With today’s whirlwind of technological advancements, it comes as no surprise that millions of students can thrive in the landscape of online school. But, what happens when you take an entire community accustomed to physical learning and put them squarely in an online classroom? That, my friends, is what we now call Virtual GA.
When the announcement of this transition was first released, the community was consumed with discussions about the logistics and implications of this switch. Although GA had informed us of the potential need to resort to such means, the sudden implementation of Virtual GA surprised many students. Perhaps it wasn’t so much that we didn’t expect a change to Virtual GA, but more so that we weren’t expecting it to happen so soon. COVID-19 had quickly gone from an international phenomena we could watch from the safety of our homes, to the biggest local headline and a topic of heavy discussion. It was impossible to know the severity of how much this virus would fundamentally change the most time-consuming aspect of our lives— school.
GA was one of the first schools in our area to pioneer an online learning system, utilizing the Zoom video-conference platform to conduct classes. Before the first official day of classes, the administration was given a few days to plan out the system and prepare teachers, while the student body ran rampant with curiosity and speculation. Many people expected chaos, or at the very least, a spectacle. But, after its launch last Thursday, the Virtual GA bus seemed to have zoom-ed off into its first two days with relatively few bumps in the road. That being said, did I expect to see my advisor greeting me behind a virtual background of a tropical island? Not exactly. But, all in all, GA was quick to fall into the cadence of the new schedule.
The current schedule rotates between “Red” and “Blue” days, in which we start the afternoon by popping into advisory for a brief attendance. After that, the day becomes a series of link-clicking, virtual hand-raising, and laughter at the occasional technological mishap. But logistics aside, what has Virtual GA felt like? To start with the pros, this is the first time I’ve ever been able to see the faces of each one of my classmates all at once. That, paired with being in the comfort of our own homes, has given learning a whole new dimension of intimacy. (Despite the fact that we are anything but in close proximity). Additionally, with technology comes a new type of efficiency. When speaking into a mic, each word becomes more deliberate. We know that our time together is limited, so offtopic talking or side-conversations have been significantly reduced. Teachers are also utilizing digital tools in creative ways, and we all continue to learn about the importance of adaptability. But of course, technology also brings about its own share of challenges. Using devices with so many capabilities means it is far easier to become distracted and much harder for teachers to monitor student activity. On occasion, I have found myself guiltily peeking at my phone or clicking off of Zoom. And while I personally find virtual classes to be similarly interesting as physical ones—albeit in a different way—some students consider Zoom classes comparatively less riveting than those in “real life”. In fact, each period is only 30 minutes long, providing more of a brief recap of concepts rather than a full replacement for a class. The shortened school day, combined with the difficulty of managing the natural flow of handouts, presentations, and conversation in an online format, also means that teachers have had to push back assessments and rework their original plans.
As days pass and the novelty of this unfamiliar digital creature wears off, it will be interesting to watch how Virtual GA will fare against the test of time. If the state-wide closure of schools continues, will we experience feelings similar to post-September, where things slowly become routine and mundane? Right now, Virtual GA feels like a temporary solution. But increasingly, it seems like a return to normalcy may be further down the road than expected. With a plethora of tests, projects, and even final exams looming ahead, the question of how the magical realm of the internet can facilitate the large needs of our school remain unknown. Currently, teachers have been modifying their classes to fit into a Zoom-friendly format, but will there come a time when the platform of Virtual GA itself must be modified to facilitate our evolving needs?
Even beyond education, an issue maybe more pertinent to our generation is how to substitute the social fulfillments that physical school provides. Sure, there are plenty of jokes about virtual prom or graduation, but when it comes down to it, there is no denying the uncertainty that these integral events of high school now face. Additionally, the simple ability school gives us to have interpersonal interactions may be overlooked. Yes, we can hang out with our close friends during this break, but there is still something extremely important to be said about the wide range of day-to-day encounters we would miss by sitting behind a screen.
These are just a few of the many uncertainties that have arisen regarding our futures, and most of them do not have easy solutions. To me, there is no doubt that the health and safety of our community should take utmost priority, but at the same time, I believe two crucial questions must soon be addressed. Will we ever reach a time where Virtual GA becomes a long-term replacement to school? And if so, how can we best fill any gaps that would undoubtedly emerge? During this long stretch of break, these are the topics we must spend time considering.