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5.2 Instructional Support
Introduction
5.2/1-3 of 3
Adequate
Instructional
Support
The three must statements addressed in this section specify that the institution must (1)
provide a variety of facilities and instructional support services, (2) assure that these
facilities and services are adequate to fulfill the institution’s purpose and contribute to
effective learning, and (3) do so for all programs wherever located or however delivered.
In this section, those instructional support units that are not part of the six colleges are
discussed first, and then the six colleges.
The Office of Computing and Communications Services (OCCS) provides consultation,
support, and maintenance for computing and communications technology at Old
Dominion University. In addition to maintaining the University’s central computer
systems, OCCS maintains the public computer labs, instructional labs, and a campuswide computer network and provides support services for faculty, staff, and students.
The University Libraries offer instructional support in the form of print and electronic
resources. Extensive non-print media are also available in the main library and in two of
three branch libraries. Assistance is available at service desks and via phone and e-mail.
Academic Skills is part of the Division of Student Services. It consists of the Writing
Center, the Disabilities Services Office, the Academic Skills Testing Center, and the
Developmental Math Center. Academic Skills also houses two federally funded
programs, the Upward Bound Program and the Student Support Services program. Each
office has its own facilities and its own academic and program-support technology.
Academic Technology Services consists of several instructional support units, including
the Center for Learning Technologies, Media Services, the Learning Assessment
Laboratory, the Telecourse Production Unit, MGTV (multimedia, graphics,
teleconferencing, and video production), and Multimedia Duplication.
The College of Arts and Letters maintains laboratories and learning support centers for
courses in music, foreign languages, writing, art and design, speech, theater, film, the
social sciences, and geography. In addition, mediated classrooms are available for many
Arts and Letters courses. The equipment in these facilities is often state of the art,
allowing faculty to use technology to enhance learning. Individual faculty members have
computers in their offices and access to printers and photocopiers in their departments.
The College of Business and Public Administration (CBPA) offers a variety of business
and business-related degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels that
are accredited by the International Association for Management Education (AACSB) and
the National Association of Schools of Public Administration (NASPA). The College
also sponsors several external units or centers that support the degree programs. These
units offer opportunities for faculty and students to interact with representatives of
business, industry, and government in Hampton Roads.
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The Darden College of Education offers undergraduate and graduate programs in several
fields: k-12 education; counseling, leadership, and human services; exercise science,
physical education, sports management, and recreation; fashion and merchandising;
speech-language disorders; and instructional and occupational technology. Students in
these programs gain competence in the use of technology through a combination of core
and dedicated technology courses, supported by five primary computer labs—four
Windows and one Macintosh—for teaching and open student use, supported by a staff of
five graduate assistants. Additional specialized labs support the Occupational and
Technical Studies Department and the Speech Pathology and Audiology program. The
teacher-education program has a technology course sequence that begins with the
university’s general-education computer-literacy requirement and moves on to a
specialized technology course for pre-service teachers which is a prerequisite for all
professional education courses. Other departments include technology where
appropriate. The College has strongly embraced distance education through delivery by
TELETECHNET of undergraduate and graduate courses from every department in the
College. Almost all courses are supported to some degree by faculty web sites.
The College of Engineering and Technology is among the leaders in the use of
technology at Old Dominion. This leadership is due not only to the large number of
computer labs it provides for student use (18) but also to its heavy commitment to the
TELETECHNET program at the undergraduate level. The college also offers distancelearning graduate courses through the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program.
The college is a leader in simulation through the Virginia Modeling, Analysis, and
Simulation Enterprise Center. The College is in the process of creating and testing “EEngineering Courses” (methodologies for sharing ideas via the Internet) and researching
pure Internet delivery of course work to students at home or at work.
The College of Health Sciences provides an array of instructional-support resources
through three computer labs, giving students access to general software, programspecific software, and printers. A number of the schools in the College also provide
laptop/projection systems for instructional use.
The College of Sciences uses a broad range of technologies in support of its instructional
mission. The Departments of Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics, and
Psychology operate several computer labs. These facilitate learning in topics such as
computer programming, high-performance computing, calculus, or quantitative methods
in psychology. The Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Ocean Earth and Atmospheric
Sciences, and Physics maintain facilities featuring specialized equipment required by
their disciplines and computer technology.
