1) To observe the benefit and impact of working a technical related job (both in college or post-college--in there career) when not studying a technical related field in college career. (for example, Instructional Media Services hires student workers for three separate media centers Harrington, Blocker and West to setup and maintain the usage of the technology in classrooms for there prospective areas. They often are required assist professors (users in general) or train other student workers in their knowledge of the technology and automated systems. While they are all trained to do such tasks, many of the students are majoring in non-technical fields.)
2) Observing how professors interact, understand and use the AMX automated systems which are in 120 of the classrooms within Instructional Media Services area of service. These systems allow the classroom to have various technical devices (computer with SMART Board monitors, a projector, document camera, DVD/VCR (a Blu-ray player in some cases), microphone and surround sound speakers). Once logged into these automated systems, you're provided with a user-interface AMX panel which allows you to turn each device on or off, as well as manipulate its control functions; lower or rise the projector screen, adjusting the volume of the sound system or microphone of the classroom; and switch between the use of the components by the click of a button. It not only makes the use of the equipment easier for the users but has allowed the IMS technicians to be able to troubleshooting and assist the user in enabling, using the devices and track the current state of the equipment remotely, not needing to be in the classroom, or even on campus.
AMX System in PETR 104 (Source)
3) The use of technology to assist handicap and disabled people. While so many people use technology for social or communication purposes it can be used among handicap and disabled people to assist and enrich their lives.
These all sound like great ideas! I've often watched in amazement as top-notch professors struggled to figure out how to turn on the classroom projector. It would be interesting to see a survey of this.
ReplyDeleteI like the questions. But they need to be more defined, perhaps for 2, it is a nice question, but what are you going to record, and what conclusions can you draw?
ReplyDelete1&3 how would you study these two?
More detail please.