Online Class Success! Expert tips for making the most of your Distance Education experience.

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Welcome to SRTC’s Distance Education!

We hope that you will find taking courses online as a great way to further your education.
Below you will find a list of helpful tips to ensure you are successful in your online course.

  • Complete the Smarter Measure Learning Readiness Indicator found on the Georgia Virtual Technical Connection (GVTC) website http://www.gvtc.org/Resources/SmarterMeasure.aspx to see if you are ready to take an online course.
  • Visit the Distance Education section of the SRTC website, southernregional.edu/distance-education, to view information about online courses and resources.
  • Your username for Blackboard is the same as the beginning of your SRTC student email (first initial, last name, last four digit of your student ID number). Example: jdoe1122
  • Your password is also the same as your email (first initial, last initial, _, your student ID number). Example : JD_900001122
  • You will not have access to your course(s) in Blackboard till the first day of class.
  • Make the Blackboard website http://southernregional.blackboard.com a favorite on your computer.
  • You will need to use either Mozilla Firefox 31+ or Google Chrome 36+ as your web browser. For additional information regarding computer needs, complete visit http://www.gvtc.org/StudentOrientation/ComputerNeeds.aspx .
  • Several courses require the use of additional software to complete assignments. These software applications are included with the course textbook that is purchased from the bookstore.
  • Be sure to access your SRTC student email on a regular basis as this is the email address that will be used for all communication from your instructor(s) and the school.
  • You may utilize the Online Learning Center, SRTC Libraries, and Student Success Centers computers to work on your assignments while on campus; but you need to have access to a computer outside of SRTC to be successful in your course(s).
  • Email your instructor the first 5 days of class to ensure you are counted present. Use the email options through Blackboard to communicate. After the first 5 days, you must log into your course at least 3 times every week and have some type of communication with your instructor. This communication includes sending an email, posting to a discussion board, submitting an assignment, or taking an assessment. Just logging into the course and logging right back out does not count as attending. Fourteen consecutive days without communicating with the instructor will result in a withdrawal (“W”) from the course.
  • Your instructor will respond to your email within 24 hours Monday-Thursday, and within 48 hours Friday-Sunday.
  • All online courses are required to have at least one proctored event during the semester. Your instructor will inform you of the event (s) will be and the date(s) of occurrence. Students are responsible for scheduling the events at least 2 weeks prior. You will click on the Proctoring Request link under Tools on your Blackboard homepage. From this screen, you will select the date, time and location of the exam. While SRTC does not charge for proctoring, other proctors may. It is your responsibility to pay any charges that may be incurred for proctoring; therefore, you should be prepared to pay at the time of testing.
  • If you do not complete your proctored event during the semester, you will not receive credit for the course.
  • If you need assistance during the semester with Blackboard, please contact ; Brandi Cooper, Distance Education Facilitator, bcooper@southernregional.edu, 229-225-4326; Katie Harrison, Distance Education Coordinator, kharrison@southernregional.edu, 229-217-4172; or Peggy Wilson, Distance Education Director, pwilson@southernregional.edu, 229-217-4227.

Have a great semester!


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