Technology Requirements for the Graduate Programs

The graduate programs at WVU make use of the latest in technological advances. You will need to have access to appropriate hardware, software, and systems to be successful. The following is a guide and recommendations for technology.

WVU Student Email System

All students in the University have access to email through the Mountaineer Information Express (MIX) system. You must use this email system for all graduate program coursework and any related communication. No other email addresses will be used by faculty or administrators to contact you or to notify you of course related or program related information. You can access MIX from any computer or mobile phone with internet access at portal.wvu.edu. You will need a user name and password.

You should access MIX as soon as possible. The WVU SoN and faculty will send you important information through this account, and request that you check your account daily. You will be accountable for any information found in your MIX email. The MIX homepage has a great tutorial that you should complete before your classes begin. Use MIX to your best advantage during your program!

Distance Course Delivery

The courses you will take in the graduate program will be delivered via distance education technologies using the SOLE (Study, Observe, Learn, Engage) platform for course deliveries. Technologies used within SOLE include Collaborate and Panopto webcast.

SOLE (Study, Observe, Learn, Engage)

SOLE is the WVU Health Sciences Center's (HSC) portal for online education and information. It is a web-based tool for students to access courses and for instructors to build and maintain those courses. SOLE was developed by HSC Information Technology Services as an open-ended system for online course development and management with a single-login and user-friendly environment. Login to SOLE at https://sole.hsc.wvu.edu/ using your WVU Login username and password. You are expected to check your SOLE courses and mix e-mail on at least a daily basis. If you need assistance with SOLE, please go to the SOLE information page at https://its.hsc.wvu.edu/sole-support/

Panopto Webcast

Webcast technology is used for many of the asynchronous lectures that you will be watching in your home, place of employment (when off-duty), or local library. Webcast uses web-based streaming video and synchronized multimedia presentation. The West Virginia University School of Nursing has adopted webcast technology to deliver some core graduate nursing content.

Collaborate

Collaborate delivers synchronous real-time online classes. When you log into SOLE, on the home page of each course you will see links to the Collaborate sessions. You will be an active participant in the Collaborate sessions, discussing issues using your microphone or answering live poll questions. Because exchange of ideas is an important function of University education, you are required to be present for these real-time Collaborate sessions, unless otherwise instructed by faculty. Prior to your first live class in Collaborate, you need to be sure your computer meets the following requirements:

Audio Wizard

You must complete the Audio Wizard as soon as possible to be sure that your computer supports Collaborate. You should complete the wizard on every computer that you will use to access coursework. You may need to repeat the audio wizard each time you access Collaborate. You will need to have high speed internet access through a cable modem, DSL, or satellite.

Computer Specifications

High speed internet connectivity is essential. Please be advised that when you purchase your high speed internet access there is usually an additional cost for the fastest connectivity. The recommended minimum speed for online coursework is 10 mbps. Consult your internet service providers regarding your connection speed for your membership. Or, students may check his/her speed by an Internet Speed Test (search in Google). DSL and high-speed cable are not available in some rural areas and students must resort to high-speed satellite internet service. Dial-up connections do not work with online classroom technology. If dial-up is the only access available, looking for alternate sites to attend class where high speed connection is available, is recommended.

A wireless internet connection is not recommended. The platforms for live classes work best with a wired internet connection.