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Oh the Places They’ll Go – If you Let Them!
Oh the Places They’ll Go – If you Let Them!
Loriann HigashiManager, Student Technology Collaborative
About YaleAbout Yale
• Approximately 11,000 students– ½ Undergraduates in 12 residential colleges– ½ Graduate & Professional students
• 3 full time staff managing 120+ student employees– 17 Student Coordinators
• Student Techs (STs) support Undergraduates & Graduate Students in Arts & Sciences– On campus students receive in-room support from Residential
College ST– Walk in support center (TTO) for initial consultation and off-campus
student support– Hardware repair center (io) for in-warranty Dell & Apple; all out-of-
warranty repairs• Bass Media Tech STs provide support in Bass Library
The Usual ST Job…The Usual ST Job…
• Residential– Provide technology support for undergraduate and graduate students
at both the Technology Troubleshooting Office (TTO) and campus residences
– Staff the computer clusters– Maintain the Residential College and graduate dormitory computer
clusters– Participate in STC's Fall Training program– Attend regular STC meetings
• Bass Library Media Specialist– Provide assistance to faculty, staff, and students in using the media
classrooms and group study spaces in Bass Library– Answer general questions about ITS services and provide some
support for Bass Library cluster– Assist students with some general technology questions or issues– Participate in STC Fall Training
Hmm… That Seems Like a Decent Job – What Else Could they Do?Hmm… That Seems Like a Decent Job – What Else Could they Do?• Hardware repairs• Technology Information Sessions• Summer Staffing
– Video production– Web applications (programming projects)– Web documentation– Summer conference support– Fall training
You Let Them Touch Hardware?You Let Them Touch Hardware?
• Dell Warranty Parts Direct (WPD)– Tier 2 – includes Warranty Labor Reimbursements– ~25 certified Dell technicians (2 staff, rest students)
• Apple Global Service Exchange (GSX)– Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP) program – includes
warranty labor reimbursements based on service excellence score– 3 certified Apple technicians (1 staff, 2 students)
• Certified technicians diagnose, order replacement part (or box to send machine back to Apple), replace, then return defective part
• If computer is not under warranty– Diagnose, and if student purchases the part then we will do repair
free of charge (we may recommend sending to a third-party provider)
Hardware… Is That Really a Good Idea?Hardware… Is That Really a Good Idea?
• Benefit for students– Quicker turnaround time than sending back to manufacturer– Ease in scheduling – no need to coordinate with outside service
technician– Even when out of warranty, free service saves them money
• Hardware programs require management– Part inventory tracking– Training employees to order parts properly and in a timely fashion– Dealing with manufacturers
• Some programs are better than others– Receiving reimbursements from manufacturers
• University/State Policies– Sometimes repairs don’t fix the problem
• Technician error (incorrect part ordered or problem in installation)• Dead on arrival parts
Ok, So What’s the Process?Ok, So What’s the Process?
• Designated hardware repair office (io)– Repairs only done in this location– Proper Tools (Repair benches, anti-static mats, grounding straps,
etc.)– Space! (in Spring 2008, moved into new location, with much more
space)– Now close to staff, for consultation and assistance (a huge
improvement!)– Non-warranty parts need to be cleared with staff before making
recommendation to student• Part inventory tracking
– Full-time employee (FTE) checks in parts when received• Notes part arrival in RT• Labels part with internal tracking information (RT #, required
return date)– Repair done by ST on duty– Once repair is complete, FTE closes manufacturer repair ticket, files
warranty reimbursement claim, and returns part to manufacturer
Anything I Should Know Before I Let My Students Do This?Anything I Should Know Before I Let My Students Do This?• Know Your Students
– Take time to evaluate which ones are capable– If they are interested
Teaching? Aren’t They Students?Teaching? Aren’t They Students?
• Spring 2008– Web publishing– Vista and Mac OS X – Side-by-side comparisons
• New Ideas for Fall 2008– Backups – How to do it and why it’s necessary– Email/spam management– General computer maintenance
Summer? Summer?
• Students often enjoy staying around for the summer – just need opportunities to do so– Start looking early – let them know there are openings in Fall/Winter– Understand that it might not be their first choice (especially if you
can’t pay that well)• Number of full-time student staff vary from summer to summer
(paid hourly)– Summer ‘07 – 4 students– Summer ‘08 – 11 students
• Projects depend on staffing
What Kind of Jobs Do You Have for Them?What Kind of Jobs Do You Have for Them?• Training Coordinator• Summer Conference Coordinator• Marketing Coordinator• Summer Programmers
So Many Jobs, So Little Time…So Many Jobs, So Little Time…
• It’s impossible to do everything yourself, so proper management is essential
• Know your students– Strengths & Weaknesses– How much supervision/guidance do they really need?
