Mar 28, 2024  
2015-2016 CenterScope 
    
2015-2016 CenterScope [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Distance Education Students


Distance Education/Online Education @ UTHSC

 

ACCESS to STUDENT SERVICES as a DISTANCE EDUCATION STUDENT


Whether students are taking part in field placement requirements, taking courses at another UT campus location, or are enrolled in an online program, UTHSC works to ensure access to support services that will help them achieve their academic goals. While following necessary and sufficient practices to ensure privacy, access to student support services is provided without regard to geography or mode of delivery.  For more information, see the Academic Catalog.

Access to Student Services for Distance Education Students

  • One Stop Shop: All students can access the services of the One Stop Shop via phone, Skype videoconferencing, or email.  Information on enrollment related services can also be accessed through the One Stop Shop website.  The One Stop Shop provides a centralized source for information related to Financial Aid, Bursar and Registrar functions such as (but not limited to) financial aid awarding, transcript and degree verification requests, setting up direct deposit, questions related to student health insurance, Banner login issues, and self-service registration concerns.
  • Financial Aid: All students can access Financial Aid services through weblinks, or by communicating with appropriate staff using email, phone, videoconferencing through Adobe Connect and/or Skype.  Financial Literacy sessions are provided face-to-face at regular intervals in Memphis, Knoxville and Chattanooga with a video archive of live presentations available to all students regardless of geographic location. Students with additional questions can set up appointments by email, phone, video-conferencing through Adobe Connect and Skype.
  • Bursar: Bills are delivered to students on a secured web site provided by the online servicer TouchNet.  Distance education students access their bills electronically through this system using the self-service function of Banner (the UTHSC Student Information System) that links to TouchNet.
  • Registrar: All students register for courses online using the self-service function of Banner using a secure login and password.

 

Access to Student and Academic Support Services


Online students have access to the same academic and student support services offered to traditional students as outlined below:

One Stop Shop: http://www.uthsc.edu/oss ; 901-448-7703 (CST)
Health and Behavioral Health Services: Online students may participate in university student health insurance and other services found at http://www.uthsc.edu/univheal/.
Behavioral health services are available through UTHSC Behavioral Health Urgent Care: 901-448-5064.
ITS Help and Blackboard (BB) support: The University’s HELP DESK may be assessed by phone: 901-448-2222; Toll-free:1-800-413-7830; Fax:901-448-8199 or http://www.uthsc.edu/helpdesk/  ; BB Support http://courses.uthsc.edu/
Library services: Online students use the same library services offered to traditional students. During MDH on campus orientation, the students visit the library and are oriented by Brenda F. Green. http://library.uthsc.edu/
Disability Services: Online students may use the same disability services offered to traditional students. http://www.uthsc.edu/sassi/

 

COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

SUPPORT FOR ONLINE STUDENTS

Communication Practices for Online Courses and Directed Practice Experiences

Email is the primary mode of communication for instructor and student interactions. Email, web-conferences, and phone conference are the primary modes of communication for instructor and students enrolled in online courses. Email is conducted using the official UTHSC email system. Courses that are taught online provide course instruction through a Blackboard Platform managed by UTHSC. To ensure online privacy, students must use their unique login and NetID to access their email accounts and the Blackboard site. Student’s personal information is not shared with anyone outside of the college unless specified by the student in accordance with all FERPA guidelines. Students can only access courses in which they are enrolled. Within the Blackboard course site, students access the course syllabus, link to campus resources, and access course assignments including readings, recorded lectures, videostreaming, tests and assessments, grades and other classroom materials. Students participate in discussion boards and chats through Blackboard. Students submit assignments and email faculty through the Blackboard system. Additional modes of communication among faculty and students include Adobe Connect and video chat.

Directed practice experiences are scheduled to be in proximity to the student’s residence. Each student is expected to maintain regular communication with the course director during practice experiences.

 

COLLEGE OF GRADUATE HEALTH SCIENCES

DISTANCE EDUCATION AND ONLINE INSTRUCTION

All distance education/online instruction communication will take place through BlackboardTM, UTHSC email, UTHSC websites, and other UTHSC-supported educational technologies. Students and instructors may communicate by these means for one-on-one or group discussions, dissemination of course materials, and testing services. Students will also have web, phone, and special needs access to academic and support services (Registrar, Bursar, SASSI, Financial Aid), health and behavioral health services, IT support services, and the library.

Distance education students will be required to perform class activities through the secure systems (e.g., BlackboardTM, XythosTM, email) used by the institution. Use of these systems requires a NetID and password. Sharing passwords or misrepresentation of the identity of the individual performing class activities is cause for dismissal. Student privacy is maintained by using the secure system, as only the instructor will have access to secure information. All online courses and activities will be evaluated in the same manner as other courses (http://grad.uthsc.edu/CourseInfo/CoursEval/index.php?page=CoursEvalInfo). There are no additional fees for distance education students.

 

COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS

Communication Practices for Online Courses

Email, web-conferences, and phone conference are the primary modes of communication for instructor and students enrolled in online courses. Email is conducted using the official UTHSC email system. Courses that are taught online or via a hybrid format provide course instruction through a Blackboard Platform managed by UTHSC. To ensure online privacy, students must use their unique login and NetID to access their email accounts and the Blackboard site. Student’s personal information is not shared with anyone outside of the college unless specified by the student in accordance with all FERPA guidelines. Students can only access courses in which they are enrolled. Within the Blackboard course site, students access the course syllabus, link to campus resources, and access course assignments including readings, recorded lectures, video streaming, tests and assessments, grades and other classroom materials. Students participate in discussion boards and chats through Blackboard. Students submit assignments and email faculty through the Blackboard system. Additional modes of communication among faculty and students include Adobe Connect and video chat.

