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Distance Education
What is Distance Education?
Distance Education (D.E.) is any instruction that takes place outside the main classroom setting.
Does MCC Offer Distance Education Courses?
Maui Community College and The University of Hawaii System offers its students the opportunity to supplement their on-campus course work or take their entire AA or upper-division or graduate-level requirements for selected majors and programs through distance education (D.E.). Classes offered through D.E. are regular MCC/UH classes taught by MCC/UH faculty and have the same pre-requisites and requirements as classes taken on campus.
Why Take Classes Via Distance?
Many students enroll in D.E. classes because they cannot spend enough time on campus during the day to complete the courses they need. A typical D.E. student at MCC might work full-time and almost never come to campus. Or, it might be someone whose work and other demands limit visits to campus each week. In addition, many on-campus students use D.E. classes as an alternative when other classes are full or if they need some flexibility in their course schedule. The majority of distance education classes at MCC are lower-division (freshman and sophomore level) courses. Upper division (junior, senior and graduate-level) classes are also available via distance education, but most of these must be taken on campus in a specified D.E. classroom.
What Types of Distance Education Courses Does MCC Offer?
Classes are offered in a variety of formats including:
  1. •Cable television classes (MCC-TV Cable 55)
  2. •Interactive television courses (Skybridge/Hits)
  3. •Internet courses
  4. •Face-to-face classes at off-campus Education Centers
  5. •DVD/VHS courses
Cable Television Courses - MCC-TV Cable 55
Lectures are broadcast on MCC-TV Cable 55. Students view the class live on the MCC campus, watch live while at home or work, view the evening re-broadcast, or record broadcasts for viewing at their convenience. The instructor determines the assignment schedule and may also require that you visit campus occasionally for exams or class meetings.
For classes televised on MCC-TV, you must have:
  1. •Access to Oceanic Time/Warner Cable
  2. •A location to view or record class lectures that are played within the County of Maui
Interactive Television Courses - Skybridge/Hits
For interactive television classes, Kahului campus students attend class at one of the interactive classrooms in the Ka’a’ike Building. If you live off island or on rural parts of Maui, you can participate in a live on-campus class from one of our five Education Centers located throughout the county. This allows you to participate in a live class without traveling to the main MCC campus in Kahului.
DVD/VHS Viewing
Some courses are conducted entirely on videotape. If your course uses tape, you must have:
  1. •Access to the MCC Library, The Learning Center, or the appropriate Education Center for viewing. Tapes/DVD’s cannot be loaned out.
  2. •The ability to view videotapes each week to keep pace with the courses syllabus or schedule
Internet Courses
Internet courses are held via computer. Some Internet/on-line courses meet occasionally in a traditional face-to-face classroom environment. The remainder of each course presentation, interaction, or activity is delivered through various electronic means (on-line, WebCT, video stream, etc). You should expect to spend at least as much time engaged in course activities with an on-line course as you would in a traditional class (even though you will not be in a classroom).
Requirements:
  1. •You must be able to attend class during the scheduled face-to-face meeting times.
  2. •You must have access to a computer with a high-speed (broadband) Internet connection
  3. •You must have access to a “minimum standards” computer. See minimum requirement description here
  4. •You must have a UH User ID account
  5. •If your class uses WebCT, you will need a WebCT account. The WebCT login ID and password will be assigned to you when you register for a class that requires such an account
Most classes that originate from MCC are available for review in the MCC Library and at
The Learning Center. MCC does not make individual videotapes for students. Tape or DVD’s cannot be checked out overnight. MCC does not make videotapes of courses that are originated elsewhere from the MCC campus. To obtain copies of these courses, you must request copies directly from your instructor. Videotaping a copy of the program when it airs on MCC-TV
Cable 55 is your best option to ensure the ability to review classes. To obtain a current programming schedule, click here.
For interactive television classes at the various Education Centers you must have:
  1. •The ability to attend class at the designated Education Center for the scheduled class times
The MCC course schedule lists current Skybridge/Hits classes and the specific Education Center location for classes in your area. The five Education Centers in Maui County are:
  1. •Hana Education Center
  2. •Kihei Education Center
  3. •Lahaina Education Center
  4. •Lanai Education Center
  5. •Molokai Education Center