Beginning Spring 02, three sections of Computers For Learning will be offered as ONLINE classes.  Two sections will be offered by the CIS department, and one section will be offered by the CSC department.  Due to the increased amount of correspondence and communications necessary to offer a quality class, each section will have a maximum enrollment of 20 people. 

Classes will NOT meet in a classroom at any time during the semester.  All activities will be managed on the Internet and correspondence will be via e-mail and the web-based course management system (Blackboard).  All assignments and lectures will be posted to a web site or distributed via media such as CD-Rom.  Additionally, exams will be administered using web-based testing software.

Students interested in taking the class, but who do not have the minimum hardware and/or software requirements, should note the availability of computers on campus.  The open labs have extended hours and in some cases are open 24 hours a day.  These labs will be equipped with all software needed for this class.  Hardware and software requirements are greater than those for most Missouri State University Online classes: Word and Excel 2003 will be taught beginning Fall 2004 and have different hardware requirements.  This class does not support Apple Macintosh.

Note the extra charges for the class. The class fee is $258/credit hour.  This is the standard fee for online classes and substantially more than the standard charge for undergraduate classes.   

Students in the online sections will use the same books  and are expected to complete the same work as students in a classroom. The reading, homework assignments, and exams will very closely match what you would be completing in an “on ground” class.  Special programs and utilities might be used to help enhance the learning and make up for the lack of personal interaction.

Register for the class using the standard enrollment procedures.  Students can register for this class when registering for others.  The printed schedule states “permission required”, however, permission should only be required for the summer sections, not the fall and spring sections. 

  CFL Online: Know Before You Go…!

Before enrolling in CFL online, students should carefully consider the following:

 Student motivation and responsibility

Enrolling in a class where learning takes place on your own time and at your own pace is an attractive option. However, it can be very difficult for people who are not highly self-motivated or who need personal interaction.  Taking this class will require a great deal of personal responsibility to yourself and your instructor.  If you are a procrastinator or find written instructions tedious and boring, then this class may not be for you.

 Lack of personal interaction with the instructor

Interaction with your instructor will primarily consist of dialog using e-mail and the course management system (a website).   Whereas you are welcome to visit your instructor during office hours, it is possible that you will never speak to your instructor face to face.  Some students find this very unsettling or need more personal attention and interaction to succeed in this course.  In this class you will have a LOT of e-mail correspondence with your instructor and possibly classmates, but very little personal interaction.  Consider you ability to explain a computer problem in written form as opposed to pointing it out in person.  If you would find it difficult to write your problem down, then this method of instruction might not be for you.

 Exams and Assignments

Success in the class will depend on your ability to read instructions from your instructor and to correspond back in writing. To insure understanding of the concepts taught, you might have to communicate several times with your instructor about one topic or rework a problem several times.  This type of communication will require patience and understanding on the part of student and faculty. 

To encourage personal responsibility, the amount of time allotted for taking exams is reduced.  For example, in a traditional classroom you might be given 50 minutes to complete an exam and in an online class you will be given 25 minutes.  If you need additional time for reading comprehension then you might prefer a traditional class.

 Limited Technical Support

Technical support staff will be available on a limited basis to help students in the online class.  If you have not been using computers very long, you might find the class frustrating.  It is recommended that only those with an intermediate level of experience with computers enroll in an online class.  We prefer students spend their time learning, not troubleshooting!

 Use of software that is not the same version as used in the classroom

Many students enroll in this class and do not have the same software on their home computer that is used in class.  Whereas the skills we learn in class are mostly transferable to other versions, there might be times when it will be very difficult to complete or receive credit for assignments if you are using a different version of the software.  Additionally, your instructor will not be able to provide technical support or enlist outside technical support help for students who are not using the software required for the class.  This page will list the current hardware and software requirements for the class.