FAQ Distance Learning

Frequently Asked Questions

There are 4 student tutorial available on the Sheridan College websit. Just click on the link and select the tutorials

Student WebCT Vista Tutorials
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http://it.sheridaninstitute.ca/vista/tutorials/stutut/stutut.html 

1. This is all new to me, how does online learning work?

You will complete your entire course online, you only need to come to the college at the very end of the course if your course requires you to write a final exam. Each online course has an instructor who post's lectures and is available to contact by e-mail. The instructor will often post office hours during which he/she will be online to respond to questions immediately. Otherwise you can expect a response from your instructor with 72 hours of sending him/her an e-mail.Once you login to your course you will see a number of different icons (e.g. lectures, e-mail, course outline, welcome message from your instructor, chat room, discussionboard, and assignment or submissions area). Please read the instructor's welcome message first. This message will provide you with the initial direction you need to begin your course.

For the duration of your course, there will be weekly lectures posted by your instructor. You will complete assignments that he/she assigns. To send assignments to your instructor, you will submit them through the assignment area (usuallyvia e-mail). The chat room and discussion board are availableto stay in contact with your fellow classmates and for participation in your course. E-mail is private between you and whomever in your course you send an e-mail to(e.g. your instructor or a one on one discussion with a classmate).


2. Does Sheridan accept registrations on a monthly intake basis?

Sheridan does not accept registrations on a monthly basis. Sheridan's OntarioLearn.com courses run on a set semester (starting: January, May and September). If you are interested in monthly intakes, please check out the course inventory at: www.ontariolearn.com


3. Do I have to be online at a certain time of day?

No, for the majority of courses there is no specified time that you need to be online. However, we do strongly recommend that you login to your course a minimum of once per week to see postings/lectures from your instructor.


4. The course says it's 48 hours long, am I expected to be online 48 hours a week?

No, the amount of time you spend online depends on your input into the course and readings. You can expect to spend any where from 3-15 hours (in total) on your online course per week, depending on the course.


5. Can I work on my course at my office computer?

Yes: many students find that they can work on their course at their office computer. However, please check with your company's IT department. Some courses require you to download FirstClass and your company may be structured so there is a firewall that prevents this download.


6. How do I know if I have to download FirstClass?

At www.ontariolearn.com ,click on login, and scroll down to your course title. To the right of your course title you will see the platform your course resides on. If it is FirstClass you need to do a download onto your computer.


7. How do I start my course?

Once you know your login ID and password, and reviewed your textbook and examination details, if you are taking a Sheridan online course go to the Sheridan WebCT login page, if you are registered in an Ontario Learn course go to www.ontariolearn.com


8. I'm having trouble downloading, what should I do?

If you have any technical difficulties, with an OntarioLearn course please contact Embanet support at 1-800-695-5008 or visit http://www.embanet.com/help. Embanet technical support will be available to you throughout the entire duration of your course.
If you are having technical difficulties with a Sheridan course please contact the HelpDesk.


9. Can I login once, print off the course material and show up for the final exam?

No, Online learning is not the same as distance education courses. You are expected to login to your course a minimum of once per week. All course requirements and changes to your course will be posted to your course. The only communication you will have with your instructor is through the online course.


10. Is there group work involved?

All courses are different, some do require getting involved with a group. If your course does require group activity, remember your actions may result in the success of your group members.


11. If I am having problems with my computer, what do I do?

If you have a serious computer problem and you cannot complete your course, please contact the Ontario Learn Co-ordinator at Sheridan. If you are taking a Sheridan online course please let your instructor know of the difficulty.

Please note: As a Sheridan student you have access to the Internet by using the Open Access areas at Sheridan's Davis or Trafalgar Campus. 


12. If I'm away for a week, will this affect the course?

Normally, you should be okay to miss a week of online class time. However, we recommend that you contact your instructor via email as soon as possible to advise him/her when you will be away.


13.I've missed the registration deadline, can I still register?

The deadline has been established because from experience we know that those students who register after the start date are generally disadvantaged and that success rates begin to decline significantly.