Personal Skills

Hardware and Operating System

Machines: You'll need your own computer or reliable access to a computer; it's usually possible to use machines in the campus computer labs. It doesn't matter whether the machine was built by IBM, Dell, Gateway, Compaq, Apple, Power Computing, Joe's Black Boxes, or any other computer manufacturer, as long as it can run the kinds of software required to function on the Web.

OS: On that machine there must be an OS (operating system). Again, you have a choice. You can use anything from Windows 3.1 onward: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows Me, Windows XP, etc. Likewise, you can use any Macintosh OS, UNIX, etc. Most commonly you'll be using the Windows or Mac OS, but -- as with hardware -- you can use any OS that supports the kinds of software required to function on the Web.

Modem: Generally speaking, you'll need a modem to connect to the Net. (Perhaps you'll be on a network with a different kind of connection, or maybe you'll have a cable, ISDN, or DSL connection.) The modem can be internal or external. There are many makes and models, but you'll want at least a 28.8 kps modem for taking an online course, and faster is always better.

Soundcard and speakers: If your machine does not have built-in sound output, then you may want to install a soundcard and connect a pair of speakers so you can hear audio files. (Nowadays, almost every computer already has these capabilities.) For a few online courses, the ability to listen to audio files and/or view online video files is a requirement; again, check your section homepage for specific details.

Personal Skills

Connectivity

ISP: Unless you're relying on the campus computer labs, you'll need access to the Internet and its World Wide Web through an ISP (Internet Service Provider). This can be through a local ISP or through an international online service such as AOL, MSN, etc. Either way, an account will typically run anywhere from $15 to $25 monthly and should provide you with all the connectivity required to get online. Your ISP might also provide you with free, pre-configured web browser, email, and/or other applications.

On campus: Students without access to the Net through home or office might be able to use a machine in one of the campus computer labs. Even if you rely on machines in the campus labs, to utilize the email aspect of a course, you must have your own email account. Free email accounts are readily available from many online sources such as Yahoo and Hotmail, or you can obtain an SRJC student email account.  

Personal Skills

Software and Helper Applications

Web browser: The fundamental piece of software required to take an online course is a web browser. The primary choices for browser are Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Firefox, and (for Macs only) Safari. There are other choices, but these are the two for which our online courses are optimized and the two we most recommend. However, it's important to keep in mind that both these browsers have evolved (and continue to do so), and that older versions might not work well with some of the newest online features and technologies. For example, you'll want a browser which supports HTML forms, frames, tables, and so on. At a minimum -- as of today, and subject to change -- you will want at least Navigator 3.0 or Explorer 2.0. Browsers are readily available at no charge on the Net.

Email app: Again, many choices. You can simply access email accounts such as Yahoo and Hotmail with your web browser, or you can use a stand-alone email application such as Eudora, or you can use an integrated email and scheduling app such as Outlook. Freeware versions of many email applications are available on the Net.

Audio/video player: If you want to listen to/view audio files and/or video files broadcast in real-time -- and some courses may require you to do so -- you'll need an audio/video player. SRJC online classes generally use RealPlayer, and you can download it at no charge. Occasionally, a class will use audio or video clips in other formats, which might mean you'll need a different free player. Check the section homepage of your online class for details.

Chat/Instant messaging: Most classes which offer online chat will utilize SRJC's proprietary, browser-based system which requires no special software or advanced skills. In addition, some students like to interact with each other using other chat or instant messaging software. This is seldom required by any of our online classes, but you might find some of the free applications available on the Web helpful for communicating with classmates.

Personal Skills

Basic Computer Skills

General procedures: You ought to recognize all the components of your computer system (monitor, CPU, keyboard, mouse, modem, etc), know how to turn on your system and turn it off correctly, and know how to use your OS to locate and launch the applications you'll need.

File management: You should understand the fundamentals of creating directories ("folders") on your hard drive, and storing files ("documents") in those directories, as well as creating, finding, and moving files and directories. Beyond those basic skills, you should have some concept of how to structure and manage the storage of materials on your hard drive for easy retrieval.

Typing: Working on the Internet does not require super-fast keyboarding skills, but working at the "hunt and peck" level might prove to be very frustrating in an online course.

Mouse: The Internet is very much a GUI (Graphical User Interface) environment, so you'll need to know how to point, click, double-click, and drag with your mouse or trackball.

Copy and paste: You should be familiar with copying text from one document or application and pasting it into another document or application, such as moving material from a word processor into an email message.

Passwords: You will need to know the importance of remembering your username and password and of saving them in a safe and secure place. You will also need to understand the distinction between uppercase and lowercase letters and how the "caps lock" key can interfere with password entry.

