Corporate and Continuing Education
Distance Learning
Honors College
Institute of Excellence in Early Care and Education
Institute of Teacher Education
Learning Unlimited
Library Learning Resource Centers
Vocational Preparatory Instruction Lab

Corporate and Continuing Education
Through Corporate and Continuing Education at each campus location, Palm Beach Community College offers continuing education workshops, seminars, courses and programs designed to meet the learning, professional and development needs of its local community. Through research, development and environmental scans, PBCC continues to be responsive to the economic and workforce development needs of Palm Beach County. Visit www.pbcc.edu/cce.xml for information on registration.

Distance Learning
Distance learning classes through the Internet provide increased student access through alternative education delivery systems and flexibility of time and location. Online courses promote the integration of technology in the learning environment and the globalization of education through electronic access to information and experts worldwide. The chief difference between face-to-face courses and distance learning courses is in the type of course delivery. Course materials are online with the possible exception of testing. Students may contact their professors and other classmates via telephone, email, chat rooms, bulletin boards, or in some instances, on-campus meetings.

These courses have the same educational objectives as face-to-face classes, are fully accredited and appear on a student's transcript the same as a face-to-face class. Distance learning courses require an additional fee of $10 per credit hour.

For more information about distance learning, check the Web at www.pbcc.edu/dl.xml or send an e-mail to learn@pbcc.edu. Many online courses can be found at epbcc.blackboard.com.

WHO SHOULD TAKE A DISTANCE LEARNING CLASS?
Successful distance learning students need to be highly motivated and have good study and time management skills. They must be willing to contact their instructor for assistance when needed and be responsible for completing assignments on time and without reminders. Before students register for a distance learning class the first time, they should visit the distance learning Web site (www.pbcc.edu/dl.xml) and contact an academic advisor for any questions regarding the requirements of distance learning classes.

SUPPORT SERVICES FOR DISTANCE LEARNING STUDENTS
Students registered in distance learning courses receive the same support services as on-campus students. These services include registration, advising, financial aid, disabled student services, bookstore services, tutoring, library services and Testing Center services, as well as many others.

INTERNET COURSES
Internet classes offer a world of resources to students who have Internet access. These classes provide some of the materials in an anytime anywhere mode. Students can keep in touch with the instructor and other students by using the communication tools of the Internet.

Internet courses vary:

1. Pure Internet courses are taken entirely over the Internet. On-campus time is NOT required. Some instructors may request an on-campus orientation meeting or testing.
   
2. Hybrid courses require attendance in a face-to-face classroom in conjunction with activities involving the use of the Internet.
   
3. Component courses are face-to-face classes supplemented with some Internet activities.

Honors College
The second option is to add an Honors component to any credit course, with faculty permission, by completing an Honors project contract. In this case, the student completes an Honors project in the course and meets with the faculty member throughout the term for guidance and advice.

PBCC students qualify for the Honors College with a cumulative 3.5 GPA or acceptable test scores on a placement test. Students who register with the Academic Services Office are given priority registration as Honors College students. Students who graduate from PBCC with a 3.5 GPA and have 12 credit hours of Honors coursework completed with a grade of B or higher are designated as Honors certificate graduates. Students who graduate from PBCC with a 3.5 GPA and have 21 hours of honors courses (including IDS2105) and have completed other criteria as specified on the Honors Web site earn Honors Diplomas. All Honors graduates are given special recognition at the graduation ceremony. PBCC Honors graduates also have many scholarship opportunities when transferring to an upper-division university.

To discover more about the Honors College and its benefits, visit www.pbcc.edu/honors.xml or call Academic Services at (561) 868-3892.

