Online courses have been developed by Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) instructors to accommodate anyone who may live long distances from any one of the college campuses (San Jacinto, Menifee, Temecula, Beaumont, Lake Elsinore) and/or who may have schedules that preclude attending traditional face-to-face classes during their scheduled meeting times.
It is expected that anyone who undertakes an online course will have consistent access to a reliable computer with reliable Internet access and will already have developed at least basic reading, word processing, web browsing and e-mail skills.
Students who do not have their own computers can have free access to computers and the Internet at MSJC's Learning Resource Centers (LRC), located on the San Jacinto and Menifee campuses. As its name suggests, our Learning Resource Centers have lots of learning resources to offer MSJC students. Go to the LRC's Web site for more information about how to gain access to various learning resources and the LRC's hours of operation.
MSJC also offers two finely equipped and staffed computer labs, designed for student use. Plus, several new CIS tutors have recently been hired by the CIS department. You can inquire about Computer Lab hours of operation and CIS tutors by contacting Kaye Melsheimer at 951-639-5523.
What are the Basic Skills Students Need to be Successful in an Online Course?
In order to succeed in any online course, a person must be able do all of the following things:
- Work independently and DO NOT PROCRASTINATE.
- Follow written directions EXACTLY as they are written.
- Emulate the format of examples EXACTLY as illustrated.
- Demonstrate good clear and concise Writing Ability.
- Comply with CIS Required E-Mail Standards
By the time the course is completed all students will have demonstrated proficiency in all of the course related basic skills as stated in the syllabus for each online course.
After reviewing all of the information referenced above, anyone able to meet the criteria indicated, who wants to complete an online course, should begin by starting on your first assignments now. Set aside a day and time for yourself when you will be able to work on your assignments on a regular basis. Working at a consistent and steady pace will afford you the best learning opportunities and your best chance of achieving success in your online course.
It only takes a second to logon to my.msjc.edu and just a couple of minutes to check for any announcements or e-mails that you may have been sent from one of your online instructors. You should make it a habit of checking both your MSJC email and online announcements at least once per day, Monday through Thursday, and at least once again over the weekend. That way you are always informed of the most recent updates sent to you from your MSJC online instructors. Being an informed student increases your ability to be a successful Online Student.
Don't procrastinate, always work ahead on assignments. You may run into a problem or need to ask a question of your instructor in order to complete an assignment. Most online instructors don't respond until Monday to emails received on the weekend, and by then it may be to late for you to meet your assignment deadline. If you begin assignments early in the week and ask your questions early, then, you should receive a timely response, making it easier for you to complete your assignment on time.
One of the most common ways for an instructor to communicate with the entire class at once is by posting an announcement. Once you log on to http://my.msjc.edu (aka Blackboard) you should see a list of all of the courses you are enrolled in for the current semester.
Once you are logged on to my.msjc.edu, look underneath the title of a course you are enrolled in - this is where any announcements for the course are displayed, if any announcements have been recently posted by your teacher. If there are no new announcements from your instructor the text will read "No Announcements."
Click here for more information about how to access and use the my.msjc.edu (aka Blackboard) Announcements screen from within your course module.
Email communication between student and instructor is the primary method for asking questions and resolving problems in this online course. With that in mind here are some key things to consider regarding use of email by online students.
- Checking for Emails. Always check your email at least once per day, Monday - Thursday, and at least once during the weekend.
- Follow the Email Policy. Adhering to the department Email Policy in ALL email correspondence with your instructor is very important as well. Following the policy will help your instructor respond to you quicker.
- Always Include Your Name. Always be sure to include your full name, first name + last name, in all email correspondence with your online instructor. By including your full name in each email, your instructor will be able to address you properly in his/her response to you.
- Responding to Emails. When responding to an email you received from your instructor, just click "reply" and start typing. Don't delete the text at the bottom of your response as that is the "thread" or "record" of the previous information exchange between you and your teacher about a particular question or problem. Leaving this "thread" information helps your instructor to give you a more complete response to your follow-up question or issue with a particular problem.