Exeter Community Adjusts to Online Learning

By Tucker Gibbs, Amy Lum and Clark Wu

As Zoom and Canvas replace Harkness classrooms for the Spring Term, the Academy has had to adjust its teaching methods and academic policies to provide an equitable online experience to students. Specific changes include pass/fail grading, “touchpoint” attendance, a new schedule, and a different textbook purchasing process.

Director of Studies Scott Saltman noted that, despite the changes to Exeter’s educational delivery methods, the Academy’s top priority is to support students. “Behind all of our thinking is the fact that this is being done in the midst of a global public health crisis that affects every one of us in different and unknown ways,” he said. “Caring for our students is our top priority, and the connections that students have with teachers are central to that goal.”

To achieve this goal, the Academy had to respond to emerging developments throughout the past three weeks. Though administrators initially planned to delay Spring Term until April 13, they ultimately decided to cancel on-campus classes altogether. Principal William Rawson announced the decision on March 18.

“With each passing day, the world seemed to change in new ways and we had to adapt our plan in response,” Saltman said. 

The decision to adopt online learning came with a new schedule. “The daily schedule we have designed aims to make online learning as effective and inclusive as possible for our diverse student body working from locations around the globe,” Dean of Students Brooks Moriarty said. “As is common in online learning, the schedule maximizes student and teacher flexibility, student independence, and opportunities for one-on-one student-teacher engagement.”

“In this schedule, each format has at least one morning block and one afternoon block, with the hope that students outside of the Eastern time zone can connect more easily with one of those meetings,” Saltman added.

During this time, the faculty will prioritize offering asynchronous learning to promote equity and inclusion among both students and faculty. “We know that many students are going to have a difficult time ‘meeting’ at their scheduled meeting time, for a wide variety of reasons related to location, internet access and individual circumstances,” Saltman said. “The primary method of engaging a class can’t be to simply hold every class on Zoom, although some classes may still take place on Zoom. Teachers must focus on developing learning materials that students can engage with at a time of their choosing.”

In accordance with this goal, the Academy has created a “touchpoint'' system to track student attendance. Each student must meet a three touchpoint per week requirement for every course. Health classes will require only one touchpoint.

Each course must provide students with multiple modes of engagement. In an email to students and parents on Mar. 23, Moriarty shared the Academy’s guidelines to faculty regarding these modes. “Attendance at a class or class activity that takes place during the scheduled class time… cannot be the only option for students and should not be the primary method of engagement,” Moriarty wrote.

Alternatives include “a conference with a teacher, [or] engagement with or contribution to a class activity at a time of the student’s choice, other than the scheduled class time,” Moriarty added. This includes “writing on an online discussion board; posting a solution to share with others; watching recorded material.”

To aid asynchronous learning, the administration has also been exploring ways to record classes. In an email sent to students and parents, Moriarty established the parameters for the program. “Teachers may be recording video conferences and some class activities so that all students have access to all course programming. These recordings would be posted within Canvas, our password-protected learning management system, or in Dropbox, which is also password-protected. Audio and video of all participants in these sessions will be recorded,” he said.

 “The use of video or audio recordings will vary, depending on the course and teacher. Students will review expectations about the use of these recorded sessions with their teachers,” Moriarty said. Students will have an opportunity before recording begins to offer their consent.

Asynchronous learning did pose some challenges for classes requiring in-person engagement, such as classes in the Music and Physical Education Departments. According to Head of the Music Department Kristofer Johnson, music lessons will continue. Teachers can use a variety of platforms, such as Zoom, FaceTime or Skype. However, because students are charged for lessons at the beginning of each trimester, students can choose to drop their lessons before April 1, and their families will not be billed for the Spring Term.

Because of current circumstances, Johnson noted that, for any student who decides not to continue their lessons this term, there will be an exception to the regular requirement that lessons have to be taken in consecutive terms. “Lessons will be linked from this past winter to next fall,” he said.

As for those without instruments, Johnson noted that the Music Department is currently working with the Dean of Students’ Office in order to safely ship the instruments. However, because many instruments require special packing, this process may take some time.

While instruments are being shipped, Johnson noted students can still learn from their music teachers. “Teachers have many ways to expand students’ musical horizons, build their knowledge base and engage meaningfully.”

The Physical Education Department has also created alternatives to traditional exercise classes. In an announcement to all students, Director of Student Information Sarah Herrick noted that those previously enrolled in club sports or activities would have to participate in two four-week exercise modules. 

“Within each module, students will participate in three 40‐minute classes per week,” Herrick’s announcement read. ‘There is no scheduled class time. You may fit these workouts in when it makes sense for you and your scenario: any time of day, any day of the week. Each student will be required to check in with the teacher via Canvas every week to ensure they understand the instructions and are following the program. In this sense, ‘attendance’ is expected in order to pass the course and earn diploma credit.” The modules offered are “Yoga, Walking and Wellness,” “Small Space Fitness,” “Strength and Cardio Challenge” and “Solo and Group Games.”

During this term, the Academy will focus heavily for learning without a formal evaluation. “Having carefully considered the consequences of using our standard grading system at this time, we have decided that all courses will be graded on a pass/no-pass basis for the spring term,” Moriarty said in an all-school email on March 18.

