[ATTW-L] The Death of Computer Classrooms

Tue Apr 17 18:04:15 UTC 2018

We are talking at length about computer classrooms at our institution.
It's been helpful to us to have a set number of licenses (specifically for
creative cloud) and then people can use them on their computers.  (This is
just in our major though--we haven't figured out the service courses
although we have kicked around Chromebooks linked to classrooms or laptops.
)

I'm piloting a laptop loaner program for people in our technology heavy
classes  (upper-levels in our major) --many of our students have computer
unable to run programs such as creative cloud etc and loaning them a laptop
for the semester is taking care of that problem.  Frankly, it's been a game
changer.  We had to leave our classroom because of it was being painted.
If we were in a traditional computer classroom with the software on the
desktops, I would have had to cancel class for a week and a half.  As is,
we just moved over to the library conference room and kept on working.

On Tue, Apr 17, 2018 at 12:10 PM, Popham, Susan <pophams at ius.edu> wrote:

> Following up on what everyone else is saying . . .  I’ve never been a big
> fan of Bring-Your-Own-Devices campus policies, thinking that BYOD policies
> allow most academic institutions to elide their responsibilities towards
> providing technological resources to their students.  But, over the years,
> most of my students, including some who are very poor, seem to have found a
> way to bring their own devices, and most of my students now bring a couple
> of devices to class.  Thus, I struggled with finding a pedagogical way to
> make those devices meaningful for the classroom.
>
>
>
> One of the technology tools I’ve been (trying) to use this semester is a
> thing called Mersive Solstice.  I’m not even techy enough to explain how it
> works, but once installed in a classroom, it allows students to project
> from their devices—smart phones, iPads, laptops, tablets—through the single
> computer projector station.  This tool allows students to bring their own
> devices, and teachers to project their students’ in-class work, without
> having loads of campus-owned equipment or teacher training.  Nor do
> students need loads of training on devices they will never own or use
> outside of the classroom and outside of their own devices.  It’s really a
> pretty cool piece of technology, although it costs about $1500 per room.
> And, no I’m not getting any kind of commission from the Mersive company in
> promoting this tool.
>
>
>
> Mark, if your institution is trying to reduce its technology costs by
> reducing computer classrooms, I would make the case that some kinds of
> technologies still need to be provided by the institution—software
> licensing, updates on the instructional broadcasting/projection tools, many
> more electric outlets/ recharging stations installed, and possible
> collaborative technology stations (where groups of four students can work
> at a single computer that projects to their own table).
>
>
>
> PS.  I see a very productive CCCC or C&W or ATTW panel proposal coming out
> of this discussion. Anybody up for collaborating on a proposal?
>
>
>
> Susan L. Popham, Ph.D.
>
> Dept. of English; composition and professional writing
>
> Indiana University, Southeast
>
>
>
> Writing Faculty Advisor, *The Voice*, the journal of the *School of Arts
> and Letters, IUS*
>
> Editor, *Programmatic Perspectives*, journal of *the Council for Programs
> in Technical and Scientific Communication*
>
>
>
> *From:* ATTW-L <attw-l-bounces at attw.org> *On Behalf Of *Alisha Karabinus
> *Sent:* Tuesday, April 17, 2018 9:03 AM
> *To:* attw-l at attw.org
> *Subject:* Re: [ATTW-L] The Death of Computer Classrooms
>
>
>
> Just to pick up with what Rick was saying, since I'm in the same labs -
> not only are those spaces rigid and often difficult to work with for
> activities (not to mention for teachers accessing students who need help),
> no matter how often the machines get updated or replaced, they are slow and
> unreliable. Our students have access to loads of software on computers that
> aren't dependable unless they find certain labs on campus, which doesn't
> help in our computer classrooms. One example: if our students want access
> to sound in one building's computer classrooms, they have to bring
> non-bluetooth headphones, plug them in *before* logging in, and hope that
> works. If it doesn't, they have to restart the computer. Logging in,
> testing, and restarting a single time can take up to ten minutes. That's a
> significant chunk of class time wasted for nothing more than tech issues
> that students won't experience (usually) with their own tech.
>
>
>
> We do have laptops we lend for class activities, and the other program I
> teach in makes Chromebooks available during class as well and everything is
> much smoother. I wish universities would simply allow students to check out
> laptops if they don't have their own instead of maintaining computer
> classrooms, so long as lab spaces are available on campus for more robust
> work.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Alisha Karabinus
>
> Assistant Mentor, Introductory Composition
>
> Graduate Instructor, ENGL 106E
>
> Doctoral Candidate, Rhetoric and Composition
>
> Purdue University
>
>
>
> On Mon, Apr 16, 2018 at 9:58 PM, Johnson, Richard D <rjohnso at purdue.edu>
> wrote:
>
> Hey Mark,
>
>
>
> I'll share my experiences as a long-time computer classroom teacher, and
> we'll see what others have to say. I finally grew tired of teaching in
> computer labs. They're static, stale, and institutional. Plus, my students
> were bringing their laptops into the computer classroom anyway, preferring
> to work on their own machines rather than the desktop computers. And, I was
> tired of my students being forced to sit in rigid lines or rows of
> workstations, much like telemarketers. That arrangement was undermining my
