South Campus offers flexibility in OFO classes
by Tiffany Davis, south news editor

     South Campus office assistance students have some new options for the spring semester.
     Open entry/open exit (OE/OE) courses will be available for students enrolled in MS Excel 2000 (POFI 1449) and MS Word (POFI 2401).
     The new approach is the result of a joint effort by Hazel Gee, department chair, and Judy Ivy, assistant professor.
     According to information supplied by Gee, OE/OE is basically removing the time restriction from classes, an adaptation of an approach used in previous years.
     According to Gee, TCC staff recently visited Cedar Valley College in Dallas, and the OE/OE was patterned after its classes.
     “Its [the new format’s] purpose is to provide students an opportunity to progress at their own rate within the confines of the semester time limit. It allows students to work at a time convenient for them,” she said.
     “I expect the changes to provide a positive learning environment that will accommodate all students whether they are full-time or part-time, single students or have families,” Gee said.
     “Once enrollment is complete, there will be an orientation provided for students taking OE/OE courses. Providing that a student is enrolled in one OE/OE course, it is not expected of them to take both MS Excel and MS Word unless they choose to,” Gee said.
     According to Ivy, “Students may come to one of these classes any time Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Students even have the privilege of enrolling up to 4 times a semester. The enrollment dates are located in the spring 2001 schedule of classes.”
     However, later enrollment dates do not mean a later completion date.
     “Although, students are allotted a variety of enrollment dates, they should keep in mind that all assignments are due on the last day of the semester, May 7, regardless of the date he or she enrolled,” Gee said.
     The approach does have one major advantage for students.
     “The good news is, if students desire to finish either of the courses in a month’s time per say or use an entire semester, they have the flexibility to do so,” Ivy said.
     Gee and Ivy predict that students will like the convenience of OE/OE classes.
     “It is our belief that the frequent enrollment dates and the flexibility in attending the classes will attract more students, thereby increase enrollment,” Gee said.
     “Full time qualified instructors will be available during prime time, 9 a.m.-1p.m. and 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.,” she said.
     In addition, learning lab instructors will be available during regular business hours to assist students who are having software problems.
     “Students are expected to put in a certain amount of hours in order to get credit for the class, and they will have to sign a contract that commits them to their hours,” Ivy said.
If the open entry/open exit classes prove successful, Gee and Ivy said they are planning to offer more such classes in the following semesters.
     For more information, contact Gee at 817-515-4701 or Ivy at 817-515-4702.