Q: When do the Summer 2013 classes begin and end?
A: The dates for the Summer 2013 online-based courses are as follows:
- ASTR 110 - Andrew Vanden Heuvel - May 22 - August 9
- CAS 140 - Chris Smit - May 20 - July 19
- CS 108 - Keither VanderLinden - May 22 - July 31
- ENGL 230 - Engbers - May 22- July 17
- HIST 152 - Dan Miller - May 28 - July 29
- LATN 101 - David Noe - TBD
- PHIL 153 - Kevin Corcoran - May 22 - July 17
Q: How do I find out what textbooks or materials I need for my online course? Where can I purchase my textbooks and materials?
A: You can purchase your textbooks and materials from the Calvin College Campus Store. If you have any questions regarding textbooks and materials for your online course, please contact the Calvin College Campus Store at campus-store@calvin.edu or (616) 526-6376.
Q: How can I check to see if payment for my online course has been received??
A: Financial statements can be found in the Calvin Portal (http://portal.calvin.edu). Select Services > Student Accounts & Finances > My Statements. To confirm if a payment has been received, select Recent Account Activity.
Q: If, in the future, I attend Calvin College as a full-time student, will these semester hours be applied to my transcript?
A: Yes, successful completion of the online courses are considered Calvin College credits, and will count towards graduation requirements if you attend Calvin as a full-time student.
Q: If I end up going to another college or university, will these semester hours be applied to my transcript at that particular school?
A: Calvin credits are transferrable to most colleges. It is recommended to check with a particular school to confirm that they accept such credits.
Q: Can I drop the course if need be?
A: Students wanting to drop a course should consult with their professor, and will be handled on a case-by-case basis. With that said:
- Refer to this page for information about adding or dropping a course during the Spring 2013 Semester.
- Refer to this page for information about adding or dropping a course during the Summer 2013 Semester.
Q: If I am a senior who has already applied for admission to Calvin for the 2013-2014 year, how do I apply to take an online course during the Summer of 2013?
A: The online dual-enrollment and full-time undergraduate application forms are separate, and you will still need to fill out the short application for the online course.
Q: Are there test scores or minimum GPA requirements to enroll in a Calvin Online course?
A: No, however a student must obtain permission from their high school to take a course for dual enrollment. It is up to the teachers and/or guidance counselor to determine if a student is academically ready for dual enrollment. A student applying for Calvin Online dual enrollment will submit contact information for her/his high school in order for Calvin to verify that the student has permission to dual enroll, and is academically ready to complete college level work.
Q: If I am a homeschooler working at the 11th and 12th grade levels (in the United States), can I take one of these courses?
A: Yes -- we welcome you to take one course at a time.
Q: As estimates -- stated as a low-to-high end ranges -- what might the costs look like for any additional course materials (such as e-books, textbooks, course packs, printing/copying costs, etc.)?
A: The estimates/ranges at this point are as following (depending upon whether buy used or new textbook):
- For Astronomy 110: From $40 up to $150
- For Computer Science 108: Up to $50
- For Communications Arts & Sciences 140: TBD
- For English 230: Up to $150
- For History 152: Up to $230
- For Latin 101: Up to $50
- For Philosophy 153: TBD
Q: Am I required to be online at a specific time for class?
A: No. However, professors may schedule online appointments where students meet at specific times -- based on student and professor availability. But again, professors are able to record those sessions and make them accessible online 24/7; so generally speaking, you do not need to be online at a specific time.
Q: What is the difference between synchronous and asynchronous communications?
A: Synchronously means "at the same time." So if your entire class meets online each Tuesday at 4:30pm (using a web-based videoconferencing tool for example), this is an instance of meeting synchronously. Asynchronously means "at different times." So if a lecture is recorded ahead of time for you to review (per your own schedule), this is an instance of asynchronous delivery.
Q: What are the hardware and software requirements?
A: See the table below:
| |
PC / Windows-based |
Macintosh |
| Operating System |
Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 |
OS X 10.5 or higher |
| Processor |
Pentium III 1 GHz processor or above |
G4, G5 or Intel processor |
| Supported Client Java Versions |
1.6 or 1.7
Blackboard Collaborate Support recommends that you use 1.6, 1.7 (Java SE 6 & Java SE 7)
Java Access Bridge 2.0.1or higher for the best experience.) |
Apple Java 1.5.0_16 +(J2SE5-32 bit)
Apple Java 1.6.0_07 +(J2SE6-64 bit)
Oracle Java 1.7 See known issues |
| RAM |
512MB RAM (1GB RAM or higher recommended) |
512MB RAM (1GB RAM or higher recommended) |
| Hard drive storage space |
20 MB free disk space |
20 MB free disk space |
| Internet access |
56k or above (broadband connection strongly recommended) |
56k or above (broadband connection strongly recommended) |
| Multimedia |
Soundcard with microphone and speakers (minimum; recommend webcam) |
Soundcard with microphone and speakers (minimum; recommend webcam or use of internal camera) |
| Productivity software |
Microsoft Office 2007 or above
Adobe Acrobat Reader 9 or above |
Microsoft Office 2008 or above
Adobe Acrobat Reader 9 or above |
| Browsers |
Preferred browser:
Mozilla FireFox latest stable release
Safari 5.0+
Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 or 9
Chrome (Stable channel) |
Preferred browser:
Mozilla FireFox latest stable release
Safari 5.0+
Chrome (Stable channel)
|
Q: Regarding Blackboard Collaborate, the system Calvin uses for web-based collaboration, do you have some information for first time users?
A: Yes, see the "Information for First Time Users" page at Blackboard.
|