Presentation of Findings
Office of
Computing and
Communications
Services
The Office of Computing and Communications Services (OCCS) currently supports nine
public computer labs with open access to students, faculty, and staff. These labs are
located on the main campus, at the Virginia Beach and Peninsula Higher Education
Centers, and at the new Northern Virginia Higher Education Center. Work is currently
underway on the establishment of a new 40-station public lab in the Education building
(Education 229) on the main campus. Lab access is available seven days a week, for up
to sixteen hours a day, and is designed to meet the scheduling needs of as many students
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as possible (Exhibit 5.2/02:merriman:01 OCCS). The lab is staffed by a manager and 60
student consultants. Student consultants are on duty at every lab during all open hours.
The consultants oversee use of the lab, monitor equipment, and serve as a resource for
students with basic computing questions.
All labs are equipped with PC-compatible computers with Windows NT-based systems
and a variety of computer applications (Exhibit 5.2/02:merriman:02 OCCS). All
workstations are connected to the ODU network, with Internet access and laser printing
available. Students must have a University LAN (NetWare) Account to use the
computers in the labs. Faculty members who require specialized software for their
course(s) may request that the software be made available in one or more of the public
computer labs. Access is regulated through the students’ Local Area Network (LAN)
accounts.
In addition to the University’s public computer labs, OCCS currently maintains five
instructional labs available to faculty and staff by reservation. Labs are located in the
Education 229 suite on the main campus and at the Virginia Beach Higher Education
Center. The public lab at the Peninsula Higher Education Center is available for
instructional purposes on an as-needed basis. Reservations are coordinated and
scheduled by a Lab Reservations Manager. Faculty/staff may reserve any public lab for
group instruction whenever that lab is not open to the general student population.
Installation of special software is available in the instructional labs.
OCCS also provides technical support for departmental labs. Faculty and staff may
request installation of specific software, which will be installed in the lab located in the
building where the discipline is taught. If there is no lab in the building, the software will
be installed in the lab closest to the college.
The Large Integrated On-Line Network Services (LIONS) environment was established
in 1999. This environment includes a Sun Enterprise 10000 (E10000) supercomputer – a
32-processor system with 32GB of memory. Twenty-eight processors are reserved for
High Performance Computing (HPC). Faculty and staff needing high-power UNIX
processing can access these to solve complex computational problems. A three-member
staff assists faculty/staff with their HPC needs.
Libraries
In addition to over two million print and microform items, the University Libraries
provide extensive electronic resources, an on-line catalog, a full-service Web site,
electronic reserves, and a locally developed periodicals database. Internet access is
available from 50 workstations in the reference area, with 12 additional text-based online catalog workstations. An additional 18-workstation lab is available for library
instruction.
Non-print media available in the main library include CD-ROMs and videos in the
circulating collection, and CD-ROMs in the reference and government publications
areas. Some multimedia discs and data CD-ROMs are available in the Digital Services
Center, which also houses ten workstations with equipment for scanning, digitizing audio
and video, mastering CDs, and using Geographic Information Systems. In support of the
music curriculum, the Diehn Composers Room houses compact discs, long-playing
records, musical scores, various multimedia materials, and listening equipment. The
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Elise Hofheimer Art Library provides videos and slides with video playback and slide
viewing equipment for the art and dance curricula.
The University Libraries also offer instructional support to disabled users. A specialized
workstation in the reference room is equipped with ZoomText Plus, a screen
magnification program with a document reader to facilitate library research using a Web
browser. A “special needs room” in the Digital Services Center houses another
specialized workstation with ZoomText and OpenBook Unbound, a program that reads
scanned text aloud using a sound synthesizer DecTalk. This room also contains a closed
circuit TV for print magnification.
Annual user surveys since 1996 show broad satisfaction with library services. Surveys
of reference, circulation services, the Diehn Composers Room, and the Hofheimer Art
Library have been consistently positive (5.1.1/3:01).
