Massachusetts Colleges Online









 

State Agency Projects and Distance Learning Offerings

Current Projects - MCO Collaboration with State Agencies
Online Academic Offerings and Student Services
On Campus Student Services
Online Course Development and Hosting Services

State Agency Projects and Distance Learning Offerings

Mass Colleges Online (MCO) has forged an exciting partnership with Massachusetts state agencies to develop and deliver e-learning solutions to meet the training needs of the agencies. MCO is working with the Division of Career Services, Department of Public Health, and Department of Fire Services to provide a variety of offerings including course development and hosting, learning management services, credit and non-credit courses, and student support services.

MCO’s member colleges have combined their resources to offer a comprehensive array of online programs, courses, and service offerings. Students taking courses through MCO have access to a host of online services ranging from academic advising and tutoring to online registration and scheduling. Students can also take advantage of on-campus offerings which can augment and support their online learning.

Current Projects - MCO Collaboration with State Agencies
    • Division of Career Services

    Massachusetts Division of Career Services has partnered with MCO to develop an e-learning pilot program to help low income workers improve their employment skills and increase their earning potential. This program is modeled after a pilot project developed at Rutgers University in New Jersey and funded by the Sloan Foundation. It is designed to assist workers who typically lack the time and resources to attend on-campus courses.

    DCS has assisted participants by providing laptops and internet access for participants as needed. Staff at the One-Stop Career Centers in Lawrence, Salem, and Boston are providing career counseling and additional support services. MCO member colleges offer a wide range of online credit and non-credit courses to program participants. In addition, participants can take advantage of the many online and on-campus student services to support their online learning.

    • Massachusetts Department of Public Health

    MCO is working with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on two online training initiatives which are components of the Massachusetts Bioterrorism preparedness effort.

    Smallpox Vaccination Recertification Course

    This online course is designed for Massachusetts Smallpox Response members who were previously trained and certified in Smallpox Vaccination more than a year ago, to maintain their knowledge and competency. MDPH selected MCO to develop and deliver the recertification training online in order to distribute high quality training at a much faster rate than would be possible in classroom format. Additionally, delivering the course online makes it more readily accessible to learners and eliminates the need for personnel to travel to the site of a classroom training facility.

    The Smallpox Vaccination Recertification Course continues to be available for students to take online. Students who successfully pass the course are awarded Continuing Education Credits.

    Emergency Preparedness Training

    MCO and MDPH collaborated on a training initiative for surge healthcare staff and personnel who will be needed to provide additional capacity in the event of a biological, chemical, or radiological terrorism, or other public health emergency.

    MCO developed online training courses with MDPH. The first course developed was an Orientation course designed to teach the fundamentals of disaster preparedness to both medical and non-medical personnel. The second course was designed for hospital personnel and provided refresher training on Personal Protection Equipment and Decontamination.

    In addition to developing the online training, MCO also hosted the courses and provided Learning Management System services to administer and track information on all students who took the web-based training.

    • Department of Fire Services

    MCO, in partnership with the Department of Fire Services, developed an online Radiation Awareness course to teach state firefighters how to safely respond to radiological hazards. With online education, firefighters study during their downtime at the firehouse or at home rather than traveling to classrooms sites, allowing DFS to respond more quickly and with more flexibility to training needs. It also has cost benefits for local fire departments that will now be able to coordinate training with downtime and eliminate the need for travel time.

    The Radiation Awareness course was initially offered in April 2004 and it quickly filled to capacity. Due to the high demand for the course, it was offered again in August 2004; DFS plans to offer it again in the near future.

    In a student survey of the Radiation Awareness course, the majority of participants (95%) indicated that they would be interested in taking additional online courses. Based on the overwhelming success of the project, MCO and DFS are continuing their partnership with the development of two additional courses, Incident Command and Hazardous Material Awareness.

    • Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

    MCO began its partnership with the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling in 2007 when the two organizations collaborated to develop and offer online courses for mental health clinicians who are working with patients who have gambling addictions. The council turned to online delivery in the hopes that it would make the course more accessible to mental health clinicians throughout the state.

    Middlesex Community College has been a part of this partnership by providing the technical support for development and delivery the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling courses. The courses are taught by Council personnel and student access the courses through Middlesex Community College.

