Distance Education
Drake State Community and Technical College offers a selection of courses taught through distance education. Distance education uses technology and teaching methods to provide instruction to students outside the regular classroom, thereby increasing flexibility and scheduling options.
There are four types of distance education courses offered at Drake State:
- Online: Online courses are delivered asynchronously (no mandatory real-time (live) meetings). There are no required face-to-face sessions within the course and no requirements for on-campus activity. Faculty interact with students through assignments, discussion posts, email, office hours and other electronic/virtual means. Identity verification will be required using the college’s approved verification process: Honorlock.
- Virtual: Virtual courses are delivered synchronously (instructors and students gathering at the same time and (virtual or physical) place and interacting in “real-time”) to extend lectures and course activities to students remotely in real time. Virtual courses are held online at specific days and times and require students to use online conferencing tools to participate in learning activities. There are no requirements for on-campus activity. Identity verification will be required using the college’s approved verification process: Honorlock.
- Hybrid Classroom (HYBCL): Hybrid classroom courses require a combination of online and in-person activities, with 50% or less of the course content requiring online interaction. Some elements will have specified days, times, and locations when attendance is expected. Identity verification will be required using the college’s approved verification process: Honorlock.
- Hybrid Online (HYBON): Hybrid online courses require a combination of online and in-person activities, with more than 50% of the course content requiring online interaction. Some elements will have specified days, times, and locations when attendance is expected. Identity verification will be required using the college’s approved verification process: Honorlock.
Depending on the course and/or program, there are two formats in which instruction can be delivered in distance education courses:
- Asynchronous Instruction: Asynchronous online instruction allows students to access course materials, complete assignments, and engage in learning activities on their own schedule without real-time interaction with the instructor or classmates.
- Synchronous Instruction: Synchronous online instruction involves real-time, interactive learning experiences where students and instructors meet virtually at scheduled times using tools like video conferencing or live chat.
To complete distance education courses at Drake State, you must access a computer that will connect to the Internet at broadband speeds, execute a browser compatible with the Canvas Learning Management System, and have the appropriate software and browser plugins necessary for each course, including a webcam and a microphone.
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Windows
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Mac
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OS Version
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Windows 10 (64-bit) or 11 (Honorlock: Windows 10 or 11)
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macOS 11 Big Sur or higher (Honorlock: 10.14 Mojave+)
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Processor
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Dual-core 2.0 GHz (Intel i3 or AMD)
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Intel i5 or Apple M1
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Free Disk Space
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20 GB
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20 GB
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Free Ram
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4 GB
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4 GB
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Internet Download
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5 Mbps (Honorlock: ≥1.5 Mbps)
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Internet Upload
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2 Mbps (Honorlock: ≥750 Kbps)
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Microphone
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Integrated or external
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Webcam
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720p (Honorlock requires webcam)
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Browser
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Google Chrome 120+ (Honorlock requires Chrome 120 or newer + extension)
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Other Notes
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(Honorlock: No dual monitors; VPN may cause issues)
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Additionally, distance education courses require computer literacy, reading comprehension, and self-discipline and motivation. Students may register for distance education courses in the same way they register for traditional courses, and there are no additional tuition costs associated with distance learning courses.
For questions related to distance learning at Drake State, please send an email to caitlin.cox@drakestate.edu. If you are experiencing technical difficulties related to distance learning courses, please submit an IT Help Desk ticket at helpdesk@drakestate.edu or call 256-539-8161.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION RELATED TO ONLINE COURSES: Per SACSCOC and Federal Department of Education requirements, online exam proctoring software are used to verify the identity of students participating in online courses. Also, per Federal requirements, attendance is measured by “active participation” in the course. Active participation is defined as completing an attendance verification activity (as identified by the instructor) for each online course in which the student is enrolled. Simply contacting the instructor via telephone or email or just accessing the course will not count as attendance to satisfy requirements of federal financial aid.