Academics

Affordable and secure digital tools available to the Penn State community

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Important work is taking place all across Penn State as the spring semester winds down. The University's faculty, staff and students can use a wide range of free or reduced-cost — and secure — digital tools to complete that work.

The modern higher education landscape has placed increased importance on technology and tools that can combine with sound pedagogy to provide instruction in remote, hybrid and in-person modes. Software at Penn State is a crucial online resource that gives the University community affordable access to essential tools.

Software at Penn State allows visitors to purchase discounted software, download free software, access high-performance applications through Penn State’s supercomputer, and virtually access Penn State’s computer labs through WebLabs and WebApps.

It also provides a direct link to Penn State's Courseware website, a critical resource for faculty who incorporate digital learning tools in their coursework. Courseware simplifies the process for faculty to navigate the list of what is authorized for course instruction.

“It is essential that instructors make use of Courseware,” said Terry O’Heron, director of operations with Teaching and Learning with Technology. “With it, they can ensure the digital tools they use for coursework meet University-wide standards.”

Courseware is defined as any digital educational application or software used by instructors or students for a Penn State class. With the online resource, faculty can search for software or applications authorized for University-wide use, which need additional authorization, and what is not currently approved for use.

“It’s imperative all of our instructors and students utilize Courseware that works to protect our data and is accessible to all users,” added O’Heron.

A request can be made for software or Courseware that is not currently in the catalog. Also, answers to frequently asked questions are available on the Courseware website.

Last Updated April 16, 2021