Dear Telecourse Students:

McDowell Technical Community College has been delivering distance education courses since 1992. We are pleased to provide these classes as an option for students who have busy lives and demanding schedules.

Telecourses are college level classes that involve the use of television programs, textbooks and other instructional materials. Some telecourses may use a combination of distance learning methods to include a web component, which involves the use of a computer as part of the learning process. Students enroll in telecourses for convenience as well as enjoyment; however, telecourses are not for everyone! Students must be motivated and committed to complete these distance learning courses. Student surveys have indicated that these classes are NOT easy and are just as difficult as those which are traditionally offered on-campus.

Telecourses demand a lot of independent study, but you should be successful as a distance learner if you follow instructions, stay current with assignments, and do the work! If you do not have access to cable broadcasts or public television (PBS), videotapes of the telecourses can be rented from RMI Media. If taking a college-by-cassette course, you may rent the tapes from the MTCC Learning Center.

Support services for telecourse students are very important and I want to make certain that you have the assistance you require when you need it. Instructors can be contacted should you have problems or questions. Telecourse faculty members provide their students with a syllabus on orientation day and inform students of the requirements for the class. Please adhere to the dates and times when you are scheduled to take an exam, as well as turn in any written assignments according to your course syllabus.

The orientation packet will provide some answers to the most frequently asked questions about telecourses. It is my desire that you succeed in your experience with telecourses. I wish you the very best this semester. If I can be of assistance, feel free to contact me at (828) 652- 0651.


Sincerely,

Don Ford
MTCC Director of Distance Education