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How OCC 100% Online Learning Works

Online learning uses the Internet to deliver educational content, instead of face-to-face in a physical classroom. It offers several benefits for students who need a more flexible approach to education. 

Benefits of OCC Online Learning

  • You have the flexibility of accessing course content and completing assignments at any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • You can achieve your academic and career goals on your own personalized schedule that works around family, work or other obligations. 
  • You can save money by paying an affordable tuition – and by avoiding a commute to an OCC campus to take your online degree or certificate courses.
  • Online courses offer the same quality education, competencies and credits as OCC’s face-to-face classes and are even taught by the same instructors.

While there are many benefits to online learning, it’s not easier than traditional, in-person classes. In fact, you can expect to work as hard, or even harder, than in your face-to-face classes. With all OCC classes, your success will be dependent on the time and effort you invest in your coursework. 

4 Easy Steps to Become an OCC 100% Online Student

Choose an onine degree or certificate program

Step 1: Choose an online degree or certificate program

We offer a range of options, and are continually developing new online programs. Visit our online degrees and certificates page to see the latest offerings. 
Apply

Step 2: Application and Admissions

Apply to OCC and complete any admissions and financial aid forms. You also need to complete placement tests and processes to register for appropriate classes. In addition, you’ll attend an online new student orientation. 
Complete DIST-1000: Onine Learning Readiness

Step 3: Complete DIST-1000: Online Learning Readiness

To prepare you for online coursework, OCC offers this no-cost, self-paced course, which is required to enroll in your first online course at OCC and only needs to be taken once. The course is designed to get you familiar with navigating the OCC online learning environment, and it also addresses common questions and myths about online learning.
Get ready for class!

Step 4: Get ready for class! 

Get your official one card, register for your first courses, buy your books and get any other resources required for your specific classes. 

Other Requirements

OCC Online instructors share course information and content to students through a learning management system (LMS). At OCC, the LMS environment students use is called Brightspace by D2L. (D2L for short)

To successfully use D2L, ensure you have the required technology and a reliable Internet connection for the duration of the course. While mobile devices may be used to review course materials in D2L, for critical activities, such as taking a quiz, it is strongly recommended to use a desktop or laptop with a supported web browser and a reliable Internet connection. Some features of D2L may work differently or may work with reduced functionality when using a supported mobile device.

What Students Can Expect

OCC Online Engagement  

At OCC, we are committed to providing students with a high-quality online learning experience. A key part of that is Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI). This means students aren’t just learning from a screen, but actively engaging with an expert instructor who is there to support student success.

In every online course, at least once a week, students can expect:

  • Clear Guidance: Emails or announcements clarifying course content, assignment instructions, missed quiz questions, and/or common misunderstandings about complex course content
  • Direct Instruction: Instructor-initiated content and communication; weekly video response from instructor); or live coaching sessions
  • Active Discussions: Facilitated group discussion where instructors interjects and help guide conversations with questions and responses; or discussion forums where students can post questions and instructors participate and respond regularly
  • Direct/Open Access: Scheduled weekly online office hours for one-to-one support or help
  • Personalized Feedback: Timely written feedback on assignments and course work
  • Regular substantive interaction does not include:  Posting prerecorded lectures; using automatically graded quizzes; creating discussion assignments where students interact with each other, but the instructor is not actively engaged; or sending/posting one-time welcome letters or announcements that do not engage in course content such as calendar items

OCC implements and tracks regular and substantive interaction (RSI) in its online courses.

Check out the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) official definition of RSI.

Generally speaking, it puts some parameters around the types of interaction and the frequency of interaction between instructors and their online students to ensure a high-quality online course experience for students.

The HLC offers these examples of substantive interaction, stipulating that courses must use at least 2 from this list in their courses:

  • providing direct instruction in a synchronous format;
  • assessing or providing feedback on a student’s coursework;
  • providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course of competency;
  • facilitating a group discussion regarding the content of a course or competency;
  • other instructional activities approved institutional or programmatic accrediting agencies (HLC Glossary). 

OCC Faculty and instructors are required provide students with course-specific RSI Plans at the beginning of every semester. Students can find this plan in the instructor's syllabi provided on, or before, the first day of class. Each instructor's RSI Plan will include:

  • How you will receive feedback
  • Expected timelines for grading
  • A schedule for videos, announcements and other substantive interactions

By reviewing an instructor's RSI Plan at the start of the semester, students will know how and when they will hear from the instructor throughout the course.

These standards aren’t just about following rules, it’s about ensuring regular substantive interaction helps keep students connected to course material

  • Best practices: aligned with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and inclusive and effective teaching practices.
  • National accreditation: used by the HLC  to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of online courses and programs, a vital seal of approval and standard of quality.  
  • Federal Student Aid: required by the U.S. Department of Education for institutions receiving federal funding.

Most importantly, RSI ensures students have the support they need to succeed in online education.

Learn More

From what to expect as an OCC online student and how online degrees and certificates work, to admissions and registration, you may have many questions about what to expect. We have compiled a helpful list of FAQs to get you started.