Online Help Desk
Getting Started with your online course
Frequently Asked Questions
Email Accounts
Ask a Question
Tutorial Sessions
Resources

Online Student Services
Check Your Course Schedule
Drop/Add/Register
Check Your Grades
Request a Transcript
Frequently Used Forms

| Login Questions | Communication Questions | General Online Course Questions | Computer Questions

What is my username and password?
Your username is your firstname.lastname in all lowercase letters (ima.student). Your password is your tech id number with the zeroes in front (00123456).

I forgot my password, what do I do?
If you have forgotten your password please email online@dctc.edu. Remember to include your first and last name and your tech id number and your email address.

I can log in, but I don’t see my classes under My Home, or I see classes that I am not registered for or have taken in the past, what is happening?
Existing users may see courses they had from previous semesters (these will be removed at a later date – just ignore them). Additionally, if you added a course and then dropped it, that dropped course may still appear in your course list in D2L for a few business days.

Students will be automatically added into D2L courses several days before the scheduled start of courses for each term. If you just registered for a course you should be added into the right courses the next day. If it has been more than one day please contact D2L support by emailing online@dctc.edu.

How do I change my password?
After you have successfully logged in to your D2L account, you will see a “My Password” link on the left hand side of the D2L page. Keep in mind that after you change your password there is no way for us to determine what your new password is. If you forget it, it will need to be reset. Choose a password that will be easy for you to remember, but hard for others to guess. Also, keep in mind that passwords are “case sensitive.” For example: Bobby123 is different from bobby123.

 How do I log off?
To log off from D2L, click the Logout link on the top right hand side of the web page.

How often do I have to log in?
Check the course syllabus. Each course is administered as per instructor preferences. Some may require daily assignments while others may require weekly. It is important to follow the guidelines in the course syllabus.

Back to Top

Communication Questions

How do I contact my instructor?
You may contact your instructor through the means (telephone, email, discussion board, in person) they have given you on the content page in yoursyllabus.

Do I need email to take an online course?
Yes, email is the primary means of communication between you and your instructor. DCTC students are eligible for a free student email account. Instructors recommend that you use your student email with an online course; other emails, such as hotmail, often have difficulty with attachments.

How do I communicate in an online course?
Most communication in an online course is done through email and the discussion board.

How do I begin my online coursework?
When you enter your course on the first day of class the first place you should check is the content area and read the syllabus.

How do I submit assignments?
Your instructor should indicate the preferred method for submitting assignments. Within D2L, assignments are usually given and submitted through the dropbox. Some instructors accepts assignments via email, but remember the instructor and the course has a preferred method and may not accept them in another way.

 How do I communicate in an online course?

Most communication in an online course is done through email and the discussion board.

 What happens if an assignment is late?
It is the student’s responsibility to meet class deadlines. Tardiness in the online environment is essentially the same for a traditional class. The instructor sets deadlines and penalties for late assignments, if they allow late assignments.

 How do I take tests?
Your instructor has the option of testing in a variety of ways. An online course might use online testing and allow off-campus testing or require that you attend campus at a specified time. Each course will indicate the requirements for testing based upon the instructor’s preference. Just like the assignments in the dropbox, each quiz has a specified date and timeframe for taking.

 How do I conduct research for my online course?
Your instructor, the library, and instructional technology department can provide you with tips and instructions on specific course related research.

 Is the course content the same as a traditional course?
Online course content is the same as a traditional course. Students tend to feel online courses are more challenging because there is no traditional class time scheduled.

 What expectations are placed upon students concerning deadlines for assignments, testing, study time requirements, active participation, and face-to-face attendance?
Each course has performance expectations determined by the instructor. A basic study guideline for a traditional course is that for every hour spent in the classroom you should allow two hours outside of class for study. A three credit course would equal three hours of traditional in-class time and six hours outside of class for study purposes, a student should allow a minimum of nine hours for this course per week. The same guidelines exist for an online class.

How do I open documents that are in my course?
You may click on the document link to open the document. However, the best way is to right-click the link and open it in a new window, or save the file to your computer and open it (with PowerPoint you must save the file to your computer to view the PowerPoint).

 What is the best way to print documents in D2L?
If you need to print any course documents it may work best if you have the documents by right-clicking on them and saving them to your computer. You can then open the documents and print them that way. If you are printing from PowerPoint make sure you are printing handouts with 3-6 slides on a page.

 How often do I have to log in?
Check the course syllabus. Each course is administered as per instructor preferences. Some may require daily assignments while others may require weekly. It is important to follow the guidelines in the course syllabus.

 How will I be graded? What are the assignments? How do I turn in assignments?
The method used to evaluate students and procedures vary between instructors. Please review your course syllabus for grading guidelines.

 Do I have to go to campus to take exams?
Some instructors do require you to come to campus to take all the exams, some of the exams (i.e. midterm and final) or they let you take them all from home. The instructor will let you know what the guidelines are in the course syllabus.

