The University’s suspension of in-person classes, needless to say, has presented an obstacle course of challenges and roadblocks to overcome. Time zone differences, home life, and technological difficulties all play a role in our new reality. Along with teachers, students leading student forums have also been asked to adjust their own classes in accordance with the new learning model. 

“There was actually no instructions or guidance that the school has given out, other than a training for people on how to use Zoom and how to use their Zoom pro license,” Shirmai Chung ’22 said.

Chung is teaching “Inspiring Sustainable Behavior and Systemic Change,” the training course for Eco-facilitators, in partnership with the Sustainability Office.

Other forum leaders expressed similar frustrations. Despite lack of guidance, Chung and other forum leaders have adopted their new roles with a can-do attitude, emphasizing flexibility and creativity.

“Farm forum,” a popular one-credit forum taught every semester, normally consists of a combination of practical work on Long Lane Farm and weekly discussions, according to Cameron Berry ’22, who’s teaching this semester along with Rose Shuker-Haines ’20.  Without access to Long Lane Farm, that practical work must take a different form.

“We’ve decided to do a proposal and personal project sort of structure,” Berry said.

Students pursue their own farming-related projects, and report back to the forum during weekly meetings with their progress. The forum leaders are embracing the flexibility of this model. 

“We’re being as open as we can be, because we know everyone’s situation is different. You could do an herb garden in your room window, if you have access to a community garden you can work a plot there, if you have access to backyard space you can do a backyard garden,” Berry explained. “It’s like, ‘I’ve been pickling things,’ and we’re like ‘Yes! Please teach us!’” 

Berry and Shuker-Haines are allowing students to pursue whatever they are passionate about, encouraging involvement in food justice and mutual aid groups as a final project. 

Alessandra Viegas ’20 and Emily Chackerian ’20 are similarly building flexibility into the Playwriting student forum the pair co-teaches. The two are mindful of the various situations and time zones their students may find themselves in.

“We’ve made workshops optional, so students can choose to either get emailed feedback or workshop their pieces over Zoom,” Chackerian said.

Chaiyeon Lee ’22  is currently enrolled in the playwriting student forum, and attests that her instructors have been very understanding and made appropriate course adjustments. Inevitably though, digital workshopping has been less fulfilling than in-person workshopping. 

“That is definitely more effective when we are in the same place,” Lee said. “It’s just less collaborative.”

Of course, the switch has not been without technological barriers, which forum teachers overcame with determination. “Inspiring Sustainable Behavior” features guest speakers nearly every week. However, these guests have adjusted to the new online reality.

“Fortunately all of our guest speakers so far have been willing to go on our Zoom sessions,” Chung said.

Chackerian also mentioned that technological issues have led to a disjointed class.

“One aspect of our class that I think is really important is showing clips from the plays we discuss in class,”  Chackerian said. “Because Zoom doesn’t always have the bandwidth to load videos while someone is sharing their screen, we have to pause class so that the students can watch the clips on their own, and then regroup after,

Luke Green ’20 reported some difficulty with the new format for the Harry Potter themed forum he teaches. 

“I have spent way more time preparing for class to try and make it as engaging as possible while also recognizing that most people didn’t sign up for the forum to spend a lot of time on it, so that’s been hard to balance,” Green said.

With that in mind, Green hopes that the student forum can become a space for connection and community building.

“The most important thing right now is that we stay connected, this forum can give people a chance to step away from their classes or anxiety and just talk with their peers,”  Greene said. 

Chung felt similarly. 

“I don’t want our teaching platform to be another place for people to be stressed out about what is happening,” Chung said. 

The name of the game here is understanding. 

“We do the best we can,” Lee said. 

 

Nora Markey can be reached at nmarkey@wesleyan.edu.