Technology Advisory Group

Today in Brennan, IT Services held a Faculty Forum on Mediated Classroom Technology, featuring a presentation and Q&A session with Office of Instructional Technology staffers Rob Kennedy and Jason Oakey.  There were about 21 faculty members present, representing several departments, including Math, Biology, History, Counseling, Philosophy, Nursing, LA/W/S, Military Science and the Library.    Here’s a PDF of the presentation slides, and if you have time for some leisure reading, here are my notes:

• OIT is very interested in getting faculty feedback so that they can mediate campus with only the technology faculty members really want and need.  They don’t have a big enough budget to purchase and install technology that won’t be used.  The first question for them is, “What faculty members in what departments need what technology?”
• The other key issue is balance.  So the second key question is “What’s right for faculty, versus what’s right for students, versus what’s right for the University?” Overhead projectors may be right for some faculty who are used to teaching with transparencies, but they’re not the right technology for the students.
• All classroom technology needs to be sustainable.  When budgeting for new purchases, OIT has to think about staff time spent supporting the equipment, maintenance costs, and eventually replacement costs.  Rob is shooting for simplicity and trying to focus on modular, standardized equipment that will work for almost everyone rather than accommodating individual preferences.
• We’re approaching an “Analog Sunset” on December 31, 2013 – after that date, new Blu-ray players will no longer support analog.  As a result, OIT is planning to move classroom mediation to all digital, with a goal of all mediated classrooms being digital by 2016.  Right now, we have five digital classrooms: Hyland 305, Leahy 1011, McGurrin 302, St. Thomas 209, and St. Thomas 563A.   These classrooms are modeling a new media setup.
• In the digital classrooms, OIT can monitor the use of equipment (i.e., is it on or off, not the content being displayed).  This will help them keep track of things like lamp hours, so that they’ll be able to replace projector bulbs *before* they burn out.
• The digital classrooms also feature a switcher, which will allow faculty to hook up mobile devices, tablet computers, Macs, etc to the display without having to adjust resolution.  We’ll also be able to blacken (“mute”) the screen, though we won’t be able to flip or rotate the entire image.
• The digital classrooms also have new document cameras, that have *much* higher resolution and have a much smaller footprint.  The cameras can also be used to record impromptu video if faculty want to make a podcast of their lecture.
• Podiums in the new classrooms have “cable cubbies” that make a variety of cables available to faculty without a mess of cables on the floor.
• Speakers in the newly mediated classrooms are in the ceiling for a cleaner-looking installation and better sound quality.
• OIT is exploring the use of SMART podiums, which are sort of like SMART boards except that the faculty member would write on the podium screen instead of on the board.  Some faculty were not thrilled about this – one reported that she found the SMART podium less responsive to touch than her tablet computer. Another said that a SMART podium would make her feel tied to a podium rather than engaged in the class.
• OIT has worked with student response systems (clickers) in the past, but it’s not clear how much use they’re getting.  Rob recommended using text messaging with a program like PollEverywhere, which is free for a class of up to 30 students.
• OIT is also planning to purchase Pinnacle Video Transfer devices, which hook into video cameras and facilitate easy file transfers from the camera to USB thumb drives.

At the end of the presentation, there was a short Open Forum in which several faculty members asked questions:

• What about VHS players? VHS players will still be available (since many departments have built up collections of useful VHS tapes in the Library) – but OIT is planning to move to an on-demand model.  A professor who wanted to use a VHS player would have to request it.
• Can I get a remote control on the VHS/DVD cart? Remote controls tend to disappear.  Sometimes OIT pitches them if they think they won’t be needed.  Likewise, it’s hard to put clickers in every classroom, because people tend to walk off with them unintentionally.
• Can projector screens be moved so that there’s more black/whiteboard space (for multizone teaching)?  Currently, when screens are replaced, they’re put in the same place as the old screen.  Increasing the size of whiteboards (or whiteboard walls) are an option, but this is under the control of Facilities, not OIT.
• What about classes that need two images projected at once? There will be a few rooms like this in the new Science Center. Let Rob know if this is a necessity for your class, and he will make sure it’s in his budget request.
• Will any of the new equipment be wireless? Wireless connection to the projector isn’t a good idea – the image gets fuzzy.  Wireless peripherals (like keyboards) are great, but if the battery dies you’re in trouble.
• What about mobile communication – if a professor is running late, can he/she send a message to that effect that will show up on the projection screen? No, we’re not looking at this.

Last but not least, we briefly discussed how faculty can communicate with OIT about these issues:

• OIT is aiming for selective placement of technology.  They want faculty feedback so that they’re putting the right tools in the right classrooms.
• Suggestions were made that OIT run a survey or attend department meetings to solicit feedback.  According to Rob, “You give us a voice at that table and we’ll be there.”