Concept: We would like to simplify the process of using the equipment in the schools so that everything is intuitive and easy to set up.
Here are our 3 ideas:
1. Post an instruction sheet at each computer along with a IT help number
2. Make tech training mandatory for everyone atOwen
3. Create a desktop background with instructions and put them on all classroom computers
Please let us know your thoughts.
Thanks,
Cindy, An, KJ, Todd
I like the simplicity of your suggestions, as they all seem very feasible, low cost, and easy to implement, especially in solving a very real problem. Although ideas 1 and 3 are somewhat similar, offering the instructions both digitally and in hard copy meet the needs of Owen community members at all levels of tech expertise. Could you maybe make these instruction sheets accessible for people to grab for laptop use as well? Your second suggestion has merit, too, as the checklist we were suggested to do at the beginning of 1st year wasn't comprehensive and I forgot how to do everything (like adding printers) basically right after I finished the checklist. Perhaps a tech training could be offered during LComm or in conjunction with Orientation or a required CMC workshop, so all students will be able to easily attend. Modifying for different technical levels of expertise and maybe making some students with IT backgrounds "TAs" for the course would be a great way to build relationships with other students and have a main point of contact for future questions, especially when Owen TPS may not be readily available, such as on weekends!
ReplyDeleteGlad you're addressing this! Technology is a joke at this school unfortunately.
ReplyDelete1) This is an excellent idea. My only thought is to be sure to make it extremely simple and clear so it's easy to follow. Maybe include pictures to make it even easier to follow.
2) Tech training is good, but maybe something you pass out of or something? For those who are tech savvy, it'd be pretty frustrating to sit through more lectures. Training though is definitely a good idea.
3) I like this idea most because it incorporates 1 and gets rid of the possibility that the paper instructions (in 1) get lost somehow. Go for it!
I think #2 is the best. This would help and could be a coupled with a "how to reserve a room" conversation at orientation.
ReplyDeleteWow - I really like all 3 ideas here. They seem feasible, easy to implement for all stakeholders (students, faculty, IT), and solve a real issue at Owen. I do, however, worry about how #2 will be recieved by the student body. I mean, how many "mandatory" things do we have at school - and everyone just complains about them...
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, I don't really pay attention to instructions until I'm in the moment that I need to know how to do something - in which case #1 and #3 seem to be best at that point in time.
How does making everyone take an IT training make the process simpler? It seems like it might require overtraining. #1 is a good idea, because it puts the directions right at your fingertips.
ReplyDeleteI like idea #1. An instruction sheet will instruct students, professors and visitors on using the equipment. Perhaps a FAQ page on the equipment will be helpful as well.
ReplyDeleteThere is NO way I am going to sit through a mandatory tech training session. This adds NO value to my MBA experience and is a total waste of time. If I wanted to learn how to use projectors I would have gone to work for Best Buy. Make this training mandatory for professors/TA's instead. They are the primary users of the equipment. If students need to learn a simple instruction sheet / FAQ will work just fine.
I have sometimes troubles with this IT issues. I like your viewpoint. Idea #1 is great. But I think it's better to put instruction sheet not only on computers but also on desks or printers in the library.
ReplyDeleteI like Idea 1! This problem happens all the time and I think a simple instruction sheet would be the most helpful. Also, the contact information would be key.
ReplyDeleteIdea 2 would be great if you could pull it off; however, I think it would be really difficult to get the Owen body to participate/listen to these training sessions.
Idea 3 is good, but if you're having problems with the technology, the last thing you want to do is try to figure out how to get to the desktop part just to read the instructions.
I like idea 3. Kimberly is right, if you're having serious technology problems, the last place you want instructions is on the computer itself. That said, I think most tech problems we encounter in the classroom aren't severe and having an explanation on the desktop would make good sense. By posting instructions in another location within the classroom, they'd likely be overlooked the desktop ensures that they won't be overlooked.
ReplyDeleteThis is surely a need, I think the best idea is to include the necessary information on the desktop.
ReplyDeleteMore training makes me recoil but that's just me.
A simple sticker on the monitor makes a lot of sense as well.
Well done.
all the three ideas can really work in improving the using situation of equipment at Owen! i like the idea #3 most considering that it will always be there to check and be easy for update
ReplyDeleteI think all of your ideas are great: easy to implement and really do help address the core problem at hand. I think that #1 and #3 could be easily implementable together and would reinforce how to use the equipment as well as how to get in touch with IT Department.
ReplyDeleteI think mandatory training would be difficult to implement, but you may be able to offer training sessions at the beginning of each semester perhaps that students could attend.
