Notice: Website Under Maintenance. Some features may not be available during this time. More information

Distance Education Classes

Jackson State Community College offers a range of flexible learning options designed to accommodate students with busy lives, through its robust Distance Education program. These courses are ideal for students who need the structure of a scheduled class but also require the convenience of online flexibility.

Types of Distance Education Classes

Online Class

Hybrid Class

Distance Classes

 

 

"Empowering Your Future, Anytime, Anywhere with JSCC!"

Program Overview

All classes follow a schedule, but Distance Education classes offer more flexibility. Courses have set due dates for assignments, quizzes, and discussion posts, and deadlines for reading or viewing course materials. 

Online Courses

Jackson State online courses are developed and taught by JSCC instructors. Jackson State Community College uses eLearn (D2L) to deliver our online courses. You will use your JSCC network login to access the system.

TN eCampus – allows students to earn a degree entirely online. TN eCampus courses may also be used to satisfy some classes required in JSCC degree programs. To see if your program allows you to take TN eCampus courses, check with your advisor or the records office.

TN eCampus courses and JSCC courses use the same learning management system platform (D2L/Brightspace) which means you don't have to learn how to navigate a new system. However, you will log in to the TN eCampus course site with a username and password that is different from the login you use to access your JSCC courses.

TN eCampus Website

Login page for TN eCampus Courses

TN eCampus courses are different from JSCC online courses because they are developed and taught by instructors located at colleges and universities within the Tennessee Board of Regents System. New students choose a "home campus" from among the six universities awarding Bachelor's and Master's degrees, the 13 community colleges providing Associate degrees, and the 27 colleges of applied technology offering technical certificates and diplomas. Students apply for admission, register for courses, and are awarded degrees, diplomas, or certificates from the home campus.

If you are a current JSCC student, you can register for TN eCampus courses through JSCC's online registration system. There is an additional fee for TN eCampus courses.

How can I tell what kind of delivery method a course uses by looking at the online schedule?

Examples from the online schedule:

JSCC online

SPCH 1010 03W    Fundamentals of Speech - ONLINE
JSCC online classes have a W after the section number

TN eCampus online classes

11534 CIS 186 R50  Database Programming
TN eCampus online classes have an R50 as the section number

 If you're considering enrollment in a distance learning course at JSCC, here's information you will find helpful.

What Skills Do Online Students Need to Be Successful?

  • Browse the web and, locate specific web addresses (URLs).
  • Enter information using computer keyboarding skills and use a mouse to accomplish specific tasks.
  • Install, upgrade and use a supported web browser (Mac Safari, Internet Explorer, Firefox).
  • Compose, edit, spell check, send, receive and reply to email messages.
  • Attach one or more files to an email message.
  • Save a file to your local computer, locate the file, open it, edit it, and save it.
  • Create a new folder. locate it, and save files in it.
  • Create, open, edit and save an electronic word document and save it in rich text format (RTF) or Microsoft Word format.
  • Print one or more web pages.
  • Accomplish computer-related tasks by exploring and experimenting, rather than requiring step-by-step instructions.

Need to Access Your Online Course?

JSCC's online classes use eLearn, a course management system, to store course materials. Accessing your class in eLearn requires that you use a web browser. The easiest way to access your online course is to log into eLearn from the JSCC home page.

How do I learn how to use eLearn?

You can attend a course online to learn how to use eLearn. Each semester, we schedule several sessions where you can complete the seminar and have someone available to help you get started or answer your questions. If you cannot attend a scheduled session, you can complete the seminar online and call the Distance Education Helpdesk if you need assistance.

Southern Regional Education Board's Electronic Campus or for assistance call (731) 425-2623 or 1-800-355-JSCC (ext. 52623).

Fees and Tuition Information

JSCC Bookstore

Distance Learning Classes

Distance Learning classes utilize educational technology, but are somewhat less flexible because they require students to come to classes on campus. There are several options available and each requires a different level of attendance in class.

Distance Learning / Teleconference

Distance Learning Teleconference classes require students to attend on-ground class meetings that are televised to several locations. Students can register to attend classes at any of the locations listed in the schedule. We have sessions available at Jackson, Savannah, and various other places in our service area. Some instructors record the lectures and make them available for review online. Attendance to the ground meetings is required and recorded lectures are for review only.

Hybrid

Hybrid classes require students to attend some class meetings and access some of the class online. About 40% of the class is online and the other 60% consists of scheduled on-campus meetings. Some hybrid classes offer on-campus meetings via the teleconference system. Check the schedule to see what options are available for your class.

Web-Enhanced Ground Class

Some classes offered entirely on campus provide supplemental materials online. If your instructor uses an online component, he or she will tell you what services are available for that class.

How can I tell what kind delivery method a course uses by looking at the online schedule?

