Do you have access to an  Internet-connected computer?

It is possible to take an online course by using publicly available computers, such as those in the Library on the San Marcos campus, but it is very difficult to access them whenever you need, and is not recommended.

To succeed in an online class it is far better if you have access to a computer where you can do your class work. This will involve reading or printing materials, and may well involve uploading completed assignments or even downloading and installing browser helper programs if your computer is not adequately configured.

The location of this computer is also important. It needs to be located in a relatively quiet place, free of constant distractions, so that you can concentrate on your work.

The following tables summarize the basic and most desirable computer configurations for taking an online course, followed by some specifics about computer use at Palomar college. If you feel you don’t need to examine the details below, just be aware that you need three basic things:

If you have these, you have the equipment needed to take an online class. Read on to find out the technical details.

Computing specifications for taking online classes

Computer:

The hardware requirements for taking an online class are fairly minimal. Certainly any computer bought retail within the last four years should be sufficient, given that it meets some basic requirements. Your computer should have a sound card and be running a current operating system such as Windows XP or Mac OS X, with the current operating system updates. For example, a Windows XP computer should be updated to the latest Microsoft Service Pack; an Apple computer should be updated as far as possible (at time of writing this is OS X 10.4).

Of greater importance is the web browser software used to access the online course. Palomar College uses the Blackboard Learning System to offer most online classes.  There is a table showing which browsers on which operating systems are supported by the Blackboard system.  It is highly recommended that students  use an OS/browser combination which is certified to work with Blackboard. In general this would mean on Windows, use the most current Internet Explorer, on Apple, use the most current Safari, and if you must use Firefox or Netscape be careful exactly which version you use.  Consult the table link given above for details.

Hint: To find out what version of the Browser software you are using, start the browser, click the Help menu, then click "About..."  A box will pop up telling you the version number.

Browsers:

  Where do I obtain the latest free version of Internet Explorer?  Here.

  Where do I obtain the latest free version of Firefox?  Here.

  Where do I obtain the latest free version of Safari?  Here.

Email software: 

You must have a reliable email account to take an online class.  Palomar College provides all students with email accounts.  Click here for details.  However, you do not have to use the email from Palomar College if you would rather use some other account. You can use any email address you wish while taking your online class.  Feel free to use an email account from Google, Hotmail and Yahoo.  They are free and generally work well.  If you do use a non-Palomar email account for Blackboard, it must be the email address marked as your "preferred" email in your Palomar eServices account. 

Free browser plug-ins:

Many online classes will use browser helper programs, or "plug-ins" to access certain class materials.  We recommend installing the following free plug-ins:

General Software Recommendations

Many courses require word processing, so we generally recommend that you use Microsoft Word and save your document as a Word "doc" file.  If you do not have Word, you must use another word processing program such as WordPerfect or Works, and save your documents in “Rich Text Format,” commonly known as "RTF" format.

If your instructor wants to see your document in PDF format, Palomar College has a free, web-based PDF conversion service you may use at http://www.palomar.edu/pcpdf/.  The service will require you to login.

There may be some additional software required, depending on the exact class you are taking. You should contact your instructor to learn about any other software requirements.

About the Blackboard System

Palomar College uses the Blackboard Learning System to present most online classes.  Blackboard is an easy-to-use, web-based system that works best with the Internet Explorer browser. If you are a Windows user, Internet Explorer is recommended over Firefox.  If you are a Mac user, Safari will work only with certain Mac operating systems.  Click here for details.

Browsers settings

Blackboard requires a browser that is both Java and JavaScript enabled. You must also be sure that cookies are enabled.  These settings are on by default in all the Blackboard Certified browsers.  Any pop-up blocker software should be disabled for the Blackboard system.

How do I turn off my pop-up blocker?

This would depend on exactly which pop-up blocker you have; some browsers have built-in blockers, most add-on toolbars (Yahoo! and Google toolbars, for example) also have blockers, and some Internet security software (McAfee Personal Firewall, for example) may also block pop-ups.  In any event, there should be an option to allow pop-ups based on the site they are from; Allow pop-ups from "blackboard.palomar.edu."  For specifics on how to configure these pop-up blockers you may have to consult the product documentation.

What if I am an AOL user?

You can still access the Blackboard system, but you cannot do it with AOL's browser. You need to have Firefox or Internet Explorer on your system (or an approved version of Safari if you are a Mac user).  Here is what to do: log on with AOL, minimize (do not close) the AOL window, then open Internet Explorer or Firefox and go to the PCOnline URL: http://www.palomar.edu/pconline.  Login with your student ID and password.

What kind of computer resources does Palomar make available to online students?

There are public access computer labs on the San Marcos and Escondido campuses.  In San Marcos, the ground floor of the library has 132 public access computers.  There are also computers located on the second floor of the library that have browser capabilities.  Additionally, there are 35 public access computers on the second floor of the student union building (use requires student activities sticker).  In Escondido, room 501 is an academic skills lab that offers some public access time, and the library at the Escondido center also has computers for public use.