Online Programs Technology Requirements

In order to get the most from your Masters degree at Lesley, you will need to be familiar with the basic technology that your program requires. Most students find it best to familiarize themselves with the technology prior to the start of class so that they can concentrate on the content of the course. This handout will guide you through the steps you should take to prepare your computer and yourself.

Is Your Computer Ready?

To be successful in your degree program you need to have access to a computer that is up to the tasks you have ahead of you. In general, if you have a computer that was new in the past three years, you should be fine.

More specifically, please check that you have the following:

• If you have a PC, it should have Windows XP or higher and at least 2 GB of RAM (To find the amount of RAM click on 'start, select the Control Panel and then click on "System.")
• If you have a Macintosh, you need to have OS X Version 10 or higher and at least 2 GB of RAM (To find the RAM go to the "Apple" menu, select the first option that says "about this Mac.")
• Everyone should have: a sound card, speakers, a microphone (either built in or external), a webcam (either built in or external), and a CD-RW drive.
• You need a high-speed, reliable internet connection; dial-up will not work. NOTE: If you rely on your school's Internet connection, be aware that firewall restrictions may exist that prevent you from accessing some of the sites used in the courses.
• A way to back up your work - a flash drive or external hard drive

What software do you need?

All graduate programs at Lesley require that you have the following downloadable on your computer:

• Firefox http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/personal.html (free)
• Adobe Reader http://get.adobe.com/reader/ (free)
• Flash Player http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/ (free)
• QuickTime Player http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/ (free)
• Antivirus software such as MacAfee, Semantic, or Norton Utilities
• An integrated word processor/spreadsheet package, preferably Microsoft Office version 2003 or higher.
  The following resources are free and will, in general, work just as well:
  • Open Office works on PCs http://www.openoffice.org/
  • Neo Office works on a Mac. http://www.neooffice.org
  • Google Docs work on both. http://docs.google.com

myLesley

myLesley is the online environment that complements your in-class learning experience, or can act as your "classroom" for a fully online course. You can access courses and the library online databases from any location through a web browser as long as you know your user name and password. If cannot remember your username and password, call the myLesley support center at 1.800.mylesley (1.800.695.3753).

Before your first class begins, you should login and become familiar with the tools in myLesley. If you need help, access the tutorial called myLesley 101, which is a self-paced online course. You can access the course in myLesley by clicking on the "my services" tab (if your program is on-campus or online) or your myStart page (if your classes are off-campus), and then clicking "myLesley 101 for Students."

Where to Get Help

Lesley University offers support to students who have questions related to technology. Check out the student support page for information on some of the commonly used technologies at the university. Below is contact information for assistance.

• For help with myLesley contact the myLesley support center at 1.888.mylesley.
• For assistance with your Lesley email or other online services, please contact University Technology at 617.349.8770 or ut@lesley.edu
• The University provides online training tutorials on a variety of software titles such as Microsoft Office, Blackboard/myLesley plus many other tools. These tutorials are located on your myStart page (if your program is off-campus) or the myServices tab (if your program is online or on-campus).

What are Your Technology Skills

The online, hybrid and technology- enhanced courses at Lesley do not require sophisticated computer skills to be successful. In order to be successful, you should be able to perform the following:

1. Create word processing documents – copy and paste, spell-check
2. Create and send email messages that include attachments
3. Open video and audio files located on a website
4. Search for information on the web.
5. Manage your computer files and folders – save, name, copy, rename and delete

You may want to seek assistance if you are not comfortable with any of these skills.

Tips for Time Management

Because an online or hybrid course doesnt have the structure of a face-to-face course, you may want to put some extra thought into how you will organize your time.

Many students find it helpful to select specific days for completing work that needs to be done online. You also might identify specific times that work for you (e.g. before work, Tuesday nights when your partner is out, while the kids watch cartoons on Saturday mornings). Whatever the schedule, it needs to be a schedule that makes sense with the rest of your life activities and yet still has some flexibility. Many students find that spending shorter but more frequent times "visiting the classroom" is more advantageous than longer and less frequent visits.

If you find yourself easily distracted, you may want to close your browser and email when you have reading and writing to work on. This will make it easier to resist the temptation of checking the sports scores, or logging into Facebook, or checking your email.

If you have dial up internet access or access the internet at your school or library, plan to use this time for coursework that requires you to be online. While you have access, you should read and post to the discussion board, access posted materials and post to and read collaborative, online activities. You can download your articles (and even the discussion board) so you can read and do your writing when you are off-line and do only the interactive sections while online.

My Assessment Portfolio (MAP)

MAP is an acronym for "My Assessment Portfolio,"; it is the online software Lesley students use to create electronic portfolios, or e-Portfolios. E-Portfolios provide an easy way for students to document and demonstrate their learning throughout their coursework at the University. Most programs in the School of Education are using MAP; check with your advisor to see if your program is involved.

In order to access your MAP account, you need to register for the orientation course, EORIE 6000. This is an online workshop that must be completed prior to using MAP. You should register for this workshop when you are registering for your first course.

Your MAP user name and password are created within two weeks of the start of your first course. You will receive an email in your Lesley email account with instructions for logging into the MAP system along with information on training and support. While your orientation course contains the information you will need to work with the MAP system, you can also find resources on the Student Resources webpage, at the bottom of the page.