Online Community College is a form of distance learning. There are several ways to take community college courses online and with other types of distance learning that takes place with the student not present in the classroom. Students can take online community college courses and other Distance Learning courses in a variety of ways.  Here are some of the more common:

• Online Community College Classes via the  Mail
• Online Community College Courses utilizing Video
• Online Community College Courses using Interactive or cable TV, satellite broadcast
• Online Community College Classes also use Internet technologies such as message boards, chat rooms, and desktop video or computer conferencing.

If you’ve never taken an online community college class or Distance Learning class you may be wondering how they’re different  from traditional classroom classes.  The difference is in the how, not the what of the class!  You’ll find that the online community college classes and other Distance Learning courses are comporable  to the regular classes when you compare  course content, textbooks, required assignments and study time. The main difference is in the method used to deliver the information and test your understanding.

If you don’t live near the community college that you plan to enroll in, you’ll need to find out if you’ll be required to attend any classes or come in to the university or college for exams.  If you’re not required to come to the campus for classes, you still may be required to take the exam in person, or find a proctor location.  A proctor location is a place that you can take the exam for your online community college course and be in a supervised environment.  A public library, school or government office might be available to proctor you.  You can contact the instructor for this information.  Your exam might be on paper, in which case it might be mailed to the proctor, or you may be able to take the exam online.  It would be a good idea to check ahead of time for the length of the exam and find out if internet access will  be required.  You’ll probably have to find your own procotor, so here’s a good resource.   Click here to find a test proctor through the National College Testing Association (NCTA).  If this list isn’t helpful, you can contact your local colleges or universities and ask if they have a proctoring program.  You’ll need to budget for this expense for your online community college class, usually about $20 to $30 dollars per exam.

Does your online community college offer  Internet, Audio Cassette, Video and Instructional TV courses?
Internet classes are offered over the Internet and require that the student have access to a computer connected to the Internet and their own personal email account.

Some classes are also available at scheduled times on your local public access television station.  You’ll need to have access to television, and you might want to consider taping the class.  You might also be able to check out audion cassettes, CD’s or DVD’s for the online community college class material.

What equipment/software do I need to take a Distance Learning course?

Recommended Computer Specifications – here is an example proved by Alan Hancock Community College.  Please check your local online college for specifics.

*Macintosh owners may not be able to make use of all capabilities of “Blackboard”; certain math courses are not accessible from Macintosh computers.

You’ll likely need an email account to communicate with the instructor.  If you don’t have one already, you can get a free one with hotmail or google.  You’ll probably need to include your name, or at least your last name, in your email address.

Need access to a computer?  Don’t have a computer at home?  If you live near your college you can see if there is a computer you can use on campus, in the library or computer resource center.  You might try your public library to see if they have any computers available.  Also check with your Employment Development Dept to see if they have a career resource center you could use. 

Do you need some resources for Online Community College?

Read more here about online classes at your community college: Online Classes Community

I recently had the opportunity to interview Cathy Shoaf of Giant Campus on the new directions the Giant Campus 2010 will bring! Here’s Cathy’s response to my questions of what directions Giant Campus 2010 is taking: “Giant Campus will continue to grow and provide academic excellence to Military programs for youth and adults, Online Technology Camps for youth, and Online Curriculum Development. Additionally, we are launching new and very exciting initiative – Giant Campus of Washington. This offering is a public, tuition-free online school that offers online elective courses to Washington state high school students in technology subjects like game design, 3D modeling and animation. Washington is our launching pad state and we hope to offer our curriculum in 4 more states in the next 6-9 months. Our public school courses are a natural extension of the leading education we’ve provided nationally through camps and online schools for the last 12 years. You can read more about our new initiative at Giant Campus Washington.”

Giant Campus of Washington’s Mission:
“Our mission is to create a collaborative learning community that prepares any student for life beyond the classroom through engaging curriculum that promotes independent thinking, creativity and originality.”

