Docker desktop for Mac

I would appreciate some help from anyone who has experience with Docker for Mac.

Recently I enrolled in a school that deals with image reconstruction and analysis.

Attendees have access to a virtual machine on the STFC cloud. However, I would like to have the same s/w configuration on my Mac to keep learning after school is over.

The instructors advised Mac users to install Docker Desktop for Mac and pull the s/w from GitHub.

Unluckily nothing works on my Mac because the Docker daemon seems not to be running.

I keep reading the following message:

"Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?"

I have already rebooted my Mac but nothing has changed with Docker.

I am running macOS Big Sur 11.4

One of the instructors has a Mac as well. He has installed the Docker desktop for Mac and experienced no hassle at all. He is running Catalina.

Any suggestions and help are more than welcome.

Thank you in advance.

Maura