If you have any policy questions, you should start by reading the campus-wide: UF Acceptable Use Policy.
Students are expected to comply with the University Student Computer Policy. In addition, the College of Education (COE) requires student engagement with technology tasks and assignments needed to meet course objectives and goals. The college uses both Windows and Macintosh based computers. In general, students can expect to need access to a computer for printing and running the most current versions of software. As most Web 2.0 and contemporary instructional practices utilize multimedia, it is also expected that the computer will have video and audio capabilities.
Students in the College of Education should be aware that:
Student access to printers is available in certain locations at the college.The CIRCA and Media Labs located in the basement of Norman Hall provide students with access to these services. However, due to lab hours and available resources, a computer may not always be available for every student. In addition, it is advantageous to have access to a personal computer in many of your classes. Thus, the COE requires access to a computer and recommends that all students have a laptop or mobile computer to bring to class with you.
In accordance with the University Student Computer Policy we require that:
- You have access to a computer for Internet, multimedia, computations, and word processing.
- You can print both text and graphics.
- You regularly monitor your Gatorlink email account for official UF notifications
Computer Guidelines
The College of Education envisions the computer as a significant tool to students, both today and in the future. In an ever changing 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, you must 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. The College of Education requires you to know how to use your computer for word processing, web tasks, email, and other educational tasks.
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 responsibility to see that the repairs are done quickly so you will be able to use your computer for university assignments. Service plans are available from local vendors. Some vendors offer “loaner” computers while repairs are taking place.
