Getting Started

THE FOLLOWING TASKS MUST BE COMPLETED TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT IN THE CLASS!!!

Getting Started

Read each of the presentation slides before beginning any course work. 

As a student of Southeastern Technical College (STC), you will be required to know all material from the STC Orientation, STC Manual, Student Conduct Handbook, Student Policies, Academic Integrity, Attendance, Proctoring, and Academic Dishonesty. Below are the links you need to become familiar:

Academic Integrity

Attendance Procedure

Online Course Orientation

Procedure Concerning Academic Dishonesty

Select the words "Next, Next Page, or the Page Number above" to move to the next slide.

Blackboard Orientation

All students should join the Blackboard Orientation Organization by selecting the BLACKBOARD ORIENTATION link location on the STC Home - Tools. This orientation will give you information about Online Facts, Online Attendance, Online Expectations, Online Proctored Event Requirements, Blackboard Tutorials with How to Videos and other Online Documents. As a student, you can refer back to the orientation at any time which will be located on the Blackboard Online Resources Tab.

Course Expectations

As with most college level courses, you must be prepared to allocate and invest the proper amount of time outside of the classroom to be successful.  You will need to allocate over two times the amount of class time to complete the assignments outside of class.  For example, for a four hour clock course, try to allocate eight to ten hours a week to work on the assignments.  With that in mind, this is what you should/must do to be a successful college student.  In order to complete all assignments on time for all your classes, you will need to allocate the amount of time for each class.

If you are having trouble understanding the material or assignments, ask someone for help immediately.  For General Education (core) classes, there are tutoring sessions available.  Use them - pride is not the issue here - your success is the issue.  For all classes, your instructor is your first/best contact for help.  If you are still having problems, see your program advisor.

To be Successful in this Course

The following list contains items that will help you be successful in your course

• Follow and stay ahead of your assignments and due dates.  Look at your lesson plan daily to make sure that you are not missing something important. Folders will close after the due date and you will not be able to access the materials if late. Assignments will not be accepted late.
• Do reading assignments before you access the class.  Material can become much clearer and easier to retain for you if you read the topics before they are reviewed.
• Complete homework and assignments before you take an exam.  As well as you think you may know the material, doing the pre-test assignments first prepares you for the type of questions you will likely see on the exams.
• Check e-mails daily.  Instructors send vital information about the class that you will need to access. 
• Send e-mails to your instructor as soon as you have problems.  This is important and should not wait until the assignment is due or past due.
• Discussion Boards must be appropriate.  Spelling and grammar are considered part of the grade.  Posted comments should fully answer the question. Short one to two sentence posts will not be sufficient.  You cannot simply state I agree or I disagree.
• Know the date for the Proctored Event.  Proctored Events/Exams cannot be missed; you are expected on the date and time assigned.  Students should read the Proctored information on the course syllabus and know the rules, regulations, and consequences for missing a proctored event/exam.
• Your personal computer problems are not valid issues for late work.  It is the responsiblity of the student to maintain functioning equipment for off campus work.  Remember, STC has facilities and equipment available. No excuses accepted.
• Login to Blackboard daily.  Announcements need to be checked for each course. Changes may occur concerning the course that you will need to be aware of.
• Do not wait until the last minute to complete assignments and exams. You never know when incidents may occur and you may need the time.

"Netiquette" Guidelines

Netiquette refers to the generally accepted rules of behavior for communicating in the online environment.

1. Use standard lower-case and capital letters in postings to the discussion board or e-mail.
2. It is considered shouting if you post replies in all CAPITALIZATION. This action is considered rude.
3. Be professional and careful with what you say in your posting. This information is easily forwarded and can come back to haunt you.
4. Express your thoughts clearly and concisely.
5. Be careful when using sarcasm and humor. Internet communications are very impersonal and other may take your words as criticism. "Emoticons" are a widely accepted way of differentiating humor and sarcasm from serious comments. Examples of emoticons are:
   • smile = :)
   • frown = :(
   • wink = ; )
6. Be courteous and respectful of other people. If you use abusive or offensive language, you can be removed from your course.
7. Before posting a reply, please read your message and look for the following:
   • Are you sure that the message conveys what you want to say correctly and appropriately?
   • Correct any spelling errors you find - typos can make postings difficult to read and understand
   • Use common sense - is this message something that you want to be sent to you? Will you understand it in three (3) days if you were to go back and read it?

