Online learning is a unique experience from traditional, on-campus classes. Ocean County College recognizes these differences and has developed a list of commonly asked questions to help you start your online educational journey. Below, find answers to commonly asked questions, including images and links to additional resources. Students with questions regarding policies and procedures, such as Attendance and Plagiarism policies, should refer to the Student Resources page.
Students who are enrolled in an online course are not required to meet in person as all course content, reading/resources, class discussions, assessments, assignments, feedback and communications occur entirely online through Canvas, which is our learning management system.
Students should possess strong time management skills and the ability to self-direct to succeed in online courses. Additionally, basic computer skills are required for online classes, which include sending and receiving email, word processing, cutting and pasting within documents, toggling between applications, and using email attachments. In specialized courses, other skills may be required.
Before class, please review the Technical Requirements page in Canvas for computer specifications. Please be aware, the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPN) or any software or hardware that masks your IP address is not allowed in your online courses. Disable any and all IP masking technologies before logging into your Ocean County College course. Masking your identity in an online course is a form of academic dishonesty and may result in failure or removal from your online course.
To learn about basic computer requirements, visit the Canvas guide.
To test that your browser is compatible, visit the Browser and Computer Requirements page.
You can access Canvas through the Ocean Connect portal on the OCC home page. Your log-in is the same as your other OCC credentials. See the image below for where to find the Ocean Connect portal on the homepage. 
All online courses have a “Need Help?” section found in the modules. This is an excellent tool for students, containing all the tools students need to successfully navigate through Canvas. The image below shows you the resources available in Canvas.
For questions about Canvas, please call our Student Canvas Support Hotline, (877) 940-0472 or click the Help icon in your Canvas course navigation bar. See the image below for where to find the Help icon on the Canvas Navigation Bar. 
Students should interact with their instructors through their Canvas course email tool for student/teacher correspondence. Instructors may also provide phone numbers on the course home page for more urgent and rapid communication to take place. See the image below for how to find the Canvas email tool. 
Each online course at OCC is unique. All coursework will be assigned, completed, and submitted online. There are no requirements for hard copy submissions. All exams are taken online. Visit the Canvas Student Guide page for more detailed information.
Our Online Resource manual has answers to common technical problems for students. Visit the Online Resource Manual to learn more.
Brainfuse Online Tutoring is available for all online students. This tool is conveniently located under the Course Navigation in Canvas.
Additionally, Ocean County College provides counseling, academic advising, tutoring, and library services. For more information about tutoring, visit the Tutoring Webpage.
To learn more about Writing Services, visit the Writing Services webpage.
You can order your textbook online or visit the Ocean County College Bookstore in person to purchase your books. For more information, visit the Ocean County College Bookstore Website.