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Distance Education Technical Orientation

Use this Technical Orientation to learn where to find technical assistance and how to use online course delivery methods necessary to participate in UNC Charlotte’s online distance education courses.

What you should know before you begin:

  • Does your computer meet Technical Specifications?
  • If you do not have Microsoft 2007, you need to download this patch to be able to Open, edit, and save documents, workbooks, and presentations in the file formats new to Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007. Click Here To Download.
  • Student Computing provides student technical assistance. Among the topics at this site are Getting Help, NinerNet Account, Banner Self Service, and 49er Express and Email.
  • Asynchronous courses do not require students to log into class sessions at specific times.
  • Synchronous courses require students to log into class sessions at specified times to participate in "real time" classes.

Prepare for your online courses:

  • Each course instructor determines his/her course delivery method(s). Make sure you know how your courses are delivered by viewing the University Course Schedule. Distance education courses have section numbers with an 8 as the middle digit (examples: 080, L80, 081).
  • Blackboard Vista is a learning management system used by faculty to deliver online course content. Courses using Blackboard Vista are asynchronous. Please note that the Blackboard Vista orientation is "read only".
  • Moodle is an open source learning management system used to deliver course content such as web pages, quizzes, assignments, and more, all in a secure online environment. Courses using Moodle are asynchronous.
  • Wimba is a virtual classroom environment. Courses delivered using Wimba are synchronous. Participation in Wimba courses require a headset with attached microphone and logging into class sessions at specific times. Instructors using Wimba will provide students with a link to the session, often in Blackboard Vista or Moodle.
  • Panopto CourseCast. Some faculty members are recording lectures and providing these lectures over the web via Panopto CourseCast. Your instructor will provide you with the class username and password (case-sensitive) required to log into CourseCast.

NEED HELP?

Student Computing Help Center:
Toll Free: 1-877-396-8462
Local: 704-687-6400
HelpDesk Online: http://helpdesk.uncc.edu

Hours

8:00 am to 11:00 pm Monday through Thursday
8:00 am to 5:00 pm on Friday
12:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Saturday
12:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Sunday
(Hours may vary during holidays and when the University is closed)