Student Services
The Writing Center. The Writing Center is responsible for the Writing Sample
Placement Test, the initial writing test that all students must take, including transfer
students. The Writing Center provides developmental writing courses (e.g., GNST 050)
and coordinates the University-required Exit Examination of Writing Proficiency. The
Writing Center also houses an office for Writing Tutorial Services, which contains six
faculty/staff computers, and three computers for student use.
The Disabilities Services Office. The Disabilities Services Office is the administrative
unit for ensuring that students with disabilities have full access to university facilities.
This office implements the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504. The office
provides general services, such as help with accommodation letters to faculty, assistance
with registration, and more specific services for students with visual, hearing, or mobility
impairment; Attention Deficit Disorder; and Learning Disabilities. Program support
technology consists of two computers for student use and two faculty computers.
The Academic Skills Testing Center Office. The Testing Center administers the Writing
Sample Placement Test, the Exit Examination of Writing Proficiency, the Compass Test
(the math placement test for incoming freshmen), the Senior Assessment Test, and
several other national tests and exams available to the public. The tests are offered on a
contract basis with the vendors. The Testing Center has two faculty/staff computers.
Developmental Math. Developmental Math Program faculty members teach all of the
developmental math classes for the university. Four computers are available for
faculty/staff use and one for student use.
Academic
Technology
Services
Academic Technology Services moved into the new Gornto TELETECHNET Building
in early 1999. Facilities in this building include the Faculty Development Lab; the
Innovative Technologies Lab, a self-serve facility; and the Learning Assessment Lab,
under the Center for Learning Technologies (CLT). The Telecourse Production Unit
operates five satellite-broadcast classrooms with control rooms, five two-way videoconferencing classrooms with either M-PEG II or H.320 CODECs, and a master control
room with two 15-port MCUs (video bridge), satellite head-end with one analog and five
digital uplink encoders, one digital KU and one analog KU uplink earthstation, and
several downlink antennas including C-band, KU-band, Dish System and Direct TV.
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The Multimedia Graphics, Teleconferencing, and Video Production Unit (MGTV) is
equipped with a digital broadcast TV studio with video and audio control facilities, two
non-linear editing suites and two analog editing suites, one mini-video studio for
recording and encoding digital signals, two audio voice-over booths, five graphic
workstations with large color printers, and more than a dozen video-streaming encoders
and servers.
340
•
The Telecourse Production Unit also operates one broadband (MPEG II) origination
classroom in the library. These origination classrooms are equipped with touchscreen controls that give the instructors full control of the available technology,
instructor/student cameras with auto-tracking, a telestrator, an overhead CCD
camera, 35mm slides, VHS, an electronic white board, and a PC with campus
network and Internet access. Hours of operation of all the origination classrooms are
typically from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:00
p.m. on Saturday, and 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. The total courses offered in
Fall 1999, Spring 2000, and Summer 2000, were 126, 128, and 73, respectively. All
the distance-learning classes are recorded on both professional (DV or S-VHS) and
VHS formats for student review and archives.
•
The Engineering Section of the Telecourse Production Unit serves not only campus
maintenance and repairs, but also most of the TELETECHNET sites, including sites
in all the Virginia community colleges. Thirty-one sites in Virginia and four other
sites in Arizona, North Carolina, and Washington State are currently in operation.
Twenty-three sites have one or two classrooms and 12 sites have three or more
classrooms. Ten of these sites have at least one large classroom with over 20 seats. A
typical site is equipped with a 1.8-meter very small aperture terminal (VSAT)
antenna, a satellite receiver paired with a radio frequency (RF) modulator for coaxial
cable distribution throughout the facility. A typical classroom at the site is outfitted
with a VHS VCR, a phone convener (interface between phone line and student
microphone to prevent echo), one desk microphone per two students, a TV monitor
or big projection TV, and at least one PC for student use. As part of the
Memorandum of Understanding with the community colleges, Old Dominion
University students have access to the community college computer labs.
•
The Multimedia Division of MGTV was formed in July 1999. It has accomplished
several goals, including video-streaming infrastructure and video-streaming
automation. The Graphics Division of MGTV provides the following services:
creation of charts, graphs, maps, scientific and engineering illustrations, PowerPoint
and other computer-generated presentations, large-format poster presentations, and
35mm slides. The Teleconferencing and Video Production Division produces twoway teleconferences, a facilities teleconference downlink, audio and video recording,
editing, and duplication. The acquisition formats are DV and DV-Cam, and the
digital cameras handle both 16 x 9 and 4 x 3 aspect ratios.
