Technical Requirements

In order to participate in a distance education course from CCM, students MUST be familiar with their own computer, the internet, and basic software. The college does not provide software to students for their individual use. It is not a good idea to install new system updates during the semester. If you are having trouble with your computer, you should first contact your professor and let him/her know about the problem and seek an alternate way to submit work. Computers equipped with the necessary software for online courses are available in the Library. Information on distance education technical requirements are available in the Student’s Guide to Distance Education. If you still require further assistance after viewing the guide, please call 973-328-5332. Check the Blackboard website to complete a browser tune up, determine whether your current browser and operating system are supported or for additional Blackboard questions.

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

PC computer running at 3.0 GHz CPU or greater with Windows 10 or higher
OR an Apple Macintosh 10.12 or higher
Minimum 4GB RAM, 8GB or higher strongly recommended
Internet connection, Broadband preferred
Web camera, microphone and speakers
Updated anti-virus software
Select Browser Checker to determine your system compatibility with Blackboard

INTERNET REQUIREMENTS

Web browser: Firefox or Google Chrome are supported browsers. It is extremely important that you use a supported browser when using Blackboard Learn so that all course content and the course tools properly display. Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Internet Explore are not supported browsers. We recommend installing both Firefox and Chrome browsers for use with our technologies, especially if one results in an error message. Please try using a different browser to see if you experience the same results. Select Browser Checker to determine your system compatibility with Blackboard. You may email vclearning@ccm.edu for assistance.

Pop-up Blockers: must be disengaged. Blackboard contains many features that are pop-ups and must be allowed for full functionality of the course.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL ONLINE TOOLS

Your Professors may elect to use a number of additional software services within your courses. These may include but are not limited too:

Office 365 for students. All students have an account. Microsoft Office (Office 2016 is now being used in most courses).
Blackboard Learn for Students
Adobe Creative Cloud
Panopto– A tool to create and share videos. Find the quick start instructions here.
Smarter Proctoring is an online proctoring service that may be used in some of your courses This allows you to take your exam from the comfort of your home. This automated service is available 24/7 and does not require scheduling. Follow these instructions to get ready to take an exam with Smarter Proctoring. Click this link to view Smarter Proctoring’s privacy and practices policy. County College of Morris uses Smarter Proctoring for online exam proctoring. If a student does not want to use Smarter Proctoring, a student may choose to sit for a proctored exam at an authorized testing site. If a student chooses to use an authorized testing site, they must contact the faculty in writing no later than 10 business days prior to the scheduled exam. The student is responsible for any out-of-pocket fees.

WEB CONFERENCING SOFTWARE BACKGROUNDS

A variety of web-conferencing tools are currently being utilized at CCM. Instructions for changing your virtual background in MS Teams, Web Ex, Shindig & Zoom can be found here.

EMAIL

Students should also have an email account. In addition to the Blackboard email that is used to communicate within a course, a CCM student email is also set up for each individual student of the college. The college will only communicate with you through your CCM email account.