Diamond in the Rough –
a Mobile Computing Program
Myra Williams
Mark Miller
http://www.rpi.edu/dept/arc/thinktank/thinktank2005.ppt
June 2005
1
Facets for Discussion
•
•
•
•
Overview of Mobile Computing Program
Campus involvement and partnerships
Laptop as a recruitment tool
Integration of mobile technology into the
curriculum
June 2005
2
Rensselaer Overview
• Educates the leaders of tomorrow for technologically
based careers
• Private institution founded in 1824
• 7000 students - 5000 undergraduate, 2000 graduate
• 520 faculty, 1430 staff
• Schools – Architecture, Engineering, Humanities and
Social Sciences, Management and Technology,
Science
June 2005
3
Mobile Computing Overview
• Laptop required for undergraduate students
• Single standard high end T-xx model including
software at an excellent price
• Students can purchase, lease to own, or bring own
• Laptop used inside and outside of class
• Over 6,000 laptops on campus
• http://www.rpi.edu/laptops/
June 2005
4
Homo sapien
Mobile Computing Program Evolution
• 1999 Freshmen only, Emphasized lease to encourage refresh, 600E
• 2000 Freshmen/Sophomores, Administrative database implemented,
Security cable added to package,
Increase insurance deductible from $500 to $1,000,
Student involvement in backpack design begins, T20
• 2001 Freshmen/Sophomores/Juniors, De-emphasized lease,
Self insured, Refurbished laptop program, T22
June 2005
5
Homo sapien golfus
Evolution Continues
• 2002 All undergraduates, No sales tax collected,
ThinkPad Protection added, Rapid Restore with hidden partition,
Laptop information in Student Information System, T30
• 2003 Rest period, T40
• 2004 Trade Up program, Request for Proposal, Lite image available,
Updated all images to latest software versions, T42
• 2005 Lease to own, President’s Award, T43
Over 95% of incoming freshmen acquire the Rensselaer model
June 2005
6
Campus Support for the Program
Division of the Chief Information Officer team coordinates with groups
across the campus to implement the Mobile Computing Program
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students and Parents
President
Provost/Dean of Undergraduate Education
Academic Departments/Faculty
Residence Life
Enrollment Management (aka Admissions)
First Year Experience
Financial Aid
June 2005
7
Campus Support – Can’t Get Enough
• Volunteers –
Employees from across the campus plus students
• Campus Planning and Design
• Environmental and Site Services
• Physical Plant
• DotCIO –
Banner Student Information System
Networking
Media Operations
Campus Computer Store
Rensselaer Computer Repair
Help Desk
June 2005
8
Corporate Partners
1924
• IBM-Lenovo – ThinkPad
• MapInfo – MapInfo
• National Instruments - LabVIEW
• Kelty - backpacks
• Maplesoft - Maple
• Mathworks - Matlab
• Microsoft – Windows, Office, Visual Studio
June 2005
9
2004 Request for Proposal
• Issued RFP for Mobile Computing Program partner
(more than hardware)
• Vendor presentations with on-line feedback
• Hands-on day for faculty (disappointing attendance)
• Hands-on day for students (moderate attendance)
• User feedback (strong for IBM and Apple)
• Decision matrix and discussions
• RFP awarded to IBM
June 2005
10
IBM-Lenovo Partnership
• Troy Campus Visits
Mark Cohen, Distinguished Engineer
Tony Corkell, Director ThinkPad and ThinkCentre Development
• Raleigh Visits – Products and roadmaps, technology futures
• Logistics - Model selection, image management technologies,
delivery scheduling
• Account team stability
• Joint research projects, speaker series, campus activities
• IBM is major employer of Rensselaer graduates
June 2005
11
Recruitment
Device
iPod/MP3
Camera phone
Laptop
WiFi
Palm/PDA
Think it’s
cool
Plan to
purchase
Passing fad
63%
55%
70%
53%
42%
32%
23%
45%
14%
9%
20%
28%
5%
13%
30%
Source: NERCOMP 2005 talk “The Young and the Wireless”, Young People’s Immersion In Technology by Dan Drath, VP
Teenage Research Unlimited, 8 March 2005
June 2005
12
College Bound Teens (16-18)
