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Online Student Resources

Are You Ready to be an
Online Student? Do you have:

Self-Assessment Test: Using Blackboard Vista:
(Note: content may refer to WebCT but is still relevant.)

Technical Help

Computer Helpdesk

Do you have access to an Internet-connected computer?

A good setup for an online student is a computer of his/her own with a reliable Internet connection, set up in a quiet location where study and testing can be done without interruptions.

internet accessIt is possible to take an online course by using publicly available computers, such as those in the Library on the Western New Mexico University campus, but it is very difficult to access them whenever you need to, and is not recommended.

To succeed in an online class it is far better if you have access to your own computer where you can do your class work on your own schedule. This will involve reading or printing materials, and may well involve uploading completed assignments or even downloading and installing browser helper programs if your computer is not adequately configured.

The location of this computer is also important. It needs to be located in a relatively quiet place, free of constant distractions, so that you can concentrate on your work.

The following tables summarize the basic and most desirable computer configurations for taking an online course, followed by some specifics about computer use. If you feel you don't need to examine the details below, be aware of the most basic requirements:

  • Dependable access to a relatively new computer.
  • A reliable Internet connection that is reasonably fast.
  • An e-mail account.

If you have these, you have the equipment needed to take an online class. Read on to find out the technical details.

Computing specifications for taking online classes

Computer:

The hardware requirements for taking an online class are fairly minimal. Certainly any computer bought retail within the last four years should be sufficient, given that it meets some basic requirements. Your computer should have a sound card and be running a current operating system (OS) such as Windows XP or Mac OS X, with the current operating system updates. For example, a Windows XP computer should be updated to the latest Microsoft Service Pack; an Apple computer should be updated as far as possible (at time of writing this is OS X 10.4).

Of greater importance is the web browser software used to access the online course. Western New Mexico University uses the Blackboard Learning System to offer all online classes. It is highly recommended that students use an OS/browser combination which is certified to work with Blackboard. In general this would mean on Windows, use the most current Internet Explorer, on Apple, use the most current Safari, and if you must use Firefox or Netscape be careful exactly which version you use.

Hint: To find out what version of the Browser software you are using, start the browser, click the Help menu, then click "About..." A box will pop up telling you the version number.
IE Where do I obtain the latest free version of Internet Explorer? Here.
Firefox Where do I obtain the latest free version of Firefox? Here.
Safari Where do I obtain the latest free version of Safari? Here.

Email software:

You must have a reliable email account to take an online class. Western New Mexico University provides all students with email accounts, and uses that account for all official WNMU business transactions. However, you are free to use a different email account if you wish, such as an account from Google, Hotmail and Yahoo. They are free and generally work well.

Free browser plug-ins:

Many online classes will use browser helper programs, or "plug-ins" to access certain class materials. We recommend installing the following free plug-ins:
girl with laptopMany courses require word processing, so we generally recommend that you use Microsoft Word and save your document as a Word "doc" file. If you do not have Word, you must use another word processing program such as WordPerfect or Works, and save your documents in "Rich Text Format," commonly known as "RTF" format. There may be some additional software required, depending on the exact class you are taking. You should contact your instructor to learn about any other software requirements.

About the Blackboard System

Western New Mexico University uses the Blackboard learning management system to present online classes. Blackboard is an easy-to-use, web-based system that works best with the Internet Explorer browser. If you are a Windows user, Internet Explorer is recommended over Firefox. If you are a Mac user, Safari will work only with certain Mac operating systems. Click here for details.

Browsers settings

Blackboard requires a browser that is both Java and JavaScript enabled. You must also be sure that cookies are enabled. These settings are on by default in all the Blackboard Certified browsers. Any pop-up blocker software should be disabled for the Blackboard system.

How do I turn off my pop-up blocker?

This would depend on exactly which pop-up blocker you have; some browsers have built-in blockers, most add-on toolbars (Yahoo! and Google toolbars, for example) also have blockers, and some Internet security software (McAfee Personal Firewall, for example) may also block pop-ups. In any event, there should be an option to allow pop-ups based on the site they are from. For specifics on how to configure these pop-up blockers you may have to consult the product documentation.
girl with booksWhat if I am an AOL user?

You can still access the Blackboard system, but you cannot do it with AOL's browser. You need to have Firefox or Internet Explorer on your system (or an approved version of Safari if you are a Mac user).