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Skill Requirements

What skills do you need to be successful as an online student?  This is an excellent question.  

• Strong Reading and Writing Skills  
  Distance education students rarely if ever see their instructors.  In many cases, almost all communication takes place over the distance education software package Blackboard.  Therefore, strong reading and writing skills are essential to your success in a distance education course.    
   
• Daily Access to a Computer with Internet Access 
  Because all distance education courses except telecourses require that you access Blackboard or some other internet element, in order to meet your class attendance and participation requirements, you must have daily access to a computer with an active internet connection.
   
• An Active E-Mail Account 
  Because your instructor must have a way to send assignments, announcements, and personal information about you and your class to you, you must have access to a working e-mail account.  If you do not have an e-mail account through your Internet Service Provider (ISP), you can sign-up for free e-mail accounts through services such as Hotmail, AOL, Yahoo!, and other free providers.
   
• Basic Computer Skills 
  Because all DE courses except for telecourses require computer work, you must have basic computer skills to enroll in a DE course.  Basic computer skills include:
   
  • Sending and receiving e-mail
  • Ability to navigate around the Internet
  • Knowing how to type
  • Having minimal knowledge of a basic word processing program such as Microsoft Word.
   
  Visit the LearnTheNet.com website if you want to refresh your computer skills.  It is an excellent website that will reacquaint you with computers.  This website has wonderful information and even the experienced computer expert will find a few new tricks.

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