To take an online school, there are several things that you have to prepare. One of the most important things is a laptop because it will be used by students for learning. At Penn Foster, are the students sent a laptop? It is important to know so that you will know whether you have to prepare a laptop or not.
Penn Foster Does Not Send Students Laptops
Penn Foster does not send students laptops. It means that if you want to take online program at Penn Foster, you need to have your own computer. When you prepare a computer or laptop for you study at Penn Foster, there are some computer requirements for online classes. The requirements may vary based on the course that you take, but in general here are the main things that you need for any course.
- The first one is the operating system of your computer. If you use a laptop or desktop, make sure that your system is up-to-date so that your program will work best. A Microsoft Windows based on computer running Windows 7 or later or an Apple Mac computer running OS X or later are recommended. How about using a tablet or smartphone? If you want to use it, make sure that the operating system is updated automatically and regularly through your settings.
- The next thing that you need is an Internet Browser. There are a number of internet browsers, but among those browsers, there are some of them which can work better with your Student Portal and lessons. To access your study guides and exams for your online classes at Penn Foster, you can use Google Chrome because it works better. If you do not have this browser, you are able to download it first.
- Keyboard is another important thing that you need. You are able to complete a lot of things by using a basic tablet or smartphone. However, most programs have at least one assignment or paper which will be hard to complete without one. So, even though you can do it through your tablet or smartphone, if you have a working keyboard on your computer or keyboard which can be attached to a tablet, it will be better and will make your tasks easier to complete.
The Other Basic Requirements for Online Classes
Above, we have mentioned that computer requirements that you need for online class at Penn Foster which include operating system, internet browser and keyboard. In addition, you also will need to prepare the other things whether you take a high school diploma or further education and career with a degree or certificate. Those things are actually the basic requirements. Here they are.
- You need a valid email address. It is better for you to create a new email address and make sure that this email address is specifically just for your school needs. It is done to avoid losing important work in a cluttered inbox and when you check your assignments, it will make you focus. If you have an email which is used with the other needs, when you access your inbox, it may confuse you because email from your school may be among the emails from others.
- Internet Access is another important requirement for online classes. For internet access, you are able to use a home network or wifi at a public area such as library or coffee shop. You can access internet anywhere as long as it is reliable.
- This last thing that you need is of course a desktop computer, laptop or tablet. This device must be owned by you and make sure that your device works well so that you can do your assignments well.
Tools Needed for Studying at Penn Foster
After you prepare several things above and you have checked that all of them work well, now falling under the category of ‘productivity tools’, access to writing tools such as spreadsheets, Microsoft Word, and more will help you.
If you find that you do not have the software on your computer, you are able to access Microsoft Office Suite for your coursework. Some basic classes may required you to use open-source word processors or spreadsheet applications such as Google Sheets and Google Docs. You may also need Powerpoint, Excel and Word for being able to complete some lessons.
Some options are available which can work for different needs and budget. If you think that it is needed, you are able to buy the software in a one-time purchase. However, if you think that you only need access to Excel and Powerpoint for a short time, buying a monthly subscription can be your option.
To make your study work well, it is better for you to have some time-management apps. By having these apps, you will be helped in organizing your studying from the beginning. A lot of free apps and browser extensions can be found to help you build out a study calendar and optimize your time online.
For your information, in the Student Portal of Penn Foster, there are some built-in-goal setting tools. One of the things that you can do through the tools is to choose a goal date that you want to finish by and your exam due dates will update. It can be set when you start with your program. So, with these tools, you are able to stay on track.
One Thing to Remember When Studying Online
Technology is electricity-based and studying online relies on technology one of them is computer. So, when you take the online class or do your assignments, it is recommended for you to back up your files. It is because everything you need is saved there and if something goes wrong, you may lose your work.
To save your work, there are some ways. One of them is using a flash drive. With it, after you complete your work, you can save it to your drive and you are all set if something happens all of sudden. Another alternative is using a cloud system such as Google Drive. With it, you can save your work and can access it from anywhere.
