A Tour of the Technology across the Maine SystemBy the BOT representatives from UM, UMA,

UMM, UMFK, UMF & UMPI

In May and June the BOTs launched a survey

• We thought this was an opportunity to assess the impact of centralization of IT services- on each campus

• We took advantage of the tools available to us!

• System wide survey (n = 260, across 6/7 campuses)

• With the goal of determining: The major IT challenges that affect:

• Student Learning

• Faculty’s ability to teach, and interact with students in and out of classrooms

• The perception of the Maine System

Purpose of this presentation: The impact of IT on Student learning

• BOT’s -- System wide survey (n = 260, across 6/7 campuses)

• Met with Cindy Mitchell

• Relevant and consistent themes across the system that impact

• Student Learning

• Faculty’s ability to impart knowledge & interact with students

• How these interactions affect the perception of Maine System

• Discuss next steps

Learn about IT: Discussions with Cindy Mitchell

• She is working smarter, and harder! Working with Faculty Senate identify major IT issues and a policy for projects.

• Provided photos. She was clearly SHOCKED

• Update largest classroom

• Keep IT representatives on each campus- but campuses need to know who

• Clean up rooms and create clear documentation for each room

• Replace old projectors > 15 years old and replacing them

• Clean classrooms (organize, toss out, clean, label & create instructions)

• Create an IT process: for classroom help, vs. other help that is streamlined & on target

• Unifying of system IT has brought expertise (like the AV designer from USM)

How IT impacts Student Learning: Student & Faculty feedback across the System

• Teaching is delayed teaching delayed; learning time reduced. • Students struggle with technology as well:• Multiple Learning management systems, & emails • IT help is not available when most students need help • Piecemeal technology: impacts the tenuous learning

link.• One perspective student’s perception: (Uriah)

• Next steps: working with student representatives.• Creating a ‘Genius Bar’ for walk up IT services!

How do most faculty communicate with

students? Gmail (Maine.ed

u)110

Black-board; 44

Mainestreet; 11

Firstclass; 50

How big is this problem? Technology, Faculty & Students.

• 222 responses; 19% reported no technology related interruptions.

• 2.4 interruptions per semester!

• 4.5 minutes per class to deal with IT problems (180 minutes per semester)

• 21% of faculty members report having to stop class more than 5 times!

• What Faculty say: Embarrassing, Frustrating and reflects poorly on them, and their college.

0 1 2 3 4 50

10

20

30

4043

26

38 4034

41

Number of interuptions per semester

How IT impacts Faculty: The interaction between Faculty & Student• Professor’s call for help

• They must wait through the options: they need a hotline!

• Why this is a problem: increases the time, frustrations, and variation of technology

• Professors need help for night classes and early classes

• Professors across the system must bring their IT tool kit!

• Survey of 25 faculty of other state schools: • 100% had a secure network & an effective wireless and Ethernet (they laughed at

me)

• 100% had computers and speakers in the classroom

• 100% had a single learning management system

• Next steps: Help Cindy! But she needs more help than us!

One of these papers was dated 2006

•One of 3 largest rooms @ UMaine: 230 seats (8 broken). •Some 2000 first and second year students per semester•Wiring •Blackboard•Ethernet doesn’t work•Wireless very slow .•There are pieces of paper under the desk with the date: 2003!•$2,038,596/ revenue per semester.

An Example: Bennett 137

IT tool kit for one faculty member!

One Faculty Member emailed me this!

Does it really matterHow much time is really lost?

• About 5 minutes per class period

• Or about 15 minutes per week (3x)

• Or about 5 classes per semester (3x)

• Or about 10 minutes per week (2x)

• About 3.5 classes per semester (2x)

• How about a suggestion: directions, labels & photos

> 5 times in the semester;

234 times in the semester; 15

3 times in the semester; 192 times in the

semester; 19

1 time in the semester; 13

Never 26

How IT impacts the Perception of the System.

• Lack of wireless communication; not as good as their high schools

• Students come to Maine System School Computer savvy

• Students are accustomed to Smart Boards, wireless and Catchy You-Tube videos

• Students learn more when technology is used (Brian Doore Survey)

• Students believe the System has not accounted for their increased computer skills

• Students expect faculty to understand technology and use it!

• Going backwards in time!

Some of the top issues from facultyClassrooms• Responsiveness of IT (not coming when

called- and not being able to help) and after hours support

• The technology necessary for each faculty to have when they go to class (photo next)

• WiFi & Ethernet either insufficient or non-working (bigger problem for UMaine)

• LCD Projector incompatibility length of time to replace bulb

• Wires, broken WIRES, Red WIRES, & extra wires, with out any instructions!

Offices • Who to call for what and when?

• Faculty should not have to give up their computer for a week for fixing.

• New Photo copiers: lack of communication- like posting IP addresses

• Help with using software

• Consistent process for purchasing new computers

• Site licenses

Some of the top issues from faculty

Software• Who to call for help

• A central point for updated information- web site with how to?

• IT people who can be sent to offices to help faculty with software, or at least remote to our desktops

• Networks should be available for faculty to log on to across campuses

Other• The wait time with the new IT

phone system- direct line for teaching

• Why Apple TV?

• Multimedia sign out hours do not start early enough for 8A classes, and who can sign out equipment

• Campus IT infrastructure is not sufficient to handle demand.

Why does wiring impact learning?

CAT 3 Wire • Designed to be used as a VG or Voice Grade

• Prevailed before 2000; Base T wire is suitable of 10Mbps

• CAT 3 wire is suitable for 16Mbps of data transmission

• 802.3at (2003) Type 2 high-power variation wireless routers cannot be used with CAT 3 wire

• T is the baseband suggesting 1 set of twisted cable; TX would suggests faster and clearer

CAT 6 Wire• CAT 6 wire 10G BASE-T

• CAT 6 wire integrates voice, video and data 100 times faster than CAT 3

• Cable can be identified by the printing on the side of the cable sheath.[2]

Problems specific System Schools

• Each campus really NEEDS IT people on site!

• UMA: No person on site- chemistry classes not taught. Told to put in work orders. That does not work for IT needs- BOT is so old it has no mic or webcam.

• UMM: the tool pack faculty must travel with.

• UMFK: Lack of access to IT personnel

• UMF: Non working remotes; bulbs not working or replaceable. • UMF: who do we call for help? And what is the number-> direct line

• Standing with hands in the air to get enough signal for reception

Follow up• Student representatives survey students.

• Re Do the survey after the fall.

• Examine the wiring.

• Are students happy.

• Creating academic quality indicators around technology.

• Changing the perception of IT across the system.

Other Comments• Poly Com’s not working.

• When students are told they can learn in their PJs- they should be able to.

• Technology needs to be on par with what students are use to.