If you have
questions about this course, please do not hesitate to contact me at UGA via
email (ichoi@uga.edu) or telephone
(706-543-0794).
Software
Requirements
You will need the following software:
- Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Access)
- Macromedia
Dreamweaver CS3 or Google Pages.
- Internet Explorer
web browser (java-enabled with Flash and Shockwave plug-ins installed).
- Email Program
- Gmail account
Some more notes about Dreamweaver vs Google Pages...
You will need the following software:
- Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Access)
- Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 or Google Sites
- Web browser, such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari, that is java-enabled with Flash and Shockwave plug-ins installed.
- Email Program
- Gmail account
Some more notes about Dreamweaver vs Google Sites...
We will teach and
support Dreamweaver and "Google Sites" in this class, but you may use whatever tool you wish to create
and maintain your web-based portfolio.
Google Sites is a free tool offered by Google for creating a web site. It is very easy to learn and use. This tool will be sufficient for participants who do not want or need to know how to create and maintain a Web site using file transfer protocol (FTP) concepts and principles. Dreamweaver is not free. It is a web editor, and a powerful one at that. It is used by professional web designers. Though easy to learn, it requires you to learn and master FTP concepts and principles. If you are going to take advanced multimedia courses in instructional technology, such as EDIT 6190, you will be expected to know a Web editor such as Dreamweaver along with the FTP concepts and principles on which it is based.
More about Dreamweaver...
A good place to get Dreamweaver CS4 at a good price is the following:
http://www.academicsuperstore.com
They have Dreamweaver CS4 for about $195. They also offer some good deals on some of the Adobe "Bundles", such as Adobe CS4 Web Standard , which comes with Dreamweaver, Flash, and Fireworks for about $389 (a good deal if you will be taking some of our department's courses in multimedia development, such as our Studio courses).
By the way, you can download a 30-day trial version of Dreamweaver CS4 from Adobe (http://www.adobe.com/go/trydreamweaver).
Hardware
Requirements
Students will need:
- Windows or Macintosh computer with Internet Explorer, Foxfire, or Macintosh Safari. You must also have access to that computer whenever you need it.
- Access to the Internet with at least a 56K modem, though a high-speed Internet connection (e.g. DSL or cable modem) is strongly preferred.
- Computer headset or speakers with microphone and earphones (even the cheapest should work, just make sure you buy this from the computer section of a store such as Best Buy, K-Mart, etc.). If we need to use Horizon Wimnba, then you need to have a computer headset with microphone.
- Also, you need
access to a scanner and/or digital camera (some way of
getting images into the computer).
- Your computer must be able to view pre-recorded "Impatica" presentations: You need to view pre-recorded presentations of each of the topics covered in this course. These pre-recorded presentations have been designed and narrated by Lloyd Rieber. These presentations have been produced with a commercial tool called "Impatica", hence we will refer to them as "Impatica presentations". These presentations will work on both Windows and Macintosh computers. The main technical requirement is that you must have an Internet browser that is "java enabled". To test whether your computer is able to view these, click here to view a sample Impatica presentation that about creating online professional portfolios. If you are having problems viewing this Impatica presentation, click here for some troubleshooting suggestions.
- If we need to use synchronous technologies, your computer must be compatible to use the "Horizon Wimba live classroom": This is one of synchronous technologies used in the course. It will allow us to meet as a group to discuss the various course topics and participate in other activities, if we decide to use it. To find out if your computer system is compatible with the Horizon Wimba technology run the following wizard (note: if you are missing a component, this wizard will guide you through the steps in downloading and installing the component; and almost everyone will need to install at least one component enabling two-way audio):

Click here (or anywhere on the graphic) to run the wizard.
If your system does not pass all of the tests conducted by the wizard, you should contact UGA's Student Technology Support (STS) for assistance. They provide special support to students enrolled in classes that use the HorizonLive classroom. Students may get assistance by e-mailing hlive@uga.edu or calling STS at 706-542-3333. (If you are unable to resolve the technical problems, you will need to wait and take the on-campus version of this course.)
Some schools have very fast data connections, but they are behind a firewall. So, be sure to run the Horizon Wimba wizard discussed above on the computer you intend to use in class far in advance of the first day of class to be sure you will be able to use it in this class.
- Portable
file storage. Although you will undoubtedly store all of your computer files on your personal desktop computer, almost all students will need to move their projects from one computer to another from time to time, such as those times when you are having difficulty and choose to come to Athens for individual help from the instructor. Therefore, all participants are required to buy a USB Flash mini-drive, an expensive device the size of a keychain that plugs into any computer via the USB port. There are many on the market (two good online sources are http://www.academicsuperstore.com and http://edu.warehouse.com). I recommend one with at least 2GB of storage.
This page last
updated on
June 1, 2009
.