C M HSAC page 1 Y K
THE HIGH SCHOOL OF APPLIED COMMUNICATION ISSUE 2
30 -20 THOMSON AVENUE, LONG ISL AND CIT Y, N Y 11101
Michael Weinstein, Principal | Selina Yuen, Assistant Principal | Eduardo Alarcon, Assistant Principal
APRIL 2020
NYC Schools Launch into Remote Learning Following Shutdown Due to Virus Pandemic by Jasmine Schatzschneider, with Jennifer Lopez, Liona Kuka and Sibat Hassan With the intention of stagnating the spread of COVID19, students and staff hastily converted to remote learning classes, using online platforms such as Microsoft Teams, in response to the shutdown which officially started in New York City on March 16. Over 124,000 schools, public and private, have been affected by COVID-19 nationwide. In late March, President Trump extended federal social distancing guidelines to April 30, meaning physically-set classrooms will likely not be back in order until May, if at all, this academic year. On April 11th, Mayor de Blasio made the announcement that, in fact, all New York City public schools would be closed for the remainder of the academic year, with remote learning continuing until the end of June. Since mid-March, New York City’s Department of Education has continued to make efforts to distribute computer devices to students in need, prioritizing those in temporary housing. The city intended to assign a minimum of 25,000 iPads to students,
all of which were to have internet access (T-Mobile provided the city with LTE data plans at discounted prices). In a 2018 Census Bureau online document, titled, “The Computer and Internet Use in the United States: 2016,” by Camille Ryan, it is shown that there has been a clear disproportion between economic, racial and educational standing when it comes to broadband internet access. Additionally, in July of 2019, the office of New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer reported that 29% of all households in NYC did not have access to broadband internet as of 2017. Considering the far-reaching effects of the pandemic, as well as the circumstances of the resulting shutdown, this technological turnaround is likely to leave a lasting impression on our society. An amplified adoption of technology in our society is not inherently destructive, and may, in fact, open doors to further technological advancements. Pushing for certain forms of technology to become more commonly available may even catalyze the shrinking of socioeconomic inequalities between households. Despite the hectic nature of the switchover, teachers appear
English teacher, Mr. Golis (pictured), moved from his HSAC classroom to his home office to begin “remote learning.” Every day, Golis has two computers at his desk – one he uses strictly for working with his students and, the other, to keep the communication lines open between himself and his colleagues. (PHOTO BY MAURA GOLIS)
to have an optimistic view of the situation. When asked for his outlook on the topic, John Golis, an English teacher here at HSAC, replied, “Remote learning is a different experience. I miss the interaction with the students in my classes. However, with remote learning I am able to see responses from students who don’t usually participate in discussions.” Nuris Finkenthal, an HSAC science teacher, contributed to the topic by stating, “Remote classes are an opportunity for our students to engage in 21st century learning. This is preparing them for their educational journey in higher education and or any future educational experience to expand their careers.” Students have many opinions about this form of teaching, with some disinclined towards it. A small poll conducted in early April among 20 students of the senior class disclosed that 90% preferred physical classes, while the remaining 10% were indifferent to either setting. None reported to favor online classes. However, others have positive perspectives about the new experience. “Having classes and doing assignments online, I get to work longer than when at school,” said senior, Smaran Vedantam. “I can use all the resources I want to find the answer. But when I’m in school, I’m limited to the notes, packets or my own knowledge. Easier access to a much larger inventory of resources is clearly a big plus.” Katelyn Bostick, another senior, added, “I think a positive part of remote learning is that it allows you to work at your own pace.” “I think it’s nice to have the freedom of doing assignments when I want to during the day,” said one junior, Nicholas Giannini, “rather than having a 45-minute time limit for most classwork. It gives me the ability to do my work the way I want to, in a more comfortable setting.” “I find this type of learning to be a positive experience but, at the same time, it comes with its challenges,” admitted Amina Rabbani, a sophomore. “I think it has a strong effect because it still keeps us doing our work and is still helping us learn more. However, on the other hand, it’s challenging to an extent because some people like to learn visually and the material received may not be enough for them.” With such an impactful quick-paced transition, it is crucial that the lines of communication between students, staff and administrators are strengthened and maintained so as to encourage feedback and allow for improvements to be made that will benefit everyone involved. Rather than focusing on the undesirable aspects of this situation, there is something admirable about being able to adapt together in such a manner during this period of adjustment. Our society will likely benefit in some way or another from this experience and, furthermore, this unanimous exploration of uncharted territory is a time of widespread cooperation, patience and understanding that, despite the physical distance, will ultimately bring us closer together.
Page 1 THE PHSAC CAMPUS CHRONICLES • SPRING • APRIL 2012 2020
Dept. of Education