THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES

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1 THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES NURS 5111 The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Rle: Fundatins fr Advanced Practice Registered Nursing Curse Syllabus Curse Faculty Linda L. Rath, PhD, RN

2 Table Of Cntents Welcme... 2 Curse Instructr... 2 Curse Descriptin... 2 Objectives... 2 Required & Recmmended Resurces... 3 TEXT/PRINT MATERIALS REQUIRED READINGS FOR ROLE OF THE NURSE PRACTITIONER... 4 Online Resurces... 4 Resurces fr NPs... 5 Evaluatin/Grading... 6 Grup Discussin & Presentatin f Selected Tpics:... 6 Grup Presentatin Tpics... 7 Discussin Bard Pstings and Respnse... 9 Membership in Prfessinal Organizatin... 9 Curse Schedule/Calendar... 9 IMPORTANT UNIVERSITY DATES... 9 POLICIES AND EXPECTATIONS Accessing Library Resurces Curse Evaluatin IMPORTANT UNIVERSITY POLICIES Students Rights and Respnsibilities Grade Replacement/Frgiveness and Census Date Plicies Census Date State-Mandated Curse Drp Plicy Disability Services Student Absence due t Religius Observance Scial Security and FERPA Statement: Student Services (903) Technical Infrmatin

3 Welcme Welcme t NURS 5111 APRN Rle. I lk frward t meeting with yu in ur virtual classrm. There is NO n-campus requirement fr this curse all instructin is slely n-line. This curse will further intrduce yu t the APRN rle in preparatin fr yur clinical curses, and yur prfessinal practice as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse/NP. There is a lt f reading required fr this curse, and all are resurces that yu will use many times as yu cntinue in the APRN rle. Please refer t the infrmatin cntained in this Syllabus any time yu have a questin regarding the basic curse infrmatin. Yu can access a printable versin f curse material by clicking the Printable Versin link. Yu will need t dwnlad a free Adbe Reader t view PDFs. One final nte, if yu are unfamiliar with accessing the Internet r have questins regarding technical requirements, yu may want t lk at the services available at The University f Texas at Tyler Blackbard website. A list f basic technical requirements are als listed in this Syllabus fr yur cnvenience. In additin, yu can access the UT Tyler website fr general infrmatin abut UT Tyler and its student services, which will be reviewed briefly later in this Syllabus. Curse Instructr: Linda L. Rath, PhD, RN [the best way t reach me!] lrath@uttyler.edu Office Lcatin BRB 120 Office Hurs Office hurs are n-line and by appintment Wrk Phne / FAX Curse Descriptin This curse is a study f the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) rle, including the evlutin f the rle, current and cntinuing issues relevant t advanced practice registered nursing and clinical practice issues. Selected issues such as the scpe f practice, plitical, ecnmic, and legislative influences are analyzed. The histrical develpment and acceptance f the nurse practitiner rle is traced thrugh nursing practice acts, requirements impsed by bards f nursing, natinal certificatin effrts, third party payment systems, and varius prfessinal rganizatins. Curse activities include reading, discussins, grup wrk, and internet study. Objectives Upn successful cmpletin f this curse, the student will have demnstrated the ability t: 1. Examine the histrical evlutin f advanced practice registered nursing rles. 2. Evaluate the key Natinal Organizatin f Nurse Practitiner Faculty (NONPF) cncepts and cmpetencies related t advance practice registered nursing. 3. Examine the scpe f practice within the advanced practice registered nursing rles f prvider, teacher, advcate, cnsultant, and cllabratr. 2