What are the advantages/benefits of taking an online course?
The main advantage of taking an online course is the ease of attending classes anytime and anywhere.

 Who do I contact if I have trouble?

 How do I purchase textbooks?
You can purchase your books on campus or you can purchase them online at the DCTC Bookstore.

 How long does it take to complete an online course?
Online courses follow the standard DCTC calendar and are usually scheduled for 16 weeks, which is the same for traditional courses. Some classes are designed to have a shorter time or have a later start date. You will want to check the master schedule on the web to verify your class’s actual start and end dates. Depending upon the course however, the student may have the option of accelerating completion.

 What portion of students completes an online course?
Studies have shown that failure rates in online courses are proportionally higher than in the traditional classroom due to the level of self-motivation required. With this statistic in mind, you need to remain focused on your class work and not procrastinate.

 Why do students not complete an online course?
Online courses are best suited for students who are self-motivated and independent learners. The student who needs a lot of interaction with the instructor and other students will not do well in an online course.

 Who sets the pace for an online course?
An instructor sets the pace for an online course. Some courses are more open to students working ahead, but for the most part there are weekly assignments/quizzes/postings that need to be done.

 Can I start an online course prior to the start of a regular semester?
Unless otherwise stated, you may not begin the course before the start of the semester. Keep in mind that the system will automatically enter you into the course database at the beginning of the term.

 Can I finish an online course later than the end of a regular semester?
Unless otherwise stated, you must complete all course requirements for an online course by the end of the semester. Many instructors will place the final deadline several days before the end of the semester. The extra days are needed for grading purposes.

 How do I know if I am ready to take an online course?
Not all learning styles suit all adults. Those students who are typically most successful at online course work are self-motivated and comfortable using a computer. If you do not mind being physically separated from other students and find your busy schedule makes it impossible to attend a traditional classroom setting, then online learning might be just right for you.

 How are online courses different from traditional on-campus courses?
Generally, the online courses are setup in units with assignments from each unit due by a specified date. Reading assignments are still based on your textbook. Your quizzes and other written assignment are done online. Discussion is an important part of many classes. The discussion feature is like a bulletin board where there is a record of all postings. You may be expected to post your own comments as well as respond to other students’ ideas and opinions. You may email your instructor any time if you have a question.

When surveyed, students responded that an online course is just as much work as an on-campus course and that it may even take more time to do the actual coursework. However, they also responded that the convenience of working at home and on their own schedule was well worth the extra effort.

Back to Top

I use AOL to connect to the internet, how should I connect to D2L?
For best results with AOL:

I am having problems connecting with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) outside of DCTC, what’s the deal?
Connecting from an ISP or corporate site outside of DCTC should be very similar to connecting from a workstation or computer at DCTC. The differences are in the way the service provider configures their connection to the internet. Some providers “firewall” or block certain ports or activities. You may need to check with them to find out if there are limitations on certain activities or uses. In the case with other universities or corporate locations, they may employ different security measures on their computers as well as on their network. D2L does require certain settings in your web browser that allow it to function in an interactive way. If a location has security measures in place on their workstations (for whatever reason), it may impede or prevent D2L from working well. You will need to talk with the administrators at that site if this is the case and see if they have restrictive settings. 

Do I have to be an experienced internet/computer user to take an online course?
The technology skills you need vary according to the online course you take. In most cases, you do not need to be a computer “whiz”, but you need to know how to send and receive email with attachments, perform word processing skills and utilize a web browser for internet searches.

Is all required software provided (i.e. for Introduction to Computers)?
The college does not provide any software for online courses. Online courses may require you to download Adobe software (Adobe Acrobat). Some courses (Introduction to Computers, Word, Access, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.) may require you to go out and purchase the software if you cannot come into the school and use the computers here and you do not have the appropriate software at home.

 What are the hardware and software requirements?
Online students are required to have access to a computer with internet capabilities and an internet account through an internet service provider (ISP). Some courses may require special software as part of the course.

 How new or powerful must my computer be for an online course?
Generally speaking, you do not need a new or extremely powerful computer to take an online course. Having good internet access (broadband preferred) and the correct internet browser is more important than having a very expensive or powerful computer. Still, your computer should meet or exceed some very minimal hardware requirements to ensure that you don’t experience technical problems wile accessing your course.

 Do I need a computer at home?
You do not need to have a computer at home in order to take an online course. Computers in the college computer lab and library have the necessary specifications and software for online courses. All DCTC computers are connected to the internet. It will of course be more convenient for you if you have a computer at home, but it is not required.

 I use a pop-up blocker on my computer, will this cause a problem for me logging into my course?
Yes, if you are using a pop-up blocker on your computer please disable it and then try logging in again.

Whom do I contact if I have a network or software problem?
If you believe you are having a problem please email the D2L support at DCTC at online@dctc.edu. Make sure to include your full name, your tech id, what course you are trying to access and a description of your problem. You can also check with your course instructor.

Back to Top