Distance Learning
Frequently Asked Questions
This page contains some frequently asked questions about Distance Learning and online courses at NWACC. Please refer to this first when you have questions. If you can not find the answer to your question here, contact the NWACC Distance Learning Department .
1. Admissions and Registration
1.1 - Is online learning right for me?
1.2 - Take the Online Learning Pre-Test
1.2 - I’m a student at another school and want to take some courses that I can transfer to my college. How do I get admitted and registered?
1.3 - What do I need to do after I register for my online course(s)?
2. Classes and Degrees
2.1 - How do I find out what classes are available online?
2.2 - What degrees are available online?
2.3 - What do I need to know about being a Distance Learning student?
3. Compressed Interactive Video
3.1 - How do I go about renting the Interactive Videoconference room?
3.2 - Can I take an Interactive Video course from home?
4. Blackboard Support
4.1 - How do I log into Blackboard?
4.1.1 - How do I log into Blackboard if My NWACC Connection is down?
4.2 - What other online systems might be used for online courses?
4.3- When can I start my online course for next semester?
4.4 - How can I protect myself from losing work if there are techical problems.
1. Admissions and Registration
1.1 - Is online learning right for me?
Online courses require four things for success:
1. Motivation – You need to be able to motivate yourself to complete your work and stay on schedule. Procrastination in an online course is a recipe for failure.
2. Organization – You need to be able to organize your time to work on your online course. Even though you won’t be meeting in a classroom, online students can reasonably expect to spend 6-9 hours a week on each 3 hour class. You need to organize your time to be able to do the work necessary, and also to have quality, undistracted time in which to work.
3. Communication – You need to stay in contact with both your instructor and your classmates to be successful in an online class. The vast majority of NWACC’s online courses are designed for this kind of dialogue, so you should be regularly communicating in the course. Don’t be afraid to go beyond the minimum required communications as that will increase your study and discussion of the subject matter and improve your learning experience.
4. Internet Connection and Skills – Students need tohave a high-speed internet connection Students should have access to a computer at home or regular and consistent access to one elsewhere. Home access is strongly recommended. Students entering an online course should know how to browse the internet, send e-mail with attachments, word process documents and save them in different file formats, and fill out forms online. Students should know how to download and save files as well as install software.
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1.3 - I’m a student at another school and want to take some courses that I can transfer to my college. How do I get admitted and registered?
You should first confirm with your advisor at your regular school that the courses you take here would be transferable to that school. Once you have done this, you will apply for admission, be advised, and register, just as any other online student at NWACC would.
Specific details as to how the process works can be found HERE and HERE.
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1.4 -What do I need to do after I register for my online course(s)?
As soon as you register for your online course, you should contact your instructor, preferably by e-mail. There is a Faculty and Staff Directory on the main College homepage.
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2. Classes and Degrees
2.1 - How do I find out what classes are available online?
A general list of Distance Learning classes is located at http://www.nwacc.edu/disted/nwdeclas.php -- however, this is not always up-to-date. The best way is to use the regular class search engine located here: https://www2.nwacc.edu/pls/nprod/bwckschd.p_disp_dyn_sched
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2.2 - What degrees are available online?
Currently NWACC offers two fully online degrees: AA General Education, and Environmental Regulatory Sciences. Please click here for more information. However, nearly all the core courses of many other degree plans are online, too.
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2.3 - What do I need to know about being a Distance Learning student?
Distance Learning students should be prepared for the amount of self-directedness and independence that come with these kinds of courses. There is a certain level of responsibility that students have to have to ensure their success in courses. NWACC wants DL students to be motivatived, organized, and communicative in their class. Details on each of these traits can be found on the Information About Distance Learning page.
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3. Compressed Interactive Video
3.1 - How do I go about renting the Interactive Videoconference room?
An external facilities request form is needed to reserve the room. Interested parties should contact the Distance Learning office at (479)619-4299 first, in order to determine the availability of the room, before sending in a facilities request form. Fees and other information are located at http://www.nwacc.edu/disted/nwdeuse.php
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3.2 - Can I take an Interactive Video course from home?
No. Interactive Video classes are classroom-based and involve classrooms from different locations being connected. So, it is not possible to take this kind of class from home.
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4. Blackboard Support
4.1 - How do I log into Blackboard?
Please go to the Student Resources page HERE and read the Brochure: How to Access Your Online Classes.
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4.1.1 - How do I log into Blackboard if My NWACC Connection is down?
If My NWACC Connection is not available online, that does not mean that Blackboard is down. The systems are linked but are separate. Blackboard keeps running even if My NWACC Connection is down.
If needed, you can log in directly at the Blackboard entry page: http://nwacc.blackboard.com Follow the instructions there about your username and obtaining your password.
Please go to the Student Resources page HERE and read the information about Blackboard Passwords.
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4.2 - What other online systems are used for distance learning courses at NWACC?
Some courses at NWACC may use different online programs as part of their materials. Math courses in particular may use another system.
The best thing to do, particularly if you are taking an online Math class, is to contact your instructor to see which system you will be using.
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4.3 - When can I start my online course for next semester?
Online courses are scheduled to begin on the same date as on-campus courses, and should become availalbe on the morning of the first day of classes.
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4.4 - How can I protect myself from losing work if there are techical problems.
Though it happens rarely, technology can fail, resulting in lost time or data.
Students and faculty can protect their own data and work by keeping backups of all documents for the course. Also, we recommend that students make copies of any discussions or e-mail assignments that they submit for a grade. ALWAYS SAVE A COPY OF EVERYTHING YOU SUBMIT IN THE COURSE.
NWACC cannot guarantee data can be recovered in the event of a major outage, however rare. We will do everything possible to preserve data, but students are responsible for keeping backups of their individual work wherever and however possible.
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For questions/comments on this content, please contact the Distance Learning Department.
This page was last updated on: August 06, 2010 @ 9:37 am
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