"I'm thinking of purchasing a new computer, are there any special requirements that my computer needs?"

PC	MAC
Windows 98 or later	Mac OS 8.1 or later
90 MHz Pentium Processor	604 PowerPC Processor
32 MB of RAM	32 MB of RAM
56 Kbps modem	56 Kbps modem
Sound card	Speakers
Speakers	Printer Access
Printer Access

In addition, you will need to make sure that you have access to the following software:

• Word Processing: MS Word 5.0 or later (recommended)
• Web Browser: Netscape 4.0 or later; Internet Explorer 4.5 or later
• Email Program
• Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download from Adobe)
• Virus Protection

Lastly, you will need to be able to connect to the Internet. This means that you are going to need an Internet Service Provider (ISP). An ISP is a company that provides you with the necessary software to "dial" the Internet using your computer's modem and software.

"What technical skills will I need to succeed in this course?"

Academic success in your online course will ultimately be a measure of how well you grasp the course's content. However, you will need to certain technical skills so that you can interact with your instructor and other students successfully.

Students should be able to prove that they have basic computing skills in the following areas as a prerequisite for the course:

• Word processing
• File management
• Windows multi-tasking
• Email, including sending and receiving file attachments.
• Navigating the Internet.

It is likely that students will develop new skills as the online course progresses. These skills include:

• Using search engines to locate relevant information.
• Evaluating sources of information for reliability and validity.
• Citing Internet resources.
• Accessing online library resources, like databases.
• Using mailing lists.
• Participating in threaded discussion forums.
• Working collaboratively on papers and projects.
• Downloading and installing software.
• Accessing various multimedia on the Internet, like graphics, audio, video, and simulation.

[go to the webcampus manual]