Please also
read the FAQs at the WashingtonOnline
Web site!
General Information
Needed skills
How they work
On-campus meetings
Grading & attendance/participation
Falling behind & computer crashes
(Mis)Communication with instructor
Hardware & Software
Computer requirements
Using work/friend’s computer
Classroom software
Books
For information about books, click
here.
Financial Aid
Picking up your check
Grades
Availability
Late grades & financial aid
Blackboard - Support & Troubleshooting
Support Info
Empty folders in online classroom
Missing course links
User Name/Login & Password
Password problems
Hardware & software problems
Contacts
WashingtonOnline
WVC at Wenatchee
WVC at Omak
GENERAL INFORMATION
Needed
skills
- Take the readiness quiz Is
Online Learning for Me? at the WashingtonOnline Web site.
- Good reading, writing and research skills (ENGL 101 skills recommended)
- Experience with computers and keyboarding, e-mail, basic functions
of Microsoft Word, using Web browsers for research
- Ability to learn on your own, seek answers and follow a study guide
- Self-motivation and the self-discipline to focus, set your own goals
and complete assignments on time—you must be your own nag!
To get an idea of what an online classroom is like, try the Week
Zero Tutorial at the WashingtonOnline Web site.
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How
they work
Online courses are LIKE campus-based courses:
- They have regular classroom assignments (homework, assigned readings,
papers, tests) and deadlines for assignments.
- They require regular participation.
Online courses are UNLIKE campus-based courses:
- They are accessible anytime from anywhere. Assignments have deadlines
and you are expected to participate 5 out of 7 days, but you may log
on at 3:00 a.m. if that is the best time for you.
- They use communication technology via the Internet.
- "Virtual" classroom participation is via e-mail.
- You work independently.
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On-campus
meetings
Some telecourses have required meetings on campus. Check the Getting
Started page for more information.
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Grading &
attendance/participation
As an online student, you may spend 12-15 hours a week on your
course in reading, thinking, writing, and discussing your ideas with
others. Depending upon the course, your grade may be based on your written
discussion, commentaries, exercises, papers, projects, essays, research
or collaborative assignments, quizzes, exams, and journal writing. Assignments
are posted (sent via e-mail) to the classroom Web site.
Attendance is measured by recording the amount of time you spend online
as well as the date of each entry (posting) that you make to the system,
whether a completed assignment or a comment on the work of a classmate.
A significant portion of your grade is based upon your attendance. If
you procrastinate and fail to log in for more than a few days, you will
begin to get lost. Most people who drop out or fail online courses
do so because they can't develop the habit of logging in daily to see
what is going on and to keep in touch with their discussion group.
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Falling behind
& computer crashes
When you experience difficulties with the course, your computer,
or your life, contact your instructor ASAP to make arrangements
for getting back on schedule. If appropriate, contact a campus counselor
(Sorena Southerland) to talk
over and work through your problem. Your online course is just as important
as an on-campus course.
Technical difficulties do not release you from attending class or
meeting deadlines. You are responsible for finding access to virtual
classrooms, just as on-campus students who experience car trouble are
expected to find a way to attend class. If your computer problems will
cause you to miss any due dates for assignments, notify your instructor
by phone.
As a last resort, if both you and your instructor agree that it is
not possible for you to catch up, contact the registrar about withdrawing
from the course. Remember, dropping a class or changing to audit
may affect financial aid eligibility even if you are not receiving financial
aid the quarter you withdraw. Don't wait until it's too late! Protect
your transcript and your financial aid! See the WVC
calendar for refund deadlines, etc.
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(Mis)Communication
with instructor
If you are having difficulty contacting your instructor or if you
seem to be butting heads, please contact the WVC Distance Learning Support
Center or WashingtonOnline. Staff will work with you and the instructor
to resolve any problems you may be experiencing.
