The COVID-19 pandemic has affected schools all over the world. For the last two years, schools have adjusted to an online alternative for their classes. Skyline College experienced this switch but has now transitioned back to offering in-person courses. Online classes are still made available. However, students must now choose whether to go back on campus, stay virtual, or experience the best of both worlds. With the last two semesters being a mix of both in-person and online, what were Skyline students’ experiences with their courses?

Ali Nazari is a sophomore who took a break from college back in 2020 because he preferred in-person classes rather than virtual learning. He explains that online courses had a lot of issues such as audio, Zoom trolls, and Wi-Fi connection.

“I learned better with in-person classes, everything is more clear, and I can pay attention better.”

He knows that he works and learns better in a classroom environment, so he decided to take some time off school until in-person classes were available again.

Nonetheless, virtual learning has been recognized as convenient and more accessible for students to stay at home and go at their own pace. Moreover, it allows students to do their schoolwork whenever and wherever they want.

Llana Marquez, a third-year allied health student, has experience in both the online and on-campus settings. Through these courses, she’s established that she prefers online over in-person as it’s easier and suits her learning style the best.
“It was easy, I’m kind of introverted, so I preferred online schooling. I work better alone and at home. Most of my classes are science, and the virtual lab was beneficial.”

While she favors online classes, she’s also enrolled in some in-person ones. However, these are core courses and were only available in person. Given a chance, she would take the virtual route for these classes.

Students notice the difference between online courses compared to in person classes. While both have their advantages, the biggest difference would probably be the community aspect of the school. Most students find it easier to create a bond with their classmates when they are face-to-face.

While Tyler Kuwada is a freshman at Skyline, he has had the chance to compare the differences between online and in-person classes.

“I  am able to see people face-to-face; you don’t interact with people online.”

He values the in-person setting a lot more because it makes connecting and becoming friends with classmates easier than being isolated at home.

The switch to online school has definitely impacted students; however, Skyline College staff also faced the challenge of adjusting to the virtual environment. Skyline’s very own Gavin Townsley and Raymon Gutierrez share a few observations regarding their experiences in their line of work being online vs. in-person.

Both Townsley and Gutierrez have work related to student resources around Skyline. Townsley, who runs the Supplemental Instructor program, finds online school interesting. The SI program embeds an SI leader in certain courses to give students an extra support system in that class. Whether it be a general guide to the course or an additional learning/tutoring resource, this is what SI leaders provide.

Gutierrez is the counterpart to Townsley, running the Peer Mentoring program. They help students navigate their college experience by offering a wide variety of resources: time management, e-mail etiquette, and assisting students in finding the skills they need to succeed in college.

With both programs being linked as resources for students, they both find that community building is more successful in an in-person setting. While both staff members like the flexibility of the virtual world, it’s easier for students to be acquainted and get comfortable with Skyline’s resources by seeing a friendly face on campus.

So after two years, where are Skyline students now? It seems that the college experience is different for everyone. Some people naturally gravitate toward the natural in-person setting, while others like working alone in their own space. Luckily, Skyline provides the opportunity to experience both online and offline courses. It’s up to students to see what works best for them, but even so, many resources are available to help them succeed in their chosen path.