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Online Learning Technical Requirements

Online Learning Technical Requirements

 

To learn online at Spelman you will need:

  • A reasonable level of computer literacy
  • Regular access to a reliable computer
  • A stable broadband Internet connection
  • A Spelman email account
  • Anti-virus software on computer
  • In addition, your computer will need to have essential software applications for reading PDF files, word processing, presentations, spreadsheets etc.

 

Specific system requirements include:

 

  Minimum Recommended
Operating system Windows 8.1 or higher
Mac OS 10.10 or higher		 Windows 10
Mac OS 10.12
Processor Intel Core i3 or equivalent Intel Core i7 or equivalent
Memory 2 GB of RAM 4 GB of RAM or higher
Internet Connection Broadband (high-speed) internet with a consistent minimum speed of 3 Mbps Broadband (high-speed) Internet connection with a speed of 5 Mbps or higher
Internet Browser Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge Firefox
Java Java JRE 8 is recommended for security reasons, though JRE 7 and 6 may work.
 
Additional software Plugins
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 7 or higher)
  • RealPlayer (version 10 or higher, Windows)
  • Quicktime (version 7, Mac)
Additional hardware
  • Webcam with minimum 640x480 video pixel resolution
  • Speakers
  • Microphone

Integrated webcam, speakers and microphones in laptops are acceptable. As are headsets that combine mic/speakers.

 

Processor

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) functions like the brain of your computer. The speed of your processor–measured in hertz (Hz)– is determined by how many commands it can perform in a given second. The higher the speed, the faster your computer is able to execute commands.

How to determine your computer’s processor speed

 

Memory

Random Access Memory (RAM) is the short term memory where your computer stores temporary commands and information while working. By storing this information in RAM, your computer can access it quickly and operate more efficiently.

Once your RAM is full, your computer begins storing temporary information on your hard drive. Because retrieving temporary data from the hard drive is less efficient, this slows your computer down. So, the more RAM you have, the faster your computer will operate.

How to determine how much memory your computer has

 

Internet Connection

To function properly, Moodle requires a high-speed Internet connection. A consistent minimum speed of 3 Mbps or higher is required.

Check your connection speed now

 

Java

Java is a programming language used in many web applications. Moodle requires Java to power some of its functionality, JRE 8 is recommended.

How to check your Java version