Basic Computer Requirements and Skills
The Advanced Learning Technologies division has a Web page that lists the minimum requirements in terms of computer hardware and skills you need to be successful in a course. Follow this link to see that list http://www.alt.usg.edu/ecore/fc/computer-reqs.html
Remember that while you computer skills
many improve, it is not the goal or purpose of an eCore to teach you
basic computer skills.
Therefore, it is highly recommended that you have the following skills
before taking an online course. Please scroll down on this
page.
Internet Skills
- Use a Web browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer not AOL)
- Be able to decipher a URL (i.e. http://www.alt.usg.edu/ecore/fc/computer-reqs.html)
- Be able to use Google
- Manage Bookmarks or Favorites
Email Skills
- Send an email message to someone not in your address book
- Add someone to your address book
- Open an email message
- Reply to an email message
- Attach a document & send to someone in an email message
- Open an attached document that someone has sent to you in an email
- Know better than to forward an email that promises Microsoft will send you a check for $73.34 if you send it to 10 friends
General Skills
- Manage files (locate, copy, attach)
- Download & install software from a website to your computer
- Create a document using Word
- Use a help system to solve a problem or figure out how to do a task that you do not know how to do (i.e. add a header with page numbers and file name to a Word document)
- Install Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer
- Know that rebooting will solve 83% of all computer glitches
Hardware
- The computer you use needs to be nice. If you don't think it is nice, then the course will not be nice either.
- The room that you use the computer in must be yours. 'Yours' in that you control the environment (sound, light, temperature, conversation)
- It is strongly recommended that you have broadband Internet service. Besides being 50 times faster than dial-up, you can talk on the phone and be online at the same time. Expect to pay at least $49 a month.