> active learning approach and our team projects.
>
>
>
> So, a few years ago, I asked my students if they owned their own laptops.
> Every one said they owned their own machine and starting pulling them out
> of their backpacks. The price of a Chromebook and similar low-cost laptops
> is somewhere between $150 and $400, so owning a laptop is not prohibitively
> expensive for the majority of students. (That said, I'm aware that some
> underprivileged students cannot afford even a Chromebook. I work around
> that problem by bringing laptops for them, borrowed from our department.
> And, I'm aware some colleges and universities do not have enough funds to
> lend laptops. I get it.)
>
>
>
> Bottom line: Every classroom is a computer classroom If students bring
> their own laptops and have reliable wi-fi. (Again, exceptions apply here.
> Some campuses don't have reliable wi-fi.)
>
>
>
> Here are some benefits to the laptop classroom approach:
>
>    - The classroom is highly flexible as an active learning space. No
>    more rows of computer banks locking students into rigid lines.
>    - Students are familiar with their own machines, so no more
>    complaining about Mac or PC machines.
>    - Students can use any software they want for the basics, including
>    "free" internet based software like Google Docs. Lots of other software is
>    available for free, like Audacity.
>    - Students can share files through cloud-based file sharing sites and
>    have access to their files at all times.
>
>
>
> And here's my favorite benefit. When I want their attention for my brief
> 10-15 minute lecture, or a discussion of a reading, or a critique of a
> document's design, I ask them to put the lids down on their laptops. That
> way, I know I have their attention for that time period. Meanwhile, I don't
> need to police people on Instagram, playing Fortnight, watching Netflix,
> etc. When the lecture/discussion/critique is finished, the lids go up and
> we get to work.
>
>
>
> You asked about advanced software like the Adobe Suites, and that's one
> challenge. Many universities have Software Remote options that allow
> software to be used for free, including on campus. Others allow students to
> buy cheap site licenses.
>
>
>
> Also, Adobe Creative Cloud is reasonably priced for students and faculty
> ($19.99 a month, which works out to $60 a semester with the free trial).
> Again, I'm aware not everyone can afford that. For classes that need Adobe
> software, I keep that cost in mind and try to save student's money by
> choosing less costly textbooks. And, I'm aware that statement is ironic
> coming from me. That said, with a laptop, another benefit is that they have
> classroom access to less expensive e-versions of popular textbooks in our
> field.
>
>
>
> Listen, I know there are are a bunch of exceptions to what I've said
> above. There's no one-size-fits-all solution. I do know that traditional
> computer classrooms are very expensive to set up or replace (at least
> $100,000 per classroom, not to mention IT support and maintenance). And, my
> students and I were never happy with the computers or the learning
> environment. So, I think we should stop wasting millions on dinosaur
> computer classrooms, because that's coming out of our students' pockets in
> a hidden way.
>
>
>
> I"m also aware that people think laptops are a dying breed. I don't agree.
> It's hard to write and design documents on phones and tablets. Laptops and
> desktop computers are here to stay.
>
>
>
> %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
>
> Professor Richard Johnson-Sheehan
>
> Department of English
>
> Purdue University
>
> 500 Oval Dr.
>
> 428 Heavilon Hall
>
> W. Lafayette, IN 47907
>
> rjohnso at purdue.edu
>
> %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
>
>
>
> *From: *ATTW-L <attw-l-bounces at attw.org> on behalf of Mark Crane <
> craniac at gmail.com>
> *Date: *Monday, April 16, 2018 at 5:27 PM
> *To: *"attw-l at attw.org" <attw-l at attw.org>
> *Subject: *[ATTW-L] The Death of Computer Classrooms
>
>
>
> Hi,
>
>
>
> I currently manage two computer classrooms with 20 machines apiece.  I've
> been in charge of them since 2002, with a break of about four or five years
> in the middle of that period.
>
>
>
> The classrooms are funded, with the exception of Adobe Creative Suite
> licenses, by student fees. This includes a couple of color laser printers.
>
>
>
> One thing I've noticed over the past few years is that with the
> proliferation of phones, tablets, Chromebooks and laptops that students are
> not logging into the lab machines as frequently, often preferring to work
> on their own devices, even if that means thumb typing on a phone.
>
>
>
> I recently put in a order for new machines, and was told that the order
> was on hold because the campus is moving towards a policy of no longer
> supporting computer classrooms (as opposed to standalone lab not attached
> to a course).
>
>
>
> So I'm just fishing here, wondering what your experiences have been with
> computer classrooms. Also, can you tell me:
>
>
>
> 1) What software packages do you use with your undergraduate technical
> communications courses
>
>
>
> and
>
>
>
> 2) Who pays for those licenses?
>
>
>
> Note: Microsoft Office, in some form, is free for the students and
> faculty.  (I hate teaching Intro Tech Comm with Word, for what it's worth)
>
>
>
> We are hoping to retain control of the rooms and hopefully will be able to
> use at least one of them for the teaching of technical communications for
> our Writing Studies emphasis.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
> Mark Crane
>
> Utah Valley University
>
>
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>
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-- 
Dr. Barbara L'Eplattenier

Department of Rhetoric and Writing
University of Arkansas Little Rock
501-436-9103 | bleplatt at ualr.edu |
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