Technology Requirements

Photo: Students collaborate on a projectThe world we live in is becoming increasingly reliant on technology, yet schools have varying degrees of access to advanced technologies. Ford PAS is designed to give schools some flexibility in the level and extent of technology required. However, because competency in using technology is so important for students’ futures, the curriculum assumes that a certain set of technology tools, listed below, are available. Especially critical is regular, reliable access to the Internet for teachers and students. If your school has technology resources beyond the designated level, the curriculum identifies some opportunities to use more advanced tools.

Technology Tools Checklist

Required Equipment

  • Computers with Internet access for teacher and students
  • At least one computer for every two or three students. PCs preferred; some software run only on Windows and directions are written for Windows only. Click here to see compatibility list.
  • Monitor and VCR or DVD player

Recommended Equipment

  • LCD projector to project web resources and students’ PowerPoint presentations in the classroom

Required Software

  • Adobe Reader: download here
  • Quick Time Player: download here
  • Flash Player for Planning for Business Success' Rags to Riches simulation: download here
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft Access or FileMaker used in Careers, Companies, and Communities (4), Planning for Business Success (7)
  • Enterprise Dynamics (PC/Windows only) used in Planning for Efficiency (6): available from the Ford PAS online catalog
  • HOMER (PC/Windows only) used in Energy for the Future (12), download here
Recommended Software
  • Web site-building software used in People at Work (3) (for example, Dreamweaver, Frontpage, or Microsoft Word, or free Web site hosts).
  • MINITAB statistical software used in Ensuring Quality (8) (activities can be adapted for Excel).
  • ESRI ArcView GIS software (PC/Windows only) used in From Data to Design (9). A one-year license for the software and the accompanying required text Mapping Our World is available for purchase from the online catalog. You can obtain an ongoing license for your school by completing and submitting a community mapping project to ESRI.
  • Computer-aided design (CAD) software can be used in Reverse Engineering (10) and Different by Design (11). Try Google SketchUp. CAD software is available to Ford PAS teachers through PTC (PC/Windows only).

Software Compatibility

Below is a list outlining software compatibility with PC (Windows) and Macintosh computers.

Module and Software/Simulations

Required or Optional?

PC (Windows) Compatible

Mac Compatible

Various Modules: Microsoft Office (Access, Excel, PowerPoint and Word)

Required

*

*

Planning for Efficiency (6): Enterprise Dynamics
http://www.incontrol.nl/?to=requirements

Required

*

 

Ensuring Quality (8): MINITAB Software

Optional

*

From Data to Knowledge (9): ArcView GIS

Optional

*

 

Different by Design (11): PTC Pro/DESKTOP CAD Software

or Google SketchUp

Optional

*

 

Reverse Engineering (10) and Different by Design (11): Other CAD Software

Optional

*

*

Energy for the Future (12): HOMER

Required

*

See note below.

Online Simulations

  • Planning for Business Success (7): Rags to Riches
  • From Data to Knowledge (9): GIDEON
  • Markets Without Borders (14): Global E2

Required

*

*

Notes

Ensuring Quality (8): MINITAB

No Mac version is available, but you can run Release 14 or 13 on a Power Macintosh if you have installed Windows emulator software. See the MINITAB Web site for more information.

Energy for the Future (12): HOMER

No Mac version is available, but you can run HOMER on a Macintosh computer within a Windows emulator.

TOP

< BACK NEXT >