Starting your course
For Pierce College Online and WashingtonOnline Courses (58xx-59xx and 55xx Item #s)
Read the online Welcome Letter. This includes all the instructions you need to begin your class.
Be sure to check the "Special notices" section. Some courses require you to purchase books through WashingtonOnline, while others can only be purchased through the Pierce College Bookstore. Read the letter carefully so you don't end up with the wrong books!
For Hybrid Courses Using WashingtonOnline’s Blackboard System
Read the online Welcome Letter. This includes instructions to get access to the online component of your course. Your instructor will provide details on how the classroom will be used in each course using this mode.
Hybrid courses take advantage of online classroom technology so you don’t need to be in class as often to do coursework. Instead of meeting five days a week or two evenings a week listening to lectures and having discussions, you could be doing those things online and spend class time doing hands-on work, having questions answered and assessing what you have learned! Your instructor will help you get online, but you can start by reviewing the information in the Welcome Letter and giving it a try.
For Continuous Entry, Quarterly Schedule and Self-Support courses (56xx Item #)
All start–up information handouts for this type of DL course are now available only online! Only the informational yellow "bookmark" telling you how to access the online start–up Welcome Letter is now mailed to your home address! (It is also available at the DL office, Registration windows and Advising Centers, if you need a reminder for how to get back to this page!) Be sure to read all parts of the online Welcome Letter.
Here are some tidbits to deal with special cases in this group of DL Course Types!
Although these DL Course Types are
not fully interactive like true online courses, we have begun using an online course system
to give you the complete packet of handouts and Web procedures for 'getting started' tasks. The college’s Library and open lab computers, as well as any
computer with Internet access at public locations, like Internet cafes or public
libraries, can be used to access these online materials.
Occupational Safety and Health Quarterly Schedule online courses are a special case! Please follow the Pierce Quarterly Schedule login procedures. You will be directed to the "launch point" in our online classroom. It will help you access the login through our Edmonds Community College partner's online classroom site. Once you read and follow the procedures in our general Welcome Letter using the link above, you will want to periodically login at our system to see if there are any notices from the Pierce DL office!
Math& 107 is another special case where we use our local course management system to take you to the launch point where you are given further instructions on how to access the course materials at the WAMAP site.
Many of the Fire Command Administration (FCA designation) courses are taught on the Bates Technical College course management system. Contact Pam Caldwell 253-677-1735/pcaldwell@pierce.ctc.edu for further instructions!
You should immediately contact the instructor either in person, via phone or via e-mail to introduce yourself. Ask any course specific questions. Be sure you alert the instructor if your financial aid or degree requirements mandate completion of the course by the end of the quarter.
For Foster Parent Education Non-credit Workshops (57xx Item #)
Please visit the special Foster Parent Education section of our site and find the Welcome Letter for your workshop. A Link to the “online” Welcome Letter is listed in the middle of the blue menu on the left side of the screen.
Plan Ahead
For all DL Course Types, don't wait for the bookmark mailing! Return here a week or so before the start of the quarter and read the appropriate Welcome Letters. Review the materials immediately and note any questions. Contact the Distance Learning office for general questions.
