In accessing a shared content classroom, you will need to ensure your computer has the following recommended software
A suitable browser
To engage with materials, students will need a browser based on Chromium.
I recommend Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. For privacy-focused families, you may prefer Brave.
Productivity apps
Students will need productivity apps capable of opening ppt, pptx, doc, docx and xlsx documents.
I recommend Microsoft Office, available for Mac and Windows. WPS Office is a great free alternative, and LibreOffice will work for privacy-conscious families. I do not recommend iWork, as this struggles with file layout.
PDF viewer
A lot of files I post will be PDF files – this is a standard format.
Any browser based on Chromium should be able to open a PDF file. However, for the occasions it struggles, or if your privacy settings do not allow this, Adobe Acrobat is a great alternative. OnlyOffice PDF reader is a great open-source alternative for privacy conscious families.
Media player
Files posted to shared content courses can consist of a wide range of multimedia files. These can include videos, songs, voice notes, among others. For Mac, Windows, and privacy conscious families, VLC Media Player is the best software for this, capable of opening a wide range of multimedia files without any issue. VLC is open-source, and available as a free download.
Ad blocker
Links posted to shared content courses can include links to external sites, such as YouTube, Spotify, Quizlet, Microsoft, Seneca, among others. Most sites have a free and a paid offering, with the free offering supported by advertising. However, these adverts can be irritating at best, and unsuitable for children at worst. I recommend installing an ad-blocker. I personally use “U-block Origin”, but your mileage may vary based on your choice of browser.
Anti virus software
Links posted to shared content courses can include links to external sites, such as YouTube, Spotify, Quizlet, Microsoft, Seneca, among others. Unfortunately, external sites are often hacked, or bought out by companies with dishonest intentions. I strongly recommend installing anti-virus software before using these sites. These can include Norton, BullGuard, Sophos and ESET. AVG is a free alternative.