The Seattle Colleges offer a wide range of eLearning options using the latest technology, through online courses, video cassette courses, and telecourses offered through the Seattle Colleges cable channel, SCC-TV. The colleges are fully accredited, and with more than 150 courses to choose from, students can earn an A.A. degree online at their own pace.
ELearning (DL) students experience the same curriculum, content and challenge as on-campus students at the Seattle Colleges and are able to earn the same degree. DL classes are rigorous and require students to structure their own schedules, balancing their time around the assignments/requirements of the class. Course content usually contains more reading and assignments to ensure that student learning will be as rigorous as similar on-campus classes. Experienced instructors are available for one-on-one communication, as are online study groups and discussion forums with other students. Students have many opportunities to communicate with their instructors through bulletin boards, email and telephone. Many classes have chat rooms for student-to-student interaction. Students can work directly with an advisor who will recommend courses relevant to the student’s goals, and develop an individualized degree completion plan. State tuition applies in most courses and may be covered by financial aid. For more information, visit seattlecolleges.edu/elearning. MORE >
Coursework for online courses is generally completed over the Internet, within a quarterly timeframe. Students will be given textbook reading and lesson assignments. Online study groups, student discussion forums, and contact with the course instructor via email enhance the learning experience. Fully online courses do not require campus visit. Some courses may require limited on-campus visits; please check the individual course description. Classes require Internet access and an email address. Submission and grading of student work takes place online. Most classes use bulletin boards for online discussion and do not require live chat. Some online classes also incorporate professionally produced video materials. MORE >
Washington Online (WAOL) is a cooperative effort of Washington state’s community and technical colleges to deliver coordinated online instruction. A team of faculty members representing several community colleges develops Washington Online courses. Although students register and earn credit through the Seattle Colleges, the instructor may be a faculty member at another Washington state community or technical college. Enrollment follows a quarterly college schedule. MORE >
Hybrid online courses provide students with the scheduling flexibility of fewer campus visits while covering the same materials as an equivalent class held entirely on campus. Hybrid online classes usually have at least one on-campus meeting per week combined with a "virtual classroom" website incorporating regular communications with the instructor and other students (through a bulletin board discussion), online content and lessons, and interactive Web-based activities. These courses often use on-campus exams as assessment tools. MORE >
Televised courses are offered through Seattle Colleges cable channel, SCC-TV in Seattle. Telecourses involve viewing programs at specified times, reading textbook assignments, and completing lessons outlined in the study guide that students receive upon registration. Videocassette courses are identical to telecourses with the exception that students rent the complete series of videotapes and view them at their convenience. The tapes must be returned to the eLearning Office at the end of the quarter. Some of these videocassette courses are available on DVDs. On-campus meetings are generally not required for these courses. However, students may be required to take their exams on campus. Students who are not able to come to campus may find their own proctor to supervise the exams. Assignments are submitted to the instructor by mail, in person, by fax or email. Enrollment follows the quarterly college schedule. MORE >
For students with broadband Internet connections, the Seattle Colleges offer online classes that incorporate video-on-demand. Professional telecourse series and college-produced video materials are videostreamed anytime students need to view them and videotapes may also be rented. These classes are available to all students.
Interactive Multisite Courses (also called ITV) are broadcast to and from Seattle colleges (or around the world) via two-way live interactive teleconferencing. Students from different campuses see and interact with one another and their instructor in specially designed classrooms. Instructors may spend time visiting each participating Seattle college. MORE >
Correspondence studies are conducted by mail, and students receive study guides with a course outline, a list of required textbooks, and instructions on how to complete specific lessons. Students submit completed assignments to the eLearning Office for evaluation by the instructor, who will return them to the student with comments. Students have 170 days to complete a course. Consult with a counselor or advisor before enrolling. MORE >
Minimum requirements for online, WAOL, videostreaming and hybrid courses include: Access to a PC with a Pentium processor (Windows XP) or comparable Macintosh computer (OS X) An Internet connection (DSL or cable modem connection recommended) An Internet Explorer, Netscape, Safari or Firefox browser An email account and word processing software (Microsoft Word recommended). Courses with audiostreaming or videostreaming will require sound and video cards and a broadband (DSL or cable modem) Internet connection. Technology fees allow students to use campus computers and Internet accounts. For more information on Washington Online, visit the Web site at www.washingtononline.org. Technical requirements for telecourses and videocassette courses require access to TV and VCR or DVD player (for some courses) and to audiocassette recorder (for some courses). Typewritten/word-processed assignments are preferred. MORE >
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