Online Courses
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, CTC’s state regulatory agency, defines an online course as
- "A course which may have mandatory face-to-face sessions totaling no more than 15 percent of the instructional time. Examples of face-to-face sessions include orientation, laboratory, exam review, or an in-person test."
The MAJORITY of CTC's online courses have NO mandatory face-to-face sessions. That means no driving to class, no searching for a parking space, and no scheduling of proctored exams.
Blackboard
CTC uses the Blackboard Learn Learning Management System (LMS) for its online courses.
- Access CTC Blackboard at https://ctc.blackboard.com
- Your course will become available in Blackboard 3 days before it starts
- Get 24/7/365 Blackboard technical support at 866-350-4729
- In Blackboard, click Assist in the left menu to get access to Tutoring, Math and English help, and other student support services
- Download the Blackboard Mobile app from your favorite app store
Synchronous Virtual Courses
CTC offers Synchronous Virtual courses in which instruction is fully online, but with specified and required class meeting times. Instruction is given in real time with interaction between the instructor and students, as if they were in a physical classroom, but using a communication tool such as Blackboard Collaborate or Zoom.
Online vs. Online Self-Paced with Milestones
CTC online classes are typically scheduled as online lecture (OLL) or online self-paced lecture (OSL). Both have fixed start and end dates, and all coursework must be completed by the last day of class. Some financial aid restrictions may require students to take at least four weeks to complete the coursework.
Online Lecture (OLL) | Online Self-Paced Lecture (OSL) with Milestones |
fixed start and end dates | fixed start and end dates |
certain activities must be completed during the first week class to demonstrate participation | certain activities must be completed during the first week class to demonstrate participation |
syllabus lists specific deadlines for submitting assignments and assessments | syllabus lists minimal number of due dates in a course (no more than three). Additional recommended deadlines may be included to promote completion |
students must initiate contact with their instructors during the first week of class, even if they can't start class until later | |
to demonstrate progress in the course and to maximize success, the majority of the coursework must be completed by the last day to withdraw |
For more details please see https://www.ctcd.edu/academics/class-schedules/class-formats/self-paced-with-milestones/