•
The Center for Learning Technologies provides faculty development and
instructional design support for all on- and off-campus courses. Media Services
serves 30 fully mediated classrooms on campus and provides 18,700 equipment
setup requests in more than 100 general classrooms annually. The Learning
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Assessment Lab monitors examinations and tests for many on-campus courses, and
provides video playback facilities for TELETECHNET students to review televised
lectures. The Telecourse Production Unit originates more than 300 interactive
courses per year over four MPEG II satellite channels, ATM, ISDN, Internet and
wireless cable. MGTV staff members produce digital and analog materials for
instruction and research and for the administration. Multimedia Duplication
reproduces videotapes, including PAL and SECAM international formats, and CDROMs.
Mediated Classrooms. The University currently has 29 mediated rooms out of its total of
104 general-purpose classrooms. For the Spring semester (2001), there were 383 requests
for access to a mediated classroom, and no one was turned down. The demand for access
to mediated facilities is on a slow rise; however, the University is still only using 58
percent of its available mediated classroom assets.
Academic Technology Services is aware of some weaknesses and is working to
overcome them. For example, although technological literacy among the faculty is a
primary objective of Old Dominion and more than 300 full-time faculty members (out of
600) have received faculty training and development from the Center for Learning
Technologies, training is not mandatory for either full-time or part-time faculty.
Recently, training has been made mandatory for those who teach videostreaming classes.
Another problem is that Media Services does not have sufficient equipment storage
space. It maintains a small equipment pool in many of the teaching buildings, but in
many cases, because space is so limited, Media Services staff must load the equipment
onto a truck or hand-carry it to classrooms.
College of
Arts and Letters
Instructional support is provided in the College of Arts and Letters through various
laboratories and learning support centers (See Display 5.2: Neff: 01: College of A & L
Technology Inventory for SACS for an inventory of the technological equipment at each
site.).
CNTRL Lab BAL 720: This lab provides Macs and Pentium computers for faculty and
graduate students who are conducting research.
English Learning Laboratory BAL 316: This networked lab and mediated classroom has
25 stations and a teacher's podium. It supports writing classes by allowing, among other
things, electronic peer review, collaborative invention and authoring, and simulation of a
newsroom for journalism classes.
LaRSEA (Laboratory for Remote Sensing and Environmental Analysis) is a joint
endeavor of the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Sciences with support
from NASA’s “Mission to Planet Earth,” linking the social sciences and physical
sciences with state-of-the-art tools in remote sensing and spatial analysis.
Diehn Fine and Performing Arts Center: The Electronic Studio houses two MIDI
stations for musical composition, recording equipment, and applied lessons studios,
which enhance music courses. The center also houses a Piano Lab.
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Theaters: The Department of Communication and Theater Arts uses the University
Theater and Stables Theater for instruction and production. The Stables Theater has a
video production lab with editing stations.
Art laboratories 1 and 2: These labs are equipped with iMAC Macintosh computers and
other computers.
Dance Studios: The three studios have variable-speed CD players, cassette players and
turntables, TV monitors, camcorders, and VHS tape players. They also have video
copying machines so students can take home tapes of their work for further study. There
is also a Macintosh computer with choreographic software.
Writing Tutorial Services BAL 311: This learning support center is housed in a
classroom-sized room. Equipment includes two PCs for use by tutors and students. Oneon-one tutoring is available to students from all disciplines.
The Language Learning Center: This state-of-the-art facility is an integral part of every
level of foreign-language study at Old Dominion. It offers the latest in audio-visual
technology, including computers, laser-disk and VHS players, and access to SCOLA
satellite transmissions.
Speech Lab BAL 344: This lab is arranged for recording and analysis of speech
performances. It contains a wall-mounted camera, TV and VCR units, a sound mixer,
and microphones. The lab is used in almost every class period by Speech 101 classes.
