Answer:  All the courses will use our Los Rios eLearning Desire2Learn server for the course sites.  You can begin by reviewing the information on the Help tab to prepare your computer and yourself for the start of the course.

You should also purchase the textbook or other materials assigned for the course. 

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• Question: How can I get contact the instructor before class starts?
  The most effective way to contact the instructor will be to use email.  
  The Faculty List has email addresses for each instructor and links to their web pages.
• Question: Is taking a class online easier than a "regular" class?

• Answer: No. Some may think it's even more demanding than a regular face-to-face class in that you have to stay motivated and stay on top of your work for the class. The workload that you face in an online class usually is identical to that of an on-site class on the same topic.

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• Question:  Who will be most successful in an online class?

  It has been shown that the most successful online students tend to share the following characteristics:

  • self-motivation/self-starter
  • good organization and time-management skills
  • somewhat familiar with computers and the Internet
  • resourceful--they actively seek answers and solutions to questions and problems

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•  Question: Do I have to have a computer to enroll in an online class?

Answer: While having easy access to a computer remains an essential part of success in an online class, you do not have to own a computer. Students can access computers on the CRC campus in several locations or at other district colleges. Several students complete online classes from work (having arranged this beforehand with their employer, of course).  

Whatever computer you plan to use, you should ensure that it is configured correctly to work smoothly with our servers.  Check the recommended settings BEFORE your course starts and set up your computer to facilitate access to the course sites by click on the Help tab on the Los Rios eLearning Desire2Learn.

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• Question: What Internet skills would be helpful in an online class?

  Answer: The most successful students have had the following Internet skills:

• Familiarity with their web browser and an email program.
• Know how to make and organize bookmarks in your browser software.
• Some familiarity with web-based interactions--bulletin boards, newsgroups, listservs, email, and newsgroups will also be useful.
• Some familiarity with word processing.
• Experience in successful Internet searches using a variety of search engines.
• See below for a list of web tutorials that might be helpful if you are new to using the Internet.

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Web Tutorials:

Interested in learning more about the web? Try some of these links for web tutorials and helpful basic tips.

• University of California Berkeley's Library Internet Tutorial--thorough and clear although not particularly beautiful. Extremely strong in teaching you how to search effectively on the web.
• Internet 101--one of the three best internet guides on the net (according to Yahoo).
• PBS Guide to the Web--strong as always.
• Beginners' Guide to the Web--nine tutorials covering everything from email to searches to bookmarking pages and more.

Want to browse some more guides? Try the Yahoo Web Beginners' Guides listing. listing.