What is distance learning?

Distance Learning refers to learning that takes place outside the traditional classroom setting. Sandhills Community College offers two types of distance learning courses:

• Classes that are offered off-campus via the Internet. These Internet-based courses may also include textbook materials, videotapes, and material available directly from the Internet.
• Courses offered on campus in a classroom but with an Internet component, such as an online syllabus and Internet assignments.

The purpose of distance education is to contribute to the overall mission of the college in Goal #1: “to educate and qualify students for careers in technical fields,” Goal #2: “to prepare students to transfer to baccalaureate institutions and to excel in their baccalaureate studies,” and Goal #9: “to create and market education programs, including programs delivered via distance learning, that excite and meet the needs of all segments of our service area.”

The mission of distance education is to provide student access to educational programs through nontraditional instructional delivery methods at times and locations convenient for students. At Sandhills Community College distance education includes both distance learning and special programs. Internet and telecourses are considered distance learning. Huskins (high school) courses, SCC Hoke Center courses, and any other off-campus curriculum offerings are considered special programs. Through the Internet, distance learning courses provide access to thousands of information sources around the world, including libraries and news media. These sources can be accessed from any computer anywhere in the world that is connected to the Internet. Students are also not restricted to a particular time of day to seek information from classmates and teacher.

Each SCC Distance Learning course is offered in the Blackboard learning platform. Blackboard places students in an Internet classroom that enables them to communicate with their teacher and classmates via their computer. Instead of sitting in a traditional bricks and mortar classroom at 10 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, students can participate in their Internet classroom from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. on Tuesday if they choose. Students enrolled in HUM 160 Introduction to Film, for example, will participate in several hours of discussions about motion pictures they have seen, just as they would in a traditional on-campus class. The difference is that instead of discussing the same motion picture at 10 a.m., some students will post their comments to an online discussion group at 10 a.m. Monday, but others will respond at 3 a.m. Tuesday. By the end of the week, however, all students will have participated in the discussion group.

Is distance learning for me?

Distance learning classes are designed for students whose work and family schedule prevents them from being able to take a class every week from 10-10:50 a.m. If you are serious about your education and wish the flexibility of being able to take a college course any time day or night, then you should consider a distance learning course. You should be familiar with using a personal computer for word processing and connecting to the Internet. If you do not own or have access to a personal computer, Sandhills Community College also provides computers on campus in the Learning Resource Center in Boyd Library. Distance learning courses assume that you are eager to learn and can motivate yourself to complete the course within the semester or summer session. Here are some additional benefits of distance learning courses, for faculty and students:

1. Online students gain experience and skills that will make them marketable in the 21st century.
2. Online learning is active. Students analyze and evaluate independently while reading, writing, and discussing heavily. Because of this, many students find online learning more fun than classroom-based courses.
3. Online learning is flexible. Based on their preferences and needs, instructors and students can work on a course at 2 p.m. or 2 a.m., at home or at school.
4. More students participate online because they are less self-conscious and less subject to the time pressure that can inhibit classroom discussions. Instructors, in turn, get enhanced one-on-one contact with students.
5. Through the Internet the whole world becomes the classroom.

What do I need to succeed in a distance learning course?

   Each SCC Distance Learning course provides you with dozens of resources to help you succeed, including connections to discussion groups, libraries, writing guides, and a student manual for using all of the courses resources. To succeed in a distance learning course, you also need the following equipment and skills:

1. Internet Access: You must either own or have frequent access to a computer connected to the Internet. You should have access to this computer at least 3 hours per week for online discussion groups, for doing online research, for sending and responding to email messages, and for writing papers and submitting them via the Internet. You will, of course, need to spend more time than this reading textbook assignments, viewing videotapes (if required), and participating in other types of learning experiences. If you connect to the Internet with a modem, 56K is the minimum modem connection.
2. Computer Knowledge: You must also know how to use your computer to save files, access those files on your computer, copy files, use word processing, cut and paste text, copy text, and send and receive email. Since Microsoft Word is the program your teachers will be using, your course will provide you with detailed guides to using Microsoft Word.
3. Email: You can send messages to your teacher and classmates in an SCC Distance Learning course by using the campus email service. Remember to check for messages from your instructor in your campus email insead of your personal email service unless you have sent an email message to your instructor from a different email account rather than the one in your Blackboard course.
4. Up-to-date Browser You also must use Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher. Click here to download the latest version.
5. Videotape and CD: You may need to have access to a videotape player and a CD-ROM drive since some SCC Distance Learning courses use videotapes and materials on CD-ROM. Some of these you will purchase from the SCC Bookstore. Other videotapes or CDs may be available through Boyd Library on the SCC campus or rental from a video store. Thus you also must have access to a videotape player at your home, or you can view videotapes in Boyd Library.
6. Writing Skills: Aside from the technical requirements, you must be able to read and write effectively. Using the Internet is a point and click experience, but the Internet and Internet courses are reading intensive experiences. You must also be a self-motivated person who can maintain a schedule. SCC Distance Learning courses are not correspondence courses that you will complete in the far-distant future completely at your leisure. SCC Distance Learning requires weekly activities just as in any course, although you can complete these activities any hour of the day or night during that weekly period.
7. Self-Evaluation: Take the Distance Learning Pre-test to determine if you are ready to take a distance learning course at Sandhills Community College.
8. Click here for a schedule of classes for the next term. Note: Distance learning classes have an "N" in the section number of the course.

   To be a member of a distance learning course, you must follow these steps:

1. Register for the course.   For information about registering for a course, click here.

2. Login correctly:  After you have registered and paid for the course, you will be able to return to the "Distance Learning" on the SCC home page at www.sandhills.edu and enter your course on the first day of the semester. You will follow the directions on the screen to login.

3. Required Orientation:  You may be required to attend an orientation for classes that are offered completely over the Internet rather than as a component of your classroom course. Click here for a schedule of registration dates and a schedule of classes. Be sure to connect to the PDF file that shows course prerequisites and any orientations that may be scheduled for your distance learning class. Courses are listed in alphabetical order by subject area. Internet courses contain the letter "N" in the section number. Any required orientation or instructor contact information will be listed after the course title.