Distance Education courses are designed for people with scheduling problems and busy lifestyles. Instead of attending regular classes, students use video tapes and/or the Internet to work independently. There are no limits to the total number of credits that may be earned via distance education courses. Course content, college credit, and transferability are the same as for courses offered on campus. Students have the same rights, privileges and obligations as on-campus students.
ONLINE INFORMATION
To see up-to-date information about specific Temple College Distance Education courses, click “Back,” then click "Courses and Delivery Methods." Under the desired semester, click "Telecourse" or "Internet" or "Videoconference," then choose specific courses to see instructors, requirements, and orientation information.
REGISTRATION
The admissions and registration processes for Distance Education courses are the same as for all Temple College courses, and Distance Education courses have the same pre-requisites and other requirements.
ORIENTATION SESSIONS
You must participate in an orientation for a distance education course, whether that orientation is online or on-campus, which depends on the course. To see up-to-date orientation information, go to the specific course pages as explained above.
TEXTBOOKS
Textbooks for some distance education courses are different from textbooks for on-campus sections of the same course. Textbook information is provided at orientation sessions. The Temple College Bookstore stocks all distance education textbooks.
TESTING
Students enrolled in distance education courses take tests and exams during the semester. Test and exam date information will be given at the orientation sessions. Unless individual instructors agree to other arrangements, students must come to the Temple College Testing Center for tests and exams. In many cases an instructor will allow a student to arrange to take tests at another college testing center. But this decision rests solely with the instructor.
TELECOURSES
Telecourse videotapes may be checked out from the Temple College Library or the Taylor Public Library. You must inform the instructor during the orientation session if you will be checking out tapes from Taylor.
INTERNET COURSES
To take an Internet course, you will need a computer and a connection to the Internet, OR you may use a Temple College computer lab on the main campus or at satellite campuses. Other software and hardware requirements are noted in the specific course home pages, which you can see by following the directions above. Your class notes, assignments, and discussions will be sent to you and returned through the web. You may need to come on campus for an orientation session, for objective tests, and/or for the final exam. These decisions rest solely with the instructor.
VIDEOCONFERENCE COURSES
Videoconference courses originate from a videoconference classroom on the main campus. They may be received in a classroom at Holland High School, the Temple College Taylor Center (TCT), the Temple College Cameron Center (CEC), or some other location. Students taking videoconference courses from remote sites come to class at regularly scheduled times and interact with the instructor and on-campus students as if they were in the same room.
VIRTUAL COLLEGE OF TEXAS
The mission of the Virtual College of Texas (VCT) is to provide all Texans access via instructional technologies to quality instruction and support wherever they may live, regardless of geographic, distance, or time constraints.
If there is a course you would like to take and Temple College does not offer it, you may want to take the course through another college in Texas. The Virtual College of Texas allows you this option. To view the courses available, go to the VCT Web site at http://www.vct.org. For more information, contact the Temple College VCT office at 254-298-8319. You may also e-mail inquiries to sally.tietje@templejc.edu
