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Distance Education

  
Welcome to Distance Education at Southside Virginia Community College!  Online courses can provide you with the flexibility to take college courses anytime and anywhere.  At Southside we offer many courses completely online,  and we also offer several hybrid courses. Hybrids are taught primarily online, but they do require some scheduled in class meetings.  Many of our traditional face-to-face instructors also utilize Blackboard, our online course management system, to supplement their courses. 

Here you will find links to information regarding cyber course requirements and a brief online self-assessment called READI, to help you judge your readiness for online learning. Please read all information before registering for a cyber course. Academic advisors and counselors can also assist you in decision making regarding online education.  Online education can be excellent way to further your education, but it isn't for everyone. 

Students who register for cyber courses should be familiar with Blackboard, an online course management system. After logging in to Blackboard, you will find the online faculty email directory. Please contact your instructor(s) as soon as possible via your SVCC e-mail account. Tell the instructor your name, the course for which you have registered, and your correct SVCC e-mail address. Links to the courses are made available on the first day of classes of each term. Plan to visit Blackboard as soon as classes begin to find your course web site. To be successful, remember that it is the student’s responsibility to email the instructor and log in to Blackboard to find the online course.

Cyber students must have a computer, Internet access, word processing software (Microsoft Word is preferred) and be proficient users of both Blackboard and e-mail

accounts. Other technical requirements can be found at the Requirements for Taking Courses Online link below. Students who wish to use SVCC’s facilities for these requirements can travel to any campus or center to do so. Campus computer labs have posted hours and may require prior permission for night or weekend use. Please check to determine when campus computer labs or the campus library computers are available for use.

Students are responsible for submitting assignments and taking examinations according to the instructor’s directions. Students must adhere to the conditions stated in the syllabus regarding procedures for taking tests and examinations and/or performing laboratory exercises. These conditions may require students to travel to a college

campus, another school, a public library, or other site to take tests and examinations under supervision and/or perform laboratory exercises or field work.

VCCS Policy 5.6.0 Grading System for Credit Classes (SB)
In order to receive any letter grade, a student must have attended a minimum of
one class meeting or the equivalent in the case of a distance learning course. In
a distance learning course, initial student attendance is determined by course
participation as measured by accessing and using course materials, completion
of a class assignment, participation in a course discussion, or other evidence of
participation. Students who enroll in a course but do not attend a minimum of
one class meeting or the distance learning equivalent by the census date or
earlier date as defined and published by the institution must be administratively
deleted from the course by the college. Existing college policies regarding tuition
refund shall remain in effect.