Institute of Excellence in Early Care and Education
The Institute of Excellence in Early Care and Education provides the child care workforce of Palm Beach County with a comprehensive approach to career development. This approach makes available an extensive training selection, career advising, scholarships for qualified applicants, and technical assistance for early child care educators. The goal is a quality, seamless professional development system for early childhood personnel entering and exiting the system at any level. A quality assurance system ensures quality of trainers and trainings. The quality assurance system incorporates guidelines and standards for training activities, including a process for approving trainers who meet these standards. The Institute maintains a registry of approved trainers and training. For more information on the Institute's offering and supports, please visit www.pbcc.edu/IEECE.xml.

Institute of Teacher Education
The Institute of Teacher Education was created at PBCC to address the critical teacher shortage in Palm Beach County. The Institute programs, collaborative efforts with the School District of Palm Beach County and Florida Atlantic University, include

• The Teacher Certification Program - a certification pathway for professionals with non-education bachelor degrees

• PBCC/FAU 2+2 Program for mathematics and biology teacher education - FAU upper-level coursework offered at PBCC's Lake Worth campus

• The Substitute Teacher Academy - a noncredit program for K-12 substitute teacher preparation consisting of six courses and 45 contact hours. Topics include Introduction to Substitute Teaching, Classroom Management and Control (separate courses for elementary and secondary education), Presentation Techniques, Technology in the Classroom, and Lesson Planning.

• Professional Development - noncredit workshops for Florida Teacher Certification Exam preparation and credit courses for ESOL compliance.

Scholarships may be available for some programs. To find out more about the Institute of Teacher Education, go to www.pbcc.edu/Teachered.xml.

Learning Unlimited
Learning Unlimited is a noncredit enrichment program for adults of all ages. Instructors are local experts known in their fields teaching short-term, personal enrichment courses in current events, history, metaphysics, alternative health, art, music, dance, finance and more. The inexpensive courses are held days and evenings at PBCC in Boca Raton and Belle Glade. For more information, call (561) 862-4725 or visit www.pbcc.edu/lul.xml .

Library Learning Resource Centers
Library services and resources support the curriculum, faculty and students at all PBCC locations. Campus libraries maintain a diverse collection of materials that includes books, periodicals, local, state and national newspapers, microfilm and reference materials. Access to all library materials and electronic collections of books, periodicals and journals are available through LINCC (Library Information Network for Community Colleges), the online catalog. Over 2,000 journals and periodicals are available online and in full text, and electronic books add more than 10,000 volumes to the collection. Florida Atlantic University provides PBCC at Boca Raton with library service through a joint-use agreement.

Librarians are faculty members who are professionals in the research process. They work closely with students in finding and using information and developing information literacy skills. Librarians offer individual and classroom instruction in the use of resources and work collaboratively with other faculty to develop innovative approaches to using library resources. Librarians teach credit courses in the use of electronic resources and teach online courses using the latest technology.

Additional services provided by the library include: an interlibrary loan service that links all Florida community college libraries, universities and public libraries together for cost-free lending/borrowing of materials; a reserve collection of materials; a computer/instruction lab; study rooms and private study areas; photocopiers, and a virtual reference desk (Ask-a-Librarian). Students also have borrowing privileges at FAU and with area libraries that are members of the Southeast Florida Library Information Network (SEFLIN).

Library hours vary on each campus and between terms. Current information is available at www.pbcc.edu/llrc.xml.

Vocational Preparatory Instruction Lab
The Vocational Preparatory Instruction Lab (VPI) offers a series of short-term courses for Post Secondary Adult Vocational (PSAV) students who wish to remediate for all or part of the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE). The VPI Lab offers personalized instruction with learning specialists and tutors. Computer programs and additional learning materials are available for the student.

The TABE remediation courses are:

• VPI 0100 - Vocational Preparatory Reading
• VPI 0300 - Vocational Preparatory Language
• VPI 0200 - Vocational Preparatory Mathematics

Before registering for a TABE remediation course, a student should first meet with an advisor to discuss the entrance requirements for his or her specific program. Students should then visit the VPI Lab and obtain a TABE course application, schedule, and further information. There is a $30 fee for each TABE remediation course. A required workbook for each course is available in the college bookstore.