Transitioning in-person classes to remote learning has been a challenge for faculty at San Diego City College since the campus closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March.

But those teaching hands-on laboratory classes found the move had additional challenges to overcome.

“When we were face-to-face, we were looking at rocks and minerals and it can’t compare,” said geology professor Anna Evashko, who has been teaching at City College for five years. 

Although Evashko faced numerous obstacles, she continues to grow and work remotely. After completing the spring term on June 1, she started teaching two summer courses, Physical Geology and Earth Science, on June 15.

The fall 2020 class schedule is online now. View it here.

“This is not just online learning, remote learning or emergency learning,” Evashko said in a phone interview at the end of the spring semester. “We are doing this all at the same time. We are living through a pandemic.” 

Evashko obtained her Canvas certification to teach online a few years back. The timing helped, since it has been vital for her transition. 

Evashko publishes the lab assignments the same way she would present it. She tries to create an online version for each of her in-person classes.

“I’m optimistic that these changes that we were forced to make are all going to be good changes in the long run,” said Evashko, who also teaches at Grossmont College. “This really taught us that we need to be ready.”

Evashko’s concern was to help her students succeed by providing flexibility no matter the circumstance. But keeping in touch with some students was not easy. 

“I get emails from students that say, ‘I have to help my parents move’ or ‘I have to leave class because I lost both of my jobs.’ For that reason, I chose not to have classes using Zoom,” Evashko said.

Although she finds it difficult to reach some students, she is now looking forward to adapting to Zoom and ways to connect help to students through different programs.

“It’s forcing all of us, even those who weren’t teaching online and were not certified online teachers,” Evashko said. “They are now learning about all these online techniques to continue to help students.”