MANATEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Department of Language and Literature
DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM
LIT 2090: Contemporary Literature
Lit 2380: Women and Literature
UNDERSTANDING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN DISTANCE EDUCATION
For students who are well-organized and self-motivated, distance learning is an ideal situation because it asks that little time be formally scheduled within a classroom setting. On average, students meet with their professor for scheduled class sessions only four or five times per semester. This provides an excellent opportunity for those who work and have hectic family schedules. However, while distance learning offers a clear advantage to some students, it may present a disadvantage to others. Since the majority of the work required of a distance learning course is completed independently of classroom time, there is less opportunity for face-to-face discussion. However, most distance learning classes provide for online discussion and may even require group collaboration for some assignments. As such, students must be certain that they will assume full responsibility for managing their time effectively so that they will be able to keep up with the reading assignments, to be thoroughly prepared to make presentations at scheduled course meetings, to respond to online discussion, to collaborate with other students in the class, and to hand in papers on time.
If you are thinking about taking a distance learning course, be sure that you can:
Attend all scheduled class sessions. The class sessions have been designed to allow for maximum interaction; therefore, you must be prepared for oral presentations and discussions.
Access the Internet and use e-mail to send and receive communications.
Read the texts and study any supplemental materials thoroughly, as these will be the main source of the course content you are to learn.
Good reading skills and the ability to follow written directions are
essential for online courses.
Textbooks and other required materials can be purchased at either campus bookstore if the student makes prior arrangements with the MCC Bookstore Staff
:
Website: http://www.mccfl.edu/pages/122.asp
Phone: Venice Campus: 941-408-1466; Bradenton Campus: 941-752-5451.
View all video supplements.
The videos have been chosen to illustrate and to enrich the concepts which you are reading about in your texts. The assigned videos are available to be viewed in MCC's
Library on both the Venice and Bradenton campuses. Many of them may also be available at your local video store and/or the public library.
Take responsibility to actively complete all assigned learning experiences.
Use the Syllabus and Course Webpages to manage your course work during the semester.
Keep up with your reading assignments and video viewing so that you may study carefully and prepare thoroughly for all coursework. Last minute study and preparation for
presentations and papers does not work well in other courses, and it is a recipe for disaster in this type of course. Please note that you are required to make presentations
at the time and place designated in your distance learning syllabus.
Be willing to engage in technology deemed essential to the course.
Please keep in mind that a distance learning course is not easier than a course offered in the traditional classroom setting. A distance learning course is only more convenient.
For more information, please e-mail Jane Anderson Jones:
JonesJ@mccfl.edu
or call 941-408-1499.
Once you have registered for the course, please e-mail the instructor, Jane Anderson Jones, at the above address for orientation and instructions on how to subscribe to the Course WebBoard. This WebBoard will be the major means for class discussion and instructions during the term.