Social Science Research Center BAL 217-218: This Arts and Letters research center is
available for designing and implementing performance and outcome measurement
systems used by businesses, agencies, and University programs. Faculty members use
the center for research and teaching support. The center is staffed by a director and
assistant director. Students have the opportunity to learn sophisticated computer
software applications as part of internships offered by the center.
College of
Business and Public
Administration
The College of Business and Public Administration offers undergraduate programs in
accounting, decision sciences, e-commerce, economics, financial management,
information systems, international business, management, and marketing. At the
graduate level there are degree programs in accounting, business administration, ecommerce, economics, public administration, taxation, and urban studies.
College faculty members are supported by 88 desktop computers that range in processor
speed from 300 Mhz to 700 Mhz. In addition to desktop computers, faculty members
have access to nine laptop computers for classroom instruction. These computers are
network ready and range in processor speed from 450 Mhz to 600 Mhz. The software
configuration for the laptops is typically the same as that found on the desktop models.
The College’s support staff, graduate teaching assistants, and graduate research
assistants are supplied with networked computers with processor speeds ranging from
200 Mhz to 600 Mhz, with the vast majority in the 350 Mhz to 450 Mhz range. All
departments have a dedicated Hewlett Packard LaserJet 5N networked for the use of
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faculty, staff, and graduate assistants. Further printing support is provided in the Ph.D.
student laboratory located in Hughes Hall 2134. This student laboratory, which is also
available to faculty members, supports printing with a Hewlett Packard LaserJet 5N for
black/white printing and a Hewlett Packard LaserJet 4500N for color printing.
The College maintains two instructional computer laboratories. Both are equipped with
an InFocus multimedia projection system and a Hewlett Packard 5N laser printer.
The CBPA laboratory, located in Technology 117, is used to teach such courses as
BUSN 135, Introduction to Office Productivity Software; DSCI 206, Probability and
Statistics for Business and Economics; DSCI, Statistical Decision Analysis; and MKTG
350, Marketing on the Internet. This lab has 30 Windows NT 4.0 networked computers
with 266 Mhz processors and 64 MB of RAM.
The Oracle Instruction Laboratory, located in Technology 117 A/B, is used by the
Information Systems and Decision Sciences Department, the Computer Science
Department, and the Center for Global Business and Executive Education. The 16
networked computers, equipped with 266 Mhz processors, are used in Oracle Database
Administration Certification instruction.
The laboratory housed in Technology 101 is primarily for student use in completing
assignments and course work that are directly related to business classes. The lab has 30
Pentium 350 Mhz systems in a Windows NT 4.0 networked environment. This lab is
equipped with an InFocus multimedia projection system and a high-capacity Hewlett
Packard LaserJet 8100N printer.
The Information Systems and Decision Sciences department maintains two labs
specifically configured to support Information Systems and E-Commerce courses. The
first, the Information Systems Student Laboratory in Technology 107, is equipped with
10 Pentium II 450/128 MB machines and 15 Pentium III 700/256 MB machines.
Students have access to an HP LaserJet 4si and an HP LaserJet 8100N.
The Information Systems and Decision Sciences E-Commerce laboratory is temporarily
located in Technology 101 A. This UNIX laboratory consists of 29 Sun Ultra 5
workstations running under Sun Solaris 8.0 on two Sun Enterprise Ultra 450 network
servers. At present the software suite is Sun/Netscape NetPlanet, but additional software
is anticipated.
All instructional laboratories and student support laboratories for the College of Business
& Public Administration are temporarily located in the Technology building while
Constant Hall is being renovated. While these facilities have proved to be adequate for
the college’s current needs, the new building will significantly increase its capacity to
offer courses that rely on sophisticated and more technological infrastructures. The new
building, due to be opened in Spring 2002, has been designed to take advantage of
current and future technological advances. The new building will allow the use of
technologies that are not possible in the current facilities.
Darden College
of Education
The Darden College of Education offers undergraduate and graduate programs through
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the departments of Educational Leadership and Counseling (ELC); Exercise Science,
Physical Education and Recreation (ESPER); Educational Curriculum and Instruction
(ECI); Early Childhood, Speech Pathology, and Special Education (ESSE); and
Occupational and Technical Studies (OTS). Major programs include the Military Career
Transition Program (MCTP) and the Ph.D in Urban Services – Education Concentration.
