eCollege
What is Lawson State Community College's eCollege (Distance Education)?
Click here for Online Fee Disclosures
eCollege offers you the opportunity to take college courses completely online (via Blackboard) without having to come to campus. If work or family schedules conflict with on-campus classes, you don’t have to give up important responsibilities to pursue an education.
The difference between an eCollege course and a campus-based course is how each is delivered. eCollege courses are delivered to you electronically via the Internet. Instructors utilize various methods of communication to conduct the course, such as Web 2.0 technologies, social networking, threaded discussions, email, web conferencing, audio and videod lectures.
If you own a computer and are willing to follow the download, equipment and software purchase (i.e., Microsoft Word) requirements, any Lawson student can take a eCollege course as long as they are not enrolled in more than one developmental course. Just as some people are more successful at regular courses, others are more successful at distance education courses. In general, a successful eCollege student is someone who wants or needs a flexible school schedule and knows how to study independently.
Does Lawson State Offer Any Full Online Programs?
Yes. Lawson State offers one full online program in Business. Students seeking other degrees can take a limited number of their classes online towards that degree. Click here for information on the Business online degrees.
Are there Specialized Fees and Required Equipment for Online Courses?
Yes. We charge additional testing fees (covering all forms of testing) within online courses ($50 per course), and you also need test proctoring equipment (for the majority of online courses), if the course is using ProctorU for testing. You also need a computer and internet access. In addition, some online courses (i.e., P.E. require additional equipment to track your activities), and some online courses charge for the textbook upfront. These fees are outlined on your schedule. Click here to learn more specifics on fees and equipment requirements.
Are Online Courses Easier?
No! Absolutely Not! It is a false premise to believe that online courses are easier than on-campus courses; they are not. Indeed, online courses can be quite demanding and require students to be self-motivated, highly organized and self disciplined in order to successfully pass the class. Students taking online courses also need to have strong writing and reading ability. Also note that all Mid-terms and Final Exams are recorded and proctored (monitored online by a third party) in every eCollege course in order to ensure that all standards of performance are reached and upheld in all online courses. They also require weekly participation and students should be very comfortable working on a computer and possess basic computer skills.
Complaints or Concerns. Out-of-State Students & NC-SARA
Distance Learning Complaint Process for Out of State Students – Lawson State Community College desires to resolve student grievances, complaints and concerns in an expeditious, fair and amicable manner. Students residing outside of the State of Alabama while attending LSCC who desire to resolve a grievance should follow the College’s Student Grievance Procedure as outlined in the “Lawson State Community College Catalog and Student Handbook”. However, if an issue cannot be resolved internally, you may file a complaint with your State. The
Student Grievance Contact Information for Individual States provides phone numbers, emails and/or links to state education agencies.
Click here to learn more about Lawson State's complaint process or to file a complaint.
Before you enroll in an eCollege course, spend sometime reviewing the information (under the menu bar on your left). We cover equipment, software and download requirements, and we even link you to a free self-assessment test to determine if you are truly a good candidate for this type of learning environment.
