This part of the online orientation presents information regarding instructions for specific procedures our students must be able to complete.

The detailed instructions here will cover:

• Registration Instructions
• Textbook Ordering Instructions
• Submission of Clinical/ Lab Sponsor Site Information
• Submission of Midterm Exam Proctor Information
• Final Exam Information
• Online Course Information (Online@ HCC/ BlackBoard)

Registration:


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The HCC Opticianry Department makes all attempts to present to our Students current and correct information regarding the Opticianry Program and Courses. Registration information should be gathered from the Opticianry Program Website only. Students are required to register for their courses by the information presented on the Opticianry Program Website. Any other method of obtaining course registration information is strongly discouraged. 

Download:

• Example Registration Information Form (PDF)

Detailed Registration Instructions Video (10:21 mins)

Detailed Hawknet Webadvisor Instructions Video (6:04 mins)

** Due to a technical issue the Hawknet Video above is an old version and presents a version of the HCC Website that is no longer in use. The Hawknet Information is CURRENT AND CORRECT, however, the "look" of the HCC website and menu is different than that currently on the website.

 Textbook Ordering


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To lessen the burden of picking up textbooks “in-person” at the HCC bookstore, The Opticianry Program has arranged for the bookstore to accept textbook orders by order form through the internet.

It is important for our students to submit these textbook orders in the correct fashion and within the timeframe specified by the information on the Opticianry Website. It is the student’s responsibility to place the textbook order properly, completely and on time to ensure delivery of the materials prior to the end of the first week of classes.

Each Opticianry Course requires:

• A textbook and/ or textbooks
• A course pack and/ or course packs

The textbooks used in the Opticianry Program Courses are current and every attempt is made to give the students as much information for their money as possible. Textbook requirements change from semester to semester and from course to course. Some textbooks are used for multiple courses while some courses require multiple textbooks.

Your instructors also create coursepacks for each course. These course packs contain powerpoint presentations, worksheets, assignments, handouts, etc. Every Opticianry Course has its own coursepack. Coursepacks are required to be purchased for every course every semester.

Financial Aid Orders: Students receiving Financial Aid to pay for their texts must be sure that their orders are placed between specific dates. Financial Aid balances are dispersed to the Student's HCC One Card after the beginning of the semester. Please review the College Calendar or contact the Financial Aid Office for these important deadlines. Purchases can be made using the HCC One Card once the card has received the balance of the Student's Financial Aid. Please contact the HCC Financial Aid Office with any questions about your account.   

**Financial Aid payments for textbooks cannot be process through the online system. Please contact Jim Reese prior to placing your textbook order if you intend to use a funding account.   

**UPS requires that shipments be signed for- so be sure someone is available to sign for your package from the HCC Bookstore. If you have any questions about this procedure- please contact Bill Underwood by email at

 Title your email TEXTBOOKS- OPTICIANRY

Download:

After you have registered for your Opticianry Courses use the Textbook and Course Pack List to determine the books required and follow the Textbook Ordering Instructions to order your textbooks and course packs.

All Students are required to have their Textbooks and Course Packs prior to the start of classes each semester.

Off-campus Site Information (Clinicals and Labs)


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To be successful in any technical program hands-on work must done on a regular basis. We accomplish this practical experience in two ways:

• Laboratory Work
• Clinical Work

LABORATORY COURSES: Laboratory classes are offered to coincide with theory courses that you take. These lab courses can be taken either on-campus or at a local optical in your area. Traditionally on-campus students complete lab-work during on-campus lab classes. Should you be a distance-learning (internet) student you may take lab classes at the campus location nearest to you or at an optical in your area.

It is the Student’s responsibility to ensure that the off-campus lab site has the equipment, tools, and personnel necessary to complete the objectives of the lab class. It is not unusual for some students to have more than one off-campus lab site for a variety of courses. Some examples of lab courses include (but are not limited to):

• Dispensing Procedures
• Lens Fabrication Procedures
• Contact Lens Fitting and Evaluation
• Refracting Procedures
• Vision Assessment Procedures
• Management Techniques and Procedures

CLINICAL COURSES: Clinical classes require the students to gain “real-life” experience in the Opticianry Field. The Opticianry Program requires completion of four (4) Vision Care Clinical Courses prior to completion of the program. Traditionally on-campus students complete clinical work during on-campus clinic classes. Should you be a distance-learning (internet) student you may take clinical classes at the campus location nearest to you or at an optical in your area.

