Distance Learning

Web Site Has Moved:
http://www2.tjc.edu/de

To meet the changing educational needs of its service area, Tyler Junior College provides distance education opportunities to students with special scheduling needs, at remote locations and at high schools and other regional centers. Distance education may be acquired by Internet, through telecourses (on videocassette or cable), or by two-way interactive television at area high schools and other selected sites. This past year, TJC distance students generated over 7,000 enrollments.

Who can enroll?  Anyone eligible to enroll in a course at Tyler Junior College may enroll in a distance learning class. Veterans are eligible to earn benefits for distance classes but should talk to a VA 

How do you start? All students selecting distance education courses must have completed admission procedures prior to registering for classes and meet in person, by phone, or electronically with a college advisor.  Students must also participate in orientation activities for each class. Orientation activities will vary among courses. All courses will have on campus orientations available at scheduled periods published through the website and in the published class schedule. Other orientation activities may, at the instructor's option, be available by phone or by Internet. For additional information, you may call the Distance Learning Hotline at 903-510-2529.

Internet Courses

An Internet-based course allows you to take courses from home by accessing a Tyler Junior College virtual classroom of students via your personal computer.  Course information and individual lessons are delivered from the instructor's computer to your own.  In return, you will send homework and assignment files from your computer to your instructor.  And, although you work on the course at your own location and pace, you can communicate with your instructor at any time of the day or night using e-mail.

Most Internet students will gain access to their classes through a course management software called WebCT.  Although some teachers will have an online option for participating in a course orientation, you should check on the menu for courses on the left for orientation meeting times on campus.  Research has consistently shown that students who participate in a live orientation perform better in the course.  Classes normally also require supervised testing, either through the TJC Testing Center or by making arrangements for a local proctor prior to acceptance in the class.  

Telecourses

Instructional Telecourses offer your a way to receive course materials at home or in the college library over local cable or on videocassettes or DVDs.  Each course has up to 30 half hour videos to give you the information normally given in the class lecture.  Programs can be seen in four ways:

• Video Checkout.  Obtain the tapes from the Telecourse Collection in the east wing of the Vaughn Library.  Checkout your video at the main circulation desk.

• Cable Viewing. Programs can be viewed at home through Cox Communications in Tyler and Jacksonville.  You will be given a viewing schedule during the course orientation.

• Record at Home for later viewing.

• On Campus in the Vaughn Library.  The video can be played for you at any time during normal operating hours.

Programs at High Schools

Many participating area high schools offer ''dual credit'' and ''early admissions'' courses from TJC through distance education. Internet classes and telecourses may be scheduled at any Tyler service area high school. Orientation will be held at the attendance sites during the first scheduled class.  Where equipment is in place, many high schools now also offer courses by two-way interactive video. Area high schools with active TJC programs  include:

High school students qualifying for college admission (see Special Admissions on page 11) may also be able to enroll directly at TJC.  For more information on dual enrollment and early admissions in the East Texas region, click here. 


Virtual College of Texas

Distance courses not in the catalog or schedule may be available to Tyler Junior College students through a statewide consortium, the Virtual College of Texas. More than two hundred individual courses are available through the virtual college and may be viewed on the VCT website.

Virtual College of Texas courses may originate from any of the more than fifty public college systems in the state but have the same tuition, admission procedures and requirements, and appear the same on your transcript as any other Tyler Junior College courses.

For Virtual College classes, you will have access to the advisement, library and support services and other activities of the TJC system. You may also complete your exams in the Tyler Junior College testing center or, through appropriate arrangements, at an approved high school or other off-campus site.

Additional information on courses offered through the Virtual College may be obtained by email at ghow@tjc.edu or by calling the Distance Learning Hotline at 903-510-2529.