Table of Contents

====== Three Lists for the Hopkins401 Meeting ====== Academic Computing Services

5 issues/problems that we are struggling with.

  1. dual boot macs: when/if to roll-out dual boot macs in labs and classrooms
  2. student laptops and software : the future of computer labs when 90% of our students have laptops; how do we provide software for them?
  3. web 2.0: how to plan for and implement various web 2.0 apps (blogs, wikis, social bookmarking, etc.) See https://dokuwiki.wesleyan.edu/doku.php?id=its:web_2.0 for details.
  4. project management : how to manage both large and small projects in an efficient manner
  5. backup, redundancy, and sustainability: how do we provide backup for key staff functions when only one staff person knows a particular application or process expertly? how to maintain software so that it will endure when staff leave? how do we archive web projects and their related files so we can work on them in the future?

5 things you've done recently that you think would be useful/interesting/provocative to others.

  1. classroom recording: podcasting and Apreso. We're doing a pilot project this year with 10 faculty to investigate various approaches to classroom recording and podcasting. See http://www.wesleyan.edu/its/podcasting/
  2. quantitative analysis center : we've just launched a new service for supporting statistics and quantitative methods in the social sciences that includes a new classroom, a tutoring service, a data management service, and the creation of a community of faculty working in this area. This seems fertile ground for interinstitutional collaboration. See http://qac.wesleyan.edu (eventually).
  3. tablet pc roll-out for ees : a project that involves distributing 20 or so tablet p.c.s with gps capability for collecting data in the field, and sharing it via an ad hoc wireless network.
  4. intellectual property website : a project to share resources about intellectual property in a broad range of contexts to help faculty and students do the right thing, and understand what is and isn't legal. see http://www.wesleyan.edu/ip/ .
  5. policy questions for deans/provost : questions posed to our new provost. see http://www.writely.com/View.aspx?docID=af3kr6hn8cxx_32g5xt4j&revision=_latest

A summary of your works-in-progress.

Blackboard

  1. move to 7.x with linux as platform (from solaris)
  2. installation of learning objects building block for blogs and wikis
  3. contemplating but not yet committed to community system
  4. long-term exploration of moodle and sakai alternatives
  5. developing stats to understand trends in usage at macro level, and within feature set

Classrooms

  1. continue to do in-house AMX programming and installations
  2. investigating AMX module that does remote monitoring of equipment
  3. considering move to single mac that boots to pc
  4. struggling with two monitors and two projectors: when/if to upgrade already existing rooms
  5. wondering whether we have built enough of these rooms

Labs

  1. experimenting with laptop-friendly spaces (removing p.c.s)
  2. implemented mystery shopper program to assess quality of service delivered via student consultants
  3. implemented labstats to track usage of computers across campus, and to advertise available machines

Web Stuff

  1. working with Wesleyan press to develop companion website for dance history textbook
  2. working with university relations and special collections to create website for papers of prominent alum.
  3. pilot podcasting project
  4. web 2.x workshop and overall planning for such applications
  5. content management project
  6. planning for creation of new service point that includes digitization, photographic services, and multimedia development (see examples at TK)

Special Events

  1. productionizing webcasting of events as a service
  2. videography workshop to improve quality of video capturing techniques
  3. conversations with library about archiving certain materials