Students registered for 3 or more on-campus credits are required to take clinic on-campus. On-campus clinical students take three on-campus clinicals and their fourth clinic must be off-campus.

Distance Learning Students may take up to three on-campus clinicals. At least one clinical must be taken off-campus.

It is the Student’s responsibility to ensure that the off-campus clinical site has the equipment, tools, and personnel necessary to complete the objectives of the clinical class. It is not unusual for some students to have more than one off-campus clinical site for a variety of courses. Some examples of clinical course work include (but are not limited to):

• Lens and frame selection
• Dispensing spectacles and contact lenses
• Lens fabrication work
• Contact lens work
• Vision Assessment Procedures
• Management Techniques and Procedures

ALL HCC OPTICIANRY PROGRAM STUDENTS (on-campus and off-campus) ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT Lab/ Clinical SITE INFORMATION EVERY SEMESTER.

Download:

• Information for your Mentor and Off-campus Lab/ Clinical Site (PDF)

Watch:

The instructional video below will present the step-by-step procedure to submit your Sponsor's information properly.

Submission of Sponsor information through the Opticianry Website is the only accepted method. Although some Opticianry Courses may required this same information as an assignment for the course this does not replace the submission of the information through the Opticianry Website requirement. Fax, email, and mail submissions are not accepted.

Submitting Midterm Proctor Information (ALL OPT Courses)


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Many evaluation tools are used throughout the Opticianry Program. Tracking a student’s progress within each course ensures that the student is progressing through the program at an acceptable rate.

The evaluation tools used within the Opticianry Courses can be (but are not limited to):

• Assignments
• Projects
• Surveys
• Discussions
• eMail
• Student Log-in Tracking Records
• Quizzes
• Midterm Exams
• Final Exams

QUIZZES: The QUIZZES used in the Opticianry Courses are presented to the student through the Online@HCC/ Blackboard Courses. The number of quizzes/ value of each quiz/ availability and deadline for submission of quizzes are all dependent on the individual instructor's preference and course information.

All Quizzes presented to Students are online. Quizzes are taken according to the Course Calendar. Quizzes are evaluated automatically and students have access to the results immediately upon submission of a completed Quiz.

The HCC Opticianry Program allows two (2) attempts for each quiz presented (Example: Quiz 1a and Quiz 1b/ Quiz 2a and Quiz 2b/ etc) The Opticianry Program views Quizzes as learning tools. By offering the Student 2 attempts- the student has an opportunity to better prepare for more heavily point valued Exams.

Any “Quiz A” quiz, once submitted, will present the student with their total score and the answer they submitted for each question. In this manner, the Student can identify information they may have not committed to memory or overlooked in their studies. Once these weak areas are identified, the Student can remediate themselves and attempt the quiz again – “Quiz B.”

Any “Quiz B” quiz, once submitted, will present the student with their total score, the answer they submitted AND the correct answer for each question. Because the correct answers are presented to the student through Quiz B- if at any time a student takes “Quiz B”- the score for Quiz B (higher or lower) is the score that will be recorded for the student’s record. Students are not required to take Quiz B- but should they submit Quiz B, that is the grade that will be recorded.

FINAL EXAMS: Final Exams are administered On-campus for ALL Students. ALL Students are required to schedule time to come to an Opticianry Program Campus to take Final Exams EVERY SEMESTER. Final Exam Sessions are scheduled during the last week of each semester. The Opticianry Program requires in-person evaluation of a Student’s skills in various competencies, therefore, on-campus final exams are the only option for our students.

Be sure to review the Final Exam Schedule on the Opticianry Website every semester.

Final Exam Information (Opticianry Website)


MIDTERM EXAMS: Midterm Exams are presented for many of the Opticianry Courses (not all Opticianry Courses.) Should your course have a Midterm Exam, the Syllabus will state such. Students have two (2) choices as to where to complete Midterm Exams: On-campus or Off-campus.

