Web Courses
Many courses are offered via the World Wide Web. Students attend class using a computer connected to the Internet through a standard Internet Service Provider. The computer can be at the student’s home, work or in a campus lab. Students also must have a valid e-mail address and possess basic computer and Internet skills. Web courses offer students flexibility in that they can be worked on at any time. Like independent study, these courses require a great deal of independent work and consistent effort. Students must be motivated and self-disciplined.
Course orientation and exams may be held on campus, at instructor-approved sites, or completely over the Internet, depending on the specific course. Tutorials, e-mail, student discussion forums, essay submission and retrieval, operating instructions, bulletins and some library research will be done by computer and modem for dial-in or Internet access. For orientation information, look up the course and section in the interactive class schedule.
Technology Requirements
Students must have personal access to a computer and a modem. To satisfactorily pursue most of the courses, the machine should have a Pentium or Mac PowerPC CPU with 32 MB of memory. The computer should be in good operating order, with recent system and Internet browser upgrades. Although Blackboard is compatible with MACs, the college does not support nor recommend use of a MAC for distance education. In addition, students need to have an Internet Service Provider to connect to the Internet.
Help With Courses
For help with course material, students can contact instructors through various Internet media, including e-mail, discussion groups and mailing lists as well as in person, by mail, fax, telephone and voicemail.