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Distance Learning Students

Resources for Current and Future Distance Learning Students

What is NETnet?

Distance education overview

Is distance education right for you?

Characteristics of successful distance ed students

Learning styles

Myths about distance ed

Questions to ask the school

Tools for students

Where do you want to go today? NETnet can get you there!

The Northeast Texas Consortium (NETnet) is a group of 15 colleges and universities who are committed to bringing higher education opportunities to East Texans. Our members offer well over 200 ITV courses, and close to 300 online courses. Visit our Courses & Programs page for the most recent listing of course offerings and for contact information for each one of our member institutions.

Whether you're already enrolled in a distance education course, thinking about taking a dual credit course from a local college, or are thinking about returning to school as an adult, this site is full of valuable information to help you make the most of your experience with distance education. Be sure to check out the links in the left menu under Available Topics for more specific information.

NETnet is the coordinating office for our member institutions -- the NETnet Center for Educational Technologies does not offer courses. To learn more about the courses our members offer, contact each member institution directly.

Distance Education / Distance Learning Overview

What is distance education?

A distance learning class is one in which the students are geographically separated from the instructor. Distance education courses use a variety of teaching methods, strategies, and technologies. There are Interactive Videoconferencing (ITV) courses, Online courses (taught using the Internet), Telecourses (videotaped lessons) and ‘Hybrid’ courses that combine several different technologies with a traditional face-to-face component. For example, you may find that some distance education courses require students to visit the college campus for a face-to-face orientation before the class begins, and that many ITV courses have a large online component.

What’s so different about a distance learning course?

The biggest difference is that you must take a much more active role in your own education. In the distance education environment, you will not be able to sit back passively and expect to pass the course. To get the most out of the course, you must be able to communicate effectively with fellow students and the instructor. Whatever communication technology is being used— ITV, Internet, or Telecourses—you must be prepared to participate; you will not be allowed to "lurk" on the edges of the class activity. Distance learning is not the same as face-to-face instruction, so the instructor and the students must work harder to create a good interactive environment.

What distance education students are saying about their classes...

"I have 6 children - the youngest are twins (22). I'm just now able to start college & I've really never been exposed to art or been anywhere. Our vacations were always tent camping in the woods. This class will enable me to visit far away places and expose me to other cultures & ways of life. I really enjoy it. Also, the experience of taking a class over distance learning is great. I feel as if I'm in the room with your class." - Tyler Junior College Art student

"Attending" an online class may mean participating in online discussion groups, checking your email, or any number of other online activities. Whether you're taking an online or ITV course, you should be prepared to "attend" class regularly so you can participate in the class activities; in addition to perhaps violating attendance polices of particular schools, absences mean you will lose the benefit of interacting with your peers and instructor.

Technical difficulties do arise in distance learning courses, but don’t use the technology as an excuse for a lack of progress. You must work with the technology and use it to your advantage. Remember, the skills developed in the distance education environment—becoming a more self-directed learner and being able to use new technologies—will give you a significant advantage in the workplace.

Visit Distance Ed Technologies for more information about online courses, interactive videoconferencing ITV courses, and telecourses.

Watch this presentation about Dual Credit Classes!

Is distance education right for you?

Many students find distance learning a challenging and rewarding educational experience. However, distance learning courses are not for everyone. Depending on their emotional and intellectual maturity level, learning styles, and work habits, some students may need the face-to-face contact and instructor proximity found in the traditional classroom.

Take one of these free, interactive quizzes to see if distance learning is right for you!

Characteristics of a successful distance education student

Regardless of the delivery method (ITV, Internet, Telecourse) a successful distance education student must:

Be self-directed
Be resourceful
Be assertive - if you don’t know something, ask!
Communicate and participate
Be respectful of the other sites/students
Be comfortable with the various technologies used
Meet the necessary technical requirements and be comfortable with the equipment
Have the time and resources to dedicate to college-level coursework
Be comfortable with the written word and use of e-mail as a communication form
Be able to prioritize responsibilities and work independently
Ask for assistance when needed to build academic and social support systems

Successful distance education students have drive!

Download this Student Study Schedule - Time Management Guide (print out in landscape) in PDF format. Get Adobe Acrobat reader.

