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Frequently
Asked Questions
What
is Distance Learning?
Who
should take distance learning classes?
How do I register?
How much do
Distance Learning classes cost?
Do
I need any special equipment or software to take a distance learning
course?
How do I begin a
Distance Learning class?
Can I start at
anytime and finish at anytime?
What support do I have?
Where do I take my tests?
Do I
get the same credit for a distance learning class?
How
do faculty assign dates of attendance if I decide to withdraw from my
online class?
What
is Distance Learning?
Distance Learning takes
place when the student and the instructor are not in the same place. DL
classes can be telecourses, teleclasses, or online classes.
- The telecourses are
either video-based or text-book based courses that have an instructor
assigned to the class. Students attend a Mandatory Orientation at the
beginning of the semester and take their Assessments on campus. All
other work can be done away from the campus.
- Teleclasses are
delivered from the main campus to presently Chester Telephone Co. and
to the 3 high schools in the Chester County School District and to
Clover High School.. Teleclasses are time dependent and place dependent. The advantage is
that you don't have to drive to the main campus if you can view the
course elsewhere. Orientation takes place the first day of class.
- Online classes are
taught over the Internet. Students must go to http://www.yorktech.com
and click on Current Students and then Distance Learning/WebCT. Click on Getting Started to get your username and
password. There are Optional WebCT Orientations at the beginning of
each semester.
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Who
should take distance learning classes?
Distance Learning courses
are not for everyone. While they offer more flexibility for students they
do require a student to be more of an independent, self-motivated learner.
If you like the verbal
exchange of ideas in traditional classes or you procrastinate getting your
work done, this might not be the best way for you to take a class. This is
not an easy way to take a class.
Other characteristics of a
successful distance learning student include the following:
- good reading skills
- good organizational
skills
- completes work on time
- better than average
student (at least a 2.5)
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How
do I register?
Registration for DL classes
is the same as traditional classes. First, you need to see an Admissions
Counselor to be admitted to York Technical College. You may need to take
the placement test before registering for classes. Advisors are available
to help you with your career plans.
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How
much do Distance Learning classes cost?
The cost for Distance
Learning classes is the same as for traditional classes. Please check the
York Technical College website (http://www.yorktech.com) or the college
catalog.
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Do
I need any special equipment or software to take a distance learning
course?
Telecourses that have a
videotape component will require a VCR to watch the tapes. There is an
additional $40 rental fee for the videotapes (entire series-not per tape).
Students are refunded $25 when they return the tapes.
Online classes will require
at least a computer that has been purchased since 2002 with Windows XP
operating system and ISP provider, and a java-capable browser.
Basic computer skills are helpful in successfully completing the course.
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How
do I begin a Distance Learning class?
All telecourses have a
mandatory orientation session. You must attend either the day or night
session to meet with your instructor and pick up your materials for your
course. If you have not attended an Orientation or contacted your
instructor by the 10th day of class, you will be dropped from the course.
If your course has videotapes, you rent the videotapes in the bookstore.
All telecourse guidebooks are purchased in the bookstore.
Teleclass students will
receive an orientation to the technology and the delivery mode on the
first day of class.
Online students must go to
http://www.yorktech.com and click on
Current Students and then Distance Learning/WebCT. Then click on Log On to WebCT. There is no mandatory face-to-face Orientation.
There are optional WebCT Orientations. Check the Distance Learning
homepage under the "Getting Started with WebCT" link for the days
and times for the Orientations.. Most faculty have an
Orientation link on their homepage to give the students information they
need to begin the course. Some faculty call this a "Read Me
First" link.
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Can
I start at anytime and finish at anytime?
Telecourses, Teleclasses,
and Online Classes begin on the first day of the semester and must be
completed during the regular semester schedule. Exceptions must be agreed
upon by the instructor, department manager, and dean of the curriculum
area.
A few of the distance
learning classes are offered during the mini-semester. Please check the
York Technical College homepage or student schedule booklet.
Students who have not made
satisfactory progress by midterm will be withdrawn from the distance
learning class unless the student and instructor have agreed upon a
different solution.
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What
support do I have?
All telecourses have
assigned faculty to work with your throughout the semester. Tutor services (981-7121) are available to you and the
distance learning department (981-7044) will help, if needed. All other
services provided to traditional students will be provided to you. You may
have to come on campus to take advantage of some of the services.
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Where
do I take my tests?
Distance learning
telecourse students take their tests in the Assessment Center (981-7176).
It is located in B-building, B-7. You must bring a picture ID to
take your test. Please check with the Assessment Center for available
hours. No children are allowed in the Assessment Center.
Online students may need to
take their tests in the Assessment Center or they may take their tests
ONLINE. Contact your instructor to make sure you know how you will take
your tests.
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Do
I get the same credit for a distance learning class?
Yes, distance learning
classes meet the same high quality standards of traditional classes and
the credit received is identical to the credit received in a traditional
class.
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How
do faculty assign dates of attendance if I decide to withdraw from my
online class?
The Online software, WebCT,
allows faculty to track a student's performance in the class. Faculty can
click on student tracking and determine the last day the student logged
into the course. This date is used as the last day of attendance on the
withdrawal form. This date will determine the amount of refund you will
receive if you withdraw from an online class.
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