Distance Learning
Quick Links
Contact Us
West Campus
Room W106L
Lois D. Aime
Director, Educational Technology
laime@norwalk.edu
203.857.7288
Online Classes
In order to offer our students the most flexibility in planning their class schedule Norwalk Community College provides the option of taking classes online. There are four options:
Fully Online (ONLN), Hybrid (HYBR), Online with Campus Requirement (OLCR) and Live Remote Online (LRON). They are described below.
Your phone should NOT be your primary resource for accessing your classes. It will be difficult to complete all of the work required of you on your phone.
NCC uses the Course Management System called Blackboard Learn. These classes allow students to complete the requirements for a specific course when it is convenient for them, whether they choose to work at 4:00 am, 1:00 pm or 10:00 pm. All communications, assignments, tests, etc. take place on the internet. While you DO NOT have to attend “class” at a specific time, you DO need to have strong time management and organizational skills to meet all due dates. Online classes are not easier, just more convenient.
In addition to online courses NCC offers courses that are called HYBRID and coded as HYBR. Hybrid courses are taught partially in a classroom and partially online in Blackboard. The days/dates you are required to attend class on campus will vary with each course so when taking a hybrid course make sure to check with your professor about on-campus meetings.
Hybrid courses can be the best of both worlds. You get to meet face-to-face with your instructor and your classmates, but much of the course work can be completed online at a time that is convenient for you to meet the posted due dates.
We also have classes called “Online with Campus Requirement.” They are coded OLCR. These courses are “online with a campus requirement” that generally means you must come on campus to take the midterm, the final or both. Again, you will need to check with the instructor for the exact requirements.
In addition, we have classes coded LRON which stands for “Live Remote and Online.” Think of this as a Hybrid class that meets in an online format for class times. So, if you take an LRON class it might say in the schedule that you will meet Monday and Wednesday from 10:00 -11:20 am. This means that you will meet via an online communication tool such as WebEx, Microsoft Teams, or Blackboard Collaborate for that time period. You will be required to be available to meet at whatever time is noted in the schedule via whatever tool the instructor chooses to use to meet remotely.
Tips & Tricks for Succeeding Online
Being successful online @ NCC
- Understand that online courses are NOT easier than classroom-based courses. In fact, they can be more difficult and more time consuming.
- Contact the instructor immediately if you do not understand any of the materials or are having technical difficulties.
- Practice time management. Set aside specific hours during the week to work on class assignments, discussion postings, exams, etc.
- Log on to your course at least 5-6 times a week. It is very easy to fall behind in an online class.
- Make sure your computer skills are up to the task of taking an online course.
Additional External Resources
- Go to this site at the University of Illinois to find out more about what makes a successful online student.
- Take this quiz to see if online learning is really for you.
Blackboard Learn Orientation
Each semester NCC offers a number of one-hour orientations that show students who have never taken an online class using Blackboard Learn the basic elements of the system. The orientations focus on how to navigate around the Blackboard site; how to upload files for homework assignments and email or discussion attachments; what the various tools in Blackboard look like and how they are used. THERE WILL BE NO ON-CAMPUS ORIENTATIONS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Please contact Lois Aime if you have questions/concerns.
Day | Date | Time | Room |
If you can’t come to campus for the scheduled orientations you can click here to view some video tutorials or contact us at the email address or phone number shown above on the left. You can also find support resources when you log into Blackboard and click on the My Help/Training page at the top of the My Institution page (the page you land on when you log into Blackboard). In addition, students are enrolled in a Blackboard section called “Essential_Skills_for_Attending_Classes_Remotely.” It has videos and instructions for navigating and using the tools in Blackboard.
Download Center
Additional Downloads
Free software you may need in order to access course materials.
- Microsoft Office 365 – Click on this link to learn how to download Office 365 for free through your NCC email
- Java – Microsoft Windows needs the Java Virtual Machine installed to run Java applets like Blackboard Chat and email.
- Google Chrome – Download Google Chrome for Windows, Android, iPhone, iPad
- Mozilla Firefox – Just another browser you can use.
- Microsoft Download Center – All kinds of Microsoft downloads
- Adobe Reader – Allows viewing of documents in portable document format (PDF)
Discount Software
- JourneyEd.com provides the latest software for students to purchase at special academic discounts.