• Before you start – set expectations– Flexible hours?
• Yes, but need to be in by noon everyday unless cleared in advance.
– Work from home?• Sometimes, within reason. Bulk of work should be done in office.
• Project Plans and Deadlines– Build in flexibility in case projects run longer, especially if it’s new to
them• July 31 deadline for most projects, leaving August for testing
– Before starting work, have them write out a project plan• Programmers: specs of application, target dates for assorted
pieces of application• Marketing coordinator: budget for production, target dates for
scripts, etc.
Training CoordinatorTraining Coordinator
• Determine schedule for ST training• Work with full-time staff to make arrangements for
locations/meals/etc• Organize training agenda; contact and follow-up with ST
coordinators for presentations
Summer Conference CoordinatorSummer Conference Coordinator
• Work with Conference Services• Makes arrangements for information sessions for conference
attendees• Support primarily limited to connecting to the Yale network &
using public computer clusters
Marketing CoordinatorMarketing Coordinator
• Videos for Incoming Student Orientation– Summer ‘07 – one 22 minute video including commercials– Summer ‘08 - 3 short (~5 minute) videos
Video Production…Video Production…
• After ResNet 2007 – went back to campus and said “we need a movie for orientation”– Early July, move-in late August (so a little over a month to write, film,
edit)• Process
– Topics that the video needed to cover• Data Backups• Software available to students and where to get it• How to get help and what kind of help students could receive• Public computer labs available to students and locations• Physical security of computer
– Brainstormed ideas for premise of movie• Chose NBC’s “The Office”
– Script written by 3 summer students (one of whom is now a full-time staff member)
– Casting and filming done over evenings– After filming, editing and production was done by students
How Do You Manage Them if You Know Nothing About Making Movies?How Do You Manage Them if You Know Nothing About Making Movies?• Know your students (or learn about them as you go!)
– Students were previously involved in Yale TV, drama productions, band skits
– Benefits of having it be “their production”• They know what students will appreciate• Buy-in from them – they were willing to do whatever it took to get
it done on time– How you manage them will depend as much on them as you
• How often do you check in?• How often do you comment on current status?
• Trust them, but stay involved• Read the script and voice your objections early on• Should you run it by anyone else?
– Dean’s Office– General Counsel– Your boss, and/or anyone up the chain
A clip…A clip…
And another…And another…
What Do You Have Planned as a Sequel?What Do You Have Planned as a Sequel?• Three short (~5 minute) videos instead of one long video
– Harry Potter and the Regulators of the Improper Apparition of Audio• Illegal filesharing and copyright infringement• Repercussions when you are caught
– Law and Order: Technological Victims Unit• Where to get help and what kind of help is available• Laptop care
– House, ST• Where to get help and what kind of help is available• Data backups• Virus protection
Summer ProgrammersSummer Programmers
• Summer ’07– Tools CD– USB key script (automatically copy files to every USB key plugged in)
• Summer ‘08– Switching to development in Ruby on Rails (previously Java/JSTL)– Shifts application– Payform application
Why Programming Too?Why Programming Too?
• Benefits– Allow your students to invest more in your group– Gain skills in general– Applications will save you time and effort during the year
• Well-written applications can eliminate the need to micro-manage• Shifts and Payform
– At a glance track performance– Track stats on what type of work is being done by your students
Where Do They Work and What Do You Provide?Where Do They Work and What Do You Provide?• Classrooms in building where our offices are• Students working on each project are grouped together in each
room• Monitors and keyboards, but they provide their own computers to
develop on
You Mean You Don’t Program Either?You Mean You Don’t Program Either?
• Though this time I was smart enough to hire someone who does…
• If you do program…– Try to learn the development language, even just a bit– Either pick students who know the target language ahead of time – Or give them at least 3-4 months to get ready before the
summer/project starts• If you don’t…
– Not all hope is lost– Try to find a lead developer who can guide them in areas you can’t
• No matter what…– Design clear documentation of features, architecture, and interface– Know your students– Trust them, but stay involved
• Frequent feedback on progress is really important (at least once per week)
Some screenshots… (it’s still in development)Some screenshots… (it’s still in development)
Some Last Thoughts…Some Last Thoughts…
• Know your students– Strengths and weaknesses– Manage to their skills and personalities
• Get ideas & try!