Examples from the online schedule:

Ground class

AGR 141 01            Fundamentals of Horticulture

Distance class

BIOL 2020 DS1 Human Anatomy Physiology II  T - 6:00PM-8:45PM Savannah 
BIOL 2020 MK1 Human Anatomy Physiology II  T- 6:00PM-8:45PM  McKenzie
BIOL 2020 PR1   Human Anatomy Physiology II T - 6:00PM-8:45PM    Paris

Each  listing in the schedule represent the same course that is televised to different locations. You will register for the class closest to you and attend the sessions at that location. Some of these classes have online sites where students can access recorded lectures for review. Attendance to the on-campus meetings is required.

Distance Hybrids

Some hybrid classes offer a distance education option for the ground portion of the class. Distance hybrids are very similar to normal distance classes, except they have a required online component.  Distance Hybrids

ECON 2020 0H2  Principles of Microeconomics -  W  5:00PM-6:15PM    Jackson
ECON 2020 2HL   Principles of Microeconomics -   W  5:00PM-6:15PM    Lexington
ECON 2020 2HS   Principles of Microeconomics -   W  5:00PM-6:15PM    Savannah

Each of the sections has an H at the beginning and the letter for the center on the end. Each of the listings in the schedule represent the same course that is televised to different locations. You will register for the class closest to you and attend the sessions at that location. Some of these classes have online sites where students can access recorded lectures for review. Attendance to  on-campus meetings and the online portion is required.

 

Hardware and Software Requirements

Minimum Hardware and Software Requirements Hardware-- The following is a list of the basic minimum requirements for Online Courses. Some courses will have more advanced requirements. Information on advanced requirements may be found in each course syllabus.

PC users:

  • A minimum computer system that will help you access all the tools in the courses is a Pentium 166 or better
  • 64 Megabytes of RAM or better
  • Windows 98 (or higher if possible)
  • A modem (56k minimum; Cable or DSL will give you best performance)
  • And a dependable internet service provider (ISP). Any provider will do as long as you get an email account, have access to the World Wide Web, and don't have serious problems connecting.

Mac users:

  • Minimum system requirements for Mac users are a 604 PowerPC processor Preferably a G3 (iMacs are included) or G4 processor computer running Mac OS 9.x , OS X v.10.2.x or above.
  • Your Macintosh should have a minimum or 64 MB RAM, preferably 128 with at least 25 MB assigned to your browser. If you need assistance in adjusting memory please refer to your Apple Help file searching under the header Memory - Adjusting your memory usage. It is advised that you not have multiple applications open while working in your browser within eLearn* . This requires more RAM and will cause the browser to run very slowly.
  • A modem (56k minimum; Cable or DSL will give you best performance)
  • And a dependable internet service provider (ISP). Any provider will do as long as you get an email account, have access to the World Wide Web, and don't have serious problems connecting or maintaining a connection.

Remember! The above specifications are minimal, and you'll get by with them, but more sophisticated systems are better.

Browser Recommendations:

Windows:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0, 5.5, 6.0
  • Netscape 6.2.x , 7.0 , and 7.1
  • AOL 7.0, 8.0, 9.0
  • Mozilla 1.5 , 1.6

Macintosh:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.1 (OS 9.x and OS X 10.1) and 5.2 (OS X 10.1, 10.2, 10.3)
  • Netscape 6.2.x (OS 9.x and OS X) , 7.0 & 7.1 (OS X)
  • AOL (OS X)
  • Mozilla 1.5 , 1.6 (OS X)
  • Safari 1.2 (OS X)

Other:

  • JavaScript must be enabled.
  • Cookies must be enabled.
  • Java must be enabled in courses which use the Whiteboard and/or Chat tools.

General Software Recommendations

Instructors generally recommend that students use "Microsoft Word" for papers and assignments. This program offers the greatest common denominator in terms of sending documents across different platforms. Sometimes, specific courses will have specific recommendations about software. See your course syllabus for specifics about required software. Even if you don't have the most recent release of Microsoft Word, there are add-ins that will enhance the performance of your program. For instance, as the World Wide Web becomes more commonly accessible, instructors are beginning to require students to create their own web pages, or to put their pages into html (hypertext markup language).

Order Microsoft Products
Go to the following site and click "register" on the left hand side of the page.

They will send you a confirmation with a password through JSCC email.

Once you receive your confirmation you can log in and order any available software. You must use a credit card. You will only be able to order 1 copy of any available software.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Information Technology at (731) 424-3520 ext. 50294.

Students sitting on wall on campus eating food at an event and smiling.

Want to Earn College Credits While Attending High School?

Did you know you can earn college credit while in high school? Our course credits transfer to Tennessee public institutions, allowing you to accelerate your college journey where you choose.

Ready to become a Green Jay?

Let's Get Started!