How is a C21 Online course conducted?
The experience takes place entirely online. It is asynchronous, i.e., there are no requirements to appear online at a certain time. You will have access to the course web site 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

After you have registered, we will provide you with a username and a password so that you have access to the web site.  The web site will be open for those who register a week before the course begins. Once you have access to the web site, you may explore the site intuitively or use the orientation to help you learn to navigate the site.  You will be assigned to a "community for conversation," an online discussion group of about 30 persons. Our expectation is that this size group will create a lively but manageable conversation.  Each community will have its own facilitator to guide discussion. In addition, all participants will have access to a general forum called "town meeting."

Each week of the course we will read and discuss a common assignment.  The weekly readings may be available on the web site or you may be asked to purchase or obtain additional reading material. A schedule, which will be available at the beginning of the course, will list the weekly reading and provide links to any media such as a video that may be assigned that week. Every Wednesday we will open a new forum for your community for conversation. There will always be a notebook page that will pose focus questions for discussion.  We will dialogue about the week's material with the other participants in our community for conversation.

Will I need to buy any special materials?
Depending on the course, you may be asked to purchase a book that will be discussed in the course. If you need to purchase a book, you will be given the title, author and other pertinent information. Most people use a local bookstore or their favorite online bookstore to acquire the book.

How much time should I expect the course will take each week?
We recommend that you plan on 3-4 hours a week.  In that recommendation, we include your reading time and the time you would take to post your observations in the community for conversation.

What are the expectations for the participants?
We expect you to do the readings and, when applicable, view the video every week.  We hope you use the week for reflection on the topic presented, and we expect you to discuss the focus questions with other participants in your community for conversation by posting your thoughts on one or more of the questions and responding to theirs. The heart of the course is in the discussion with the other participants.

We expect that each participant will respond with respect to others in their community for conversation. What each participant shares in the conversation will be kept within the group. We expect that you will not copy and forward another person's posts without their permission.

A complete list of expectations will be included in the course notes for the first week.

When will I receive my certificate of completion? Each active participant will receive a certificate of completion.  Active participation means posting three times each week of a course or workshop.  Your certificate will automatically be sent to you via U.S. mail within a month after the course site has closed.  If a month has elapsed and you have not received a certificate, please send an inquiry to Jessica Salefski at salefski@bc.edu.  Inquiries about certificates need to be made within two months of completion of the course. 

What are the minimum computer requirements in order to access the web site?
Check out specifics at here.
If you have any questions, contact cms@bc.edu

Is there a suggested web browser that I should use for C21 Online courses?
We would like to recommend that our participants use Mozilla Firefox as their internet browser during the duration of the course.  If you do not have Mozilla Firefox on your computer, you can download it for free here.

Do I need any special software?
No, you do not need any special software.  The website is designed on WebCT which is accessible through the browser that you use for Internet access.  Check the above question for specifics about the browser.

Is it possible to CEUs for a C21 Online course?
C21 Online does not give CEUs. We do offer a certificate of completion for those who post three times each week. On that certificate, we state the number of contact hours that each course or workshop has taken.

What is Blackboard Vista?
Blackboard Vista (BbVista) is a web-based application used to make and host course web sites.Blackboard Vista (BbVista) is a web-based application used to make and host course web sites.

When can I register for a course?
Course registration closes on Friday at 3pm before the course site opens. Registration may close earlier if the course has been filled to capacity. Otherwise, you can register at any time.