College Life

Attendance

Regular and prompt attendance is essential for academic success in any traditional or online course. Students are expected to attend classes virtually and be prompt with completing the Online Student Orientation, discussions, assignments, etc Individual faculty members may establish specific attendance policies for their online and hybrid courses. It is the responsibility of the student to know and follow the attendance policy as required for each course and faculty member. Students with excessive absences may be referred to a counselor for intervention. Insufficient attendance and or engagement within the online course, may result in failure or removal.

A student who is absent from all classes during the first ten class days, has not logged in, has not taken or passed the orientation and/or has not completed any Academic course activity, will be recorded as a “No Show.” A withdrawal will appear on the student’s record and the student will be notified of the “No Show” status by the Registrar’s Office. Students are advised that “No Show” status in one or more courses may affect their eligibility for financial aid and veterans’ benefits.  

Students who stop attending classes and do not formally withdraw will be recorded as “not in attendance” and will receive the grade of “WU.” This status may also affect their eligibility for financial aid and veterans’ benefits.  A grade of WU is to be assigned to students who attended a minimum of one class, completed a minimum of 1 ACADEMIC assignment, stopped attending but did not officially withdraw by the 60% point of the term or the last date to withdraw from the term.  A student marked WU would have attended at least one class meeting OR have documented evidence of participation in the course.

Can I finish the course early?

This depends on the calendar set up by the instructor and the course requirements.

Do I ever need to come to campus?

Some courses require on-campus proctored exams. Please check the course requirements online, the syllabus or directly with the instructor.

Do I need a textbook?

Textbooks and other materials for online courses are incorporated into the MOODLE course room as part of your online package and course technology fee. Each course requires specific guidelines for textbooks and/or access codes to enter the course materials.  You do not need to purchase a text book or an access code for online courses.

Do I need to be on the computer at any specific time?

No. You can log into your course at your convenience. However, keep in mind that many instructors require specific online course requirements throughout each week. You are responsible for all online course requirements and must meet the deadlines set forth by your Professor. In addition, some instructors may require a synchronous chat with fellow classmates at times.

Do I need a username and password for my course?

You will need your ECC webmail user and password to get into the MOODLE learning management system.

Do I need to know Windows?

You should be able to navigate the Windows OS and have strong written communication and word processing skills.

How much time will the course take?

The same time as a traditional course, the equivalent of 3 class hours and 3-6 hours of homework a week. Because you are taking this course at your convenience you are responsible for keeping up with the coursework, and making sure that you check and adhere to all weekly deadlines set forth by your Instructor.  Online courses are not correspondence courses.

I don’t know how to navigate the Internet or have strong technical skills, can I still take the course?

You should have strong internet skills and how to navigate through a browser before taking an online course. We recommend that you DO NOT take an online course at this time.

What is the cost?

Online courses cost the same per credit hour as any other course at Essex County College. A course technology fee of $200 is charged at the time of registration. This fee is charged to provide you with an E-Text and all digital materials.

What if I don’t have a computer?

You could use the computers in the various assigned computer labs on campus, at your local library or any other space that offers this service. However, if you do not own your own computer or have Internet access, we recommend that you do not take an online course at this time.

Do I need a textbook?

E Textbooks and other materials for the course are incorporated into the MOODLE Web site course room as part of your online package and Course Technology Fee.

What is my username and password for my course?

You will need your webmail username and password to log into the MOODLE website.  Please click on the link below for additional information and answers to the most commonly asked questions.  https://eccportaltier.essex.edu/faq.html

How do I access MoodleRooms?

There are two ways you can access MoodleRooms from.  You may go to essex.edu and click Student at the top right hand corner and then scroll down and select MoodleRooms.

The second way to access Moodle would be to type: moodle.essex.edu into your browser. (Chrome is the preferred MoodleRooms browser)

How do I unlock my course at the beginning of each semester?

To unlock your course simply log into MoodleRooms, click on your class, scroll down to the Online and Hybrid Course Orientation block, watch the Orientation Video and lastly pass the Orientation Quiz with at least an 80%.  You may take the Orientation Quiz as many times as you need to pass.

How do I register?

You can register online through Essex County College Webservices  webservices.essex.edu

From here you can select either Face to Face courses, or Hybrid or Online courses.  Hybrid course sections are listed as HY and 100% Online courses are listed OL sections or OM for Late start courses.