This document provides frequently asked questions about online courses. It addresses questions about time commitment, communication, technology requirements, etiquette, and academic honesty. Students are advised to plan their time, use appropriate etiquette online, and adhere to standards of academic integrity. Resources are provided to help students succeed in online courses.
2. • Self-motivated and self-starters
• Have good organizational skills
• Have good time-management
skills
• Are familiar with computers and
the Internet
• Are resourceful and actively seek
answers and solutions to
questions and problems.
3. • Identify yourself by name in each
email or postings.
• Be supportive and constructive in
your comments to each other.
• Everyone will benefit from a
positive online learning
environment.
• Read information on Online
Etiquette (use the back button
to come back and finish the
presentation).
4. • Course objectives
• Course expectations
• Assignments
How to submit assignments
How to label files
• How to address your e-mails to
the instructor
• Grading Policies
• Other course issues
5. It is a violation of college policy to plagiarize or
to recycle work.
You must not:
• Take others’ thoughts or words without appropriate
acknowledgment.
• Submit work that has been written or revised in part or in whole by
another person.
• Submit work that you have submitted for another class.
6. Answer: NO
• Most online classes are NOT self-paced.
• Usually homework, other activities, and
online class participation must be
completed by deadline.
• Many Instructors set the deadline for
midnight on Saturday to assist those who
work Monday-Friday.
• Use a calendar for deadlines.
• Set aside time each week to login.
7. Answer: That it is up to you.
• You should plan to spend at least the
same amount of time you would spend
on a face-to-face class.
• For a one unit class - you'll spend a
minimum of one hour a week looking at
some of the class resources, checking
on assignments, contributing to
discussions, and posting homework.
• You’ll probably spend another 3 hours
on reading, practice activities and
homework.
8. Answer: Usually not
• You will have deadlines by which to submit
your homework, but WHEN you complete
that work is usually up to you.
• Your instructor MAY require chat sessions or
other real time activities.
• It’s important NOT to leave it to the last
minute to do your work or to submit it.
• If you have trouble connecting to your ISP
or the course website, then your
assignments will be late.
9. Answer: Online, not in a classroom.
• Other than the orientation meeting,
most online courses don't really "meet"
in a physical face to face sense.
• We'll interact regularly through the
Internet.
• We'll be using some software called
Desire2Learn and using the Los Rios
eLearning web server.
• Course materials are available on the
course web pages, the bulletin boards,
announcements and email.
10. Answer: In many ways.
• We'll communicate with each other
using web-based bulletin boards, chat
rooms and email.
• The instructor is available to you
through email, voicemail and virtual
office hours.
• On-campus office hours are also
available by appointment.
• These same tools will be used for
student-to-student communication
also.
11. Answer: No
• Some students think an online class is
even more demanding than a face-to-
face class.
• You have to stay motivated and stay
on top of your work for the class.
• The workload in an online class is
usually identical to an on-site class on
the same topic.
12. Answer: No
• Access to a computer at home makes it
easier, but you do NOT have to own a
computer for an online class.
• Students can access computers on the
campus in several locations (the
Learning Resource Center, and the
Business Computer lab, for example) or
at other district colleges.
• Some students complete online classes
from work (with permission from their
employer, of course).
13. Answer:
• Know how to use a web browser.
• Know how to use an email program.
• Know how to make and organize bookmarks in your
browser software.
• Some familiarity with web-based interactions
bulletin boards, chat and mailing lists will also be
useful.
• Some familiarity with word processing.
• Experience in successful Internet searches using a
variety of search engines.
14. Answer: • As in a regular face-to-face class, your
instructor expects that you will adhere to
standards of:
Courtesy
Professionalism
Academic honesty
• Participate with appropriate consideration
for each other and for the instructor.
• Your emails and web postings should:
On the topic at hand
Be appropriate
Should reflect a professional demeanor
15. • Online links
GCCCD Online Tutorials
http://www.gcccd.net/online/tutorials/tutorials.ht
m
GCCCD Online Orientation
http://www.gcccd.net/online/orientation.htm
Login to Blackboard at GCCCD
http://bb.gcccd.edu
