Introduction



CTC offers nearly 200 courses online, as well as CD/DCD and PDA courses, to meet your unique demands. Online courses may be the best choice for their similarity to the traditional classroom environment, but other delivery methods serve those students who don't have constant, reliable Internet connectivity. Regardless of the delivery mode, all distance learning courses use the same instructional materials and cover the same content as face-to-face classes. The courses are carefully designed to ensure that your educational experience is pleasant and as rewarding as possible. The courses comply with Best Practices for Distance Education using a proven instructional design process that engages the learner and provides frequent and immediate feedback of progress through the course.





ONLINE COURSES

Online courses are probably the best choice among the various delivery methods offered by CTC because they are most like a classroom experience.  As an online student, you will have frequent contact with your instructor and with other students via email, a discussion board, messages, and chat rooms.  Your course is completed entirely through the Internet.  Proctored exams are administered at testing centers or by an approved test proctor.

CTC online courses

  • are offered through Blackboard, a widely used learning management system.
  • are of comparable quality and rigor to corresponding face-to-face courses.
  • require the same instructional materials as face-to-face courses.
  • have the same learning outcomes as face-to-face courses.
  • have a specified start and end date.

As an online student, you must have

  • constant access to a computer with minimum technical requirements and with Internet capability.
  • a consistent and reliable Internet connection.
  • a valid, functional email address.
  • basic computer skills.
  • the ability to download any required applications or plug ins.
  • the time to devote to your coursework.

View a sample course at http://ctc.blackboard.com.  To log in, enter the following:

  • Username / Password:  student102 / student102

Select Sample Course from "My Courses".





BLENDED COURSES

Blended courses are face-to-face courses with a required online component. Students MUST attend scheduled lectures/clinicals/labs ON CAMPUS, but a portion of the coursework is accomplished online in Blackboard.

If the course has a Section Number starting with TM (ex, RNSG-2213-TM003), it meets on Central Campus in Killeen, Texas.

If the course has a Section Number starting with TH (ex, PSYC-1300-TH001), it meets on the Fort Hood, Texas Campus.

** Please note that Mental Health courses meeting on Fort Hood require prior approval from the Mental Health Department before registering.

Refer to the information on online courses for further requirements and resources.





FLEX COURSES

Flex courses are online courses with an optional face-to-face component. Students can choose between attending lectures in a designated classroom or participating in the lectures online. Some online work is required.

Refer to the information on online courses for further requirements and resources.





MM - MULTIMEDIA COURSES

MM or Multimedia courses are courses contained on portable media such as Compact Discs (CD) for use on PC or laptops, or SD Cards for use in handheld devices such as a Pocket PC (PPC) or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).

Multimedia (CD/SD) courses are similar in format to online courses, but they require no Internet connection other than emailing with your instructor.  (The SD courses will work on any PDA or personal PC that uses a Windows operating system.)   They may be your best choice if you are in a remote location, require portability, and cannot take an online course. 

MM courses are taken from the compact disk (CD) or SD card.  You do not use Blackboard, which is the learning management system for CTC's online courses, but your MM courses function much as the Blackboard courses do.  Students taking MM courses should be able to correspond with their instructors by email on a frequent basis.  Proctored exams are administered at testing centers or by an approved test proctor.

CTC MM courses

  • are of comparable quality and rigor to corresponding face-to-face courses.
  • require the same instructional materials as face-to-face courses.
  • have the same learning outcomes as face-to-face courses.
  • have a specified start and end date.

As a MM student, you must have

  • constant access to a computer with minimum technical requirements .
  • basic computer skills.
  • the ability to install any required applications or plug ins.
  • the time to devote to your coursework.

View an introduction to CTC's MM courses





OFFLINE COURSES

  • Terms eight weeks in duration
  • Allows learner to download course content and work without internet access
  • Available for certain courses; consult the catalog




SELF-PACED or TIME-BASED?

All CTC courses have a fixed start and end date. However, self-paced classes allow you to access the course, complete and submit your assignments, and take your tests at your own rate rather than according to a fixed schedule. To succeed in a self-paced class, you must be more self-disciplined about studying and taking your tests because there is no course schedule to guide you.

In addition, you

  • must contact your instructor during the first week of the class, even if you cannot start your class until later.
  • may not complete the course in less than four weeks.
  • must complete all course work by the end of the class.
  • must take all examinations in order (Test 1 before Test 2, etc.)
  • must take the final examination during the last week of class.