Faculty members have access to 119 desktop computers, ranging in processor speed from
166MHz to 600Mhz, with the vast majority in the 350-450MHz range. These computers
are predominantly Windows NT 4.0, most are only one or two years old, and all operate
on a Novell Netware 5.0 network. Faculty who prefer Apple/Macintosh computers are
supported with PowerPC-level machines with processor speeds ranging from 180MHz to
450MHz, and most machines are new G3 or G4 units. Some older PC computers (P120160MHz) have been converted to Windows 95/98 and are on home-loan to faculty
members. There are 19 laptop computers in use by faculty members, with most
purchased/managed by departments or grant funds. A large number of faculty have
dedicated laser or bubblejet printers, while the remainder are supported by high-capacity
networked laser printers.
The College’s professional support staff, graduate teaching/research assistants, and
student workers are supported by networked computers with processor speeds ranging
from 200Mhz to 800Mhz. All these users are supported by workgroup or high-capacity,
networked laser printers.
The College maintains five computer labs – four PC and one Macintosh – to support
classes and open lab access for students.
A PC classroom is maintained in Ed 134, with 21 networked computers running
Windows NT 4.0 on Pentium-III, 450MHz machines. This computer classroom has
specialized lighting, an overhead-mounted InFocus data projector, a Laserdisc player, a
video cassette recorder, and a networked HP Laserjet 4+ printer.
A Macintosh classroom/lab is maintained in Ed 132, with 23 networked computers.
Supporting everything from core-level computer-technology courses to graduate-level
courses in digital media, this lab has 14 iMac-400’s with digital video capability and six
iMac-333’s for student use. The instructor station has a G4-400, and two media
workstations are supported with G3-350 and PPC250 computers, extra storage capacity,
photo scanners, and CD-ROM burners. This classroom/ lab has specialized lighting, an
overhead-mounted InFocus data projector, a Laserdisc player, and a video cassette
recorder. It shares a networked HP Laserjet 4000 printer with the adjacent computer lab.
A PC lab/classroom is maintained in Ed 130, with 21 networked computers running
Windows NT 4.0 on Pentium-III, 450MHz machines. This lab is usually open for
student use, but is used as a PC classroom when necessary. It has dimmable lighting, an
overhead projector, and a color LCD panel. It shares a networked HP Laserjet 4000
printer with the adjacent computer classroom.
A PC classroom/lab is maintained in Tech 114, with 12 networked computers running
Windows NT 4.0 on Pentium-III, 450MHz machines. It is used for undergraduate and
graduate courses offered by the OTS Department. It is supported by a networked HP
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Laserjet 4+ printer. The OTS department also operates and maintains several smaller
labs in the Technology Building, supporting its undergraduate and graduate course
offerings in technology, photography, communications, electronics, and industrial
operations.
A PC classroom/lab is maintained in HPE 204, with ten networked computers running
Windows NT 4.0 on Pentium-II, 350MHz machines. This classroom is used for
undergraduate and graduate courses offered by the ESPER Department. It is supported
by a networked HP Laserjet 4+ printer.
A small lab in Child Study 238A has four networked computers running Windows NT
4.0 on Pentium-233MHz machines. This classroom is used primarily for graduate
courses in the Speech Pathology program offered by the ESSE Department. It is
supported by a networked HP Laserjet 4+ printer.
The Macintosh classroom/lab in Ed 132 and the adjacent PC lab in Ed 130, while wholly
developed and supported by the College of Education, are open for use by any university
student, staff, or faculty member. Staffed by four graduate assistants, these labs are open
over 70 hours per week.
In addition to computers, the College maintains 25 networked laser printers, supporting
anywhere from a few users in one office to large numbers of faculty and staff in an entire
building.
