Frequently Asked Questions
What is the attendance policy for online courses?
Student Attendance in Online Courses is defined as active participation in the course as described by the individual course syllabus. Students enrolled in these courses must maintain active Bloomfield College email and Blackboard accounts and must empty the mailbox regularly to permit correspondence about the course. Students must download the course syllabus from their own Bloomfield College Blackboard accounts by the end of the Add/Drop period or they will be withdrawn from the course.
What is it like in an online learning environment?
In a typical online course, you meet instructor and your classmates the first day of the class. There will be a course introduction and some printed materials distributed by your instructor in a regular class. In addition, your instructor will show you in Blackboard how the course is organized, how to navigate course materials, where and how to participate in online discussions, how to submit assignments, and some requirements for online activities. At the end of class, you will have assignments which may require you to do online in Blackboard. You should read your course syllabus carefully, and understand all the requirements.
After the first face-to-face meeting, the rest of your class meeting will be online. Most online sessions are asynchronous (which means it does not require the entire class to log on to Blackboard at the same time). Everyone has a flexible schedule to do his/her own online learning activities, such as reviewing content from the last class, reading course materials, posting a message or responding to other's messages on the discussion board, taking an online quiz, submitting an assignment to the instructor, etc. Sometimes you will attend a virtual classroom to chat with your classmates and instructor.
How do I sign up for hybrid or online courses?
The process to sign up for hybrid or online courses is the same as the traditional face-to-face courses. See "Registering Online Course" for more info.
What day and time does my class meet?
Online courses are asynchronous, meaning they do not require students and instructors to be in the same place at the same time. Students choose the time that is most convenient for them to do their coursework. Most instructors will use a weekly schedule to post an announcement, assign readings, and post discussion questions for each week. Some will provide timelines for student participation for a discussion question requiring a response by a certain date.
Do I have to attend any classes on campus?
Generally, for online courses, there are no more than two classes on campus. Many instructors meet on campus for the first class meeting and some also meet in person for the last class or exam.
For partially online courses, you will attend class every other week. You should check with your instructor on the first day of the class.
What about tests?
Blackboard contains an assessment feature that enables instructors to administer tests online or in a computer lab. Some instructors use this feature; others will use a take-home test. Some courses make use of projects rather than tests. Most online courses use traditional assessment methods combined with online learning activities.