Where to Turn to Find Technology Support for Distance Education
E-Learning and Distance Learning
In the age of technology, even educational learning has jumped on board to bring students, teachers, and faculty together through the Internet and all it offers. E-Learning and distance learning involve the ability to take a course or class without needing to be in a traditional classroom. This is good for full time workers or those who are unable to take time off in order to enroll in a brick and mortar school, allowing them to fulfill their educational goals without needing to remove their financial or family obligations.
But with these classes and courses online, what does a student do if they run into a problem on the eve of a big project? Finding technology support for distance education is actually very simple and easy to receive.
Finding Tech Support
The easiest and simplest way to get technology support for distance education is through the college or university that you, as the student, are going to. All online educational facilities will have a tech support area for their students and faculty. When a student signs up for online classes, they will be presented with a tutorial on how life will be as a student online.
Along with learning how to be an online student, there will be a section on what to do if a student runs into an issue with their online schooling. These issues include -
- Unable to turn in assignment
- Unable to email instructor or classmates
- Unable to connect to the Internet
The first two issues may be related to the school’s website, as it may be experiencing technical problems. If the school’s site is having problems, there will usually be a note when a student logs in to their account, stating that the website is having problems and will give an appropriate time in which the issues will be resolved.
If you’re still experiencing problems, you should be able to either email or phone the school’s technical support area, where they can help with the problems you are having.
In the case that you are unable to connect to the Internet, there may be an issue with your connection. The best way to check your connection is try and reset your router or modem. If that doesn’t work, try giving your Internet Service Provider a call to see if there is an outage going on in your area. Your ISP will also be able to see your connection from their end and tell you if you are perhaps experiencing equipment failure.
When you purchase or rent a cable modem, it is registered by your ISP company. This allows them to view connectivity issues, as well as being able to diagnose if your equipment is past a warranty or service date. Your ISP will be able to walk you through some simple procedures to get you up and running again.
In the absolute case that you are unable to get an Internet connection from your home, try to locate a facility in which you can temporary borrow a computer to either finish or submit an assignment. Many libraries now have computer terminals that users can use for a certain amount of time and if you also own a laptop computer, you can venture out to a nearby coffee shop or restaurant to get your work done. When possible, notify your instructor that you are experiencing Internet problems and ask for an extension if you feel you will not be able to turn your assignment in on time. If working with a group, notify each member of the problem and let them know when you believe that you will have connectivity again or when you will be able to access the Internet from another location.
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