Getting Started
What is Distance Learning?Distance Learning courses are delivered via the internet and offer the flexibility to learn at a time and place that meets your needs. Distance learning courses use state of the art technology and include a variety of communication tools, such as email, discussion forums, chat rooms, wikis and other types of software and/or hardware.
- Online Courses - Online courses offer you the flexibility of learning anywhere, and anytime, you have access to the Internet. These classes are taught using the Blackboard Learning Management System. Students taking online courses use Blackboard to view online lectures, participate in virtual discussions and chats, and even to take exams and practice quizzes!
Is Distance Learning right for you?Online courses can work for any student, just as a physical, onsite classroom with face-to-face instruction can work for any student - however, the quality of the "fit" varies with instructors and class environments. Taking an online class requires just as much time and effort as a class on campus - maybe more! To see if online classes are right for you, answer these questions:
- Do you like to work independently?
- Do you need convenience and an adjustable schedule?
- Are you comfortable asking for clarification and continuing to ask when you need more information?
- Are you good at meeting deadlines?
- Are you comfortable working at a computer?
- Do you have experience surfing the World Wide Web? If most of your experience is through AOL (America Online), you may need to investigate other paths to the web such as Internet Explorer before taking a class through Craven Community College.
- Are you comfortable working primarily with a text-based medium?
- Would you be comfortable phoning or faxing your instructor if you had problems with anything in the course?
Still not sure? Take the survey (provided by the University of Illinois) to see if Distance learning is a good fit for you.
What's my next step?Not enrolled at Craven Community College? Click on Admissions and Financial Aid and begin with Applying at Craven.
Already enrolled at Craven Community College but new to Distance Learning? Click
on Orientation to Distance Learning.
How to Succeed in Distance Learning Courses at Craven Community College
Familiarize yourself with the course design.
Spend time looking at the course syllabus and all of the content. Decide if you can be a successful, self-directed learner in this particular study content.
Read all of the course syllabus.
The distance learning course syllabus contains all of the information the student needs to progress through a distance learning course. This includes information about the course description, objectives, and requirements, course meetings, assignments and testing, media and technology used, a course calendar or assignment schedule, and support contact information.
Identify tools necessary to complete assignments.
Before enrolling in a course, make sure you have access to the tools necessary to complete assignments. A word processor can help you to organize your work and communicate your thoughts more clearly. Access to a computer with adequate hard disk space and internet access for e-mail transmission are essential.
Be realistic.
You will not have to keep a class attendance schedule, but you will have to do regular academic work. Remember you should be spending at least two study hours each week for every credit you are taking. So if there is insufficient time in your personal schedule to do the work of the course, you will be frustrated.
Set interim goals and deadlines for yourself, and stick to them.
Keep a calendar showing the number of weeks in the quarter and mark it off with the amount of work you need to do each week. Mark in the days when you will expect to take tests, submit projects, contact the instructor. Don't fall behind in your work! Keep reminding yourself that you will always have more to do near the end of a course than at the beginning.
Organize your goals in a study schedule.
Identify study times when you are fresh and attentive and stick to those times every week. Think of the study times as "reserved time." If you miss too many study times, revise your schedule.
Avoid interruptions.
Avoid all interruptions and distractions while you are viewing a video program, listening to a cassette, reading the textbook, working on the computer, or studying. Take the telephone off the hook if there is no one available to answer it but you.
Know where to study.
Find a place that is free from distractions. You might consider work--before or after hours and on your lunch hour--a public library, or a separate room in your home. Stay in touch with your instructor.
Contact your instructor regularly, especially when you have questions about course content materials. Instructors are available by phone and/or email, or you may make an appointment for an on-campus meeting. You may also correspond with your instructor by mail or by FAX. Prepare for assignments and tests.
In distance learning, course assignments could involve the use from different mediums: print, videos, audios, and the Internet. Remember you are not just watching or listening. You are learning from the information on those various mediums. Take notes. Imagine questions that might be on a test from your study guide, from your textbook, from videos or audiotapes, or from the Internet course assignments. Use good communication skills.
Pay careful attention to instructions and be certain that you understand what is being asked when submitting assignments. It often helps to develop a brief outline before responding to questions whether they are submitted in writing, via e-mail, orally or on video/audio tape. Evaluate your own progress regularly.
Re-read the course objectives and standards often to see how you are progressing with them. Time your tests wisely.
Before you take a test, make sure you understand the information covered in the course assignments that will be the basis for a particular test. Find some study-buddies.
If you feel the need to study with other students from the class, ask your instructor for help in identifying other students who may want to work with you. Discuss your progress.
Ask your instructor at various points in the quarter how your progress is going. Also ask for help and point out any areas that you think are difficult or unclear. Use relaxation techniques to focus better.
Relaxation techniques can benefit learning in a number of ways: heighten concentration, heighten attention focusing and lessen anxiety. Some common relaxation techniques include deep breathing, stretching, and soothing music. |
