It is no surprise that there are multiple ways to get your education these days, and Skyline students are preferring taking classes both from the computer screen, and in the traditional ways of attending class and listening to lectures.
If you can get the same general course education from the comfort of your own home or even from your own bed, why get up and commute to the foggy weather at Skyline? For many reasons, some students still prefer the traditional ways of sitting in classrooms and listening to lectures.
Second-year Skyline student Eduardo Lepe, who has taken advantage of Skyline’s online offerings, recognizes that there are certain pitfalls associated with taking classes online.”It’s a time management (issue) I guess,” Lepe said about his experience with online classes. “You really have to plan out your week on how much homework you’re going to do online. If not, you’re going to get stuck with a lot of homework on the last day and you’ll be rushing to turn it in.”
Lepe was forced to take all online classes last semester after getting surgery on his right knee, making the commute to Skyline difficult. He also went on to explain what he disliked about his online class experience, but praised the traditional class experience.
“I don’t like the fact that you don’t see other students as much,” Lepe said. “You miss the interactions you have with other classmates. In classrooms, I like the social interactions you have. They can also help you. . . . It’s difficult to get help from classmates online.”
Meanwhile, some students on the other side who take online classes enjoy the classroomexperience from their laptop. Second-year Skyline student Heriberto Rodriguez attends Skyline during the day, but is taking his first and only online course this semester at College of San Mateo.
“I kind of like the idea of online classes,” Rodriguez said. “Sometimes you can’t come to class if you work or if you’re going out of town; I think that’s what makes online classes beneficial.”
Rodriguez also went on to explain how online courses have affected his learning of course material, and how he plans to take more online classes in the future.
“Sometimes, I don’t absorb as much in a lecture than if I read the book,” Rodriguez said. “I think I prefer online classes despite being deadlines. I feel like I can still learn at my own pace. It’s more independent.”
Skyline offers over 60 online courses this semester, including courses such as Statistics, physical education, and Dance Appreciation. With education making its way to the internet, Skyline has been offering courses for years to a new student demographic which otherwise would not have time to participate in traditional classes.
