Basic Technology Requirements and Tools
What tech do I need for my courses?
Having the basic computer skills and tools down before starting your online courses is essential to your academic success. Below we have come up with a list of basic technology requirements and frequently used tools to guide your preparation ahead of time.
Basic Technology Requirements
While requirements will vary from course to course, the majority of courses will require the items listed below.
Computer: Reliable access to a laptop computer with adequate memory and processing capabilities is a must. Standard computer capabilities include the ability to access coursework, download large files, utilize media applications, and synchronous meeting applications.
Auxiliary Equipment: Access to a webcam and USB headset for video-based communication. These items may be required by faculty on a course-by-course basis.
Internet Access: Reliable access to high-speed internet access is required. This access should be free of constricting data restrictions for downloading large files.
Software : PDF viewer, anti-virus protection, a media player for both audio and video, Zoom, Java, and the current Adobe Flash Player. Any course-specific software will be listed in the course syllabus.
Learning Management System: Most courses use the online learning management system Laulima and Canvas by Instructure. Click here to check out orientations and tutorials to Laulima and Canvas.
Basic Technology Tools
Google Online Tools: Google@UH account allows for access to Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, Google Forms, and more. To see the full list of services provided by Google@UH, please see the Google@UH Documentation Page.
For further Google Apps tutorial, you can download the following G Suite Training Extension for access to an interactive training (use Chrome browser for access).
Zotero: Is a free and open-source reference management software to manage bibliographic data and related research materials. Utilizing Zotero is optional but highly recommended by the department.
To learn how to install Zotero step by step, we highly recommend that you follow the Zotero Installation Tutorial below.