Academy Moves to In-Person Instruction; Remote Students Encounter Difficulties

The Academy shifted to fully in-person instruction at the start of spring term on March 23. All students on campus are required to attend classes in-person unless quarantining at the Health Center or designated COVID quarantine trailers. Remote students are expected to attend all classes via Zoom. Many remote students, particularly new students, noted the difficulties of hybrid learning on Zoom. 

Many students expressed enthusiasm over the shift to in-person instruction. “Classes seem to be more efficient, and students have more opportunities to interact with their teachers and better understand their peers’ perspectives,” upper Vinusha Narapareddy said. “The workload has definitely increased, but Zoom fatigue was worse!”

“With all the safety protocols it’s hard to look at and talk to each other like we would normally, but, in comparison to Zoom, discussions flow easier and are generally more thoughtful, I have also found that it is a lot easier to participate,” upper Krisha Deora said.

 “I think in-person classes are much more effectful in terms of what we can get done in class and how much content we are covering. In addition, for me, it is easier to speak up and contribute to the conversation when class is in-person,” upper Naisha Deora added.

New students who have yet to experience true Harkness have especially enjoyed in-person learning. “I just do a lot better in them [in-person classes] so I’m very excited. It’s also a lot closer to the real Phillips Exeter experience which I still haven’t received yet,” prep Advay Nomula said.

Despite the excitement from on-campus students, some remote students shared concerns about hybrid classes. “My main concern regarding remote learning is contribution,” lower Enzo Nakornsri said. “Sometimes I would need to repeat my sentence which I find interrupts the flow of a conversation. Other times, my sentences aren’t picked up by the microphone, making it difficult to restate my point as the discussion tends to move quite quickly.”

“When everyone's in person, and you're one of two people on Zoom, it gets really hard to jump in and participate because they're on one level, and you're on another level completely,” remote upper Emma Liu said.

Time zone differences have also impacted some remote students’ experience. “It was harder for me to focus when I had classes in the night,” lower Maggie Chang said. “Lack of sleep also, to some extent, lowered my performance in class.”

Despite the challenges of remote learning, Liu appreciated that the Academy set up some fully asynchronous classes for international students. “I think they're just really trying to let remote learners do their own thing, which is really nice because I do think all remote is definitely preferred over hybrid for most people,” Liu said.

“The Academy understands how students in different time zones are affected and have provided excellent solutions to these problems,” Nakornsri said. “I believe this provides a middle ground for both the students and teachers, and I am impressed with how well the schedule is placed together especially with the variety of factors to be considered.”

“The teachers at Exeter have been really supportive and available whenever I need help with homework or any upcoming assignments. They have also been really thoughtful and innovative and coming up with different ways for us to submit work or go about doing assignments,” upper Hannah Henris said.

Students learning remotely in less difficult time zones expressed content for the Academy’s spring term structure. “I've been in EST time, so going to classes hasn't really been a problem for me,” upper Sydney Kang said. “I really love my spring schedule. It feels much more flexible and freer, with more free time allotted to do other things I want outside of school. I think this will help my mental health, which I appreciate.”

“I'm only one hour ahead, so I'm not hugely affected by time zones,” upper Marina Pedrosa said. “I did not mind online learning so much when everyone was online, but now, it feels odd to be the only virtual student in hybrid classes.”

“Hybrid classes make it harder for collaboration in class. I am the only remote student in one of my classes, for example, which means that pair work is a bit of a hassle. Not to mention, I often cannot hear my classmates— I'm not sure if it is because they sometimes speak too low, or the microphones don't pick them up,” Pedrosa continued.

Many faculty expressed excitement for the Academy’s return to in person learning. 

Dance Instructor Amberlee Darling reflected on the enthusiastic atmosphere within the classroom. “Students and adults alike feed off each other's drive and excitement to learn, both in and out of the classroom. That is so hard to recreate remotely,” she said.

Biology Instructor Michele Chapman agreed. “There is so much that happens in the classroom that could never be replicated on Zoom.  Just the cadence of the discussion, the interactions between people, the overall energy are all better,” she said.

Teachers also noted difficulties bridging the gap for remote learners. “People need to adjust a little bit how we operate to make sure that they are included,” History Instructor Troy Samuels said. “It involves things like a little more group work, where we're partnering up with them, bringing them in and outside of class, as well as, if we ever can't hear things, it's on us to do something to make sure that that line of communication is open. It's a challenge, but that's what keeps the job fun and different. I mean, the energy of being around the table is why I came to Exeter.”

With in-person instruction as the Academy’s backbone for learning this term, many students noted that the ongoing pandemic and COVID guidelines remain at the forefront of their minds. “COVID is a problem, but I think with the routine testing and the plexiglass walls, classes will not be the primary method of virus spreading,” Nomula said.

“I feel the school has done a really good job,” Naarapareddy said. “The plexiglass can be a little restrictive at times, but it serves its purpose and makes the Harkness experience possible without social distancing.”

Teachers also heavily considered COVID guidelines when designing in-person instruction, especially for courses requiring more movement, such as those in the Dance Department. “We worked very hard to create a program that keeps all the COVID guidelines and safety measures at the forefront with student spacing, room capacities and cleaning protocols,” Darling said.

Some students still believe that the Academy could do better to emphasize these precautions. “COVID safety guidelines are definitely not as reinforced as there should be. People aren’t 6 feet apart and there are always big gatherings of people for sports or other activities,” prep Hansen Tsai said.

Samuels noted that in-person instruction brings about a better learning experience.“I hope there is still that same feel of a Harkness class, that participation, that energy where you're building off each other,” Samuels said.