Due to the late notice of Spring Term’s cancellation, many students left textbooks and essential items in their dorm rooms on campus. “We are not permitting students and families to come to campus to pick up personal belongings at this time,” Moriarty wrote on March 21. Instead, the Academy will send passports, medications and laptops to students. Additional items, such as textbooks and personal items, can be requested through an online form. 

Materials from sequenced courses will be provided digitally or shipped to students. “We do not expect anyone to repurchase a textbook that they already own,” Dean of Academic Affairs Laura Marshall said. “Your teacher will tell you how you should access an electronic version of your textbook.” 

New materials will be available to students through electronic means for the first two weeks. After that, most students will be expected to purchase physical or digital textbooks.

To ease this process, the Academy and the Exeter Bookstore partnered to send physical texts or provide eBook options to students. On March 23, Marshall sent guidance to students about how to purchase their texts. “The bookstore will make one shipment of books for each student,” Marshall wrote in an all-school email. “When available, we suggest you choose the electronic version. The bookstore will ship domestically free of charge. Teachers are aware that it may take more than two weeks for international students to receive shipments and will adjust accordingly.”

Financial Aid recipients were told to apply stipends to their online purchases. “You will be allowed to purchase only books and essential learning supplies,” Marshall wrote. “If you do not have enough remaining funds in your stipend for this term, please do not worry. [Director of Admissions and Financial Aid John] Hutchins has generously agreed to allow you to exceed your stipend if necessary.”

However, individual instructors later sent messages to students, notifying them that all financial aid recipients would receive online texts, mostly from bn.com. The Exeter Bookstore also took several texts off their platform. Those who did not receive emails from bn.com were expected to find the textbooks, either in print or digitally, on their own.

“I think that while [the Bookstore’s limitations] are certainly an inconvenience, I am sure that the school will make the best of it,” prep Jack Quin said. 

Another area of concern has been the availability of technology off-campus. The Academy has worked with students and families to ensure a reliable internet access and connection. However, according to Director of Technology Services Scott Heffner, the circumstances vary with each student, country and time zone. “Some students don’t have access to reliable Internet due to their location. We’re trying to help those students get it, but it takes time,” he said. “Other students live in countries with strict censorship laws that include penalties for bypassing those laws.” Heffner urged students with questions or concerns to contact ncov@exeter.edu with the subject line “Internet Access.”

The online infrastructure itself also has a limited capacity, which may lead to issues down the line. “With the massive switch to distance learning and remote work, we could see the Internet bogging down in some areas, resulting in a bad experience for impacted users. Our core software suite should be unaffected with the possible exception of Zoom,” Heffner said. “We’ve been in touch with Zoom and they’ve assured us that they’re able to scale indefinitely.”

With the extra time given by the absence of sports and the pass/fail grading system, some students hoped to audit a class. However, Marshall and the Department Heads chose to ban audits for this term. “We must keep in mind that we do not know yet how this will feel,” Marshall said.  

Instead, Marshall encouraged students to find other ways to help out their community with their free time and practice non sibi. “We hope you can be creative in thinking about how you can be productive,” she added.

Lower Emma Chen affirmed the Academy’s efforts to support those in different time zones. “I like the flexibility of the touchpoint idea,” she said. “I think the school is trying to be accommodating and inclusive for everyone in different time zones.”

Upper Angela Liu acknowledged the necessity of the “touchpoint” policy but expressed her doubts concerning its practicality. “It must be rough for [students] not inside of a reasonable time zone,” she wrote. “I do not understand how international or other students halfway across the world would be able to take part and have the same experience as the others.”

Lower Allison Kim agreed. “I think the touchpoints are a good compromise, but I feel bad for students in really different time zones,” she said. “I’m wondering how it’ll factor into Harkness discussions and if they’ll be enough to replace actual class time, since most of our curriculum is based on students learning from each other.”

The introduction of Zoom has also brought concerns. Chen stressed that, with online classes, it may be harder to foster human connection. “Even if we have Harkness discussions, it would be challenging because we won’t get to read people’s body language, class atmosphere.”

The pass/fail system, though designed to reduce pressure, was met with some pushback. “When I saw Mr. Moriarity’s email, I was a little distraught, because I knew this would mean a whole term [would be] gone, not just from my transcript, but from my Exeter learning experience,” upper Hassane Fiteni said.

Fiteni elaborated on problems that could arise because of pass/fail. “Kids won’t be motivated to really try and actually study. Oftentimes, kids make an extra effort to learn material and understand things thoroughly, knowing their grades depend on it,” he said. “This incentive is lost when someone can simply pass while barely learning.”

Lower Christine Chung hoped she could have been alerted before the break of the pass/fail policy. “I know that this kind of decision is hard to predict, but before leaving the Exeter bubble, I wasn’t even aware the extent of panic the rest of the world was in or that schools were considering an online option,” she said. “I signed up for an art course this term, and if I knew more, I definitely would have chosen to knock off a harder course requirement.”

Step by step, the faculty and staff are trying to make remote learning the best it can be. “Last week, [Academy Technology Coordinator Vi] Richter provided a series of well-attended training sessions for Canvas and Zoom tools,” Saltman said. “We are hard at work, committed to creating a positive experience for our students.”