Ozarks Technical 
Community College

There is a wide variety of courses that are offered online. OTC Online offers degrees and certificate programs that can be completed with all online classes. For more information on what degrees we offer, visit Online Degrees & Certificates pages on the OTC website.   To view the online course schedule visit the class schedule page and click on the OTC online course schedule link. 

Think of Blackboard as your classroom. This is where you will get your lessons and homework, also you will be able to interact with other students in your course through discussion boards.  Grades are also posted on Blackboard so you can keep up with your progress. There are also other resources on Blackboard to help you with your learning experience.

What students like about a online course is that they are free to work on their homework whenever they like. You are able to do your work however it fits into your work and personal life. It is a friendly atmosphere where you can still interact with other students and your instructor through discussion boards or email.

Some students miss the personal interaction with your instructor and other students. Getting yourself motivated to do that work can be difficult, and having the discipline to be able to learn material on your own can also be a challenge.

As an online student you have access to the library's databases from home. To access our databases, just log into your MyOTC portal account and click on the gray Resources tab; here you will find a complete listing of all our databases. You will need to stay within the Resources tab to access our databases; when you click on a database link a new window will appear. If you need any help, please contact Tracy Ponder at 417-447-8173 or pondet@otc.edu

The computer requirements for an online course can be found online on the OTC Online portion of the website. Click on the "Student Resources" link. Once there click on "Getting Started." There you will find an "OTC Online Computer Requirements" link and it will tell you our minimum requirements and our recommended requirements for taking an online course. If you are unsure whether your computer is capable of handling an online course, contact us for more help.

The only reason you need to come to campus for an online course is to take a proctored exam. If you do not live near campus, you can take your proctored exam at an approved off-campus location. We have more information available on our website for approved off-campus locations. If you are unsure of what proctoring means we have a video explaining it on our Proctored Exam Requirement Page.

Proctoring is a test that you will take either on campus or at an approved off-campus location. One proctored exam is required for all online courses, except for math which requires all tests to be proctored. On-campus testing services is where you will take your proctored exam. Examples of off-campus proctoring locations are colleges or universities, high schools, or public libraries. If you live in Missouri we have a document on our site that lists approved proctoring sites by county.

Your textbook information can be found in the same place as for a seated course under your "AccessOTC" tab and clicking on "My Booklist."  Other materials you will need will either be with your book purchase, such as an access code, or your instructor will provide more information with other materials you will need.

Managing time is key in being successful in an online course. Once you get behind, it is really hard to catch up. Setting time in your schedule to just work on your course with as few distractions as possible is important.

You do not have to access your online course at any specific time or day. However you will have multiple deadlines and will have to access your course multiple times a week. Occasionally Blackboard will be down for maintenance and you will not be able to access your course. You will be notified by email whenever OTC plans on conducting maintenance to Blackboard. Most of the time you will have access to your course 24/7.

The kinds of assignments you will receive will depend on what your online course is.  The course work in an online course will be similar to assignments in a seated course. Typically you will read material out of your book, answer questions about what you have read and submit them. Also you could be asked to participate in a discussion through the "Discussion Board." You will take quizzes and tests as they are assigned to you. It varies with what your instructor assigns, so make sure to ask if you are unsure what to do.

Obviously the big difference between an online and a seated course is you do not have to attend a classroom for learning or assignments. Another difference is that you will be learning most of the material on your own. Don't let that discourage you though as you can always ask your fellow classmates or instructor for help. When you come to a seated course your instructor has a lesson and assignment set for that time. Online courses typically go week by week with tasks you are supposed to do on your own time within a week.

One of the most important things you can do to be successful in an online course is time management. Do not fall behind on your assignments and make sure to allow yourself enough time to do your assigned work. Being able to discipline yourself to learn most of the materials is also key in being successful, since you won’t have that in-person interaction with your instructor.

There are a number of resources available if you are having trouble with a course. You should contact your instructor by e-mail. Also you can interact with your fellow classmates through the discussion board or through e-mail. You will also have a "Resources" link on your site with options depending on what course you are taking. If you are located near campus you can get help from the Tutoring and Learning Center on the Springfield or Richwood Valley campus.

With an online public speaking course you will need to have the ability to record your speeches so that they can be submitted and viewed by the instructor and/or other classmates.

In addition to your regular course work which includes discussions, assignments, test and quizzes many science courses require lab components. Each week you will participate in a lab experience which typically requires a weekly lab report or assignment. Labs can range from virtual labs, where you log into an external site and complete the assigned task or case studies, while other labs will require you to go out and investigate your surroundings.

Math courses have a software program outside of Blackboard where most of your work will be done. This software will be included in your textbook purchase with an access code or the instructor will  provide the code for you. This software is used for teaching you lessons and doing homework. Also all the math exams are proctored.

You can interact with other students in a couple of ways. There is a "Discussion Board" link where you can ask questions or reply to other students questions or comments. The other way you can interact with them is through e-mail where you can have more one-on-one interaction as opposed to the discussion board where all your classmates can view it.

A hybrid course is primarily an online course, but you do have some in person interaction. You will meet one or more times during the semester depending on your course or the preference of your instructor.