Mountwest Community and Technical College has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements.
Mountwest offers a wide variety of distance education courses, including online, hybrid, live remote, and flex courses! These courses allow students an affordable and convenient way to take our courses from a distance. Mountwest is also a member of Quality Matters and the Online Learning Consortium; and many of our faculty who teach our distance education courses have completed trainings to help improve course design and instruction. To learn more about these types of courses, review the FAQ section below.
Click on the question(s) below to discover answers to commonly asked questions. If you have a question that does not appear in the list below, please contact the Director of Distance Education for more information.
Absolutely! Distance education courses allows for added flexibility so you can complete your degree when it fits into your schedule without always needing to traveling to campus for classes at specific days and times.
Instructional materials are also posted and made available in Blackboard, which may not happen for face-to-face classes. If the instructional materials include videos, you can watch and re-watch videos as often as needed. You can even pause these videos while taking notes any time the material is being explained too quickly.
Absolutely! Many Mountwest students take a mixture of online, hybrid, live remote, flex and face-to-face classes depending on availability of classes and their schedules. Discuss your options with your advisor to see what works best for you!
Course Attributes | Online | Hybrid | Live Remote | Flex |
---|---|---|---|---|
Scheduled class meetings: | None | Some in-person (on campus) classes are held at specific days and times. Refer to the Course Schedule within the syllabus for these dates. | Yes! All classes are held (virtually) at specified days and times. | Yes! All classes are held at specified days and times. Students can attend virtually or in-person, except when in-person activities are required. |
Location of instruction: | All instruction is online in Blackboard (during the days and times fit your schedule best). | Some instruction is in-person (on campus), and some is online through Blackboard. Refer to the percentage for the amount of in-person versus online instruction. | All instruction is online using video conferencing software (at specified days and times each week). | All instruction is offered both in-person and online using video conferencing software (at specified days and times each week), except for required in-person activities. |
Location of coursework: | All coursework is online in Blackboard, which can be completed anywhere with a reliable internet connection. | Some is in-person (on campus), and some is online through Blackboard. The online portion can be completed anywhere with a reliable internet connection. | Coursework may be online in Blackboard, which can be completed anywhere with a reliable internet connection. | Coursework may be online in Blackboard, which can be completed anywhere with a reliable internet connection. |
On-campus requirements: | None | Some in-person (on campus) class meetings are required. | None | Some in-person (on campus) class meetings may be required. |
Added flexibility: | Coursework can be completed during the days and times that fit your schedule best. | Students attend a specified portion of the class in-person and complete the rest of the course online, so there are fewer class meetings than a traditional, face-to-face course. | Students can attend classes virtually without needing to travel to campus for class meetings. No class meetings are on-campus. | Students can attend classes virtually (without needing to travel to campus) or choose to attend in-person. Some class meetings on-campus may be required. |
Attendance requirements: | Since there are no class meetings, attendance is based on completing the assigned coursework each week. | Attendance for these courses is taken in-person for the face-to-face class meetings and taken based on progress in the coursework for the online portion of the class. | Attendance for these courses is taken based on being present and participating in the virtual class sessions using the video conferencing software. | Attendance will be taken similar to face-to-face or live remote classes, depending on how the student chooses to attend that class. |
Expectations: | Students are expected to (1) have a reliable internet connection and (2) be able to work ahead to meet specified due dates each week. | There will be at least one face-to-face class meeting where students are physically required to be on campus. Students are expected to (1) be present during those specified in-person class meetings, (2) have a reliable internet connection to complete the online portion of the class, and (3) be able to work ahead to meet specified due dates each week. | Students are expected to (1) have a reliable internet connection, (2) have access to a webcam and microphone, (3) be able to login to the video conferencing software during the specified class meetings, and (4) participate during the classes as they would for traditional, face-to-face classes. | If attending virtually, students are expected to (1) have a reliable internet connection, (2) have access to a webcam and microphone, (3) be able to login to the video conferencing software during the specified class meetings, and (4) participate during the classes as they would for traditional, face-to-face classes. If attending in-person, students are expected to be physically present for class, come prepared, and participate. Some in-person activities may be required. |
Self-paced: | No | No | No | No |
Academic support: | Available!* | Available!* | Available!* | Available!* |
If you would like more detailed information about how to use Blackboard or if you experience difficulties with Blackboard or its app, contact the Director of Distance Education.
Click the topics listed below to learn about various learning tips and strategies that can help you be successful in your distance education course(s).
The first week is a good time to complete the introductory assignments and get started on the next week’s assignments. In distance education courses, you want to always work ahead in case you need an extra few days to get clarification from your instructor or need extra time to complete an assignment.
Print your syllabus, course schedule, and keep them near your computer for reference throughout the course. Set reminders on your smartphone or use the Blackboard App to help you keep track of your assignment due dates.
You didn’t learn to walk in a few hours, and you won’t master these new skills in one sitting either. It takes time, practice, and a lot of patience to learn something new. Keep practicing!
Sometimes we need to go slow to go fast. We have to learn to walk before we can run. Homework time is learning time. Take this time to digest the information from the lesson and make note of any questions you have before continuing. Avoid rushing just to finish an assignment.
Do something fun! Change your environment and go for a walk, listen to music, or play a game. By focusing on something different and fun, your mind will be able to relax and you will be more productive when you return to your coursework.
Below you will find links to resources available at Mountwest and other useful information. For convenience, this list been sorted alphabetically.
For information about the student complaint process or to submit a complaint, review the information found in the Student Complaint Process document.