Technology

Technology Requirements

  1. We use advanced technologies that provide live, web-based instruction allowing students see and hear faculty as they speak; they can also see slides and other graphics, music and audio clips, as the professor discusses.
  2. Our courses are delivered to the students using Blackboard learning management system.
  3. Students will be put on a limited access list serve so they can discuss issues with themselves and with their professor.
  4. Requirements (buy a new laptop is recommended and show these requirements to the salesman).
  5. Minimum computer skills are required including typing.
  6. Laptop computer at home (Windows, or Macintosh personal computers).
  7. *High speed network connectivity at home
  8. Students must be able to correspond with faculty, staff, and other students using email, skype and instant messaging.
  9. Students must be able to access, create, and save documents in Microsoft® Office® formats 2010 or higher.
  10. Students must be able to browse the Web including downloading and installing common plug-ins and configuring common browser options.
  11. Students must be able to configure and run applications, including an antivirus application to ensure that the student's system is secure and virus free.
  12. Students must have a PC running a Microsoft Windows Operating System (Windows 7; please note, release candidate versions are not supported) or Mac OS X with the operating system’s minimum requirements for processor, memory, and hard drive (See the Microsoft or Apple website for minimum requirements)†
  13. Student must have an external hard drive on which they store their data of at least 500 GB of free hard drive space (additional space may be needed for multimedia files)
  14. Students must have a monitor that supports 1024 x 768 resolution with a 16-bit or greater video card (24-bit preferred)
  15. The laptop must have a DVD-ROM drive or CD-ROM
  16. The laptop must have a sound card with speakers and microphone (for selected courses)
  17. The laptop must have Microsoft Windows® Operating System (Windows 7) or Mac OS X installed.
  18. The laptop should have Intel Core i5-2430M Processor (2.4 GHz, 3MB L3 Cache) Turbo Boost to 3.0 GHz
  19. The laptop should have at least 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
  20. 750GB 5400 rpm Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
  21. SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support.
  22. Up to 6.0 hours battery life (6 cell)
  23. The laptop must have Microsoft Office 2010 or a more recent version installed.
  24. The laptop must have a current antivirus and antispyware application that is updated regularly.
  25. The computer must have Internet Explorer 7.0 or a more recent version, or Firefox 3.013 or a more recent version.
  26. The computer must have Adobe® Reader® 8.0 or a more recent version (free download)
  27. The computer must have Adobe® Flash Player 9.0 or a more recent version (free download).
  28. The computer must have Sun Java 2 SDK (Java 1.5) or a more recent version for PC (free download).
  29. The computer must have Classic Java (MRJ 2.2.5) or a more recent version for Mac (free download).
  30. The student must have a high-speed Internet service provider (ISP) with at least 512 kbps up and 1 mbps download speeds and a ping of less than 50ms (if these criteria are not present the student will need to upgrade their ISP service.
  31. The student must have an email address and an account will be issued to all Trinity students for use within their courses.

NOTE: When the online resident attends the one day orientation session at the beginning of their program they will be trained both in the use of both the learning management software and the web-based conferencing system we use. We will make sure their laptop computer properly interfaces with our system and they will take all the required compliance training sessions that are required by Trinity residents (Garda vetting, Children First etc.) and they will be given Trinity identification and Trinity emails and shown how to use VPN.

Check Internet Speed

  1. Using speedtest.net you can test the quality of your internet connection.
  2. Once you open the website www.speedtest.net, you must click on the "Begin Test" now button.
  3. This test automatically selects a server based on the lowest ping time at that moment.
  4. This usually results in the fastest and most accurate test results.
  5. If you have a low connectivity (low uplink and downlink times and a long ping time) you may need to upgrade your IP provider service.