and other students who are shielding or in quarantine. Thus, the teaching staff has to teach both the students present in the room and those present on the internet at the same time.

Moreover, one half day per week and per cohort, the students follow lessons remotely to keep the initiative operational and to temporarily reduce the amount of students on campus.

Accompanying new teaching practices

For the teachers, new ways of working mean training and adapting certain teaching methods. Following feedback from their experience during the confinement period, the teachers are now mentoring and training each other.
Teaching manuals have been drawn up to help everyone use the new tools. There have also been training workshops created based on self-training with peer help. New tools enabling better interactivity have also been made available (eg.: Wooclap).

Investment in classroom equipment and continuous improvement of activities

About fifty classrooms have been equipped with audio-visual equipment enabling remote students to talk to their teacher and follow the lesson in optimum conditions. For example, the sound bars relay the sound as if you are there. Remote students cannot only talk to their teacher but they can also communicate with all the class, so that they do not miss out on anything in the lesson (student reaction, questions…).

The information technology support team are preparing should the health situation require a return to more extensive distance learning. The investments made in virtual equipment mean that software and major calculation capabilities will be available at a distance, enabling activities to continue, including research activities.

Beyond all these changes due to the health situation, ENSTA Bretagne is continuing to develop, as demonstrated by the different projects and activities in place for the new school year, proof of the recognition of the school by its peers be they academic or industrial.