Device
Extremely / Very
Likely to have
Cell Phone, parents’ area code
61%
Laptop
59%
Digital Camera
39%
MP3 Player
25%
Landline Phone
34%
Cell Phone, college’s area code
24%
Source: NERCOMP 2005 talk “The Young and the Wireless”, Young People’s Immersion In Technology by Dan Drath, VP
Teenage Research Unlimited, 8 March 2005
June 2005
13
Recruitment Experiences
• Students expect to use a laptop
• Program with standard models reduces parents’
anxiety
• 2004 – Laptop incentive to reduce summer melt
Confused parents/students, failed to reduce melt
• 2005 – Laptop incentive to increase enrollment
Indicators promising but more analysis needed
June 2005
14
Academic Integration
• Laptops are useful for nearly all classes
• Anytime/anywhere computing and network access
• Used in the classroom for some courses (depends on
the instructor and material)
• Students like the portability of the laptop
• No information on learning impact
June 2005
15
Laptop Integrated Courses
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Calculus
Physics
Introduction to Engineering Analysis
Engineering Graphics and Computer Aided Design
Freshmen Studies
Advanced Manufacturing Lab (AML)
Next Generation Studio Biology
Laboratory Introduction To Embedded Control (LITEC)
June 2005
16
Fall 2005 Course Software
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Maple – Mathematics, Engineering
SolidWorks – Engineering
Matlab – Engineering
MS Visual Studio – Computer Science
Microstation – Architecture
LabVIEW – Engineering, Computer Science
Cygwin – Computer Science, Engineering
June 2005
17
Engineering Graphics and Computer
Aided Design
• WebCT – calendar, assignments, quizzes, grades,
video lectures for first three weeks
• DVD – contains lecture videos and example files
• Students work on drawings inside and outside of
class using SolidWorks
• Pre-configuring SolidWorks saves one day of class
June 2005
18
Advanced Manufacturing Lab
• Teach, by experience, how to plan and execute
cost-effective manufacturing operations
• Laptops used for designing parts (SolidWorks), for
manufacturing (MasterCam), communicating with
team members, writing reports, preparing
presentations, creating posters
• No room for desktops in machining area
• Floppy drive required to load machines
June 2005
19
Next Generation Studio Biology
•
•
•
•
Evolution, Genetics, Cell & Molecular Biology, Ecology
Uses WebCT and the Internet extensively
Laptops are required for each session
On-line, pre-class session prepares student for in-class
session and on-line, post-class session explores concepts
and materials presented in the pre- and in-class sessions
• Genetics Construction Toolkit
June 2005
20
Genetics Construction Toolkit
June 2005
21
Why Such A Large Image?
• Faculty can plan computer assignments and exercises
knowing students have the software installed and properly
configured
• Do not waste class time installing/configuring software in
class
• A problem fix applies to a large segment of any class
• Easier for student to remove SW than to install/configure
• Does not solve problems caused by students installing
adware, spyware, and trojans
June 2005
22
What’s Missing?
• Adobe and Macromedia software due to licensing costs and
issues
• Serial port and floppy drive for external instruments
• Automatic technology refresh
• Consistent Faculty Mobile Computing Program
• Macs for the Arts folks
• Include in cost of attendance
• Ship to home
• Add-on devices to complement laptop
June 2005
23
Spring 2003 Student Survey
• Laptops essential to course work 83% of students agreed
• Laptops significantly enhanced learning –
81% of students agreed
• “I have loved the laptop…”
• “The laptop is the devil.”
June 2005
24
Summary
•
•
•
•
Program is a success and largely taken for granted
Computing power and portability are a win for the students
Technology issues can be solved
Tough issues are not technology related – policy, budget, or
third party
June 2005
25