What Do I Need To Succeed in a Distance Learning Course?

Each CCC&TI 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 course resources. To succeed in a distance learning course, you also need the following equipment and skills:

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 reading textbook assignments, viewing videos (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.

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.

Email: You will need to utilize your student email account to send messages to your instructor and classmates. To access your student email, login to the MyCCCTI student portal (https://premy.cccti.edu/). Important messages will be communicated to you by your instructors and CCC&TI via your student email account.

Up-to-date Browser: Current browser recommendations: Firefox, Safari, or Google Chrome.

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. CCC&TI Distance Learning courses are not correspondence courses that you will complete in the far-distant future completely at your leisure. CCC&TI 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.

Self-Evaluation: Take the Distance Learning Pre-test (http://www.cccti.edu/DL/SelfTest.asp) to determine if you are ready to take a distance learning course.