Charter Oak Student Resources

Academic Support & Resources

Accessibility Services

Charter Oak State College is committed to the goal of achieveing equal educational oppotunities and full participation in Connecticut higher education for persons with disabilities who qualify for admission to the College. All of Charter Oak's advisement and testing facilities are accessible and special accomodations may be made in modes of answering and time alloted for testing. Before the course begins, students with documented disabilities should contact the Accessibility Office to discuss any possible accommodations.

Course Evaluations

To help improve instruction at Charter Oak State College, all students are asked to evaluate their courses. Please check your Charter Oak email account during the last week of this course for a link to the anonymous course evaluation form. This link will be sent only to your Charter Oak email address. Your evaluation is anonymous; your instructor will not see the individual results, only the aggregate data. Click the COSC Webmail tab in Blackboard to sign into your Charter Oak email account and complete the evaluation. Thank you for your feedback.

Library Resources

Students can access the Virtual Library online. Students with COSC email addresses and passwords can enter by using their full Charter Oak email address (i.e. jsmith@charteroak.edu) and email password.

Username: Your email login (i.e., jsmith@charteroak.edu)

Password: Your email password

Online Courses Computer and Study Time

15-week Courses

Courses require students to complete reading and writing assignments, participate in group discussions, complete quizzes and tests, and complete summary projects or research papers. Many of the courses utilize a team approach in which students may be assigned to complete a “group project.” Most courses are three or four semester credits. Three credit courses require approximately 135 hours of computer and study time.

Accelerated 5-and 8-week Courses

Accelerated courses are the same in content as 15-week courses, only condensed into five or eight weeks. Three credit courses require approximately 135 hours of computer and study time regardless of length of course. Therefore plan your time accordingly. We strongly advise that you do not enroll in more than one accelerated course per 5-week term and caution you about taking more than one course per 8-week term.

Tutoring (24 / 7 Online Tutoring)

 

Charter Oak State College, in collaboration with Brainfuse, offers free online tutoring services to all enrolled students. The service can be accessed from your mobile phone, tablet, or computer.

Get help in myriad of subjects:

  • Math
  • Business
  • English
  • Writing
  • Nursing
  • Science
  • Social Sciences
  • Computer Science
  • And many more!

Students may also drop off an essay for review and feedback.

 

How do I use it?

  • Connect to the online tutoring in the course menu from the left side of your course page while in Blackboard.A personalized account will be created for you automatically.
  • Select your topic, subject, and ask your question
  • You can also attach a file or screenshot by clicking “share a file” in the pre-session request form

Writing and Citation Resources

Instructors expect papers to be written properly and cited correctly using MLA format, APA format, or another specific citation method. For assistance with your writing and research skills, visit the following websites:

Blackboard

Learning to Use Blackboard

The following online video tutorials may be helpful to new students who are unfamiliar with Blackboard:

 

All COSC students can also take the Student Orientation to Blackboard course once they have their Charter Oak email for log in.  The self-enrollment information for the course will appear on the initial Blackboard My Institution page when students log in.

 

Blackboard Tips for Submitting Assignments and Taking Timed Tests

  • Use a fresh login. If you have been working in Blackboard for longer than 30 minutes, log out, then log back in when you are ready to take your test.
  • Make sure that the computer you plan to use is stable, and free of spyware and viruses.
  • Students should NOT take assessments via a slow dial-up modem, a wireless network (Wi-Fi) or any unreliable connection. If students choose to use a dial-up connection, the students should be sure to disable call waiting before beginning the assessment.
  • Students should NOT attempt to complete any assignments using a mobile or handheld device including tests, quizzes, discussion board postings and written assignments.
  • Have a clock or timer nearby, so you can keep an eye on the time.
  • Students should have their faculty contact information readily available, in case any problems are encountered during a Blackboard assessment.
  • Do not click anywhere outside the assessment or open additional windows or applications, as this may cause a loss of access to the exam. This includes the Back button/icon, Refresh button/icon, or double clicking any other links, buttons, or icons.
  • Use caution when scrolling if a mouse with a scroll wheel is in use. First, click a blank area on the assessment, and then use the scroll wheel. Otherwise, some answers might inadvertently get changed. Before submitting the assessment, review the answers to make sure none of them were accidentally changed by using the scroll wheel on the mouse.
  • If all test questions are on the same page, occasionally click the Save button at the bottom of the assessment (next to the Submit button).
  • When finished with the assessment, click the Submit button one time only, and give Blackboard up to five minutes to complete the submission process. You will receive a confirmation screen when your assessment has been submitted successfully. NOTE: If you do not receive a confirmation screen, contact your instructor immediately and Tech Support.
  • If a security warning displays asking you to accept or trust the Design Science certificate; you may safely accept or trust this certificate and run the applet. If possible, select the "always trust content from this publisher" option if it is available.
  • If you receive an error message, take a screenshot or write it down exactly as it reads. Also note the exact time and date of the problem, the Web browser you were using, exactly what you were doing when the error occurred, and any other relevant details that you can recall. Send an email to your instructor and contact Tech Support.
  • If you encounter any other problems during the assessment in Blackboard, you must contact your instructor.