This is really great news for kids and teens that want to take online computer classes!  What an exciting direction for this company to be taking.  Sadly, this also means that Giant Campus will not be offering summer camps in 2010, allowing them to devote the time and resourses to the new online computer classes for kids and teens.  These summer camps were a tradition in our household, my own son, Scot, now age 13, has attended Giant Campus (formerly Cybercamps) summer camps for three summers, and will really miss them.  (You can see his picture at Giant Campus at UC Berkeley here: Scot at Camp) At the same time, though, he’ll be the first kid in California to enroll in high school online computer classes with Giant Campus! 

Tags: Online Computer Classes for Teens, Online High Schools for Game Design, Online School for 3D Modeling, Online Game 3D Modeling Course

Online Computer Classes for Teens

Read More: Request info for your Online Certificates Programs, Online Associate’s Programs and more: Click Here: Online Community College Courses Archives

News:  Apple Store Back to School Free iPod Promotion through September 7, 2010.

How does the free iPod rebate work???  Is the iPod touch rebate for college for real?  Read about the apple touch rebate!

Yes!  The iPod Touch rebate for college is for real!  Why Buy Touch? How does the free ipod rebate work???  Get Free Apple iPod Touch by rebate with the purchase of a Mac online!  Apple Store for Education offer apple touch rebate is extended to students, parents of students,  faculty and staff of colleges and universities.  Buy a Mac for college, and get a free iPod touch. Configure your Mac. Only at the Apple Online Store.  The Mac computers are a perfect choice for any student, especially students taking online courses!

Why buy an iPod Touch when you can get a free one by rebate? How does the free ipod rebate work???  What can you do with your free Apple iPod Touch?  Yes, the iPod touch rebate college is for real!

• Send and receive emails with your free Apple iPod Touch!
• Check out iTunes U with your free Apple iPod Touch – get podcasts, videos, lectures, listen to music!
• Waiting for the lectures to start?  Play games with the free Apple iPod Touch!
• Full access to the internet with your free iPod Touch

Here’s the small print – How does the free ipod rebate work???  details to get the Apple Free iPod apple touch rebate with purchase of a new Mac online.

1. Buy your new Mac and your iPod Touch at the same time online – don’t make separate purchases.  You’re going to buy both on the same order, on the same receipt, pay for both, and then you’re going to file online for the rebate of the Apple iPod Touch to qualify for the apple touch rebate.  You must have a valid web order number with a valid email address associated with your order.
2. Submit your claim for the free Apple iPod Touch within 90 days of purchase - online.
3. Connecticut and Rhode Island – please read additional details on the Mac site pertaining to your states.
4. These are the Mac’s that qualify for the free iPod Touch promotion when you buy a new Mac at the same time:  iMac, MacBook, Macbook Pro, MacBook Air, and Configure-to-order versions of these Apple computers are eligible. (Buy iMac for college get free ipod touch!)
5. The Mac Mini and Refurbished Mac’s are not included in the free iPod Touch promotion.
6. Refurbished iPods are not included in the free iPod Touch promotion.
7. These are the iPod Touch models to buy that qualify for for the rebate:  iPod Touch – rebate $199., iPod Classic 160 GB GB – rebate $199., iPod Nano 16GB – rebate $179., iPod Nano 8GB - rebate $149., iPod shuffle 4GB – rebate $79.  (The rebate amount will not exceed the purchase price.)
8. There are additional rules for the apple touch rebate, such as no children under the age of 13 may make this purchase and rebate, children between 13 and 18 require the parent or legal guardian consent, the purchase of the new Mac and the new iPod MUST BE ON THE SAME RECEIPT and purchased in the same sale. 
9. You must be a qualified individual for the apple touch rebate.  Please verify this on the Mac site – to sum it up – if you’ve been accepted into or are currently attending a college or university, are the parent of the student, faculty or staff at a college or university, you may participate.  There are other classifications as well, generally folks that work at schools.  Please verify with the Mac site your apple touch rebate eligibility.

So if you see a new Mac in your future – iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iPod Touch, iPod Classic 120 GB GB, iPod Nano 16 GB, iPod Nano 8GB, or iPod shuffle 4GB in your future, buy imac for college get free ipod touch! Take advantage or the apple touch rebate (while supplies last, of course, and no more than 5 qualifying purchases per household) today!