The Online Degree Dorm Room

online degree programs psychology | a short hardware primer for onine classes

Posted by bposton on December 15th, 2006 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

So what type of computer do you need to take an online class?

The answer can be divided into two sections: first there’s the basics requirements and then there are the specific requirements.

First, the basics. Most communication for an online class is done via e-mail or discussion group (some call it chat rooms), and most if not all of the transactions between you and the instituion, such as class registration, is done via Internet.

You also probably have some electronic textbooks or a combination of hard copy books and electronic books, most of which are in a .pdf format.

So what does that all mean when it comes to the computer you need?

Well, you need a computer that is capable of accessing the internet, and you need to have some form of high speed internet access. Such as DSL, cable modem.

Although some classes are still done via dial-up modem over the internet, I don’t recommend you stick with dial-up access. If you’re serious about taking online classes you will need high speed internet access. That’s because the technology is best used on that type of access.

Also your computer needs to have a fairly fast processor, which means the size of the chip on the CPU. If you don’t know what CPU stands for then let’s just say that you’re better off with a fast computer than an slow one. The geeks at best buy and help you figure that one out

How fast? Well most schools have a webpage where they recommend the minimum technical specifications of the computer. If you have a computer that’s more than 3 years old then you may want to consider reviewing these requirements. If you computer is fairly new then it more than likely already meets or exceeds the requirements.