Technical Support

Computer Help & Technical Support

If you have questions about the content of your course(s), contact your instructor(s) as directed in the Faculty Information section of the course(s).

If you need technical (computer) help with this course, please contact the Technical Support group for members of the Charter Oak State College community. You can reach Technical Support 24 hours a day /7 days a week /365 days a year in several ways:

To answer your question promptly, the Technical Support team will need the following information:

  • Your name, email address, and phone number
  • The course you are asking about (see the "My School" tab in Blackboard for the title of this course)
  • The exact nature of your problem or question, for example: "I don't know how to post to the discussion board in Blackboard" or "I click the link to take the quiz but the quiz does not appear." If you are encountering an error message, provide the exact text of the message and the date and time it occurred.

Technology Requirements

Charter Oak Email

All students will be assigned a Charter Oak email address. The College email will be used for all course work and correspondence, and must be checked regularly. A COSC web tab appears in all Blackboard® courses. Students may also access CharterOak.edu email online.

Reliable Internet Access

A stable, reliable broadband connection is essential for success in an online courses, as issues with your connection can impact your ability to participate and submit work in a timely manner. High speed broadband internet connection should be at a consistent minimum speed of 1.5 Mbps. Recommended speed is 4 Mbps or higher.

The Guide To Internet Plans For Low and Fixed-Income Households lists a comprehensive list of government sponsored programs offering financial assistance programs for financially struggling families. The guide covers topics such as how to get discounts on internet services, where to find affordable internet equipment, and how to qualify for free or discounted mobile service plans.

Blackboard Technical Requirements

Charter Oak State College's courses are conducted online in the learning management system known as Blackboard Learn®. Online courses require appropriate computer equipment, and learners should have general computer knowledge. Review the technical requirements for using Blackboard. Check your browser for Blackboard compatibility. Students are strongly recommended to use either Chrome or Firefox to complete their course work.

Additional Technical Requirements

Students must have virus protection software installed on their computers and must update it regularly. Any infected files that are uploaded to the course servers will be deleted automatically to prevent the spread of infection.

Note: Students will be able to access their course(s) in Blackboard four calendar days prior to the official start date of the course.

Textbooks and Additional Course Materials

New! Charter Oak Book Bundle

We are excited to introduce a new bookstore program starting this fall semester called, Charter Oak Book Bundle. This program aims to address the high costs of course materials, ensuring that undergraduate and graduate students have access to the required textbooks, lab manuals, access codes, and digital books before the first day of class, often at discounted prices.

Through a partnership with Barnes & Noble, the Charter Oak Book Bundle provides a convenient and cost-effective solution for our students. For a nominal fee of $18.75 per credit hour, you will receive all required materials, seamlessly integrated into your Blackboard courses for digital content, or shipped directly to your home for physical textbooks. The course materials fee will be included in your school account. This program is designed not only to alleviate financial burdens but also to enhance your academic success by ensuring you have all necessary materials before the first day of class.

If you do not wish to participate in the program and instead purchase the required course materials on your own, there is an easy and convenient way to opt out and make that determination each semester. Details on the opt out process can be found on CharterOak.edu/book-bundle.

How does it work?

  • When you register for classes, the bookstore will start preparing your course materials; you will start to receive emails asking to review your courses, course materials, and to make any changes.
  • Beginning on July 1st, you will receive an email with an option to Opt Out of the program; the Opt Out option will be available until the Sunday after classes start.
  • One month before classes start, you will receive an email confirming your course materials.
  • You will receive an email notification when your order ships (for physical books) and/or digital materials will be delivered to your course(s) within the Blackboard Learning Management System.

To find more information on the New Charter Oak Book Bundle program, please visit our CharterOak.edu/book-bundle where you will find comprehensive FAQs and additional information.