Technology Recommendations for Professional Education
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National and state professional education standards now require that individuals preparing to be licensed as teachers demonstrate the ability to use modern technologies to enhance the learning of their students. Nearly always these technologies directly or indirectly involve the use of computers.
In the Fall semester of 2008, faculty in the College of Education at Kansas State University started expecting students in professional education courses to have regular access to computing equipment and software adequate to complete course assignments related to using technology to improve teaching.
While these expectations will most immediately and directly affect students fully admitted to the professional education program (mostly juniors and seniors), students in their pre-professional work would clearly benefit from routine access to technologies they will continue to use after full admission to teacher education.
By Fall semester of 2009, Education faculty might reasonably expect students to have access to personal computing capability during formal class time.
The technology skills needed to enhance teaching will undoubtedly evolve rapidly. However, at a minimum, the faculty will expect students to have access to computing hardware and software allowing them to demonstrate skills to:
• Word process and print.
• Use the Internet as an information resource and for research.
• Use the Internet for textual, audio, and video communication with
individuals and groups.
• Capture, create, modify, integrate and apply to instruction:
• streaming video
• audio, including music
• photographic images
• graphic art
• charts and graphs
• Create, organize, integrate and deliver presentations
(e.g. PowerPoint and Keynote)
• Create, store, modify and disseminate learning modules.
• Create, modify, and disseminate podcasts.
• Apply technology to initial instruction, student review of material,
and student assessment.
• Apply ethical standards and evaluative judgment to the use of
technology resources
Presently most university students find their personal and academic computing needs are best satisfied by a quality laptop computer with a wireless connection to the internet. Bluemont Hall, home of the College of Education, and most of the campus, are wireless networking environments.
While the expectations of the faculty for computing access can be met by many platforms coupled with a variety of software packages, students should consider that all faculty and staff in the College of Education use Apple Macintosh computers and that virtually all software, professional development, and technical assistance training provided through the college are Apple-based or compatible. The staff in our technology center, the Catalyst, will attempt to help students resolve compatibility issues, but are trained by us only to provide technical assistance on Apple-based or compatible products.
Computing equipment and academically related software expenses may be included in financial aid considerations. The K-State Student Financial Aid Office will assist students to include these expenses in their financial aid packages. The college, through the Catalyst, will maintain a limited supply of laptops and software for short-term check out and use within the college media area for special assignments or to fill emergency student needs.
If you have purchased a computer system that meets most of the recommended technology specifications, then please contact College of Education to confirm if additional software/hardware is needed.
Please do not replace quality computing hardware you presently own without advice form our CATALYST CENTER.
For more information, please contact:
Dennis Devenney, dennis@ksu.edu or 785-532-5264
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Technology Specifications »
In anticipation of specific requests for information on the level of equipment and types of software that meet the needs of entering and current professional education students, we provide the following recommendations:
General Hardware characteristics:
Laptop computer:
• Minimum: 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster
• Minimum: 1 GB of RAM.
• VGA and DVI video adapters for use with projection systems
• Firewire connection or adapter – for connecting to cameras and
video equipment
• 2 – USB 2.0 connections (for peripheral devices, i.e. printer,
scanner and camera)
• DVD–RW / CD–RW Drive
• Built-in Wireless (802.11n)
Software Recommendations (using most current versions)
Operating System:
Latest Mac OS X 10.5, or Windows OS XP* or Vista*
Applications:
• Apple iLife Program (version '09) for the Macintosh OR
a PC application that will allow recording and editing of audio,
pictures, graphics and video into a presentation format playable
in Quicktime or iTunes
• Microsoft Office 2008 Mac or Office 2007 PC*
• University-provided Anti-Virus Software
Recommended Additional Free Software:
• Firefox (Internet Browser)
• Acrobat Reader 8 or greater (for viewing pdf documents)
Additional items to consider that would be very useful:
• Protection Plan (extending the hardware warranty of your computer)
• 1 GB Flash Drive (for transferring and exchanging data)
• Portable external hard drive (for backup purposes)
• Carrying case and sleeve
• USB Printer w/ USB cable
• Lock and cable kit to prevent theft
Additional assistance with Macintosh hardware and software is supported within the College of Education.
*Assistance with the Windows PC hardware and software is supported through iTAC in Hale Library.
Note: You may find it to your benefit to check with the K-State Computer Store for special pricing and packaging on your computer selection.
Updated May 2009
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