Distance Education FAQ

Blackboard is Ivy Tech's online course management system that can be used by both distance and on-campus students. Blackboard can be accessed several places, including the Campus Connect login page and Campus Connect Quick Links.

To get started successfully in an online course, you need to do three things at least one week before your class begins:

1. Log in to Campus Connect and print a copy of your course schedule. The Course schedule contains several important details you will need to complete the next two steps.
2. Make sure that you can log on to Blackboard – Ivy Tech's distance learning software. You can access Blackboard through Campus Connect or by going directly to https://dl.ivytech.edu. You'll log into Blackboard using your username and password. The courses you are taking will automatically appear in your account on the start date of each class. The start date for each class is printed on your course schedule.
3. Get your textbooks and other required materials for your course. To find out what materials are needed for your course, go to the online bookstore by logging in to Campus Connect and clicking on the Bookstore link. You can search for courses on the bookstore's website by either the campus or the CRN (Course Reference Number). Remember that you may be taking online courses from a variety of campuses, so it's important to select the campus teaching the course when searching for each course, or use the CRN number, which will fill in that information correctly for you. Order your textbooks early so that you have them before the first day of classes.

Remember that online classes follow a schedule just like a face-to-face class, so you will have assignments due on specific dates. Even if you do not have a required book or piece of material on the first day of class, it's important to log in and get started during the first day or two of the course. Many instructors post assignments that don't require a textbook during the first week so you can get started without having to wait, especially if there is some delay with your textbook.

There may be multiple reasons why you cannot access Blackboard (note: Blackboard is unavailable from 3:00 a.m. – 5:00 a.m. every Friday due to scheduled maintenance). Here are some reasons why you may not be able to access Blackboard:

• We recommend using Firefox as a browser
• Make sure your pop-up blockers are off
• Clear your cache and history
• Make sure you are using the link: https://dl.ivytech.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp
• You can access from the Campus Connect login page (you no longer need to be logged into Campus Connect to access Blackboard, but use the same user id and password that you use to get into CC)

If you have tried the above and still cannot access Blackboard, contact the Help Desk.

Books for all online classes can be purchased at the Follett online bookstore.

Books for traditional classes can be purchased at the Follett online bookstore.

Login to Blackboard, then click on the Community tab. You should then see a download link for Pronto. Click on the link, select your operating system, then download.

For assistance using Pronto, check out this user's guide.

Online courses

• Courses take place online.
• You may have to go to a campus or approved testing site to take exams.
• You can complete your assignments around your busy life.
• Your may participate in online office hours, chats, or presentations.
• These classes can be taken from anywhere so as long as you have reliable Internet access each week.

Hybrid courses (also called Online + Face-to-Face)

• These courses have an on-campus component.
• You meet on campus for 1/3 or less of the normal time you would meet in a normal class.
• For a three credit hour class, that means you would meet less than 16 hours on campus during the semester.
• The rest of your work would be done over the Internet.

IP Video

• These courses allow students to take a class with other students from around the state at the same time, but in many different locations. 
• IP Video classes meet at a scheduled day and time and require that you to be on campus.

Technology Enhanced

• Students are required to meet on campus at least 50 percent of the time.
• This can reduce the amount of time you spend in the classroom and the number of times you have to drive to campus.
• You will have scheduled class meetings you must attend on a regular basis.

• Online classes fit almost any schedule. Our other distance education offerings can help you achieve your educational goals more quickly and with less travel time to and from campus.
• Online classes require a limited number of campus visits just to take exams – many classes require no campus visits with all assignments and exams completed online. Our other distance education offerings help you fit more into each visit to campus.
• Online classes let you take classes from your home, office, or while you are on the road. If you can connect to the Internet over a reliable connection, you can take an online class.
• Many distance education classes are created by teams of faculty – experts in their field – providing you with the most up to date knowledge and skills possible.
• Ivy Tech classes transfer to many Indiana institutions as well as other colleges and universities around the country. For a list of some of the most popular course transfers, check out the Transfer Indiana web site at www.transferin.net.

Ivy Tech offers over 300 courses online – and this number is growing all the time. Click here to see a list of the classes offered online in the next semester.

You can even earn your degree online. The following degrees are offered completely online.

• Accounting
• Business Administration
• Computer Information Systems
• Criminal Justice
• Design Technology
• Early Childhood Education (There are practicum courses in the program that cannot be taken online.)
• General Studies
• Human Services (This program has two courses that must be taken in the traditional classroom - HMS 103 and HMS 206. There also is an internship requirement that cannot be taken online.)
• Library Technical Assistant
• Office Administration

If you are taking a course which uses Blackboard – our distance education system – you will need to ensure that you have access to a computer with all of the following:

• 1GHz or faster CPU
• 256 MB or more of RAM (512 MB is strongly suggested)
• 56K dial-up connection (DSL or Cable Broadband strongly suggested)
• Windows XP (Mac OS X and Linux/Unix OS are suitable for most, but not all, online course applications)
• CD-ROM drive (DVD drive may be required for some course content)
• Sound card and speakers/headphones may be required for some course content
• Video card and monitor capable of displaying at least 16 bit color (thousands of colors)
• Current Web Browser (Internet Explorer or FireFox suggested)

Some courses may require additional hardware or software from that listed above. It is important that you review the course requirements and order your text and materials at least two weeks prior to the start of the class from our online bookstore.

I - Online Only

An Online Only course (often just referred to as an Internet course) is a course taken online. The only time a student may need to go to a campus or testing center is to take a proctored exam. This normally occurs two to four times per semester and will be explained in detail by the instructor in courses where it is required.

If you use the following phrases to describe yourself, then an online class may be an excellent choice for you:

• I enjoy learning independently, but am comfortable asking an instructor for help if I don't understand something.
• I am organized and maintain a schedule of all the things I need to get done. I don't generally need to be reminded to complete things on time or even a little early.
• I am comfortable using a computer and the Internet to do things like viewing a web page, sending and reading email, typing papers in a word processing program, and finding information on the Internet.
• I learn well from reading and reflecting on what I have read. I don't need to listen to a lecture to help me understand course content.
• I have at least six hours to devote to each course I am taking and can make more time if needed.

V - Videoconferencing Courses

A videoconferencing course is offered in one of two formats - IP Video or Video Streaming. If your course is an IP Video Course, you will need to travel to an Ivy Tech campus or designated learning center which has IP Video equipment to take your course. The class will meet at a specific day and time each week and you will be able to ask questions of the instructor using a live video and audio feed. You will also hear and see the lecture live. This is very much like a regular course except that you may not be in the same room or even the same city as the instructor.

If your course uses video streaming, you will be able to view the course content from any location with a high-speed (Cable Modem, DSL, or higher) Internet connection. You will need to have your own web cam and microphone that connect to your computer, so you can talk to your instructor and the other students in the class. These classes still meet at a set day and time each week, but give you the added convenience of being able to participate in the class from any location where you have high speed access to the Internet, a web cam, and microphone.

C - Video and Online

A course that is coded with a C mixes video and online learning so students will need to feel comfortable using both methods of learning.

H - Hybrid

A hybrid course mixes traditional classroom instruction with online learning. Students in a hybrid class will go to campus for a part of the class and participate in classroom and/or laboratory activities. They will also be responsible for reviewing content on the web, completing assignments and submitting them online, and participating in online discussions and other online learning activities. If you are interested in trying an online class but are not familiar with how they work, taking a hybrid course first is a good way to get a feel it.