Learning styles

To be successful in your distance education course you need to have a very good understanding of your strengths and weaknesses as a learner. You need to ask yourself how you learn most effectively. You may have to: learn how you learn & learn how to learn

For example, it would be very useful for you to know if you are a visual learner, an auditory learner or a kinesthetic learner:

Visual learners are those who prefer to learn from print material such as text and graphics; things they can see.

Auditory learners are those who prefer to learn from listening to speech or other sounds; things they can hear.

Kinesthetic learners are those who prefer to learn from handling objects or performing a task; something they can touch.

Knowing your preferred learning style means you can determine how best to study for exams and quizzes. It will also help you to understand why sometimes you don’t grasp some things as easily as your classmates do.

Take one of these free, interactive quizzes to help determine your learning style.

The Big Three MYTHS about distance learning

1. Taking courses via distance education is a quick and easy way to learn.
Nope – in many cases it’s harder – in MOST cases it’s harder. You are in control – which means you have to be disciplined, self-motivated, and honest with yourself about whether you’re disciplined and self-motivated!

2. Online courses are self-paced. I can do all the work the last week of the semester and still pass.
Nope – first, not all online courses are self-paced; many follow the same semester guidelines as traditional classes. Second, there is a whole lot more work involved in an online class – no way you could get it all done - or done well! Be realistic.

3. I need to have highly advanced computer skills.
Nope – this is usually not the case. You need to be able to use email, save files to disk, open files, surf the web; basic computer skills are usually all you'll need, but check with each instructor to make sure.

Questions to ask the school about their distance learning programs

Before you sign up for distance education classes at any school, here are a few things you should check out first:

Accreditation

Is the institution or program accredited by an established and respected accreditation body?

Admission requirements

What (if any) are the age, experience, academic qualifications, GMAT (if required), skills, or knowledge prerequisites (technical/academic)?
What exemptions or course waivers are possible?
What is the registration process (online/ in person)?

Academic support

Is the program designed and delivered by regular faculty members of the institution?
What is the availability of academic support services, such as counseling, advising, tutoring, and placement?
What access to library materials and databases is provided by the school?
Is all required software provided?

Performance expectations

What performance expectations are placed upon students concerning deadlines for assessment, study time requirements, active participation, and face-to-face attendance?

Interaction

When, where, and how do student-to-student and student-to-faculty interactions occur?
What is the mix between face-to-face and electronic interaction?

Technical support

What are the technical support resources available (initial/ongoing)?
What are hardware and software requirements for the program?
What prior technical competencies are needed?

Payment policies

What is included in the tuition (books, fees, software, Internet access)?
What is the expected payment schedule?
What is the school's policy for reimbursement of fees upon withdrawal?
What is the availability of financial aid/scholarships?

Tools for students

These links will open in a new window. To view links, please disable any pop-up killer applications you're running. To get a full-screen view, click the Maximize icon in the right uppermost corner of the screen (next to the X).

Book Citation Generator
Instantly generate footnote, endnote and bibliography citations in Turabian format.

Citation Machine
Create MLA and APA citations instantly by simply filling in a form - GREAT tool!! *Based on MLA 6th Edition and APA 5th Edition, and updated January 2004. Be sure to check the guides to ensure the citation generated is in the proper format!

Cool Tools from Back2college
Some are free, some are fee-based, but all are definitely worth a look!

Education World
Wonderful resource that provides time-saving online tools for school projects and assignments

ElectraGuide
Use the fill-in-the-blank Thesis Builder to generate a thesis statement and outline - it's a snap!

English quizzes
Bone up on your college vocabulary, grammar, sentence parts and more with these free interactive quizzes.

Google Scholar Search
Google Scholar is not a substitute for library resources, but it does enable you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports from all broad areas of research. This application is still is Beta mode, so be sure to check the credibility of your sources before using them in a paper!

Grade Calculator
Plug in the grades you've received so far, and this handy calculator will determine your current grade and what you'll need to make on remaining assignments to get the final grade you need.

How fast do you read?
Take this quick, interactive test and learn how many words-per-minute you can read.

MathServ Calculus Toolkit
Factor polynomials, graph functions and equations, compute derivatives of a given function, and lots more!

NoodleTools offers the below free tool and more at their website:

Choose a Search Engine
Choose the best search engine for your information needs.

