Learning online means you’ll be spending a lot of time in a web browser to access the Campus, obtain readings, do research, and so on. Not all web browsers are the same. While most will open most sites almost identically, some work better in our Moodle environment than others.
Overall, it works best with the campus site, and is easy to use; has better functionality than typical default browsers, good privacy and user protection features.
There are some 3rd party tools that work a bit better in browsers other than in Firefox (or Safari for Mac users). Fortunately, Chrome is an excellent alternative that is free and cross-platform.
https://www.google.com/chrome/
Word processors, spreadsheets and presentation editors are not just core tools for most office environments, but essential tools of the trade for every student.
Available to you for free. We also recommend Mac users to use MS Office for Mac, rather than Apple’s office productivity suite, to avoid certain compatibility issues.
A lot of the content students need to read, will come in a .pdf file format that will require special software to open and read.
Allows you to view PDF files on your desktop and in your browser.
Video chat software requires a webcam and microphone to be of maximum use, but it’s a great way to collaborate with others online.
A web meeting service used in some of the programs at YU. This software is excellent for group chat and video chat.
Meet up with your peers face-to-face over video conferencing.
‘Cloud Storage’ services like those listed allow you store documents online (in the cloud) securely; allows you to access them from multiple machines, and ensure you won’t lose a file if your hard drive stops working.
Make sure to download the associated app to your computer so you can browse your files just like any other on your hard drive. Some services offer premium version at some cost.
Any computer made in the last five years should be able to handle the basics – word processors, watching videos, accessing your courses in Moodle.
If your program requires video or image editing, you’ll need a more powerful machine.
