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University Classroom Technology Standardization
Mount Marty University is committed to ensuring that faculty and students have access to technology resources required to support our mission of education, scholarship and service. The following guidelines and requirements are meant to ensure those resources are secure, easy to use, and standardized around campus. The Information Technology department will research and provide the most update to date and user friendly technology that is cost effective, in cooperation with Facilities and Academics (Teaching and Learning Committee) to ensure the classrooms are properly outfitted with the best resources available.
Purpose
To establish a consistent and equitable technology environment across all university classrooms, enhancing teaching effectiveness, student engagement, and operational efficiency. The goal is to provide instructional technologies that are simple and intuitive to use for teaching and for collaboration with tools such as video, audio and recording. The goal is to design an environment where classrooms are standardized to provide consistent learning environments and that are adequately maintained and supported for optimum operation and maximum utilization. The intent is for the instructors to be immediately familiar with the teaching space layout, with the audiovisual equipment and how to control the system, regardless of which multi-media space they happen to be assigned to, so that they can focus on the business of educating rather than spending valuable time trying to understand how to use the technologies.
The standards and recommendations for classroom design are intended to create classrooms that are characterized by the following qualities:
- Easy to use
- Intuitive design/layout
- Integration and supportability
- Reliability and performance
- Appropriately located, sized, and configured, to meet scheduling and academic programming needs
- Facilitate current pedagogy, integrating technology as appropriate
- Flexible, to cater to multiple learning styles through multiple activities
- Adaptable over time, to facilitate evolving pedagogy, changing student demographics, changing technology, and need to use classrooms for a variety of activities
- Accessible for physically challenged user access to devices
Standard Technology Equipment
Each classroom may be equipped with the following standardized technology components based on Tier level:
- Digital display with a minimum resolution of 1080p
- Wireless Streaming Solutions
- Audio system with integrated speakers
- Classroom dedicated speakers or built-in display speakers
- Instructor Workstation:
- Desktop or laptop with current OS
- Control panel for AV equipment or remote for display
- Mouse and keyboard
- Connectivity:
- High speed networking for classroom equipment and student wireless connectivity
- HDMI and USB-C input options
- Lecture Capture:
- Installed Zoom application for classroom recordings
- Assistive Technology:
- Screen magnification tools where applicable
Classroom Tier System
Level 1 Classroom
- Projector or digital display
- Classroom PC
- Whiteboard or chalkboard
- Instructor workstation
Level 2 Classroom
- Promethean Panel or digital display with Smart Monitor
- Classroom PC and Airtame for wireless casting
- Instructor workstation
- Whiteboard or chalkboard
Level 3 Classroom
- Promethean Panel or digital display
- Camera and microphone for distance learning
- Classroom PC and Airtame wireless casting
- Instructor workstation
- Whiteboard or chalkboard
Standard Technology Software
Each classroom computer shall be equipped with the following:
- University approved productivity suite (Office 365 and Google Chrome/Drive)
- Access to Learning Management system (Blackboard Ultra)
- Web Conferencing tools (Zoom and Teams)
- Security software, remote support software, and scheduled update configurations
- Wireless streaming solutions (Airtame and built-in OS casting tools)
Installation Best Practices
- Meet with the Facilities & Academics(TL w/ Tech committee) departments to rule out limitations and evaluate the best possible solutions to install, use, and support
- It is preferred that all podiums will be located over a floor box or cable run with no cables exposed to eliminate trip hazards and outside interference
- It is preferred that all podiums and Media Cabinets will be secured with locks
- Cables shall be dressed in a manner for ease of service and removal of equipment without the need to undress cables
- All learning centers and classrooms are to be attached to a secure private network, separate than the mainstream Staff/Faculty and Student connections
Maintenance and Support
- Routine classroom checks
- IT services will perform inspections each semester of all classroom technology
- Helpdesk and Learning Technology Support
- Technology addressed issues within a classroom will be handled as soon as possible in hopes to have the classroom back up to standard efficiency
Training and Documentation
- Requests can be submitted for 1 on 1 training sessions within specific learning environments
- Quick Start User Guides
Room Renovations and Feature Requests
- Classrooms and learning spaces are evaluated annually for renovations & feature requests
- Classroom Feature requests can be brought up to the Teaching and Learning committee, Faculty Senate meetings, and the IT helpdesk via feature request