How online learning developed from March 2020 to now
By Kendra Martinez, Staff Writer
Congratulations Samo students, faculty and families on officially persevering through one full year of quarantine and online school. It seems as if it was only yesterday that Samo students marveled at the extra week of Spring Break—a week that would notoriously make history as the beginning of online school for most students worldwide. Samo has come a long way from the simple ways of post-outbreak online school. The format has undergone many alterations that affected learning schedules, grading policies and the overall lifestyles of many students.
The most significant change within the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified District throughout this past year was to the structure of school days and learning. Upon the return to school in Aug. 2020, schools across the district implemented a set schedule that included daily Zoom meetings, as opposed to the laid back schedule students experienced during the Spring of 2020. Back in March 2020, work was assigned via Google Classroom and all classes took place asynchronously. While many grew fond of this lenient schedule, very little learning was taking place, and was therefore unable to be sustained. Once SMMUSD got a more definitive idea of how long school would be online, the administration adjusted their expectations, henceforth producing the schedule followed today. The modified schedule resembles the schedule students were accustomed to before quarantine, with four block days with three classes and a late start Wednesday with all classes. This schedule will likely remain in place when the student body returns to in-person classes, with three different groups of students in order to adhere to safety guidelines: Cohort A, Cohort B and Distance Learning (DL) students. More information on potential formats of Hybrid learning can be found at Samohi Parents Possible Models for Reopening Schools (1) (smmusd.org).
When it comes to school, last year’s easygoing scheme of things also had to do with a change in the grading policy, which took effect almost immediately after Samo went online. With so many students adjusting to a new reality, the administration decided it was only fair to implement a policy in which students could choose to keep their grades prior to the pandemic. This caused many students, especially those that had previously maintained A’s in their classes, to consider school as optional. However, the grading policy was returned to its old terms in Aug. 2020, meaning students are now required to complete their work in order to achieve high grades. On the bright side, students have a five day grace period which gives them more leniency with assignments. Another plus is students are not forced to set their alarms for 6:30 a.m. each morning, and are able to join Zoom classes in their pajamas.
Aside from changes in the learning environment, students have also seen changes in their daily lives, similar to our adult counterparts. When the pandemic first began, many viewed it as nothing more than a small break or vacation from daily life; very few predicted it lasting through the end of the school year and beyond. This naivety allowed many to enjoy themselves and their new leisure time, spending it binging new shows, trying new recipes, picking up new hobbies and more. However, the novelty wore off quickly as reality sunk in, and people were forced to restructure their lives around COVID-19—a responsibility that has proven to be both dull and depressing for many. The significant contrast between these two time periods has left many reminiscing over their lives both pre-pandemic and early-pandemic, wishing they could return to the simplicity of these times—a wish that the newly announced return to school may just grant!