QuickTopic Document Review
Collaborate on a paper using this FREE and easy document review forum

REFDESK
This is a good source for all kinds of reference material.

Reftools.com
Browse 100's of free online tools and custom searches. Find biographies of your favorite philosopher, listen to famous historical speeches (or the Watergate Tapes), or download free books. Reftools also allows you to create your own page of tools for quick reference.

Reverse Dictionary
Don't you hate it when you know what a word means, but you just can't think of the word? This dictionary lets you input the meaning- for example: fear of heights- then gives you a range of options for the word you're looking for.

Search Educational Sites
Great for researching legitimate sources of information

Student Study Schedule - Time Management Guide (print out in landscape) in PDF format. Get Adobe Acrobat reader.

Test Prep Review
Test Prep Review is a free service of a nonprofit group of educators. The site provides free practice test questions for students in a variety of career situations. TASP, Accuplacer, ACT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, Nursing Exam Practice - and many more!

TILT
The University of Texas at Austin's Texas Information Literacy Tutorial helps you learn how to explore and do research online.

Typing Test
In an online class, you may have to do a lot of typing. Take this quick test and see how many words-per-minute you can type.

TutorGig
Find over 3500 online tutorials on a broad range of subjects.

World of Math
Tools, calculators, converters

Be sure to visit the Financial Aid page for links to other useful resources!

You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files. If Acrobat Reader is not installed on your computer, click the Adobe icon to download your free copy.

NETnet Member Contact Information
Angelina College Judith A. Wright Phone: 936-633-5392 Fax: 936-633-5410 jwright@angelina.edu http://www.angelina.edu/	Trinity Valley Community College Dr. Terry Spurlock Phone: 903-675-6259 Fax: 903-670-2616 tspurlock@tvcc.edu http://www.tvcc.edu/
Kilgore College Charleen Worsham Phone: 903-988-3700 Fax: 903-988-3703 cworsham@kilgore.edu http://www.kilgore.edu/	Tyler Junior College Dr. George Wilson Phone: 903-510-2301 Fax: 903-510-2643 gwil@tjc.edu http://www.tjc.edu
Northeast Texas Community College Dr. Judy Traylor Phone: 903-572-1911 X316 Fax: 903-572-6712 jtraylor@ntcc.edu http://www.ntcc.edu/	Sam Houston State University James L. Van Roekel Phone: 936-294-3129 Fax: N/A vanroekel@shsu.edu http://www.shsu.edu/
Panola College Ann Morris Phone: 903-693-2014 Fax: 903-693-5588 amorris@panola.edu http://www.panola.edu/	Stephen F. Austin State University Dr. Randy McDonald Phone: 936-468-1010 Fax: N/A rmcdonald@sfasu.edu http://www.sfasu.edu/index1.html
Paris Junior College Dr. Ken Haley Phone: 903-782-0311 Fax: 903-782-0213 khaley@parisjc.edu http://www.parisjc.edu/	Texas A&M Commerce Charlotte Larkin Phone: 903-886-5459 Fax: 903-886-5991 Charlotte_Larkin@tamu-commerce.edu http://www7.tamu-commerce.edu/
Texarkana College Dr. Van D. Miller Phone: 903-832-5565 X3358 Fax: 903-832-5030 vmiller@texarkanacollege.edu http://www.texarkanacollege.edu	Texas A&M Texarkana Dr. Ann Candler Lotven Phone: 903-223-3003 Fax: 903-832-2032 lotven@tamut.edu http://www.tamut.edu/index.php
Texas State Technical College Marshall Andy Bozylinski Phone: 903-923-3356 andy.bozylinski@marshall.tstc.edu http://maweb.marshall.tstc.edu	University of Texas at Tyler Dr. Linda Klotz Phone: 903-566-7075 Fax: 903-565-5533 lklotz@mail.uttyl.edu http://www.uttyler.edu/
To learn more about how The Virtual College of Texas (VCT) works, visit them online at http://www.vct.org/	UT Health Center at Tyler Dr. Jeffrey Levin Phone: 903-877-5900 Fax: 903 877-7982 jeffrey.levin@uthct.edu http://www.uthct.edu/

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The Northeast Texas Network Consortium Coordinating Office / 11937 Hwy 155 at Hwy 271 / Tyler, TX 75708
phone (903) 877-7510 / fax (903) 877-7430