Evalani Clark | March 30, 2023
Categories: Student stories
In today’s digital age, online courses and self-studying have become increasingly popular. However, there are still many advantages to attending in-person classes. In this article, Mission Bit alumna Kathleen Zapata shares her thoughts on why in-person classes are essential to learning.
Collaboration
One of the biggest benefits of in-person classes is the ability to work with classmates. When you collaborate with others, you can build ideas on top of one another and create projects that are more impactful. Kathleen had a positive experience working with her classmate Rafa to create a Black History museum project. She shared, “When I worked with Rafa to create a Unity project, I loved the brainstorming sessions we had. We were able to think outside of the box and our project won Demo Day!” The enriching experience of in-person learning gave Kathleen and her teammate the space they needed to innovate together.
“When I worked with Rafa to create a Unity project, I loved the brainstorming sessions we had. We were able to think outside of the box and our project won Demo Day!” – Kathleen Zapata, Mission Bit alumna
Learning new technologies
In addition, attending in-person classes provides opportunities to work with new technologies and learn from experienced instructors. These experiences can transfer to real-world scenarios. “As a pathologist intern, I work with a lot of new technologies and became curious about how they work. In my tech classes at Mission Bit, I was able to learn about new technologies and how they can be applied in different industries.” Kathleen works as a pathologist intern and finds many parallels between her experience at Mission Bit and her internship.
Networking opportunities
In-person classes also offer networking opportunities that may not be available with online courses. “During my time at Mission Bit, my instructors and volunteers were extremely supportive and provided insight into what it was like to work in their day-to-day jobs. They also stressed the importance of networking and connecting with people in your industry.” These connections can be crucial as you are “10x more likely to get a job through a referral” according to a MANGO article on the subject.
“During my time at Mission Bit, my instructors and volunteers were extremely supportive and provided insight into what it was like to work in their day-to-day jobs. They also stressed the importance of networking and connecting with people in your industry.” – Kathleen Zapata, Mission Bit alumna
Conclusion
While online courses and self-studying can be convenient, there are still many benefits to attending in-person classes. Collaboration with classmates, learning new technologies, and networking opportunities are just a few of the advantages. If you have the opportunity to attend in-person classes, take advantage of it!
Mission Bit offers in-person coding classes with experienced instructors. To apply, visit missionbit.org/classes!
Additionally, Mission Bit is currently looking for classroom space in San Francisco and Oakland for summer classes. If you work at a tech company that may have space to host our classes, we could use your help. Please contact info@missionbit.org for more information so that we can provide our students the enriching experience they deserve.