4 4. Investigate prfessinal respnsibilities f advanced practice registered nursing rles. 5. Cmpare peratinal definitins and differing scpes f practice fr selected advanced practice registered nursing specialties. 6. Investigate the impact f current health plicy and reimbursement n advanced practice registered nursing rles. 7. Describe key factrs essential fr marketing the Nurse Practitiner rle, including frmulating, articulating and negtiating APRN psitins. Required Resurces Stanley, J. (2011). Advanced practice nursing: Emphasizing cmmn rles. (3 rd ed.). F.A. Davis: Philadelphia, PA. American Psychlgical Assciatin. (2006). Publicatin manual f the American psychlgical assciatin (6 th ed.). Washingtn, DC: APA. TEXT/PRINT MATERIALS REQUIRED READINGS FOR ROLE OF THE NURSE PRACTITIONER 1. Review the Cnsensus Mdel fr APRN Regulatin available at: 2. Review BON Rule 221 fr APRNs available at: 3. Review the AANP NP Primary Care Cmpetencies available at: PCmpetenciesRpt.htm 4. Review the psitin descriptin/curriculum fr NPs at the fllwing link: Bard f Nursing Advanced Practice educatin (Read nly sectin n advanced practice educatin) 5. Explre NONPF website Read 2012 Nurse Practitiner Cre Cmpetencies available at: These cmpetencies represent the entry int practice cmpetencies upn graduatin frm a NP educatinal prgram and are the mst current, natinally validated set f cre cmpetencies fr nurse practitiners. These cmpetencies are fr entry t practice fr all nurse practitiners. Effective April 2011, there is nw ne set f cre cmpetencies fr nurse practitiners fr entry int practice upn graduatin. 6. Read the American Academy f Nurse Practitiners Standards f Practice available by clicking n the fllwing link: (** Nte: If yu are using Firefx as yur brwser, these links d nt dwnlad s try using anther web brwser such as Internet Explrer, Opera, r Safari) efrnps.htm 7. In additin, g t the fllwing link, and explre the fllwing psitin papers: Clinical utcmes: the yardstick f educatinal effectiveness. 3

5 DNP Discussin Paper NP Cst-Effectiveness Standards f NP Practice Scpe f NP Practice NP Curriculum Standards fr NP Practice in Retailed-based Clinics Quality f NP Practice NP Prescriptive Privilege Use f terms such as Mid-Level Prvider and Physician-Extender NPs in Primary Care 8. Read the IOM reprts The Future f Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health available at: t_0.pdf In additin, read 1- Key Messages f the Reprt and sectin H Federal Optins fr Maximizing the value f Advanced Practice Nurses in Prviding Quality, Cst- Effective Health Care available as free pdf dwnlads at 9. Read the Rbert Wd Jhnsn (RWJ) series I and II Charting Nurses Future available via these links: Online Resurces Please visit and bkmark these valuable Advanced Practice Registered Nursing websites fr future reference: American Assciatin f Clleges f Nursing American Cllege f Nurse Practitiners American Assciatin f Nurse Anesthetists American Academy f Nurse Practitiners American Cllege f Nurse Midwives Assciatin f Wmen s Health, Obstetric and Nenatal Nurses NP Central American Nurses Credentialing Center Institute f Medicine Reprt: The Future f Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health Heagruph.aspx Mnthly Prescribing Reference 4

6 Nurse Practitiner/Advanced Practice Netwrk Natinal Assciatin f Nenatal Nurses Natinal Assciatin f Pediatric Nurse Practitiners Natinal Cnference f Gerntlgical Nurse Practitiners Natinal Assciatin f Pediatric Nursing Certificatin Bard Texas Nurse Practitiners Calitin fr Nurses in Advanced Practice Resurces fr NPs A. Free with registratin: 1. Clinician News, a practice-riented exchange f health care infrmatin/free fr clinician, (website will give inf abut receiving subscriptin). The publicatin includes articles related t current practice with large amunt advertising. 2. Advance Nurse Practitiners (free fr clinicians) 3. Patient Care fr the Nurse Practitiner (free fr clinicians) B. Paid subscriptins: 1. Jurnal f the American Academy f Nurse Practitiners, an fficial publicatin f the American Academy f Nurse Practitiner. Free with yur membership t American Academy f Nurse Practitiners (AANP) (Otherwise abut $40.00 per year) 2. The American Jurnal fr Nurse Practitiners, the fficial jurnal f the American cllege f Nurse Practitiners. Free t members f American Cllege f Nurse Practitiners (ACNP) Otherwise abut $60.00 per year 3. The Nurse Practitiner: The American Jurnal f Primary Health Care published by Lippinctt William and Wilkins. Available fr abut $40 per year N membership assciated with jurnal. 4. Pediatric Nurse Practitiner publicatins (check site fr jurnal and publicatins) 5. Natinal Cnference f Gerntlgical Nurse Practitiners (check site fr jurnal and publicatins) 5

