Online Learning

your roadmap to success

Have you ever wondered how online students are able to complete their coursework through distance learning? Gulf Coast State College uses the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS), which makes it simple and convenient for anyone to learn, no matter their level of technical ability. Online courses give students, who cannot always attend class at a specific time and location, the flexibility to meet and complete coursework on their own time.

GCSC provides students with an Online Learning Readiness Assessment, as well as a free "Canvas 101" course, to make sure students are prepared to learn in the online environment. Students who have enrolled in GCSC Online courses will participate in online discussion forums, take online assessments, and collaborate with both the instructor and their peers within the Canvas learning environment.

Learning Online 

step 1: my student Dashboard

When your myGCSC student portal was created upon acceptance to Gulf Coast State College, a link to My Student Dashboard was automatically created for you. This is where you will go to register for your classes, check your financial aid status, view your grades, and more.

Learn more about My Student Dashboard

step 2: Canvas

If you are taking online classes, you will need to login through your myGCSC portal to access Canvas. Canvas is where you will review online course lessons, interact with your professor and classmates, submit assignments, take exams, and more.

New to Canvas? This mini-orientation course will help you become more familiar with Canvas, GCSC's primary learning management system. This course is available anytime, so you can see what your online learning environment will look like and learn how to use the tools and features in your own time.

Get Started

step 3: zoom

Ready to ZOOM into your classes at GCSC? Here are some helpful resources to help you prepare for your next Zoom meeting.

• How to Join a Zoom Meeting
• Zoom Training for Students (video)
• Zoom Conferencing Suggestions
• Zoom Etiquette (funny video)

All students and employees of Gulf Coast State College are entitled to library materials and services regardless of location, course, or program delivery method.

• Assistance is available in person, by phone, and online through a variety of formats including chat, email, text, and Library Guides.
• You can access library materials in at the Panama City campus, view them online, or request that they be sent to you. Items are mailed to online students who live outside of Bay County and are sent to our extended campuses through the campus courier.
• For more information, please see the library webpage, call 850-872-3893, or email librarian@gulfcoast.edu. 

Proctored exams/assignments for your GCSC online classes can be taken free of charge at any one of the GCSC Testing Centers. An alternative option for student's whose tests are available online is to use Respondus Monitor, a downloadable testing software that allows you to take proctored exams from anywhere as long a you have a webcam and microphone capabilities. If you choose to take your proctored test(s) at a non-GCSC site, you will be responsible for fees issued by the proctoring institution.

Students living in Bay County will test in the GCSC Testing Center located on the 1st floor of the Student Union West, Room 80. You must make your  appointment(s) using RegisterBlast at least 72 hours in advance of the day you would like to test. Final exams must be scheduled at least one week prior to your preferred test day.

Students living in Gulf or Franklin Counties will test at the Gulf/Franklin Center in Port St. Joe. You must contact the Testing Center at least two weeks prior to the first exam date.

Students requiring a proctor off-site must contact the Testing Center and submit the Off-Campus Proctor Request Form at the beginning of each semester.

Gulf Coast State College (GCSC) supports the student's right to lodge complaints, file grievances and make appeals without fear of adverse action. GCSC has established complaint policies and procedures which apply to all GCSC students on all campuses as well as our Online Learning students. Information on procedures for filing academic appeals or grievances is provided in the GCSC Student Handbook.

Out-of-state online learning students who have completed the internal institutional grievance process and the applicable state grievance process may appeal non-instructional complaints to the FL-SARA PREDEC Council. For additional information on the complaint process, please visit the FL-SARA Complaint Process page.

The purpose of the formal student grievance procedure is to provide a means to mediate a fair and equitable solution to any complaint, other than grades and discrimination, that a student may have with a college employee, office, or policy. The first process to resolve student grievances should be an informal resolution of complaints with the individual(s) involved when possible.

If a student wishes to submit a Formal Student Grievance form, the form should be submitted to the appropriate office for review. Academic complaints, other than grade grievances, should be submitted to the Vice President, Academic and Student Affairs. Complaints related to disability services, public safety, or the help desk should be submitted to the Vice President of Student Affairs. Complaints involving enrollment, registration, advising and other student related services should be submitted to the Vice President of Student Affairs.

Once the Formal Student Grievance has been submitted to the appropriate office, the complaint will be investigated. Any student who submits a Formal Student Grievance form will be notified of the resolution. Every effort will be made to resolve the complaints within 14 business days, however, time may be extended by mutual consent of the parties concerned.

Online Learning students who have completed the internal institutional grievance process and the applicable state grievance process may appeal non-instructional complaints to the FL-SARA PREDEC Council.

As a student in an Online Learning course, you are obligated to the following responsibilities:

1. Always adhere to the Academic Honesty Policy for the course. You are asked to make your own guarantee that the integrity of the course is not compromised.
2. Ensure that your technology meets the minimum requirements for the
   GCSC's Canvas System.
3. Give yourself ample time to study the course material, complete assignments and take any practice tests made available to you. The practice tests have been designed to help you better prepare for the actual tests.
4. Take your tests as scheduled. A large window of opportunity to take tests is provided. Begin the test with ample time left. Do not start a test with only 1 or 2 hours before the deadline. Should you happen to get knocked offline or disconnected, there may not be enough time left to complete the test once you are back online.
5. If you need to withdraw from a course, you must complete a formal withdrawal form and submit to Enrollment Services before the published deadline. Once the form is submitted, contact your instructor to advise him/her of your withdrawal request.

 

Florida college students have the option to apply to another Florida college or university, as a transient student, to take courses that will count toward their GCSC degree. If you are currently enrolled at Gulf Coast State College, you must go through the FloridaShines transient student process. If you are not a GCSC student, contact your home institution for more information about the transient student process.

To begin the application process through FloridaShines be sure to have this information available:

• Student identification and PIN/password
• Social Security Number (If you don't have a Social Security Number, please enter nine zeros)
• Term and year when you want to take the course
• Course information, including prefix number, title and credit hours (If you used the online course catalog to find and apply for a course, this information will be pre-populated in the application)
  
  

Once your application is accepted, you will receive an email notification from the transient institution that may include special information about next steps, including information about an admissions application fee, if any.

After both institutions approve your transient application, you will need to log into GCSC Lighthouse using your GCSC student ID (A00....) to confirm course registration and payment.  

If you application is denied, please contact the person who denied the application for more information. Contact information is included in the email you receive.

You can track your application process via FloridaShines.org.  You should also receive updates on the status of your application via email.

For additional assistance, contact advising@gulfcoast.edu.

FloridaShines Transient Student Admission Application

No problem! Start here.

Professional Licensure

If applicants or students are earning an online degree while residing outside of the state of Florida, Gulf Coast State College will provide them with current contact information for any applicable licensing boards and will help them determine whether the program meets requirements for licensure in the state where they are located.