    The initial course titled "Recognizing and Managing Countertransference in Problem Gambling Clinical Work" focused on counter-transference, a technique used to treat online compulsive gamblers. Upon the success of the initial online course additional projects have followed. Most recently these included courses titled: "Adolescent/College Student Gambling: Identifying and Managing Risk" - offered for the first time in Spring 2009- focusing on gambling among high school and college populations, and "Developing a Culturally-Conscious Approach to Prevention and Treatment of Problem Gambling in the Latino Community" explores approaches to prevention and treatment that support, and are supported by, the cultural values of the Latino community.

Online Academic Offerings and Student Services
    • Online Courses, Degrees, and Certificate programs

    One-stop shopping for over 1200 online courses

    MCO’s member colleges offer a wide variety of required courses in the social sciences, math, science, humanities, and computer technology. Many exciting elective courses, which allow students to explore their areas of interest, are also available.

    Over 70 online degrees and certificate programs

    Programs ranging from certificates in technical areas to a master’s of education are offered through MCO’s consortium of colleges.

    • Online Noncredit Courses

    MCO member colleges have hundreds of noncredit courses on a wide range of topics including healthcare, business, bookkeeping and accounting, law and legal, writing, information technology, and more. These courses can be taken for lifelong learning; to earn a noncredit certificate; or as a first step to credit courses.

    • Online Advising

    Academic advising helps students develop an educational plan to achieve their academic and professional goals. These services include counseling to choose a major and select courses to fulfill degree or program requirements. They also provide assistance with registration, scheduling, college resources, policies, and procedures.

    Academic advising is offered as a standalone online service or as a supplement to an in-person meeting.

    • Online Tutoring

    MCO’s consortium of colleges offers free online tutoring and academic support for core courses in mathematics, statistics, economics, accounting and writing. Tutors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Students can choose from the following types of tutoring services:

    • Live, Online Tutoring

    Students can receive tutoring in Mathematics (Basic Skills - Calculus II), Writing, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Accounting, Economics, Spanish and Statistics. They can:

    • "Drop-in" for live tutoring
    • Submit questions for a response within 24 hours
    • Pre-schedule sessions
    • View archives of past sessions.
    • Online Writing Lab

    Professional writing tutors help students strengthen their writing skills. Students receive a detailed, personalized critique of any written assignment such as an essay, report, personal statement, cover letter, resume, or creative story. Students can also submit their practice SAT essay and receive a detailed critique of it.

    • Support for ESL Students

    ESL students can submit essays to the Online Writing Lab and receive a critique from an ESL writing specialist. Students for whom Spanish is their first language can receive drop-in math tutoring from bilingual tutors.

    • Library Services

    MCO member colleges offer online students the same level of access to resources and library support services as those available to on-campus students. Students can link to their college’s library catalogue, databases, indexes, journal articles, reference books, and other electronic resources. They can request a book through the library network it will be delivered to the their local library or high school.

    Students may email a librarian 24/7 to ask questions or receive research assistance.

    • Bookstore

    MCO students can order text books, general books, and other merchandise online and have their order shipped to their home or held for pick-up.

    • Online Registration and Student Records

    Students can use an online service to register for classes, pay tuition bills and fees, and make changes to their current schedule. They also have access to their grades, assessment test scores, transcripts, schedules, and registration and financial aid information.

On Campus Student Services
    • Assessment Testing

    MCO member colleges offer a wide range of assessments including:

    • Accuplacer Computerized Placement Tests

    All new students taking credit courses are required to take Accuplacer Computerized Placement Tests (CPTs) to determine the most appropriate level to begin their studies. These tests are administered on a computer and assess students’ proficiency in English, reading, and math. Students who have appropriate transfer credit or previous test scores are not required to take the test.

    Students who do not receive a passing grade may take developmental courses to gain the necessary skills before they enter a program of study. (See Developmental Services.)

    • Lifelong Learning Assessment

    Students have the opportunity to receive college credits and reduce the time they spend on their program of study. Learning assessments assist students in examining their outside learning experiences and identifying those that might be considered for college credits. The following represent the types of assessments available through MCO member colleges:

    • College Level Examination Program (CLEP Tests) - a series of examinations that allow students to earn college credit for what they already know, regardless of where they learned it.

    • Credit by Portfolio Evaluation – students develop a portfolio which is reviewed by a faculty evaluator to determine if it meets the academic criteria for college credit.

    • Military Evaluation – students submit their military transcripts to determine if they are eligible to receive college credit. Transcripts are evaluated based on guidelines from the American Council on Education (ACE) “Service members Opportunity College Guide”.
    • Ability to Benefit Test

    This test is designed for students who lack a high school diploma or GED and want to enroll in college. To be eligible for this test, the student must be in a high school graduating class of 2003 or later but did not pass the MCAS; in a high school graduating class prior to 2003 and did not complete graduation requirements; or unable to obtain documentation of your graduation.

