Highline College Optical Program Information


Did you know that Highline Community College offers quarterly classes that help supplement 
an apprentice optician’s education? Our classes are economical (subsidized by L&I reducing 
the apprentice’s tuition by nearly ½). We offer one class per quarter and all of our classes 
in a “Hybrid” format that allows the student to do ½ of their work Online and to attend face 
to face classes one evening a week. 

Hybrid courses offer advantages over the conventional learning environment or a complete 
online program such as: 
Convenience for the work schedule: face to face attendance is one evening a week, so that 
it doesn’t interfere with their working schedule.
Increased interaction with the instructor: studies show that a student actually has more 
direct communication with the instructor than with conventional face to face classes.
Flexibility: allowing instructors accomplish learning objectives in many different mediums.
Increased learning and increased retention: faculty almost universally report their students 
learn more in the Hybrid format than they do in traditional class sections. 
Instructors report that students write better papers, perform better on exams, produce higher 
quality projects, and are capable of more meaningful discussions on course material. 
Qualitative assessments of better student learning are supported by quantitative data from 
the University of Central Florida (UCF). UCF reports that students in Hybrid courses achieve 
slightly better grades than students in traditional face-to-face courses or totally 
online courses. 

We offer 9 classes in total: Basic Optics (optical theory), Optical Product Knowledge, 
Anatomy/ Physiology/ Pharmacology, Ophthalmic Dispensing, Contact Lens Theory, 
Ophthalmic Laboratory, Contact Lens Fitting, Optical Business, Program Overview/Beginning 
Refractometry (reviews all 8 classes and helps prepare for the state board exams; 
this course also explains basic refractometry).

To read more about Hybrid classes go to: 
http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles/hybrid-education.html or 
http://flightline.highline.edu/blackboard/bp/hybrid.bps.pdf

For more information about the Apprentice Optician Program at Highline Community College 
go to: http://flightline.highline.edu/optician/index.htm