 

COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

DISTANCE EDUCATION

Students on clinical rotations in Knoxville, Chattanooga, or Nashville retain all student access priviledges to the UTHSC website. This provides access to common course materials through the learning management system used by the College of Medicine. Network access also allows students from any COM campus or on elective rotations at other institutions to continue to use the Health Sciences library, ITS help desk, and SASSI. In addition, these entities have robust email, telephone, and in some instances Skype, services for students. University Health Services maintains a UTHSC website with emergency contact information for all students. In addition, the Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville campuses provide on-site health services for rotating students.

 

COLLEGE OF NURSING

ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND ONLINE INSTRUCTION

Courses that are taught online or via a hybrid format provide course instruction through a Blackboard Platform managed by UTHSC. To ensure privacy, students must use their unique login and ID to access their email accounts and the Blackboard site. Student’s personal information is not shared with anyone outside of the college unless specified by the student in accordance with all FERPA guidelines. Students can only access courses in which they are enrolled. Within the Blackboard course site, students access the course syllabus, link to campus resources, access course assignments including readings, recorded lectures, videostreaming, tests and assessments, grades and other classroom materials. Students participate in discussion boards and chats through Blackboard. Students submit assignments and email faculty through the Blackboard system. Faculty may also interact with students via web-conferencing using Adobe Connect, video chat, and telephone conferences.

 

COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

DISTANCE EDUCATION AND OFF-CAMPUS INSTRUCTION

The College is committed to providing a quality educational experience for all students regardless of geographic location or mode of delivery. Students enrolled in distance education programs or participating in instruction at an off-campus instructional site have access to the range of support services and resources necessary to successfully complete their education. Necessary and sufficient practices are followed to assure the privacy of all students regardless of geographic location or mode of delivery.

The College began to use live synchronous two-way interactive video distance education with the initiation of its Knoxville-based program in August 2007. This has required the acquisition, placement, and maintenance of various types of equipment and technologies. The College currently has four staff members dedicated to insuring that a high quality, distance education program is delivered seamlessly and without problems. Lectures may originate from Memphis, Knoxville, or from Nashville. All lectures are video captured using MediaSiteTM and are released within 24-hours to students who wish to review content. EdTech support is available for all software-related issues to Blackboard, which is used for the course delivery system, regardless of location, via email. For issues related to software, students on all campuses can access the UTHSC IT HelpDesk. All requests for support are tracked through a help desk ticket system. The College relies on computerized examinations across campuses. Students located in Memphis, Knoxville and Nashville all have access to computer labs for these computerized examinations. Although the software used for testing is housed on the ExamSoftTM server, IT staff insures that the computers are properly imaged and operational.

The videoconference technology has become an integral part of  the College’s communication strategy and is used for college committee meetings, student organizational meetings, faculty and departmental meetings, and monthly Grand Rounds. Students have also used distance technology (MediaSiteTM; SkypeTM; Adobe ConnectTM) to facilitate tutoring sessions. These tutoring sessions are held face-to-face in Memphis and Knoxville and across the state, using videoconferencing connectivity between Memphis and Knoxville for select tutoring sessions.

The Graduate Medical Education library is available to students on the Knoxville Campus. The College of Social Work is adjacent to the Nashville facility, and the Social Work Library is being stocked with pharmacy reference materials and is available to College of Pharmacy students.

While on the Memphis campus for the P1 year students may apply for and gain approval for any accommodations deemed necessary and appropriate. The UTHSC Student Academic Support Services and Inclusion (SASSI) coordinates identifying appropriate accommodations for students, regardless of the campus on which they are completing their studies, with documented and approved disabilities. Tutoring sessions and academic coaching for students that qualify and for those experiencing academic difficulties or need remediation are available through video-conferencing for students located outside of the Memphis community. Students may also use distance technology (MediaSiteTM; SkypeTM; Adobe ConnectTM) for within city and across state tutoring sessions. Academic advising occurs at a variety of levels. Student may meet with the course director, and/or a member of the College leadership team (academic affairs dean, executive associate dean Knoxville, assistant dean/associate dean Nashville).

All students, regardless of geographic location, register for courses on line. Tuition and fees bills are delivered on a secured website provided by the on-line server - TouchnetTM - for all students. Students are required to log in via Banner Self-Service. All students, regardless of location, can use web links, Skype, email or telephone to interface with the Office of Financial Aid. Off-campus students will often receive one-on-one financial aid counseling during their on-campus weeks/visits. Pertinent college-specific financial aid information is provided on the UTHSC financial aid website (https://www.uthsc.edu/finaid/). Periodic campus visits/presentations will be scheduled to allow for face-to-face interaction and counseling with Nashville-based students. Students can self-enroll in Financial Aid Literacy and Debt Management on Blackboard. UTHSC Financial Literacy Services are also available on Facebook. Periodic campus visits/presentations will be scheduled to allow for face-to-face interaction with Nashville-based students. Plus, booklets regarding access to financial literacy counseling and other pertinent information are provided to all students.