Designed for students who cannot attend traditional, on-campus classes, a telecourse is a complete and integrated instructional package that generally includes television or audio programs, a textbook, a student study guide, and materials for teachers, such as a faculty guide and test banks. The materials generally reflect the contributions of top scholars and curriculum designers from throughout the country and have been evaluated and refined through testing. The primary difference between telecourses and traditionally taught courses is the manner in which instruction is delivered to students.
Traditional students attend on-campus classes led by a faculty member.
Telecourse students work more independently, watching television or video programs and reading course materials at home or at work. Guidance from the course faculty is offered by mail, email, or telephone, or through class meetings. Class meetings are much less frequent than in traditionally taught classes, because the basic course content is delivered to students through more convenient tools of communication. Telecourse students enroll in the college or university that has adopted the course, pay tuition, have access to all student services, are taught by that institution's faculty, and receive academic credit. Faculty members make similar academic and instructional decisions as in traditionally taught classes, and they communicate with students through a combination of classes, written assignments, email, phone contacts, and mailings.