University of Manitoba: Continuing Education: Distance Delivery

Other Extended Education Program Areas

Distance Delivery

Offerings | Course websites | Required access to online materials | Hardware and software

The following Certificate Programs can be completed by distance delivery:

Several courses in other Continuing Education courses are also offered by distance delivery. Please check the "Delivery" column in the Course Schedule for details.

We offer a variety of ways for our learners to take our courses. Select formats according to your interest and convenience. Types of formats available will vary with courses and programs. Most courses will have a course website.

Course Delivery and Delivery Formats

Courses are delivered in a variety of formats that include classroom instruction, blended learning, online learning and distance/ web-augmented courses.

Classroom courses, otherwise known as face-to face (f2f), requires attendance at weekly classes typically held one evening per week on a Monday through Thursday. The duration of each class will range in length however a typical class is 3 hours long and runs for 12 consecutive weeks.

Blended learning courses are f2f courses, combined with online learning. Learners will be required to attend a few classes and complete various learning activities and/or assignments using an online course website. Online activities can include but are not limited to lectures, group discussions, use of online tools such as Wikis, tests or quizzes, course evaluations and communication with peers and instructors. The combination of classroom time and online time will vary for different courses. The duration for each course includes a range of 10-13 weeks.

Fully Online courses engage learners in a virtually based learning environment for the duration of the course. Learners complete various learning activities using a course website. Activities can include accessing course materials, using online tools e.g. Wikis, participating in class lectures or group discussions, submitting assignments, writing tests or quizzes, participating with course evaluations and communicating with peers and instructors. Virtual class time can be synchronous (real-time, live chat) and asynchronous (e.g. email) activity. Since the learning environment is virtual, the weekly online time will vary depending on the course but the duration for each course can range from 10 – 13 weeks.

Distance / web-augmented courses require learners to review and complete assignments independently and submit for feedback. There is no scheduled class time. Students can retrieve course materials such as course outlines and reading materials, through a course website. Students who do not have access to online technologies can query about options for the retrieval of their course materials. The time for completion will vary for each course but the range is typically 12 – 23 weeks.

Course websites

Online courses are hosted on an online learning management system that allows students to log on to the U of M Web server and interact with their instructor and classmates in a secure environment.

ANGEL is a web-based Course Management System (CMS) that allows instructors to manage course materials and communicate with students. ANGEL can function as a complement to face-to-face courses and as a site for distance learning; all of Continuing Education’s distance courses and many face-to-face courses have an ANGEL website. Course manuals for distance courses are posted in the ANGEL course website. Course outlines and other documents are often posted in ANGEL. Depending on your course and the instructor, you may use ANGEL to send and receive course mail; post messages to threaded discussions and chat rooms; upload assignments and check your grades for assignments during a course. Not all courses will use all the tools.

If this is your first course with us, Continuing Education staff will e-mail you your ID and password after you are registered in a course. You will use the same ID and password for all subsequent courses.
If you register late, be prepared to wait 24 hours before your ID/Password will give you access to ANGEL.

You’ll find the ANGEL homepage at www.umanitoba.ca/angel .
Once you’ve logged on, you’ll be in your ANGEL homepage where you’ll see a list of any courses in which you are currently registered. Click on the course title to get into the course website. Most course information, e.g., assignments, instructor contact information, etc, will be found under the Lessons tab.

Required access to online materials

If you intend to take an Online course, ensure you have convenient Internet access to facilitate adequate access to the online course materials. Accessing course websites from work may require you to make special arrangements with your computer administrator as many organizations have firewalls blocking access to the ports used by the learning management system at U of M. If you intend on accessing your course from work, you will need to confirm that you have access to the correct ports prior to the beginning of term. Attempt to access your course website as early as possible from all computers you intend to use. Further information on specialty ports is available from the login page of the learning management system.

Hardware and software

To view ANGEL, you’ll need a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox 2 or greater, if you use a Mac. We recommend you download the latest version of the browser you use. The System Check information, on the left margin of the ANGEL Learning home page (umanitoba.ca/angel) will help you determine if your browser and plug-ins are adequate.

An online course using a virtual classroom such as iVocalize, will require an inexpensive headset and microphone.
On the ANGEL homepage www.umanitoba.ca/angel you’ll find a Student QuickStart Guide in a PDF. Continuing Education also offers an introduction to ANGEL at its fall Student Orientations for new students. Some instructors will also review ANGEL in their first class.