Distance Education: Internet Course Information
See if you are a good candidate for an Internet or Hybrid course
Computer Requirements
What if I don't have equipment needed at
home to access an Internet course?
Is there an orientation for Internet courses?
Do students
get the same information in an Internet course as they would in an on-campus course?
Can I work at my own pace or do I need
to follow a class schedule?
How is
attendance taken in an Internet course?
How do I access
my online class?
Will there be any on-campus meetings?
Are all tests and quizzes taken online?
What is a test
proctor and how do I find the proctors schedule at the nearest
campus?
How do I complete my coursework?
Are Internet courses easier than
traditional courses?
Where do I buy textbooks that are required for
an Internet course?
Who do I
contact if I need technical assistance in my online course?
Will I have an
opportunity to evaluate the course and the instructor?
If I have a
question or complaint about my instructor, who do I contact.
Computer
Requirements:
Internet courses have specific requirements for
computer skills and equipment. The minimum system requirements for
Columbia State Community College Internet courses are listed below.
Pentium 166 or better
64 Megabytes of RAM or better
Windows 98 (or higher, if required by course requirements)
A CD-Rom Drive
A modem 56k minimum (Cable or DSL will give you best performance)
A dependable Internet Service Provider (ISP)
See your course syllabus for specifics about required software.
Browser Recommendations:
Netscape 4.76, 6.2.1, 6.2.2, and 6.2.3 (PC & Mac)
Internet Explorer 5.0 to 6.0, except 5.5 Service Pack 1 (PC)
Internet Explorer 5.0 and 5.1 (Mac OS 9.x)
Internet Explorer 5.1 (Mac OS 10.1)
AOL 7.0 (PC & Mac)
JavaScript must be enabled.
Cookies must be enabled.
Java must be enabled in courses which use the Whiteboard and/or Chat
tools.
Note: Personal computer hardware, connection problems, and
software problems are the responsibility of the student (not the
school or the instructor). Instructors will not be able to provide
technical help for your computer problems. Computer breakdowns will
not excuse a student from completing course requirements on time or
from paying fees to drop a class. Students should have a back-up
plan or use computers available at any Columbia State campus.
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What if I don't have equipment
needed at home to access an Internet course?
All of Columbia State campuses have computer labs and resource
centers with open lab hours where the courses may be accessed.
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Is there an orientation for Internet
courses?
Orientation is required for Internet courses. Instructors
schedule a face-to-face orientation to explain the requirements of
the course and go over the online course management tools. Please
check the course schedule or with your course instructor for
orientation schedule.
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Do
students get the same information and content in an Internet course
as they would in an on-campus course?
The education you receive from an online class is the same; however,
due to the nature of online learning you may experience the course
in a format that best transmits the learning
experience through online media.
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Can I work at my own pace or do I
need to follow a class schedule?
Internet courses follow the same schedule as traditional
courses. These are not self-paced courses. Students follow an
outline of topics, turn in assignments and take exams on dates
scheduled in the course by the instructor.
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How is
attendance taken in an Internet course?
An online class absence
may be identified as a missed assignment or inactivity in the course
site, which the instructor is able to track. Instructors may drop
students who have not been in contact with the instructor by the
date specified in the course syllabus.
How do I
access my online class?
Online Campus may be accessed by going to myChargerNet, logging in with your Columbia State PVT account, and clicking the Online Campus icon. Once
you are logged in, you will see your course list. Click on the
course name to enter the class.
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Will there be any on-campus
meetings?
Other than the face-to-face orientation, Internet course work is
done completely online.
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Are all tests and quizzes taken
online?
Yes, all tests and
quizzes are taken online. Some instructors
may require students to come to the nearest campus to take online proctored
tests or quizzes.
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What is a
test proctor and how do I find the proctors schedule at the nearest
campus?
A test proctor is a Columbia State staff member whose primary
responsibility is to ensure that the test is given to the standards
and conditions outlined by the instructor. Proctor schedules for
each campus are located on the Columbia State Testing Services
website. http://www.columbiastate.edu/testingservices
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How do I complete my coursework?
Internet courses are taught using the Online Campus course management
system. Coursework completed within the online learning environment
involves lectures, email, discussion boards, testing, file sharing,
and group collaboration.
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Are Internet courses easier
than traditional courses?
Internet courses require at least as much effort and time as
traditional courses, if not more. Since students work primarily on
their own without face-to-face contact with instructors, they may
not always have regular classroom reminders and clarifications
available to students in traditional courses.
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Where do I buy textbooks that are required
for an Internet course?
Books may be purchased at any of the college's campuses or may be
ordered online from the college bookstore at www.bkstore.com/coscc.
Textbooks for Columbia State Internet Courses should be purchased
following instructions provided on the course web pages or during
the course orientation.
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Who do I
contact if I need technical assistance in my online course
- For course related issues, you
should contact your course instructor.
- For all other issues you can
email helpdesk@columbiastate.edu
- To provide the best services
possible, please provide the information outlined below when
contacting technical support:
- First and last name.
- Course name and number for
which you require assistance.
- A complete description of
the problem for which you require assistance.
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Will I
have an opportunity to evaluate the course and the instructor?
It is very important that you complete a course evaluation at the
end of each semester. Your instructor will provide you with a link
to an online evaluation. When you submit the evaluation, it goes to
a database in the Distance Education office and your evaluation is
anonymous.
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If I
have a question or complaint about my instructor, who do I contact.
You should first talk to your instructor directly. If you still have
unresolved issues, you should feel free to speak to the Division
Chair.
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