7 Evaluatin/Grading Class Participatin & Active participatin is required t successfully cmplete 20% evaluatin f grup the curse. Discussin Bard Grup Psting and Respnse fr Each grup will pst a grup respnse t ONE discussin bard questin fr each mdule. 30% each Mdule (3 Mdules 10% fr each mdule) In additin, each grup will pst ONE respnse t ne ther grup s questin (A different questin than the ne submitted by the grup). [See lists f assigned questins psted in each mdule] The Discussin Bard Rubric will be used t grade this assignment. Grup Discussin and Presentatin f Selected Cllabrative grup presentatin f selected advanced nursing practice tpics. 50% Tpic Relevant t Advanced Nursing Practice. Presentatins will be submitted via the assignment link, and als psted n the Blackbard Discussin Bard. This may be dne as a Pwerpint with ntes, r a vice ver Pwerpint. DUE: July 1st at 12:00 nn. The grup presentatin rubric will be used in grading this assignment. Intrductin t Intrductin t prfessinal develpment as a member P/F Prfessinal Resurces and Lifelng Learning thrugh Membership in NP Organizatin f an advanced practice nursing rganizatin is an expectatin f this curse. Student membership in the NP prfessinal rganizatin f yur chice is a beginning step in yur initiatin int the NP rle(s). Successful cmpletin f this requirement will include submissin f receipt r cpy f membership card t faculty via the assignment link by due date (July 2, 2014) Ttal 100% All late assignments will be assessed a 5 pints per day penalty (including week-ends) when the assignment is nt psted by the due date and specified time unless prir arrangements are made with the instructr. All papers are due by the time (Central Standard Time) specified in the Curse Calendar. Assignments must be psted via the assignment icn n Blackbard NOT by . Grup Discussin & Presentatin f Selected Tpics: Each student will be a member f a self-assigned grup, designated numerically [yu may als name yur grup!]. Grups will cnsist f n mre than 6-7 in each Grup. There will be 8 Grups fr this curse. Once the grups have been determined [and named!], a tpic relevant t Advanced Practice Nursing will be assigned. 6

8 References must be included in the Pwerpint presentatin, and shuld be current, within the past 5-10 years frm prfessinal peer reviewed surces (Nt internet fact sheets, r Wikipedia). The presentatins are t be psted as a vice ver Pwerpint n the Blackbard Discussin Bard s all students can view them and benefit frm the cmpilatin f infrmatin and resurces. Please cntact Instructinal Supprt (nt yur instructr) if yu are unfamiliar with hw t d a vice-ver Pwerpint f yur presentatin. The grup presentatin is awarded ne grade applicable t all grup members. Individual member grades will be determined based n the evaluatins f each team member. Each member f the Grup must submit a Grup Evaluatin Frm. This frm is used t evaluate each member f the Grup, including a self-evaluatin. Participatin will be evaluated using the fllwing criteria: Makes meaningful cntributins t the curse discussin that are supprted by prfessinal literature Pses relevant questins and makes meaningful cmments in respnse t faculty r ther students Cmments demnstrate reflectin and critical thinking Peer evaluatin f nline grup participatin Please read the Guidelines fr Grup Wrk Each Grup is required t submit a planning wrksheet via the assignment link t Dr. Rath by June 13th. The planning wrksheet shuld include: 1. Tpic Assigned 2. All grup members names 3. Objectives fr the n-line presentatin 4. Outline f the cntent 5. Implicatins fr practice Each grup shuld determine: 1. A Grup leader [Grups may change designated leaders with each mdule discussin, and the final grup presentatin, s a majrity f grup members will have the pprtunity t lead.] 2. Hw the grup will cmmunicate (there are several ptins available via Blackbard fr grup cmmunicatin, including grup discussin bards, Wimba, Elluminate sessins, r virtual chat rms). 3. Divisin f respnsibility f wrk within the verall prject. Grup Presentatin Tpics Final Prject Grup Tpic Suggested (but nt limited t) questins/cntent areas t cnsider fr grup presentatin 1 Scpe f Practice What is scpe f practice (SOP) fr APRNs? Hw is scpe f practice defined? Hw des the Nurse Practice Act (NPA) define SOP? Des SOP change? Discuss essentials fr NPs t understand abut SOP. What are the cnsequences f practicing utside f yur SOP? 2 Nurse Practice Act (fr APRNs) Where are rules/regulatins dcumented fr APRNs in Texas? What are the critical pints f Rule 221? 7

