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:  student101 / student101
• Username / Password:  student102 / student102

Select Bb Sample Course from "My Courses."

CD COURSES

CD/DCD courses are similar in format to online courses, but they require no Internet connection.  They may be your best choice if you are in a remote location and cannot take an online course. 

CD courses are on a compact disk.  You do not use Blackboard, which is the learning management system for CTC's online courses, but your CD courses function much as the Blackboard courses do.  Students taking CD 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.

DCD, or Deployed CD courses are also on a compact disk.  Students taking DCD courses don't have reliable email.  Instead, their work is monitored by an ESO or other authorized person who will provide the completed coursework to the instructor at the end of the course.  The ESO will usually serve as the test proctor for proctored exams.

CTC CD/DCD 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 CD/DCD 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.

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

PDA courses

PDA, or Personal Digital Assistant, courses are similar in format to online courses, but they require no Internet connection.  They are your best choice if you require portability and cannot take an online course. 

PDA courses are on an SD Disk.  (These small disks are also used in many cameras and for other applications.)  The courses will work on any PDA or personal PC that uses a Windows operating system.  (Note that Palm Pilots have a proprietary operating system and are not compatible at this time.)  Under the best circumstances, students taking PDA courses should be able to correspond with their instructors by email on a frequent basis, but the courses are designed to be self contained, and your progress may be monitored by an ESO or other authorized person.  Proctored exams are administered at testing centers, by an approved test proctor, or by an ESO.

CTC PDA 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 PDA student, you must have

• access to a PDA with the appropriate operating system.
• basic computer skills.
• the time to devote to your coursework.

View an introduction to CTC PDA courses.

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.