Students taking Midterm Exams ON-CAMPUS are required to review the Midterm Exam Schedule on the Opticianry Website. On-campus Midterms are administered during regularly scheduled class times during Midterm Exam Week.

Students taking Midterm Exams OFF-CAMPUS are required to submit information identifying a Midterm Proctor. The Midterm Proctor must be someone willing to receive midterm exams for the students, schedule a time for the student to take the exams (during the Midterm Exam Week) and be willing to mail the Midterm Exams back to the Opticianry Program by the Midterm Exam Postmark Deadline for the student to receive credit for the exams.

• ALL STUDENTS (whether taking exams on or off campus) MUST SUBMIT MIDTERM PROCTOR INFORMATION EVERY SEMESTER.
• Midterm Proctor Information must be submitted every semester whether the information has changed or not
• ONLY the approved Midterm Proctor is permitted to handle the exams. At no time should a student handle the exams other than to take the exam(s) at the scheduled day/ time during midterm week. The Proctor must mail the exams back to the Opticianry Program by the deadline date presented on the Opticianry Website.
• Midterm Proctor Information must be submitted by all Students prior to the third (3rd) week of every semester.

Online Course Information 

The HCC Opticianry Program utilizes a Learning Management System (LMS) called BlackBoard. HCC's online courses are known as Online@ HCC. 

Prior to FALL 2011 Online@ HCC utilized an LMS known as WebCT. The new BlackBoard LMS is very different. Beginning Fall 2011 the HCC Opticianry Program will convert all OPT Courses to the new BlackBoard LMS. The new LMS will require some time for your Instructors as well as OPT Students to get used to and to work out any technical issues.

All current and future OPT Students are to review the BlackBoard Instructional Videos prior to the start of classes. Please be aware of the important information below:

• You must Register through the new HCC User Account Managment System called Active Directory. Valid Active Directory Accounts will allow you to manage your passwords for HCC systems and provide access to your online courses.
• You must have a valid HCC ID# to register in the Active Directory
• Please check the Opticianry Website/ Current Student Information periodically prior to the start of each semester for any updates to the online course management system.

Click HERE to open the instructions on how to register your Active Directory Account

The HCC Opticianry Program utilizes Blackboard Learning System as its delivery method for Online Opticianry Courses (through Online@HCC). Blackboard allows our Students to access course information 24 hours per day/ 7 days per week (within the timeframe of any given semester.)

Online Opticianry Blackboard Courses cannot be accessed prior to the first day of classes for any given semester, and ALL course work (assignments, projects, quizzes, exams) must be completed and submitted PRIOR to the Final Exam Week.

The Student is responsible for identifying and completing all course objectives as outlined by the course syllabus.

The HCC Opticianry Program makes every attempt to keep the online courses consistent. Each instructor has their own individual method of presenting and managing course information to and from the students. Although Opticianry Blackboard courses vary in content many of the components of each course remain consistent throughout the program.

The videos posted below will present information about the most common components of the HCC Opticianry Program’s Blackboard Courses. These components include (but are not limited to):

• Course Syllabus
• Course Calendar
• Online Course Content (reading assignments/ lecture videos)
• Private Email
• Public Discussion Board
• Quizzes
 

Watch:

MyHCC Opticianry Online Course Overview Video (10:33 mins) 

The videos below are produced by BlackBoard. They are videos that present the general functions of BlackBoard Course Tools. Although the functionality of the tools presented are consistent with Opticianry Program Courses please understand that each individual Opticianry Course may present the tools in different area of the online course than that presented in the instructional video.

Posted here are links to the most common BlackBoard Course Tools as utilized by the Opticianry Program. A link to all BlackBoard Instructional Videos can be found on the MyHCC Log In page. (NOTE: Not all BlackBoard Tools and functions are used in your Opticianry Courses)

Sending Email From Your Course Video

Creating a Discussion Board Post Video

Submitting an Assignment Video

Taking a Test Online Video

Checking Your Grades Video

It is the Student's responsibility to be aware of the course objectives and requirements. It is the Student's responsibility to have the ability, resources, time and technology required to access their Online Courses as well as complete the objectives of their courses per the requirements of the courses and the program.