9 3 Frmulatin and Apprval f Credentialing 4 Prfessinalism (what des this mean fr the APRN?) Articulating the rle f the NP What is the impact f the NPA n APRNs? What are the current issues related t the NPA? Hw can the NPA be changed? Analyze the rles played by educatin, accreditatin, certificatin, and licensure in the regulatin f advanced practice. What is the impact f the APRN cnsensus statement? Cmpare and cntrast the scpe f the APRN rle in Texas as cmpared t a state with mre autnmy (include barriers t practice). Discuss the differences between clinical and full staff privileges. Discuss crucial aspects f prfessinalism fr the APRN. What is the image f NPs? Hw d specific aspects f prfessinalism enhance r reduce psitive image? Hw wuld yu answer the questin, What is a Nurse Practitiner? Hw wuld yu explain this rle t a patient? Prepare infrmatin t explain the rle f the NP in a radi r televisin interview. Cntrast and cmpare the rles f NPs and PAs (physician assistant). Cmpare and cntrast the fllwing fr NPs and PAs: educatinal preparatin, practice regulatin, and scpe f practice. 5 Prescriptive authrity (PA) fr APRNs in Texas Discuss PA fr APRNs including histry and current status in Texas (site-based delegated authrity). Discuss variatin in PA natinally. What are regulatins and guidelines in Texas? What are rules assciated with PA? What are rules fr prescribing cntrlled substances in Texas? What are the particular Bard f Nursing (BON) rules fr cntinued educatin related t PA fr APRNs? 6 Payment fr NP Service Discuss current plicy fr reimbursement f NP services (bth include bth private and public carriers such as Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance). What is the prcess fr an NP t be listed as a primary care prvider? Discuss the impact f the invisibility f NPs in relatin t billing incident t physician services. What are challenges/limitatins f current payment fr NP services? 7 Plicy and the influence f prfessinal rganizatins What can the individual APRN d t impact health plicy? What are strategies t influence plicy? What legislative issues are currently n the table fr APRNs in Texas? Discuss the accmplishments f CNAP in Texas. What resurces are prvided t the APRN by CNAP? Hw is CNAP financed? What ther state/natinal rganizatins influence plicies related t APN practice? Shuld NPs jin prfessinal rganizatins 8

10 8 IOM Reprt: The Future f Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health which supprt advanced nursing practice? What are purpses, benefits, csts assciated with membership in AANP, ACNP, TNP, ther state and natinal NP rganizatins? Hw des membership benefit NPs individually and as a prfessin? Discuss the implicatins f the IOM Reprt n the Future f Advanced Practice Nursing. Discuss the implicatins f the Affrdable Care Act, and hw this will impact Advanced Practice Nursing. Hw has this reprt stimulated mvement tward full utilizatin f APRNs in primary care? In particular, discuss the implicatins f Key Messages #1 & 2 in the reprt. Discussin Bard Pstings and Respnse Each Grup will pst ONE Discussin Bard psting in respnse t a Discussin Bard Questin/Issue fr Each Mdule (3 Mdules). The psting shuld be substantive, and at least 500 wrds using the current literature (at least 3 prfessinal peer-reviewed r gvernment references within the past 5 years). The grup leader will pst the grup wrk via the Discussin Bard link fr the entire grup (ne psting nly). In additin, each GROUP will respnd t ONE ther grup s Discussin Bard Questin psting fr each Mdule (3 Mdules and must be a different questin than yur psting). The respnse must be substantive, in ther wrds, mre than great jb r I really enjyed reading yur pst gd jb! The respnse shuld stimulate thught, discussin and include a psitin r idea nt cvered in the riginal pst. The respnse shuld be a minimum f 300 wrds, and include at least 2 references frm prfessinal r gvernment wrks. The grup leader will pst the grup wrk via the Discussin Bard link fr the entire grup (ne psting nly). There will be a ttal f 3 pstings and 3 respnses by each grup. Each psting and respnse is wrth 10% f yur grade fr a ttal f 30% f yur verall grade. Membership in Prfessinal Organizatin Prfessinalism is an imprtant part f the rle f Advanced Practice Nursing. Students must submit prf f membership in either a State r Natinal Nurse Practitiner Organizatin. Submit receipt f membership r a cpy f yur membership card via the assignment link. Acceptable rganizatins include (but nt limited t) Texas Nurse Practitiners, American Academy f Nurse Practitiners, American Cllege f Nurse Practitiners, Natinal Assciatin fr Pediatric Nurses and Practitiners (NAPNAP). DUE July 2, IMPORTANT UNIVERSITY DATES: JUNE 9, 2014 CLASSES BEGIN; Late registratin and schedule changes. JUNE 30, 2014 LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW PASSING frm Summer I Curses JULY 4, 2014 INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY JULY 11, 2014 FINAL GRADES DUE IN FACULTY CENTER BY 12:00 NOON 9

