Distance Education
Am I a Good Candidate for Online Classes?
Since online classes vary from face-to-face classes, these yes or no questions will help determine if you are a good candidate for learning online.
- Do you believe in taking responsibility for yourself and your education?
- Are you goal-oriented? If you set your sights on a result, do you usually achieve it?
- Are you self-disciplined and self-motivated?
- Do you manage your time wisely, keep track of assignments and meet deadlines?
- Can you communicate successfully with little or no face-to-face interaction?
- Are you good at comprehending what you read?
- Do you have the tools required for learning online - a dependable computer and reliable access to the Internet?
- Can you dedicate 9+ hours per week for each online class to complete the course requirements?
If you answered "Yes" to at least 6 questions: you are likely a good candidate for online learning.
If you answered "Yes" to at least 4 questions: you need to think about the goals you want to achieve, be mindful of time management, stay focused on the course and not procrastinate. Doing this will help you succeed in the online environment.
If you answered "Yes" to less than 4 questions: learning online may not be the best learning environment for you. Consider a face-to-face class or one that is Internet assisted (where you do some work online and the rest in the classroom).
Accessing Online Classes
You will access your classes through the college's Learning Management System (Canvas).
Online classes will be visible to students on the start date of the semester/term. It is important that you log in by the first day (or the first day after you have enrolled during the add/drop period). To log in, go to the Vanguard Portal and click the Student Homepage link. Your username will be firstname.lastname. Your password will be the first initial of your first name (UPPERCASE), the first initial of your last name (lowercase), and your 8-digit birthdate (mmddyy) followed by an exclamation point (!). For example, Student Doe's user name will be student.doe. The password will be Sd03231998!
Your online classes will be listed by semester/term on the Canvas dashboard landing page. You must click on the class name to 'enter' your class. First-time ASUB students are required to go through the New Student Orientation within Canvas, as it will help you learn how to use the various tools and how to be successful in online classes.
Proctored Exams
Every online class is required to have at least one significant proctored exam, either the midterm or the final exam. Some divisions or instructors require more than one exam to be proctored.
Proctor Options
Please see your course syllabus for course-specific proctoring information. Online courses will use Proctorio for proctoring online exams. Please refer to the Academic Calendar for testing dates and your course syllabus for testing times.
If your instructor uses Proctorio, the technical requirements are:
- Microphone: internal or external
- Webcam - 320x240 VGA resolution (minimum) internal or external
- Desktop or laptop (No iPads, tablets, or phones can be used) with Google Chrome
Before taking the exam:
- Install Google Chrome.
- Have a school or government-issued ID card available.
- Find a well-lit space, and be ready to scan your workspace.
- Install the Proctorio Chrome Extension found in your Canvas exam module
- Proctorio is free to students.