Distance Education Formats

Distance Education Formats

Cable Television
Hagerstown Community College offers a select number of courses that are broadcast live on Antietam Cable Television. Students watch class at home and can interact with the instructor by telephone. Students submit and receive assignments by using the Internet. Students may need to come to campus to take examinations.

Equipment Needed: Students must have access to Antietam Cable, a computer with Internet and have an e-mail account. Students must have Microsoft Word.

Course-in-a-Box
In this format, students are given a box containing a series of videotapes, course handouts and syllabus. The syllabus will guide students on the videotape schedule, due dates of assignments, use of course supplements, and the timeline for examinations. Students will use Blackboard for discussion topics. Students must attend an orientation session. Some Course-in-a-Box courses also have an Internet component built into the course.

Equipment Needed: Students must have access to a television, VCR, and computer with Internet access and have an e-mail account. Students must also have Microsoft Word. Students will submit and receive assignments by e-mail. Students will interact with the instructor by e-mail.

Interactive Television
Students and instructors hold class over the Verizon Interactive Network. The classes are synchronous and are held on campus. The difference in this format is that the instructor and students may be in different classrooms and will interact by using television cameras and microphones located in each classroom.

Equipment Needed: No special equipment required. Some courses may require access to a computer with internet access and an e-mail address. Each community college will have a site coordinator who will handle the delivery of assignments and examinations.

Online (Web-based) course
Students taking online courses have the flexibility of deciding when and where to take a course. Students may need to come to campus for scheduled meetings and/or examinations. Online courses demand that students be able to learn and work independently and be able to meet deadlines. Students should not take online courses if they think that an online will be easier. Students find that they spend more than 10 hours per week on an online course.

Equipment Needed: Students must have basic computer skills including: being able to copy and paste, download and upload files, and send attachments. Students must have access to a computer with an internet connection, and an e-mail address. Each course will also have a list of system and software requirements.

Telecourses
Telecourses are college-level courses for credit broadcast over public television stations or they may be viewed in the library on campus. Telecourses are ideal for students who have difficulties attending classes in person. They are broadcast over PBS (Channel 26 and 31 in Maryland). The courses available through the College of the Air are published in the class schedule. Students may need to come to campus during the semester to take exams. By the first week of the semester, the instructor will send out an information packet with required meeting times, assignment deadlines, and examination schedule. When taking a telecourse, students must be able to work and study independently and be able to meet deadlines.

Equipment Needed: Television that is able to receive a PBS Television channel is required. PBS channels may be on different channels on the cable/satellite services in your viewing area.

Hybrid Course
A hybrid course is a blend of face-to-face instruction with online learning. In a hybrid course, a significant part of the course learning is online and as a result, the amount of classroom seat-time is reduced.

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