11 Class Schedule/Curse Calendar: Summer 1: June 9- July 11 Date Assignment Faculty Due Date 6/9/2014 First Class Day Cmplete by 6/10/2014 Review Intrductin t Curse Self-Assign t Grups 6/9/2014 Mdule 1: Histry f Advanced Practice Nursing L. Rath View Pwerpint Wrk n grup questin/discussin 6/13/14 Grup Planning Wrksheet DUE Grup Planning wrksheet due tday. 6/16/2014 Mdule 1: Cntinued L. Rath Submit final grup discussin t Cmplete assigned Grup questin & pst n designated DB assignment link. 6/16/2014 Mdule 2: Preparatin fr APRN Practice L. Rath Wrk n grup questin/discussin NONPF Cmpetencies fr NP Practice Trends in NP Educatin [DNP vs PhD] 6/23/2014 Mdule 2: Cntinued Submit final grup discussin t Cmplete assigned Grup questin & pst n designated DB assignment link. 6/23/14 Mdule 3: Implementing the APRN Rle Wrk n grup questin/discussin 6/30/14 Mdule 3: Cntinued Submit final grup discussin t Cmplete assigned Grup questin & pst n designated DB assignment link. 6/30/14 Wrk n Cllabrative Grup Presentatin All Final Cllabrative Grup Presentatin due tday 6/30/14 LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW FROM 1 OR MORE COURSES/SUMMER I July1, 2014 Cllabrative Grup Presentatin Cmplete viewing & cmmenting Pst n designated DB AND submit t faculty via assignment link n cllabrative grup presentatins View presentatins by the ther grups Cmment/discuss their findings. 7/2/14 Cllabrative Grup Presentatin, cnt d. View presentatins by the ther grups Cmment/discuss their findings. 7/4/2014 July 4 th Hliday All University ffices clsed. [Take a break have fun!] 7/9/2014 Final exams NO EXAM fr THIS COURSE! Cmplete curse evaluatins Please! 7/11/2014 End f curse and Summer I Sessin Final grades due 7/24/14 TX BON: Webinar APRN Applicatin Prcess [Strngly Recmmended!] Submit prf f prfessinal student membership t assignment link FREE! Thursday, July 24, AM CDT Must pre register. 10

