The document provides guidance for online students on being self-motivated, having good time management and computer skills, understanding online etiquette, obtaining course information from instructors, maintaining academic honesty, and noting that online classes require meeting deadlines and participating regularly though not at specific times. It answers common questions about the workload, computer and internet requirements, and expectations for online students.

1. FAQS * FOR ONLINE
STUDENTS
*Frequently Asked Questions

2. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT MOST
SUCCESSFUL ONLINE STUDENTS
ARE:
• 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. DO YOU KNOW ONLINE ETIQUETTE?
• 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. BE SURE TO GET THE FOLLOWING
COURSE INFORMATION FOR YOUR
INSTRUCTOR:
• 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. ACADEMIC HONESTY:
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. QUESTION: IS AN ONLINE CLASS THE
SAME AS A SELF-PACED CLASS?
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. QUESTION: DO YOU HAVE TO LOG ON
AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME?
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. QUESTION: WHERE DO WE MEET FOR
CLASS?
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. QUESTION: IS TAKING AN ONLINE
CLASS EASIER THAN A “REGULAR”
CLASS?
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. QUESTION: DO I HAVE TO HAVE A
COMPUTER AT HOME?
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. QUESTION: WHAT INTERNET SKILLS
WOULD BE HELPFUL IN AN ONLINE
CLASS?
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. QUESTION: WHAT IS EXPECTED OF
STUDENTS?
• As in a regular face-to-face class, your
Answer: 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. GETTING STARTED ONLINE
• Online links
 Student Support for Online Classes
 http://www.gcccd.edu/online/student/default.html
 Login to Blackboard at GCCCD
 https://gcccd.blackboard.com