By Lily Snow, Staff Writer
9 a.m., you start the school day by logging into your first of many Google Meets. You do the same thing from 9:50 to 10:35 a.m., and again from 10:40 to 11:25, then one more time from 11:30 to 12:15.
Whether you are logging in to “attend” class in a live meeting or just completing posted assignments, the scheduled class times and clear deadlines contrast sharply with the spring semester’s chaotic online learning experience.
The challenges faced in the spring when the coronavirus sent students home was one of the reasons it was such a tough decision to make as to whether Dare County Schools’ students would go back to in-person learning in a hybrid model in August.
“The district did a great job over the summer exploring every possibility and spent a great deal of time gathering feedback,” Principal Chuck Lansing said.
There was no way to please everyone with that decision to stay fully remote – or the one made by the Board of Education on Oct. 1 that will bring 6-12 students into school buildings two days a week. Everyone has a different idea of what would be best.
“So now we can ease back into it and be smart,” said Jessie McClary, who teaches Adobe Visual and Video Design and Game Art Design. “We’ve seen other mistakes that people have made around us, so we’ve learned from it.”
McClary’s classes are just a few of many classes that were difficult to do in the spring due to the lack of hands-on activities and school-provided supplies. McClary’s students were unable to use the Adobe software, which was provided at the school, so they had to use other interactive websites.
While this was a creative solution to an unexpected problem, it wasn’t ideal.
“When you get into (Adobe) Photoshop and Illustrator, there’s no substitute,” McClary said.
But McClary was very excited about the setup provided to students this year. Through CTE funding, the school was able to get Adobe licensing for students to put Adobe software on their computers. Just one problem with this great new solution: You can’t download Adobe software onto Chromebooks.
The solution to this problem was to use AppStream. AppStream works by downloading the software on another computer, and then you are able to live stream that computer’s screen onto the computer you are working on.
McClary’s classes are a great example of how online learning has been improved this fall since students were thrown into challenging situations last spring. You don’t have to just look at a specific classes, however, to see that things are very different.
“We have established schedules and teachers worked very hard over the summer to get up to speed with technology and resources,” Lansing said.
Although online learning is a lot less chaotic this semester, it is not perfect. There are a lot of little things that aren’t as easy to do online.
“I think we could currently improve online learning if we had a way to check in with students more often and engage in conversation that doesn’t involve just curriculum,” Lansing said.
And while Lansing recognizes there isn’t the same type of connection between teachers, students and peers working online as there is in the classroom, he still believes that it is important for students to work hard – for the next two weeks of online only learning and the next quarter in the hybrid model.
“Keep trying. No one expects perfection right now, but effort is free,” Lansing said. “Show up to classes and submit work.”
Sophomore Lily Snow can be reached at 23snowsi24@daretolearn.org.
