Student Orientation Part 1 Central Texas College and Distance Education Welcome to part one of the student orientation.

Agenda Discussion Topics What is Central Texas College? Who are our students Introducing CTC Distance Education and Educational Technology (DEET) How classes relate to your education Keys to success Valuable websites This orientation will cover many topics. We will discuss what it is that CTC is all about, who our students are, an introduction of Distance Education, how different classes may relate to your degree, keys to success, and go over some valuable websites.

What is Central Texas College? CTC is an open-admission community college CTC offers associate degree programs CTC offers certificate programs Central Texas College, or CTC, is a public, open-admission community college offering associate degrees and certificate programs in academic, professional and vocational or technical fields.

What CTC Offers Value, convenience, and flexibility Worldwide access Over 150 locations Variety of learning methods CTC offers the value, convenience, and flexibility of a community college. With a worldwide reach through distance learning and more than 150 locations on or near military installations, CTC can be convenient to your location. CTC offers a variety of different course delivery modes with face-to-face, online, blended, or multimedia courses.

Why Choose CTC? Transition into a four-year degree after finishing your two-year degree at CTC. CTC is an accredited institution. CTC is a member of the Service Members Opportunity College (SOC). You can transition from a two-year at CTC to a four-year degree through our many articulation agreements with four-year institutions nationwide.  Central Texas College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees and certificates of completion. Additionally, CTC is a member of the Service Members Opportunity College (SOC).

Distance Education/Online Learning: Who We Are DEET was approved by the CTC Board of Trustees in 1997. More than 450 courses available online We offer Courses with varying lengths and monthly start dates 30 certificate programs and 30 online degree programs DEET also provides 24/7/365 technical support for Blackboard (the Learning Management System), and BioSig-ID (an identity verification system). View http://www.online.ctcd.edu for more details. Distance Education and Educational Technology (or DEET) was approved by the CTC Board of Trustees in 1997. DEET offers more than 450 courses for online delivery with varying lengths and monthly start dates. There are over 30 certificate and 30 degree programs available online. DEET provides 24 hour technical support for Blackboard and BioSig-ID. Go to www.online.ctcd.edu for more details.

How Classes Relate “MATH” “LITERATURE” “GOVERNMENT” “SPEECH” “BIOLOGY” “KINESIOLOGY” “HISTORY” The classes in degree plans are designed to create a balanced education. These classes help with teaching necessary skills. Many students get their degree plan and find classes that make them wonder, why would I need that class? This is to make sure that your education is well-rounded and to help with developing a necessary skill set consisting of: critical thinking skills, empirical and quantitative skills, team work, personal responsibility, and social responsibility.

Keys to Success Exploration and Communication Explore your course. Check the course syllabus. Communicate within your course. Communicate with your classmates. There are many ways to help on your path to success. Get to know your way around your course. Be sure to check your syllabus for information on due dates and what is expected in your course. Communicate, especially with your instructor, about any questions you may have about your course. Also be sure to communicate with your classmates as they may have some of the same questions or concerns that you do.

Keys to Success Online Communication Etiquette Do not use all capital letters. It is easy to misunderstand tone in an email, blog, or discussion board. Be polite and courteous. Etiquette is very important when communicating within your classes. Online etiquette may not be something everyone is familiar with. Remember some key things when communicating online: using all capital letters appears to be yelling at your recipient, tone is difficult to convey through text so jokes and sarcasm can easily be considered offensive, and most of all be polite and courteous as if you are talking to someone in person.

Additional Resources How to be a successful college student Study tips https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/professors-guide/2009/08/19/15-secrets-of-getting-good-grades-in-college http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Good-College-Student Study tips https://howtostudyincollege.com/ https://www.academictips.org/acad/beastudent.html There are many additional resources to assist with being a successful student. View the links provided for additional tips on how to succeed in college.

Additional Resources Tips for time management https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/professors-guide/2009/10/14/top-12-time-management-tips https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/inside-the-classroom/8-ways-to-take-control-of-your-time Time management is one of the most difficult things to master in college. Please view the provided links for some tips on how to manage your time throughout college.

Utilize VARK What is VARK and how does it apply to me? Find out at http://vark-learn.com/ Want to find out what learning method works best for you? VARK is tool that exists just for that purpose. Go to http://vark-learn.com/ to take a quick survey and discover what learning method works best for you.

Explore the CTC website Go to http://www.ctcd.edu Select each tab to find information and resources just for you. Even if you are a current student, don’t miss the guidance provided under the prospective student section. CTC’s website has a lot of information for prospective and current students. Be sure to explore the website at www.ctcd.edu for more information about degree plans, registration, and other opportunities.

Questions? Go to http://www.ctcd.edu/about-ctc/contact-us/ Here you will find: Contact information Campus maps News and events Contact information for different departments and locations can be found at the link provided on this page. Be sure to look at the page for more information about applying to CTC online, business hours, maps of our campuses, and more information about news and events at CTC.