      

     Reference: http://www.learningext.com/general/terms/netiquette.asp

Communication

Your online instructor is a busy person, but is prepared to provide the assistance you need to complete your online course. You will enjoy your course more and make fewer mistakes if you establish regular contact. Here are some hints for communicating with your instructor:

• Check in with your instructor regularly.
  Don't be afraid that you will bother your instructor with too much mail. Increased communication will save both you and your instructor time in the long run. Share your experience of the course: both your confusions and what you like.
• Don't be offended if your instructor points you to other resources. 
  Your instructor receives a great amount of email. To stay sane, he or she will often refer you to other resources that should answer your question instead of rewriting an answer that appears elsewhere. This is to help you become aware of resources in your course site and to help your instructor get through long lists of mail. It's not because they don't like you.
• Use email as your first mode of communication. The preferred method of contact is through STC Student MAIL.  You can do this by selecting Send Email in your online course or from the mySTC menu.
  This is an online class, and one of the goals is to make the course available at any time of day from a variety of places. You and your instructor will not always be (and in some cases, may never be) online at the same time. That makes email, an "asynchronous" form of communication, an ideal way to interact. Please use email as your first contact option as stated on your syllabus.
• Check your STC Student Mail email daily. (The Send Email button in the menu or from the mySTC menu.)
  Sometimes your instructor, Student Affairs, and Financial Aid will send time sensitive material via email. If you only check your email once a week, you may not get the message before it is too late. Even if you do nothing else for your online course on a particular day, you should try to check your email once. You pledged to do this on the first day of class and it is a requirement on your syllabus.
• Put the course name and number in the subject box of the email along with a short description. If you put symbols in the subject box of the email, your instructor may not be able to open the email. Do not put urgent!, need help..., ch 1 & 2, etc. These all contain symbols that will prevent your instructor from opening your email.  Example: CIST2127 Week 1 Homework
• Be specific in the content of your messages.
  To help your instructor respond to you, be specific about who you are and what you need. In every message, identify your full name; the course you are taking (and section you are in if there are more than one), the assignment, reading, or unit you are working on; and the specific information you are requesting in reply. This will help your instructor answer your question quickly and completely.
• Your instructor will respond within 24 hours, usually earlier Monday-Thursday 8 am - 5 pm. 
  He or she needs time to process all of the mail that comes in and think about your question or do some research before writing back. If you don't receive a response within that time frame, send your message again. Accidents can happen, and your instructor may have lost track of your original message or not realized that a response was requested. Again, this is not personal; it's just a mistake that anyone can make when they deal with hundreds of messages a day. Be persistent, and your question will be answered!

Please send all questions or concerns to the instructors email address. You will get a very quick response if email is sent between Monday-Thursday 8 - 5 pm.

Student Success and Tutoring

Students can find information about Student Success and Tutoring on the link listed below. Right click the link and open in a new window.   When complete, close the window.

http://www.southeasterntech.edu/currentstudents/studentsuccesscenter.asp

Access the information you need, the way you need it!

Have you ever accessed a file in your course that was difficult to read, or you wish came in a different format? Now, Southeastern Technical College uses Blackboard Ally in your blackboard course. You can download alternative formats directly from your course by clicking the gray arrow next to the document title.  Ally can provide alternative formats for these file types: PDF files, Microsoft^® Word files, Microsoft^® Powerpoint^® files, OpenOffice /LibreOffice files, Uploaded HTML files, and more.  Select this Ally Alternative Format Help link for information on how to access the alternative formats.  This site is provided courtesy of the Blackboard Company.  Your actual ally alternative format screens may vary in appearance slightly, but the content of the site is a good example of what to expect and how to use the alternative formats you will have in online courses. 

How to use Office 365

Instructions on how to use Office365 can be found on the links listed below.  Right click the links and open in a new window.   When complete, close the window(s).

No need to purchase, you can now install Office applications directly to your PC/MAC computer for free.  Please visit the following webpage for information:

Download and install or reinstall Office 365 or Office ..

Need help? You can go to support.office.com

You can also access many Office 365 features on your mobile device.  Please visit the following link:

Set up Office apps and email on a mobile device - Office ...

Note: If you are using a Surface Pro tablet, you can install Office and email as you would on a desktop computer! See Install Office on your PC or Mac.

Students will login as

Username:  <Your 9100# or 9000#>@students.southeasterntech.edu (Example: 91001234@students.southeasterntech.edu)
Password: Enter your password provided from initial Acceptance letter.

It is students responsibility to then setup their private security questions. When a student changes the password, it will update all Southeastern Technical College resources, such as Blackboard, Banner, etc., 

Student Privacy

Southeastern Technical College utilizes (1) secure logins/pass codes and (2) proctored events to verify the identity of students enrolled in distance education courses.  

Students are responsible for providing their complete and true identity information in any identification verification process.  Students are instructed not to share their login credentials with anyone and to change passwords periodically to maintain security. 

Additionally, Southeastern Technical College protects the privacy of all students through strict adherence to the rules of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).   FERPA information is located on the College's website and in the Catalog and Handbook.

