ACCESS, SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
for
Courses Affiliated with the
GRADUATE
CERTIFICATE IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Distance students take the six courses for the Graduate Certificate in Information Systems program in either synchronous or asynchronous mode. These courses are taken in the same semesters the courses are taught to graduate students on the University of Maine campus.
If you take a course in "synchronous mode" you will view on your desktop by live "webcast" the course lectures and class discussions at the same time they are taught on the Orono campus. You also may actively participate in class discussions by calling in your questions or comments using an 800 telephone number. In addition, some professors may provide an on-line computer chat capability during the live sessions.
You also may take any of the six courses in the Graduate Certificate Program or view any specific lecture in "asynchronous mode." That is, after each lecture, the digital videotape of the lecture and class discussions will be made available on the web. Thus, you may view the video of the class lectures and discussions at a time during the week more convenient to you. However, be aware that you are tapping into live courses on campus and typically will be expected to keep up with materials and finish assignments under the same deadlines imposed on the on-campus graduate students.
Some of the courses listed may require laboratory exercises with specialized software or equipment. In these instances it may be necessary to travel to the campus in Orono or an alternative facility to complete the laboratory sessions, such as on a Saturday or during an evening work session.
Students enrolling in the Graduate Certificate Program in Information Systems or taking any of the required six courses must have adequate computer capabilities and a high speed Internet connection. Do NOT enroll in any of the six required courses unless you first have acquired the following:
A. FirstClass Client Software and First
Class Account - Some instructors will use the FirstClass system for
delivering course materials, communicating among class members, and receiving
student assignments. For both acquiring the FirstClass Client Software and
obtaining an account, see http://dll.umaine.edu/firstclass/
If you have a FirstClass Account but do not have the icons for the courses you
are taking in your Firstclass desktop, send an e-mail to the course instructor
to ask the instructor to subscribe you to the course or call 1-877-947-HELP for
toll free assistance. (Note: Frequently you can
subscribe yourself by viewing the list of semester course offerings and dragging
the appropriate course icon to your FirstClass desktop window.)
B. High-Speed Cable Access - Because all graduate distance courses in the Information Systems program make use of streaming video, you must have a modem connection of 128kb per second or better. One cable company offering high-speed access to homes and offices throughout substantial portions of Maine is Adelphia. Contact their web site to determine if high-speed access is available in your zip code area (http://www.adelphia.net/internet/). Their current cost is about $40 per month, which is cheaper by far than taking a leave from your job to attend school in Orono or even traveling several times each week to a local campus to take a course. Other cable companies may offer similar high-speed connections to the Internet.
C. Software Plug-ins
Netscape Navigator
(preferred over Explorer due to
compatibility issues with some UMaine software)
Please be aware that specialized software
also may be required in some courses. Such software typically is accessed during
laboratory sessions on campus or alternatively, in some instances, may be
available by direct student purchase.
Technical Assistance
If you have difficulties in acquiring or using any of the required general purpose software, further or alternative instructions are provided at Hardware and Software Requirements or Distance Education FAQ.
If you still have technical difficulties, feel free to contact:
Distance Education Help Line at 1-877-947-4357 (toll
free)
Fax 207-581-3141
Help@umit.maine.edu
Textbooks
Textbooks
are required for some courses. To assist you in purchasing textbooks, contact:
University of Maine at Augusta Bookstore:
1-800-621-0083, FAX 1-800-243-7338
University of Maine Bookstore (Orono): 1-207-581-1700,
FAX 1-207-581-1132