Online Course Skills Requirements

• Hardware and Software Requirements


• Other Software Requirements and Plug-Ins


• Online Course Student Study Skills

Do you have a study tip you want to share with other online students? Or, do you have advice for other students taking online courses? E-mail the Distance Learning Office, and we'll post to our website! Include whether you want your name and e-mail address (you can even send a picture!) included with your comments.

• Online Course Student Technical Skills - What do you need to know?

Hardware and Sofware Requirements

All online courses require the following:

• Computer with personal access to the Internet (e.g., computer with a modem, or cable modem connection)


• An e-mail account


• Web-browser software - at least Internet Explorer 6.0 or Netscape 8.0
  (download Internet Explorer now - download Netscape now)


• Windows 95 operating system or higher


• Virus-checking software


• Some courses may require additional software. For details about specific course requirements, refer to the information found in your schedule in Artemis. Each online course has Schedule Notes that list specific course requirements and details

Florida Community College at Jacksonville offers all enrolled students a FREE e-mail account and Dial-In Access. If you have a computer with a modem, you can use the College's Dial-In service to connect to the Internet free of charge. You must have a Florida Community College student e-mail account BEFORE you can use the student dialup services. For information about how to activate your Student Account and Dial-In Service, see http://www.fccj.edu/current/stucomputing/internetdialup.html.

You must have Internet access through an ISP (such as AOL, or Florida Community College at Jacksonville Dial-In) before you can access your online course. When you've complete this step, then you're ready to start your course!

Other Software Requirements and Plug-Ins

Some web sites and courses require additional sofware programs for your web browser called "plug-ins," that enable your broswer to display various audio, video, or graphics.

Some utilities you can download are:

• Adobe Acrobat Reader (for PDF files)


• Quicktime digital media player


• RealPlayer digital media player


• Macromedia Shockwave Player


• WSFTP Free Version


• PowerPoint Viewer

Online Course Student Study Skills

If you are taking an online course, you are probably already familiar with the flexibility and convenience of online learning. However, online learning is not easier than on-campus learning, and requires the same amount of work. Below are some tips for success in online courses:

• Establish a timeline for yourself, and block out time that you can dedicate to your online course


• Establish dedicated study times


• Use a planner or calendar to remind yourself of deadlines for assignments


• Use the communication tools, such as Chat and the Bulletin Board, to build working relationships with other students

Do you have a study tip you want to share with other online students? Or, do you have advice for other students taking online courses? E-mail the Distance Learning Office, and we'll post to our Website! Include whether you want your name and e-mail address (you can even send a picture!) included with your comments.

Online Course Student Technical Skills - What do you need to know?

Online courses at Florida Community College at Jacksonville use Blackboard. Blackboard is Learning Management Systems that you use to take an online course.

These platforms have all the student tools built in for online learning, and are easy to use. However, you should know how to:

• Connect to the Internet


• Navigate the Internet; how to use a web browser


• Use e-mail


• Store and retrieve files


• Use e-mail to send and receive attachments


• Use a word processing program

Want to learn more about "Distance Learning" and technology? See our Glossary of Online Learning Terms.

Also, check Blackboard Student Resources for more information about using Blackboard.