Email address: Most classes will require you to use your email address frequently. You'll want to have one reliable email address to use throughout the class, you'll want to have it perfectly memorized, and you'll want to always have it at your fingertips so you can type it whenever necessary.

Connecting: Whether you're using a local ISP or an online service, you'll be responsible for having your telecommunications software properly configured and knowing how to connect your system to the Internet.

Trouble-shooting: Most of all, you should feel comfortable enough not to panic when something goes wrong, but to calmly assess what has happened, what might have caused it, and how it might be remedied.

If you aren't comfortable with these basic computer skills, then you will probably want to consider taking an introductory course (such as "How to Take an Online Class") before attempting an online course.

Personal Skills

Specific Software Skills

Web browser: You should have some experience with your preferred web browser, probably Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari. You should know how to recognize and use text links, graphical links (icons), and image maps to zoom around the Web. (If you arrived here on your own, you probably know how to do all that.) You should also know how to type in a URL and have an idea of how to read, verify, and correct a partial or inaccurate URL. You should realize that many webservers are case-sensitive when reading URLs, so captial letters can prevent an otherwise accurate URL from functioning. You will certainly want to know how to bookmark pages and understand the rudiments of performing a web search through Yahoo, Google, or other popular search engines. You should be familiar with buttons like "forward" and "back" and know the importance of the "reload" (or "refresh") button, and know how to print webpages. You should have some idea of how to personalize your browser with various options and preferences like choosing the "home" webpage which automatically loads at the start of your session, choosing fonts and font sizes, etc. More advanced users may find it useful to know how to view the source code for a webpage and how to save online images.

You should have some practice at filling out and submitting online forms and knowing, for example, that if you shut down your system before the form is submitted you will not be able to retrieve your partially completed answers.

Email: You should be comfortable using an email application such as Eudora, Outlook, or browser-based email. It will be helpful to know how to send a single message to multiple recipients, how to forward mail, how to save copies of your outgoing mail, and how to organize and preserve class-related mail for future reference. In some cases you might want to know how to attach a document to your outgoing email message and also how to find and open files (such as word processing documents, spreadsheets, etc) which have arrived as attachments to incoming email messages.

Mailing lists: In addition to one-on-one email skills, you will want to comprehend a little about automated mailing lists (known generically as "list servers"). For example, it's important to remember that a message sent to a List will be automatically broadcast to everyone who is subscribed to the List, but won't be received by people who subscribe at a later time. It's also a good idea to understand the basics of interpersonal behavior and etiquette in the context of the mailing List of an online course.

Viruses: You should be aware that it's not possible to get a computer virus from an email message. However, it is all too likely that your computer can become infected with a virus carried by an email attachment. As long as you don't open such an attachment, you're safe; so never open an email attachment until you have checked it carefully with an up-to-date virus protection package. Don't be afraid of viruses, but be cautious.

FTP: In some cases you might want to be able to download a file -- such as an Excel spreadsheet or a browser "helper" application -- from an online directory. This can require knowledge of directing the download to a specific directory on your hard drive, finding it when it has arrived, "unstuffing" or "unzipping" it if it has been stored in a compressed format, and opening it with a suitable application (such as Excel) or configuring it to run on your system.

Audio: When receiving an audio or video broadcast via the Internet through your web browser, a "helper" application -- usually Real Player -- automatically launches to handle the file and provide an interface through which you can control the sound and image. (If you don't have an audio/video player, you'll probably want to download a free copy-- which might require some knowledge of FTP procedures; see above.) You'll want to know how to pause, rewind, fast forward, etc.

If you aren't already familiar with these kinds of online skills, then you will probably want to consider taking introductory courses to become more familiar with your computer, your software, and the Net before tackling a full-fledged online course.

Specific Software Skills

Personal Skills and Tips

Thanks to Barbara Heiman for providing the original version of this material.

Be realistic about how much time an online class will take. Expect to spend at least as much time in an online section of a course as you would in a classroom section of the same course. Schedule your "class" time weekly, just as if you were physically coming into class. Get your weekly assignments in on time, so you don't lose points.

Participate actively in our online community. Some people find email and the Internet very intimidating. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Take advantage of course resources such as the class mailing List, the List archives, and so on.

Stay in touch. Most instructors will require certain minimum online participation each week and may drop you from the class if you don't participate regularly.

Log on to the class Internet materials at least once a week. Materials, assignments, and expectations can change rapidly in an online course. You'll want to keep current with the class webpages.

Don't fall behind. It's so easy to procrastinate when you don't have to physically arrive in a classroom on time or turn in your work in person. Meet the deadlines for your assignments.

Don't be shy-- ask for help! Although you may not be able to see your instructor and your classmates, they are all available online.

After you've read through this information, spend a minute with our Self-Assessment Quiz to see if you're ready to take an online course.