LSCO Recognizes National Distance Learning Week

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Sponsored by the United States Distance Learning Association, National Distance Learning Week is designed to highlight the successes of digital learning as well as spread awareness of distance learning initiatives and best practices.

At LSCO, the Learning Technology Team works behind the screens ensuring students’ success through the college’s online learning platform, Blackboard.

Roseanne Jungen, one of the Learning Technology team gurus, said it has long been a priority for LSCO to provide an online option for students.

 “We have many students on campus who are working and/or have families and need the flexibility and access online courses provide,” she said.

Although LSCO has offered online options for many years, online learning became the new normal earlier this year when the COVID-19 pandemic forced all schools nationwide to transition to online learning.

“I think LSCO has done a wonderful job in transitioning more course availability online,” said Alicia Jones, LSCO’s Coordinator for Learning Technology. “The Learning Technology team is working hard on improvements every day to meet the needs of our 21st century learners.”

LSCO has nine programs that are completely online, allowing students the opportunity to earn certificates and degrees without ever stepping foot on campus.

Communications, Liberal Arts, Sociology, and Business Associate Degrees; Business Managements Associate of Applied Science Degree; and General Studies, Business Management Accounting, Entrepreneurship, and CISCO Networking Cybersecurity Technician Certificate are currently offered entirely online.

In addition to the completely online programs, LSCO offers an online course option for nearly every course offered on campus.

For the Fall 2020 semester, 752 students are enrolled in all online classes.

Offering online courses gives students the opportunity to take ownership of their learning by giving them flexibility over location, time, and pace. The online classroom is often student centered and, because of technology, plenty of resources are available for faculty to utilize to keep engagement high.

The Learning Technology team provides online learning support services to students and faculty alike, she added.

“It’s imperative that our online learning environments support student success and retention that is equivalent to traditional, face-to-face learning,” Jones said. “By supporting our faculty through advising, counseling, and development activities we can help build the foundation for student success in distance learning.”

Jungen said the LSCO Distance Education Handbook states that the college will implement best practices, keep abreast of current and future trends in distance learning, and provide resources for student success.”

“Even though we are a small department, I believe we have already met the vision and continue to do so,” she said.

With the demand for more online course offerings, LSCO is adding more online courses to the Spring 2021 semester schedule. All of the courses for the Winter Mini session are online.

For more information about online course offerings, check the Class Schedule at LSCO.edu.