    • Educational Testing

    MCO’s consortium of colleges administers a number of educational tests including GED, Miller Analogies (MAT), Graduate Record Exams (GRE), Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), Test for English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and Professional Assessment for Beginning Teachers (PRAXIS).

    • Developmental Services

    MCO member colleges offer a number of developmental courses to prepare students for college level work. These courses are considered below college level and are not counted as credit toward graduation; they are designed to improve skills in areas such as math, science, reading, writing, and language. Students in these courses receive tutoring, evaluation, advising, and counseling as needed, with special attention toward fulfilling their academic goals.

    • Disability Support Services

    MCO’s consortium of colleges is committed to providing equal access to programs and services both inside and outside the classroom for students with disabilities. MCO offers support services for students who have learning disabilities, sensory impairments, psychological disabilities or physical conditions. The following exemplifies the types of disability services offered:

    • Assistive technology - books on tape, special computer software, and other devices
    • Paraprofessional accommodation assistants – note-takers, scribes, classroom aides
    • Classroom and environmental modifications - testing accommodations, alternative format materials, preferential seating and others
    • Disability-related educational counseling and advising
    • Sign language interpreters
    • Workshops and information
    • Support Groups
    • Career Assessment, Exploration, and Job Search

    MCO member colleges offer a full range of career services to help students assess their skills, interests, work values, and personality preferences; conduct occupational research; and select a course of study based on their choice of career. Career services include:

    • Individual meetings with career counselors
    • Assessments to identify students’ identify skills, interests, personality preferences, and values
    • Informational interviewing opportunities with professionals in the student’s field of interest.
    • Access to a computer guidance system that describes over 400 occupations; system can match occupations with student’s profile.
    • Career mentoring programs
    • Career related classroom presentations and special career panels composed of working professionals
    • Access to current periodicals and specific career oriented books

    MCO member colleges also provide career services and resources to help students prepare for a successful job search. Skilled career counselors help students write effective resume and cover letters, develop job search strategies, network, conduct mock job interviews and more. Students can view job postings and leads, access job search resources, and attend on-campus job fairs.

    • Joint Admissions Program

    The Joint Admissions Program allows students in designated programs to begin their four year college degree program at a Massachusetts community college and then transfer to one of the UMASS campuses or Massachusetts State colleges. The program guarantees state college or university admission to eligible students who meet certain requirements. Students can receive customized transfer and academic counseling to ensure that they make a seamless transition to a bachelor’s degree program.

    The Joint Admission Program is a cost effective way for students to significantly reduce the price of a four year education. Students can save thousands of dollars by completing the first two years at a community college where tuition and fees are less. Students can realize further savings through the Tuition Advantage Plan which offers students who participate in a Joint Admission program and graduate with a 3.0 or higher GPA, a 33 percent reduction on in-state tuition for the first year of their bachelor's degree program. For students maintaining a 3.0 or higher GPA, the reduction is renewable for a second year.

    • Financial Aid

    MCO member colleges provide assistance to students and their families in meeting the costs of their college education. Financial aid counselors work with students to help them obtain the necessary for funds for college. A variety of Federal, State, and private financial programs are available and include tuition waivers, grants, work study, and loans.

Online Course Development and Hosting Services
    • Course Development Services

    MCO’s Course Development team works with organizations to develop state-of- the-art online learning. Our experienced team of instructional designs, graphic artists, multimedia developers, and project managers create custom e-learning solutions to meet organization’s goals and achieve desired results.

    MCO also works with traditional classroom training materials to redesign them for effective online learning and convert them to a digital format.

    In addition to providing a complete course development solution, MCO also provides individual services including:

    • Needs Assessment
    • Information architecture
    • Instructional design
    • Curriculum development
    • Graphics and animation design and development
    • Audio recording and editing
    • Video production and editing
    • Program development and integration
    • Quality assurance
    • Learning Management System and Hosting

    MCO member colleges can provide LMS hosting services that scale up from hosting a single course at a member college to full fledged hosting services including the setup and maintenance of a dedicated server, installation and maintenance of LMS software and customization of the LMS environment and related reports. The hosting services will be tailored to best meet the needs of the agency on a project basis.

    Help Desk support for students and instructors, and technical support are available as an add-on service if required.

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