12 POLICIES AND EXPECTATIONS Accessing Library Resurces Students enrlled in this curse have several ptins t access library resurces. Yu may visit yur hme campus library r the Rbert R. Muntz Library at the University f Texas at Tyler. Fllw this link, and then cmplete the instructins at thse sites fr accessing infrmatin frm a distant site. Curse Evaluatin The University f Texas at Tyler requests that students cmplete a vluntary evaluatin f bth the faculty and the curse. These evaluatins are used t make imprvements and adjustments in verall learning frums. In additin, an end f semester evaluatin specifically fr this curse will be made available fr yu t cmplete in the last week f instructin. Yur cmments and recmmendatins will be cnsidered seriusly as the curse is updated. Yur input thrughut the semester cntributes t faculty cmmitment t cntinually imprve the quality and relevance f this curse. Online curse evaluatin is available after July 13 August 12 IMPORTANT UNIVERSITY POLICIES Students Rights and Respnsibilities T knw and understand the plicies that affect yur rights and respnsibilities as a student at UT Tyler, please fllw this link: Grade Replacement/Frgiveness and Census Date Plicies Students repeating a curse fr grade frgiveness (grade replacement) must file a Grade Replacement Cntract with the Enrllment Services Center (ADM 230) n r befre the Census Date f the semester in which the curse will be repeated. Grade Replacement Cntracts are available in the Enrllment Services Center r at Each semester s Census Date can be fund n the Cntract itself, n the Academic Calendar, r in the infrmatin pamphlets published each semester by the Office f the Registrar. Failure t file a Grade Replacement Cntract will result in bth the riginal and repeated grade being used t calculate yur verall grade pint average. Undergraduates are eligible t exercise grade replacement fr nly three curse repeats during their career at UT Tyler; graduates are eligible fr tw grade replacements. Full plicy details are printed n each Grade Replacement Cntract. Census Date The Census Date is the deadline fr many frms and enrllment actins that students need t be aware f. These include: Submitting Grade Replacement Cntracts, Transient Frms, requests t withhld directry infrmatin, apprvals fr taking curses as Audit, Pass/Fail r Credit/N Credit. Receiving 100% refunds fr partial withdrawals. (There is n refund fr these after the Census Date) Schedule adjustments (sectin changes, adding a new class, drpping withut a W grade) Being reinstated r re-enrlled in classes after being drpped fr nn-payment Cmpleting the prcess fr tuitin exemptins r waivers thrugh Financial Aid 11

13 State-Mandated Curse Drp Plicy Texas law prhibits a student wh began cllege fr the first time in Fall 2007 r thereafter frm drpping mre than six curses during their entire undergraduate career. This includes curses drpped at anther 2-year r 4-year Texas public cllege r university. Fr purpses f this rule, a drpped curse is any curse that is drpped after the census date (See Academic Calendar fr the specific date). Exceptins t the 6-drp rule may be fund in the catalg. Petitins fr exemptins must be submitted t the Enrllment Services Center and must be accmpanied by dcumentatin f the extenuating circumstance. Please cntact the Enrllment Services Center if yu have any questins. Disability Services In accrdance with federal law, a student requesting accmmdatin must prvide dcumentatin f his/her disability t the Disability Services cunselr. If yu have a disability, including a learning disability, fr which yu request an accmmdatin, please cntact the Disability Services ffice. Student Absence due t Religius Observance Students wh anticipate being absent frm class due t a religius bservance are requested t infrm the instructr f such absences by the secnd class meeting f the semester. At that time the instructr will set a date and time when make-up assignments will be cmpleted. Student Absence fr University-Spnsred Events and Activities If yu intend t be absent fr a university-spnsred event r activity, yu (r the event spnsr) must ntify the instructr at least tw weeks prir t the date f the planned absence. At that time the instructr will set a date and time when make-up assignments will be cmpleted. Scial Security and FERPA Statement: It is the plicy f The University f Texas at Tyler t prtect the cnfidential nature f scial security numbers. The University has changed its cmputer prgramming s that all students have an identificatin number. The electrnic transmissin f grades (e.g., via ) risks vilatin f the Family Educatinal Rights and Privacy Act; grades will nt be transmitted electrnically. Student Services (903) The gal f the Student Services Prgram is t ffer a brad range f interventins that may be used by students wh wish t imprve their academic perfrmance r by thse wh are n academic prbatin. The Learning Strategies Prgram ffers the Learning and Study Strategies Inventry (LASSI), which helps students identify ptential areas f imprvement. These areas can range frm: Study Strategies, Finding the Main Idea, Test-Taking Skills, Test Anxiety, Nte Taking Skills Once these areas are identified, a cunselr will aid the student in creating an individualized prgram that the student may use t help imprve his r her academic perfrmance. The individualized prgram may cnsist f specific study and learning strategies, additinal assessment, individual cunseling r referrals t ther campus services. 12

