Computer Guidelines
The College of Education envisions the computer as a significant tool to students, both today and in the future. In an everchanging market, it is difficult to recommend what computer a student should buy. As technological advances occur with increasing frequency, we realize that a computer purchased at the freshman level might not be acceptable during the senior year. Since you enter the College of Education as a junior, we recommend that you wait as long as possible to determine what computer is right for you.
The College of Education has carefully considered what tasks you will be performing during your time at UF, and has provided possible suggestions for compliance with the University Student Computer Policy. The computer platform predominately used in the College of Education is the Macintosh. Many of the colleges at the University of Florida use a Windows-based platform. Since the nature of your future work environment is unpredictable, this mix of computer platforms has the potential to be very beneficial to you. It is our desire that by providing you with sufficient information, you can make a wise decision regarding the selection of your computer.
In order to comply with the University Student Computer Policy and work in accordance with the College of Education, it is required that:
-
You have access to a computer. University and college assignments will require you to use your computer for a variety of tasks including email, web access, multimedia, computations, and writing.
-
You can print both text and graphics. If you bring diskettes or zip disks to campus, you may be able to print material from them using University computers. You will be charged a nominal fee for this service.
-
You can access the Internet using your computer. Accessing the Internet will be required for many of your courses. Using Gatorlink, a university service, Internet access is free for students for up to 15 hours per month. The University provides email addresses for all students, staff, and faculty at no charge. The UF Software CD may be purchased at the Campus Shop and Bookstore.
-
The College of Education requires you to know how to use your computer for word processing, web tasks, email, and other educational tasks. You should be able to use the latest version of Netscape.
It is unlikely that the computer system you purchase today will be adequate to the task you will be required to form in several years. Plan to upgrade your computer or otherwise improve the computer you are using during your stay at UF.
When your computer needs repair, it is your responsiblity to see that the repairs are done quickly so you will be able to use your computer for university assignments. Service plans are availalbe from local vendors. Some vendors offer "loaner" computers while repairs are taking place.
Educational Technology minors will be expected to have additional computer skills. For example, accessing and creating web pages, and creating electronic slide shows are tasks you should be able to perform. If specific skills are required in certain classes, they will be taught to you. Please note that creating web pages and slide shows dictate that you would have various types of productivity software. Educational Technology classes are offered on the Macintosh platform. Therefore, it is highly recommended that Educational Technology minors purchase a Macintosh computer.