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HARDWARE & SOFTWARE
Computer
requirements
The computer you use should comply with the following basic requirements:Pentium
PC or MacIntosh equivalent, with a minimum of
- Windows 95 or higher, or Mac OS 7.5 or higher with at least 8 megs
of RAM
- 28.8 modem or higher
- CD ROM drive with sound card
- .5 high-density floppy drive
- Netscape 4.7 or Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.1 or higher
- Word processing software compatible with Word 95 (must be able to
"Save As" a Word 95 document)
- Connection to the Internet
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Using work/friend’s
computer
Use any computer available to you anywhere in the world, as long
as you will have access to a computer at least 5 out of 7 days, 12-15
hours per week.If you are taking a mix of on-campus and online courses,
it makes sense that you might want to use a campus computer to access
your online course in between classes. However, you cannot always
depend on using a campus computer for the following reasons:
- The campus does not offer computers dedicated to students taking
online courses. Computers are available on a first-come, first-served
basis to all students. Students taking online courses can't expect
a computer to be free when they have an assignment due.
- Computer lab hours are limited on the weekend and during the summer
especially. Online courses are designed to appeal to the nontraditional
student, as in a student who works full time and will most likely
have weekends free to do course work. The WAOL school week runs from
Thursday to Wednesday. Assignments are due throughout the week and
over the weekend. A large part of taking an online course is e-mail
discussion among students and the instructor. Because students have
to respond to e-mail posted by other students, it is not possible
to work ahead or to save up work for just a few days during the week.
Students have to keep current with the discussion as it unfolds day
to day. To do that, they need access to a computer every day.
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Classroom
software
You do not have to download any software to take your online courses.
Log into your Blackboard classroom from the WashingtonOnline
Web site.
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FINANCIAL AID
Picking up your check
See Important Information for Financial
Aid Students.
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GRADES
Availability
Because the WAOL course schedule is different from the on-campus
course schedule, WAOL grades are usually available later than grades
for on-campus courses. Begin checking your transcript for WAOL grades
about one week after your course ends. For a copy of your WVC transcript,
visit the Student Kiosk on the WVC Home
Page.
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Late grades
& financial aid
Your financial aid status may temporarily be affected until WAOL
grades have been recorded. Please contact the financial aid office if
you have questions, (509) 682-6810.
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BLACKBOARD - SUPPORT & TROUBLESHOOTING
Support Info
WAOL support provides assistance with WAOL student accounts, WAOL
services, and all other non-technical issues. Call 1-888-580-9011. You
can also e-mail your question directly to WashingtonOnline staff at
wa-online@ctc.edu.
Collegis provides technical support for students enrolled in
Blackboard classes – support that covers just about any
and everything under the sun. They offer 24-7 service as well as hosting
FAQ’s on their support site. You can contact them via phone or
at their online support center (the online response time is usually
within a business day).
Collegis Contact Info
Phone: 1 (877) 725-4357
Online Support Center: http://hdo2.collegis.com/LT/edu-starthere.asp
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Empty folders
in online classroom
Although you are registered and have access to your classroom as
soon as one week before classes begin, your instructor is not required
to put up any course information until the first day. Use the time to
look around and become familiar with the software.
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Missing course
links
Contact WashingtonOnline
if you are registered for a course that does not appear on your desktop
when you access your Blackboard classroom. Include your name, school,
student ID number and the course name and number.
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User Name/Login & Password
USER NAME/LOGIN = waol + student ID number (Example: waol905123456)
PASSWORD = waol ("waol" is in lowercase letters.)
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Password problems
Send an e-mail to WashingtonOnline.
Include your name, school, student ID number and the course name and
number.
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Hardware & software
problems
Having trouble attaching files? Can’t access the Blackboard classroom?
For these and other problems, contact the WashingtonOnline
Help desk.
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CONTACTS
NOTE: When you send e-mail, include your name, student ID,
college, and course name and number.
WashingtonOnline
http://www.waol.org
e-mail: wa-online@ctc.edu
Toll free in WA state: 1-888-580-9011
E-mail is a good way to contact WAOL and will usually get
you a faster response than a phone message.
WVC at Wenatchee
Distance Learning Support Center
Vonda Dorner, distance learning program manager
Wenatchee Valley College
1300 Fifth Street
Wenatchee, WA 98801
e-mail: DistanceEd@wvc.edu
Local calls: (509) 682-6706
Toll free in WA state: 1-877-WVC-4YOU, ext. 6706
WVC at Omak
Evelyn Morgan-Rallios, administrative assistant
e-mail: erallios@wvc.edu
Local calls: (509) 422-7806
Toll free in WA state: 1-877-WVC-4YOU, ext. 7806
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