Media Services has three proposals to submit as technology fee projects that will have direct and visible benefits for students and faculty using classroom presentations. The first project will provide a portable data/video projector with computers in each of the three major classroom buildings. The second project involves permanently mounting computer data/video projectors in selected classrooms on an ongoing basis. The third project will provide a Macintosh and IBM platform laptop computer for checkout by students and faculty for use in rooms equipped with data projectors.
1. Portable computer, data/video systems
Provide a portable roll around (secured to a cart) system consisting of a data/video projector, IBM and Macintosh computers loaded with standard software supported by Computing Services, and video cassette player. There should be one unit each in the Humanities Fine Arts, Social Science, and Science buildings. This will provide immediate accessibility to computer projection equipment in any of the classrooms in the three major classroom buildings on campus. It could be used by faculty but also by students giving senior seminars and other class presentations.
Cost per unit: $8,000
Total cost: $24,000
2. Classroom Data/Video Projectors
For those classrooms that are heavy users of media equipment now, begin an ongoing process of upgrading permanent media equipment. Equip the following classrooms with data/video projectors in the following priority order at the rate of one or two per year. Since the technology continues to improve and prices to drop, it is best to upgrade continuously on a rotating basis.
3. 2 Laptop Computers
This will provide an IBM or Macintosh platform Laptop computer for checkout by students or faculty for use in rooms currently equipped with data projectors.
Total cost of equipment $5,500
These three proposals, taken together, would greatly expand student access to modern media projection equipment for class presentations. As at least one classroom in each building in proposal 2 is equipped plus the addition of a portable cart-based unit in each of the buildings, if funded there will soon be the capability of two classes using the same technology at the same time in each building.
With the price of computers continuing to decline, it is cost effective to provide both a standard Mac and IBM on a cart. Since each would be loaded with standard campus software, faculty and students should be able to upload presentations and not worry about providing their own computer.
Media Services currently produces slides for student presentations and can provide technical expertise in creating digital media presentations. Media Services will continue to offer workshops to faculty and students interested in creating computer-generated presentations.