LOCAL NEWS: Clatsop Community College moves classes online

 

 

 

The college extended spring break so instructors could adapt to the new online technology:

 

“It’s been amazing. The faculty and staff have stepped up and done amazing things.” 

 

College President Chris Breitmeyer says only essential classes can meet face-to-face:

 

“So some of our nursing classes and medical assisting and emt classes will be meeting with the appropriate social distancing and all those things in place to minimize transmissions.” 

 

About half of Clatsop students are in career tech programs and the aim is to start them later this month:

 

“For welding, automotive and our maritime science, they need face to face instruction so what we’ve done is come to an agreement with the faculty, that they will start later. They may go into the summer past the normal end of the spring term.” 

 

But even the tech programs have general education requirements and they will be front-loaded and offered on line. Breitmeyer says lab sciences will be online, using advanced technology simulations. The college has started a peer mentoring program pairing students with a lot of technology experience with others. Instructor Fernando Rojas has been giving himself a crash course in teaching Spanish online:

 

“It’s been challenging.” 

 

Rojas sounds a little nervous, but also excited about teaching online:

 

“”I expect to introduce myself via video. We will begin a working relationship in the virtual world if you will.” 

 

Breitmeyer thinks long term more young people may be shifting to allied medical fields as a result of the virus crisis:

 

“In the future people will tell a story that they were on one path pre-pandemic and the whole thing sort of changed their life trajectory post pandemic. I expect we’ll see a lot of stories like that.” 

 

But so far this term, enrollment overall has dropped about five percent. For Coast Community Radio, I’m Jacob Lewin