Secure Logins/Pass Code

Students are admitted, registered, and enrolled in an Oracle database called Banner that includes all student institutional history, as well as some biographical information. This data is encrypted and students do not have direct access to the Oracle database or its host server from outside the school network.   Students in the Banner system are provided a web portal (BannerWeb) to access most of their own student information such as grades, awards, bills, etc.   This information is protected at the physical level by encryption and at the user level by a user id and password combination login.   A student's user ID is comprised of a non-associative, sequentially generated number and a complex password which must be at least 8 characters long and include at least 3 of the 4 characteristics:

1. Upper Case Letter
2. Lower Case Letter
3. Numeric Character
4. Special Character

Students are responsible for providing their complete and true identity information in any identification verification process. Students should never give someone his or her ID or password or allow others to use his or her account. Students are responsible for guarding and changing passwords periodically to maintain security.

At the time of enrollment into a course, students are automatically enrolled in Blackboard and a secure login is created.   Students enrolled in distance education courses must use their secure login to access courses in Blackboard.   The secure login information identifies students to the system on each course visit.   Students use Blackboard to submit assignments, assessments, access course materials, and view grades.  From the time of the first student logon to Blackboard, STC faculty and staff do not have access to students' Blackboard pass codes. Reliability, privacy, safety, and security for Blackboard courses are provided by the Georgia Virtual Technical Connection (GVTC) blackboard server.

Student Email is a secure logon environment.   The identity of all students is verified through the use of a secure and unique nine digit student identification number.   This identification number is utilized as part of the student's username when accessing the student email.   Additionally, STC utilizes Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates to establish an encrypted link between the web server and the client's browser.   This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and web browser remain private and integral.   SSL is an industry standard and is used by millions of websites in the protection of online transactions with users.

Proctored Events to Verify Identity

In addition to using secure logons/pass codes, Southeastern Technical College also requires that every online student complete a proctored event as a means of verifying identity.   Students must present photo identification, such as a STC Student ID, driver's license, passport, etc.   All Off-Campus Proctored Event Registration Forms and On-Campus Proctored Event Registration Forms must be completed in the presence of the proctor.   Proctors are to check the information and signature against the identification presented to ensure that the student who is present for the proctored event is the correct student to be completing the event for the scheduled course.   Completed proctored event registration forms and all proctored event materials are kept in a secure location by the instructor of the course.

All information in Banner, Blackboard, Email, and Proctored Events, including student identification numbers, is protected in compliance with the Family Educational Records and Privacy Act (FERPA) and is not shared.

Proctoring Fees

Students are not charged a proctoring fee when taking a proctored event at Southeastern Technical College or any other TCSG college. Students who choose to use an off-campus proctor may be assessed a proctoring fee by the proctoring site. In this instance, the student is responsible for payment.

Proctoring Event (Requirement for ONLINE Students only)

PROCTORED EVENT REQUIREMENT:  In order to validate student identity for all online courses, students enrolled in online courses are required to complete at least one proctored event (a major exam, assignment, or presentation, etc.) per online course on campus. Instructors have the prerogative to offer more than one proctored event. Students must attend one of the scheduled proctored sessions and will need to make arrangements with work, childcare, etc. The event will count a minimum of 20% of the course grade, and will be reflected as such on the course syllabus.   Proctored events should be completed after the 65% point of the semester.

The proctored event will be administered on separate days—once on the Vidalia campus and once on the Swainsboro campus.   Students must attend one of the proctored sessions as scheduled on the Lesson Plan/Course Calendar.   The event will be monitored by the instructor or by an approved proctor.

Students who do not complete the proctored event as scheduled must submit a valid documented excuse within three business days after the scheduled event. If the excuse is approved by the instructor of the course, students must make arrangements with the instructor to makeup/reschedule the missed event. The penalty and makeup instructions will be at the instructor's discretion

Students who do not complete the proctored event on the scheduled date and do not present a valid documented excuse within three business days of the scheduled event will be given a zero for the proctored event.

Please refer to the Proctored Event Requirement in your course syllabus, Southeastern Technical College Catalog and Handbook, the online course links in Blackboard, and the Online Course Orientation for more information.

The required proctored event dates and times for your class will be located on your syllabus.

Below is the Proctor Scheduling and Approval Form if you are more than 75 miles from any of the Southeastern Technical College campuses exam locations and will be taking the exam at an approved off-campus location.

Select and print this Proctor Scheduling and Approval Form.

Family Educational Records and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records.  The intent of the act is to protect the rights of the student and to insure the accuracy of educational records. 

Please refer to the Student Affairs section of the STC catalog or the Consumer Information & Disclosure page for more information.

Library and Catalog

Select this Southeastern Technical College Library link to access.

Select this Southeastern Technical College Catalog & Handbook link to access.

Be sure to select the Pledge Acknowledgement in your Blackboard course to acknowledge that you have read, understand, and will abide by all the STC Rules and Regulations!