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MGCCC Distance Learning
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Answers for "First Timers" How do I know if I am suited to take an online course? Take our “Should I take online courses?” assessment to see if your learning style is compatible with online learning. What is the difference between an online course and a hybrid course? Online courses are courses that are offered through the Mississippi Virtual Community College (MSVCC) consortium. These courses are offered entirely online, usually with no campus component. Students will log into a learning platform to access course information. MSVCC uses two learning platforms: Blackboard and Desire2Learn. You may have courses on one or both platforms. Check your student profile to determine on which platform each course is located. All online courses require at least one proctored exam that will require the learner to go to the campus to take an exam. Hybrid courses are offered only at MGCCC and are a blending of the traditional on-campus courses with an online component. In this format you will complete a portion of the course online using the MGCCC Blackboard platform and then only meet on campus as outlined in the college Tabloid. Do I have to log onto my course at a certain time? Course instructors determine when and how often the learner must log in. Most courses do not require learners to log in at a specific time. However, many courses do have a specified number of times you must log into the course site each week. Contact your instructor to find out what the attendance policy is for each course in which you are enrolled. Are online courses self-paced? No, online courses have specific start and end dates. See the Distance Learning Calendar for these dates. Each instructor determines when assignments are due for their specific course. Check the course syllabus/schedule for more information on required assignment due dates. What is the attendance policy for online courses? The attendance policy for each course may vary depending on which college is hosting the course. The attendance policy should be outlined in each course and can be accessed when you log into your course site. If you have any questions concerning the attendance policy, contact the instructor of the course for clarification. All coursework for online courses is completed online. Some courses will require that you purchase additional course materials so that you can complete labs etc. "virtually". Check the MSVCC course listing prior to registration to see if any additional materials are required for each course. The only time you will be required to come to campus is to take your proctored exams. Each course is required to include at least one proctored exam. Some courses may have up to three. Check the MSVCC course listing or contact the instructor prior to registration to determine the number of proctored exams for each course. If you are living outside the state of MS, you may work with your instructor to obtain an off-campus proctor. Please contact your course instructor discuss this option if necessary. For more information on requesting an off campus proctor, please click here. To locate MSVCC proctor contact information, click here. How will I get my course assignments? Your assignments will be provided by the instructor for your course. The first announcement or email from your instructor should indicate how to get started and where to find course information inside the course. If this information is not provided, you will need to search the course to locate it. While every instructor sets up his/her course differently, you can usually find this information as follows: Blackboard:
Click the Assignments link on the left navigation bar If you need additional assistance locating course information, please contact your instructor. How much do online courses cost?Tuition and fees for online courses are the same as for traditional on-campus courses, however there is an added non-refundable fee of $30.00 per semester hour for each online class. This would equate to $90.00 for each three-semester hour class and $120.00 for each four-semester hour course. |
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