Distance Education Resources for Students

Distance learning at Cypress College is a way to take classes without having to be in a traditional classroom. You can learn from home, work, or anywhere with an internet connection. There are three main types of distance learning courses:

• Asynchronous courses: These are classes where you work on your own schedule. You can complete assignments and watch lectures at your own pace.
• Synchronous courses: These are classes that meet at a specific time, usually online using Zoom. You’ll attend live lectures and participate in discussions with your instructor and classmates.
• Hybrid Course: Hybrid courses allow you to have the best of both worlds! Work online and meet on campus for reinforcement, practice, and discussion. The dates for the meetings are listed in the main body of the current class schedule and attendance at class meetings is required.

Distance learning offers flexibility and can be a great way to earn college credits.

• Distance Education FAQs
• Distance Education Requirements
• How to Get Help

• Use the College Scheduler – Cypress College
• Find a course using the searchable schedule.

• Online Student Readiness Tutorial
• Tips for Student Success in Online Courses
• Netiquette

• Canvas is your online learning platform, providing tools for accessing course content, assignments, discussions, and exams. To get started, you’ll need a modern computer with an updated web browser (Chrome is recommended) and a stable internet connection.
• Canvas Student App: For on-the-go access, consider downloading the Canvas Student app. While it offers many features, some functionalities might be limited compared to the web version.
• Need Help? Our comprehensive Canvas Student Guides offer step-by-step instructions on common tasks, from updating your profile to submitting assignments.

• Zoom is your virtual classroom, enabling you to meet with your instructor and classmates online. Recordings of meetings are often available for review.
• Accessing Zoom:
  • Within Canvas: If your instructor uses Zoom within Canvas, you’ll find the Zoom link in the course navigation menu on the left titled “Cypress College Zoom.” Once you click the link, you should see the scheduled Zoom class, select “Join Now.”
  • Outside of Canvas: Your instructor might send you a direct Zoom meeting link via email. Clicking the link may prompt you to download the Zoom app.
  • How to join a Zoom meeting (video)

Need Help? Refer to our Zoom Quick-Start Guide for Students (outside of Canvas) for detailed instructions.

Your attendance at the first class meeting is essential because instructors may drop students who do not appear for the first class meeting to make room for others who are present and want to take the class.

• It is very important that you attend the first class meeting of every class in which you are registered since a full period of instruction begins the first day of the semester.
• In the case where a class is taught entirely online, instructors may drop students who have not been in contact with the instructor by the end of the first day of classes for that semester or short-term session. For example, if the first day of classes for the spring semester is January 18th, instructors may drop students who have not been in contact with them by midnight on that date.

Absences in a Distance Education course are accounted for by monitoring academic attendance or attendance at an academically-related activity.

A student will be considered to be “present” in a course if there is evidence of weekly participation in an academically-related activity including, but not limited to, physically attending in-person sessions of a hybrid course, submitting an academic assignment, taking an exam, substantively participating in a course online discussion, study group, or other synchronous or asynchronous activity, or by initiating contact with the instructor in matters related to the course. It is the responsibility of the instructor to define grounds for dismissal in the Distance Education course syllabus.

• After a student accumulates more than a week’s absences in any class (more than the number of times the class meets per week), consecutive or nonconsecutive, an instructor may file a petition in the Admissions and Records Office requesting that the student be dropped from the class. When this request is approved by the Records Office, the instructor will be notified and the student will be dropped from the class.
• In the event a student is absent for a prolonged period of time it is expected that contact will be made with the respective instructors immediately to advise the instructor of this absence and the reasons for it. The instructor may then decide whether or not the student may continue in the class or withdraw. It should be noted that failure to make this contact and follow through with the decisions made at this time could result in the student receiving a grade of “F” in the class.

A student who must miss one or more classes because of a field trip or other authorized activity, such as athletics or music groups, will be issued an Authorized Absence Excuse (available in each division office) by the instructor under whose supervision the activity will occur. The student shall have this excuse signed by the instructors of the classes that will be missed before the absence occurs.

It is recommended that these transactions be carried out at least two days before the activity. The signed excuse must be presented to the instructor in charge of the activity, who shall in turn file it with the Admissions Office upon the conclusion of the activity. No absence excuses a student from making up class work missed. Students should realize that undue absences may adversely affect their grades.