Online Courses
What is an Online Course?
Why would I want to take an Online course?
What skills do I need to be successful in an Online course?
What materials and equipment will I need for my Online Course?
How do I sign up for an online course?
How do I access my online classroom?
What else do I need to know?
How do I get Help?
What is an Online Course?
An online course is a course that you can take using your computer and the Internet. Online courses are generally not self-paced, generally require students to participate in online discussions on five out of every seven days at a time that is convenient for them, and generally do not require students to come to campus.
Why would I want to take an Online course?
Online courses are a great option for many students. An Online course gives you:
- The opportunity to take a course without having to regularly come to an OC campus
- The chance to have some control over the pace of your learning
- An extra opportunity for learning if you learn best by reading
What skills do I need to be successful in an Online course?
- Online courses are not for everyone. Successful online students have the following skills.
• Independent learner: Since you are not going to a classroom everyday, you will need to be really good at managing your own time.
• Time: You should have 10 - 15 hours available per week to complete a 5 credit course. Students who try to complete distance learning courses in their spare time are rarely successful.
• Reading Comprehension: Because a great part of an online courses are text based, there is a great deal of reading and writing required rather than speaking and listening. Students are encouraged to have a reading comprehension level of 84 or placement into English 101 to ensure success.
• Familiarity with Blackboard: Most OC online courses are conducted using software called Blackboard through Washington Online (WAOL)*.If you have not used Blackboard before, you can get familiar with it by using the online orientation at the WAOL website, www.waol.org*.
- Also, see the links on the left for more information on being a successful online student.
What materials and equipment will I need for my Online Course?
- A Computer: Ideally, you will have a computer with Internet access at home . Most online courses require activity in the online classroom several times a week. You can get additional information about system requirements from www.waol.org/getStarted/requirements.asp *. You can also use the computer labs at the OC campuses to access your course.
- The Textbook: Most instructors require a textbook. You can get textbook information from any OC campus bookstore or online at www.ocbookstore.com.
How do I sign up for an online course?
- Admission and enrollment for online courses require the same process as on ground or face to face courses at the college. To enroll in an online class, see the Distance Learning Registration page. Remember, WAOL does not award degrees or certificates; your degree or certificate would be earned through Olympic College.
- By cooperating with WAOL, Olympic College is also able to offer its students online classes that are not among those currently taught by OC instructors. Both OC and WAOL classes are advertised in the current issue of The View before the beginning of each quarter.
How do I access my online classroom?
- Log in early. Classrooms open five business days before the first day of class.
- Go to www.waol.org
- Click Blackboard hyperlink on the top bar
- User ID is waol plus student ID number (example: waol860*******)
- Password is waol
- Click on the name of your class to access your online classroom.
- Opening a Course in WAOL - [PDF]
What else do I need to know?
- Optional Online Orientation: WAOL has an optional online orientation called Week Zero. If you have not used Blackboard before, you will find it useful to do. Access the online orientation in the week before your class starts at www.waol.org *.
- More Information about my class : Many instructors have provided information about their course on the Distance Learning Website. Click here for more information.
- Online Course Fee: A fee of $8 per credit will apply to each online course.
- Questions? Contact Media Services and Distance Learning at 360-475-7770 or DistanceLearning@olympic.edu.
How do I get Help?
- If you go to www.waol.org to log in, contact one of these resources:
Note:
The quality of instruction for both WAOL and OC Online classes is consistent with the high standards of learning that you find in on-ground community college classes. Some students choose to earn an Associates of Arts and Sciences degree by successfully completing all coursework online. Most students, however, augment their online curriculum with on-ground classes. Whatever path you choose, your transcript will not distinguish between classes taken on campus or online.
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