ReplyDeleteRegarding posting the # for IT. I think the challenge here would be to ensure that IT is equipped to handle the calls. They seem to function better face-to-face or by emailing the help desk for most issues, and students may encounter frustration if IT doesn't answer the phone because they're busy (whereas we can walk by their offices on the 2nd floor and "see" if they're available or not). I think in order to implement, it will be necessary to ensure that you are making IT's jobs easier in addition to the students.
All of these are great ideas. I like how you're catering to both people who'd prefer a hard copy in hand and those who would prefer a soft document on the computer. I think the training would be useful but I'm not sure the mandatory nature is necessary. If you do make it mandatory, you may consider doing it via an e-Learning module. They are not terribly hard or expensive to create, and then you wouldn't have to worry about finding facilitators. Plus, people could take the online class at their own convenience (date/time) and pace.
ReplyDeleteI agree that I like the simplicity and feasability of your ideas. Great job! I think it would be very easy to have something like #2 during orientation (although that makes it difficult for you to do in 5 weeks). I know it would have been very helpful to know things like how to reserve a room or use the monitors in the library rooms when we first arrived. Also, #1 is simple, but effective.
ReplyDeleteI like all three ideas - they are all feasible and will solve a real problem. However, I agree with Alex on the training part. Make the training compulsory for the professors and TAs but not all students.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the simplicity of these suggestions! I think, given that, my votes would be for the first or the third ideas rather than a mandatory training session for all students.
ReplyDeleteAnother idea might be to have a document on the desktop of all of the computers that people can open that includes directions for how to use technology.
I love all the three ideas...I have no idea to adjust the lighting in the classroom...This would save a lot of time for group meeting, and probably make presentations look more professional!
ReplyDelete#2 is good, but if there is a way to have students complete a quick training online before they come to Owen when priorities set in, that would be best.
ReplyDeleteThe nuances of proper setup are too complex for a desktop background, IMO.
ReplyDeleteTech training is probably the best solution, but I'm unconvinced that training sessions will really help people work out the difficulties of managing classroom computers, A/V connections, etc. It's several schools of thought. But... I think that is the best idea here, if it could be implemented properly.
Since there is an inherent technical imcompatibilities between Microsoft and Apple, having the IT staff pre-prepare the needed work before class for the faculty would be more efficient.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great concept. #1 and #3 are the most feasible, considering our time constraint. I'm not so sure about mandatory tech training. I've rarely ever needed to use the tech equipment, and would be upset if I were forced to sit through a boring training session. An alternative idea might be providing a training video or slide presentation that students could download from Blackboard and watch and their own discretion.
ReplyDeleteI like your ideas. Our school life will be improved if we could use technology in classroom and library!! I am not sure that mandatory session is needed. However if this kind of session is held briefly during “Orientation” at the beginning of our MBA life, it would be useful. It would also be helpful if you could provide the additional sessions for students who are willing to acquire more skills. #2 and 3 are simple but great ideas!!
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting problem.
ReplyDeleteI am not fully convinced that written "instructions" are the answer. The IT staff already currently offers lessons/classes/tutorials in using the technology (at least to faculty and staff). Interestingly, it's mainly the people who already know how to use it that show up. That leads me to believe that the problem is not "access to the knowledge or instructions" - this being the problem that your solutions could solve.
Could it be that there are very few disincentives for NOT learning the systems? I'll bet that if students were graded on their technological literacy in classes that the problem would solve itself in about a week. I bet that if students started writing "inexcusably technologically illiterate!" in course evaluations for faculty that the problem would sort itself out within a mod.
There are probably more positive ways to "force" this behavior and I welcome any that help up the standards for Owen. As a personal peeve I'll offer that a few of us get frustrated, not just because of user-error behaviors, but also because the technology ends up getting "dumbed down" - the needs of the least literate users get first consideration so that they can at least nominally operate it. This lowers the overall standards and leaves all sorts of teaching and learning possibilities unexplored and unavailable. As a person who strives to live on the bleeding edge of the learning curve - this situation can feel intolerable. I hope you can help!
(There, I feel better now!)
Let me know if I can help.
I think this is a really great problem to fix and your solutions seem simple enough. I do see Professor Owens point though that there are really no incentives for learning. Perhaps another suggestion could be an FAQ sheet that identifies a solution to a particular problem. Even experienced or tech-savvy users can experience a glitch. For example, when presenting for a case compeition in room 220, between 7 people, we couldn't figure out how to dim the lights. It's the easiest thing to do, but none of us could figure it out. Turns out there was a code to punch in. A sheet with problems and solutions (for example, problem: "Unable to dim the lights?" solution: "press, x, y, z") next to the computer might be helpful to address problems that will inevitably occur on an as needed basis.
ReplyDelete