Computer Requirements

Getting Started

Welcome to the world of online learning! We want you to be successful in your online studies; therefore, we created this document to provide you with an overview of the materials, technical equipment and basic skills required to succeed as a distance learning student.

Hardware Requirements

Taking a course delivered via the Internet means that you will need a computer, required software and a connection to the Internet. Let’s start with the computer.

You may use a PC or a Macintosh to complete your online course. At a minimum, your computer should meet the following requirements:

If you purchased a computer within the last two or three years, in all probability your computer meets these minimum requirements. Next, we need to look at plug-ins.

Plug-ins

Plug-ins are small applications that allow your Internet browser to display and/or access the latest tools used in web pages. For example, many websites display short films or tutorials that use the program Flash. If you do not have the Flash plug-in, then your computer will not display Flash based materials.

Click Here to see a list of common plug-ins

Browser Settings

Your web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer) has setting that you may need to adjust. If your browser’s settings are not adjusted properly, then you will experience difficulties while taking your course. You may have difficulty remaining in a chat session or staying logged into your course.

Learn How to Adjust You Browser Settings: Click Here

Basic Computer Skills

To be a successful distance learning student, there are some basic skills you will need to be successful. The list below, while not comprehensive, provides a checklist of basic computer skills.

I can:

• Use email
• Attach a document to an email message
• Navigate web pages
• Type a URL in a web browser
• Download a file from a website
• Upload a file to a website
• Use a discussion board
• Participate in a chat session
• Use the Internet to research information

If you feel your basic computing skills are lacking, then the following links can assist you gain those basic skills.

• Attach a document to an email message.
• How to navigate within your course.
• How to use a discussion board.
• How to participate in a chat session.