Technology Recommendations for Professional Education
K-State College of Education Technology Expectations for Professional Education
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. Faculty in the College of Education at Kansas State University will expect 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.
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;
- Use the Internet as an information resource and for research;
- Use the Internet for for downloading and uploading 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, and 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 when purchasing, 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 products.
Computing equipment and academically related software expenses may be included in financial aid considerations. The university's Student Financial Aid Office will assist students to include these expenses in their financial aid packages. The College of Education, 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 the College of Education to confirm if additional software/hardware is needed.
Please do not replace quality computing hardware you presently own without advice from our CATALYST CENTER.
For more information, please contact:
Dennis Devenney, dennis@ksu.edu or 785-532-5264
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 if you choose Apple MacBook/MacBook Pro or Windows PC:
General Hardware characteristics:
Laptop/Desktop computer:
- Minimum: Intel i3, i5, i7 / AMD A6 processor or newer
- Hard Drive: 500 GB or Greater, 256 GB or Greater for Solid State Drives
- Minimum: 8 GB or Greater of RAM
- VGA or HDMI video adapters for use with projection systems
- 2 or 3 USB2 or USB3 connections – for peripheral devices such as camera, printer, scanner
- DVD –RW / CD –RW Drive internal or external
- Built-in Wireless (802.11n) that supports both 2.4 and 5.0GHz wireless bands
Recommended Software (most current versions):
- Operating System:
Latest Mac OS X 10.8, or Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate or newer - Applications:
• Apple iLife Program 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 2011 Mac or newer (or iWorks) or Office 2010 PC or newer
• University provided Anti-Virus Software available via free download or CatPack Software Suite
- Firefox (Internet Browser)
- Acrobat Reader (most current version) 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 with 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 2013