14 Technical Infrmatin This is a centralized listing f imprtant technical infrmatin and assistance. If yu experience technical prblems r have a technical questin abut this curse yu can btain assistance by accessing The UT Tyler Campus Cmputing Center. Cmputer Requirements-Minimum hardware requirements and recmmended sftware cnfiguratins Ensuring yu have the prper hardware and sftware is imperative t yur success in an nline curse. The requirements are based n the results f testing cnducted by Blackbard. Additinal infrmatin is available at What are the recmmended cmputer requirements t access Blackbard? Blackbard Dcumentatin and FAQ > FAQ > 128 MB f RAM. Micrsft Windws 2000, Micrsft Windws XP with the latest critical updates, r Micrsft Vista with the latest critical updates. (Nte: yu will need t turn the text bx editr ff if yu are using Vista as described abve.) Internet Explrer XP 7.0 with the default settings. (Nte: yu will need t turn the text bx editr ff if yu are using Internet Explrer 7.) Micrsft Office XP and 2003 with the latest critical updates. Audi 16 bit r better sund card and speakers (if yur curse cntains audi cntent) Internet Cnnectin 56.6 KBPS mdem, cable mdem, DSL, r intranet (T-1) Nte: Crprate r academic security firewalls may blck sme curse cntent, such as chat r streaming media Address is a vital cmmunicatin medium in nline learning. It is imprtant that yu have a wrking address t receive cmmunicatins frm yur advisr, instructrs, and classmates. Yu are respnsible fr keeping yur address and ther persnal infrmatin up t date in the Tls Area, Persnal Infrmatin sectin. Virus Prtectin It is recmmended that yu prtect yur cmputer frm viruses. Keep yur antivirus sftware up t date with the latest virus updates. Antivirus and Persnal Firewall prducts may be available t yu fr free r at a reduced price thrugh the Campus Cmputing Center. Check with yur ISP, netwrk help desk, r search the Internet fr mre infrmatin and prduct resurces. Spyware & Adware Prtectin Spyware and Adware are fast-grwing threats that represent a majr security and privacy risk. Spyware is a prgram that is installed, with r withut the user's permissin, and can mnitr cmputer activity while bradcasting the infrmatin back t an utside party that cntrls the prgram. Adware displays unwanted advertising t yur cmputer, can track yur Web surfing habits and reprt it back t a central advertising server. It can slw yur PC t a crawl by bmbarding it with unwanted ads. Spyware and Adware remval tls and prtectin may be btained thrugh the Campus Cmputing Center r nline resurces. 13

15 Brwsers Dwnlad Safari UT Tyler curses use Java, JavaScript, brwser plug-ins, helper applicatins and ckies. It is essential that yu have these elements installed and enabled in yur web brwser fr ptimal viewing f the cntent and functins f yur nline curse. Unsupprted Brwsers-America Online (AOL), Prdigy, Jun, MSN, Yah and ther Internet Service Prviders (ISPs), prvide their wn internal and prprietary web brwsers. These brwsers may nt be cmpatible with UT Tyler curses. We strngly recmmend dwnlading and installing ne f the Blackbard supprted brwsers listed abve t ensure ptimal functinality with the elements f yur nline curse. Nte: It's nt recmmended t use IE n Macintsh since it is n lnger supprted by Micrsft. Plug-ins and Helper Applicatins Macrmedia Flash Player allws yu t view cntent created with Macrmedia Flash such as interactive web applicatins and animatins. Shckwave Player allws yu t view cntent created with Macrmedia Directr such as games and interactive 3D simulatins. RealPlayer allws yu t view and listen t streaming vide and audi. QuickTime Player allws Mac and Windws users t play back audi and vide files. Windws Media Player allws yu t view, listen and dwnlad streaming vide and audi. Adbe Reader allws yu t view, save, and print Adbe Prtable Dcument Frmat (PDF) files. Sun Java Runtime Engine (JRE) allws yu t use interactive tls n the web. PwerPint Viewer 2003 lets yu view full-featured presentatins created in PwerPint 97 and later versins. 14

16 Tls Blackbard Academic Suite User Manual Resurce detailing the tls and functins included as part f the Blackbard Academic Suite frm the Student r general user perspective Getting Help -If yu are having technical prblems, please cntact the Campus Cmputing Center: Campus Cmputing Center Business University Blvd Tyler, TX (903) bbadmin@uttyler.edu FAQ-Frequently Asked Technical Questins UT Tyler Student Frequently Asked Technical Questins Getting Help -If yu are having technical prblems, please cntact the Campus Cmputing Center: Campus Cmputing Center Business 101/3900 University Blvd/Tyler, TX 75799/(903) bbadmin@uttyler.edu 15