| Why Mac? |
| Today's teachers demand creativity. The types of projects you will find yourself doing as an education student include video editing, photo editing, web authoring, podcast recording and more. We feel the integrated iLife Suite, bundled with the Mac laptop provide the best and easiest means for producing these creative types of projects. In addition, the security of the Mac OS is superior. Less time dealing with viruses and spyware means more time being productive in the classroom. |
| Why laptops? |
Today's students work differently. Mobile computing allows the anytime-anywhere access to information which you need. In addition, much of the work done for education is collaborative in nature, and wireless computing makes this easier, allowing you to focus on the task at hand rather than logistics. Information about wireless availability and setting up wireless Internet access on your laptop is provided by Information Technology Services.
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| Can I run Windows on a Mac? |
| Yes. There are several solutions for running Windows on your Mac. Boot Camp, Parallels, and VMware are three different solutions for installing and running Windows. It's like having two machines in one! |
| But I already own a PC. Can I use it? |
| All instruction in classes will be done using the Mac and accompanying software. However, we try our best to be flexible with students, in the event they were not aware of the requirement, transferred into our program, or changed majors to education. During your freshman education courses, there will be some assignments that will require the use of a Mac. If you do not have a Mac laptop at this time, you can complete these assignments using any of the Mac labs on campus. When you enter sophomore block (fall or spring semester of your sophomore year) you will be enrolled in methods courses as well as an instructional technology course which require a significant number of assignments to be completed both in and out of the classroom using a Mac. Although some of the projects can be completed using alternate software on a PC, formal instruction will be given using the software that comes bundled with the iLife suite. |
| How will I pay for this? |
| The cost of the laptop can be included in your total financial aid package. In addition, students may qualify for a Rosenburg Loan of $1,000 to assist with the purchase of a laptop. Apple also offers payment plans that may be more desirable than paying for the entire laptop up front. |
| Is there additional software I need? |
| The iLife suite that comes bundled on the Mac will meet most of your needs. However you will want to add a productivity package to support your word-processing, spreadsheet and presentation needs. There are several options for this. More information can be found on the software web page. |
| Will this laptop meet my needs for all four years of college? |
| We try very hard to recommend models that we believe will meet your needs through your college career. However, as your skills develop, you may find it necessary at some point to increase your RAM or hard drive. External hard drives are available for check-out to students for working on more substantial projects. |
