Thanks to your recommendation, Charlie King has responded to some
of our suggestions about classroom equipment. In particular, each
classroom now has a "help list" by the light switch,
informing room users of appropriate campus phone numbers for reporting
problems with classroom equipment, from seating to cleaning to
overheads to TV monitors. The down side of this list is that faculty
are calling the overhead repair site (Library, Media Services)
to request an overhead for those rooms which still are
not supplied.
Thanks to yet another TAC recommendation, Bill Yerrick has assembled
a special ad-hoc sub-committee of ITRAC to devise a plan for centralized
classroom equipment supply and repair. This committee (Yerrick,
Lorraine Durrill, Linda Farynk, Marty Aylesworth, Coreen Mett)
has drafted a 3-part plan for
Included in this plan are costs, centralized maintenance (in Telecommunications)
plans, and a 4-year cycle of equipment upgrade.
CTE assembled a group of faculty currently teaching in Walker 215 and John Fox, Academic Computing. Several problems were discussed. Some were resolved by the faculty discussion. Others were listed and requests for modifications were sent to both Academic Computing and Charlie King for both technology and physical plant work. One simple example of a physical plan modification was installing a window in the door so that arriving students can see whether a class is still in session.
The modifications outlined in a session last May with Academic
Computing and MTS faculty have nearly been completed on the first
cart computer (Russell). After the new Pathways software arrived
in August, the PC-NFS software was replaced by Pathways for network
connections that required less memory and had fewer conflicts.
Key features of the modified networking capabilities is that users
can connect to RUNET in the classroom, use Netscape, FTP, e-mail,
TELNET and any RUNET personal files via this connection. The cart
computers also have Reflections software, which allow authorized
users to connect to the HP system for registrar's RIM information,
IFAS connection, or SYLLABI information. The McAfee virus protection
software has also been installed.
Unfortunately, a SyQuest backup system has not yet been completed.
Since several faculty have installed personal software for classroom
use, this will have to be cleared before preparing a master tape.
Building-dependent connection information is still being developed
for the creating of the master tape. We are expecting to complete
both tasks within the week. Then MTS faculty will receive an update
of training and information on the improvements and methods for
upgrading virus software, Netscape, and using the master backup
tape.
Two pilot projects use different types of technology.
Task Force work.
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© Coreen Mett, Radford University