Many students this semester are taking advantage of online classes. Due to the rising trend of online classes, the coordinator for Salt Lake Community College Online held an in-person orientation last week.
“I couldn’t get into the class otherwise,” Karen Davenport said when asked why she is taking online classes. Davenport said she has been trying to get into English 2010 for many semesters. There was still an opening in an online class and she took it.
During the Online Class Orientation, Coordinator for SLCC Online Wendy Johnson explained how to take an online class from the very beginning. She showed the steps of signing up for MyPage. Johnson then helped the students navigate through the website and showed what links would help the students’.
On MyPage, under the Student tab, there are two links that will help online class takers. One link is the Online Information Release Form and the other is an e-mail address to request assistance from an advisor to help these students.
Johnson explained how to log onto the online class website found under the My Courses. This website is called Blackboard Learning. Johnson showed these students how to navigate through this website and how to add things that you might need, like a calendar.
Johnson helped students with e-mail, finding the syllabi, how to turn in assignments and how to get help. She explained how most assignments are due by midnight of the due date.
“The students pay an online fee and the money goes towards the center to help these students,” Johnson explained. “This isn’t an open lab, so a regular student cannot come in and use the computers, only online students.
Johnson explained that students’ aren’t able e-mail from their personal e-mails to other students or their teachers on the Blackboard Learning system. There isn’t an e-mail address for Blackboard Learning.
Instructors for online courses can record students’ attendance by the level of online activity. They can see how long, what you were doing and where you were on Blackboard Learning.
There are a few different types of online classes. There is EdnetLecture, which is where you do half of the class online and the other half in person. Internet and DVD is where you use the DVD to help you learn and do your assignments online and there is also Internet Lecture, which is solely online. There are even classes done partly by watching specific television programs.
The orientation provided lots of advice beneficial to students taking online classes. For instance, if you are going out of town and cannot turn in homework, it was recommended to talk to your teacher and call the support service.
“We have had an online tutorial for many semesters now and we came up with the in-person orientation for those students who feel more comfortable with face to face,” Johnson said.
Students needing help with their online class can visit room 070, in the basement of the Construction Trades Building. The online center is there to help. Online students can also use the lab in the Online Class Center. These students can call Wendy Johnson at 801-957-6094 if they have any questions or e-mail an online advisor at
“I work full time and go to school full time. I’m here to learn how to do online classes so I can take the class in my own time,” student Andrew Howell said.
Students who missed the orientation can watch a video explaining the online class process at slcc.edu/online.
Other help and questions can be found by contacting Wendy Johnson at 801-957-6094.