The College’s commitment to technology is exemplified by the broad use of technology
by faculty and staff, as well as the major resource commitments made over the last
several years to purchase new computers, scanners, digital cameras, printers, data
projectors, and other technology-related equipment. From its strong presence on
TELETECHNET and Web-based instructional support, to the in-house workshops on all
areas of technology applications for staff and instructional faculty, to its participation as
a founding institution in the Virginia Educational Technology Alliance (VETA), the
College of Education is a technology leader in the University. The College supports
these efforts with a Director of Academic Technology, an Instructional Technology
Committee, a full-time Technology Support Director, and a half-time Web development
support person.
College of
Engineering and
Technology
The College of Engineering and Technology (CoET) course work is supported at the
lower and upper division by 16 special and two general-purpose laboratories. These labs
contain a total of 148 PCs (mostly Pentium based), 44 Sun SPARC stations, 18
RS/6000’s, and four Macintoshes for student access. These labs are located throughout
the engineering building, Kaufman Hall. Most of the labs are supported (both hardware
and software) by OCCS and the College’s computer engineer. A few labs are supported
by their respective departments.
Aerospace Engineering has computer labs in Kaufman rooms 203, 220, 241, 247, and
253. These labs are mostly Sun/SPARC-based and contain the necessary software to
support the design and research priorities in the department. The Department of Civil and
Environmental Engineering has one computer lab, in Kaufman 131. This is a
Sun/SPARC equipped laboratory. The Department of Electrical and Computer
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Engineering has four computer labs, in Kaufman 229, 232, 234, and 251. These are a
mixture of Suns and PCs. Engineering Technology has labs in Kaufman 105, 208, 220,
221, and 222. These are all Pentium-based PCs. Mechanical Engineering has one lab, in
Room 124. This lab has 18 IBM RS/6000s running Unix to support student and faculty
research. Two general-purpose labs are located in Kaufman 125 and 206. These labs
contain 71 Pentium-based computers for student use.
The college’s laboratories are further described in the CoET Laboratory Summary and
the College of Engineering Computer Lab Organization Chart. (CoET Computer Lab
Summary and CoET Lab Org Chart).
The College of Engineering and Technology is committed to the use of technology in all
its courses and research. The use of distance-learning technologies such as
TELETECHNET, the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program, and research into
Internet course delivery to the workplace or home allow the college to reach students
who would otherwise be unable to complete their education.
College of Health
Sciences
The College of Health Sciences provides instructional support through three main
computer laboratories. The labs are monitored either by OCCS staff or by trained
graduate students within the College. Program-specific software is available to students
in Nursing (Biostatistics), Community Health Professions, and Medical Laboratory
Sciences (Hematology and Cytotechnology applications). The computers in each lab are
networked to the university server. Each lab also contains a number of laser jet printers.
The Dental Hygiene laboratory also contains a color printer, available to students and
faculty.
A number of the departments in the College have laptop/projection systems available for
instructional use. The laptops are typically Pentium-based systems running Microsoft
97/98. InFocus projection systems are available in each department, allowing for
computer-aided faculty lectures/presentations in non-mediated classrooms.
The College’s laboratories are further described in the College of Health Sciences
Laboratory Summary in section 5.3.1.
College of Sciences
The Department of Biology operates nine teaching laboratories. General Biology labs
have 12 Pentium II PCs for instructional use. The anatomy and physiology teaching labs
are each equipped with several Pentium II computers. These are used for CD-ROMbased instructional aids. Additional teaching lab equipment includes microscopes
(dissecting and high power), standard service including gas and vacuum, walk-in and
bench-top incubators, water baths, and equipment for molecular biology, such as gel
electrophoresis apparatus. More specialized equipment, including gas chromatograph,
plate reader, HPLC, and high-speed centrifuges, is available for upper-level labs.
The department operates a greenhouse and animal-housing facility. The biological
science support facility (BSSF) has three staff members who help prepare class
laboratories. It features two autoclaves in support of microbiology classes. The
department museum houses collections of insects, mammals, fish, and invertebrates used
for teaching purposes. An electron microscope facility with both scanning and
transmission electron microscopes is used in teaching and research.
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V. Educational Support Services
5.2 Instructional Support
The Department of Chemistry maintains facilities to support both the general chemistry
laboratory and the College Chemistry Laboratory. Each room is equipped with toploading balances, fume hoods, pH meters, spectrophotometers, computers, associated
glassware, sinks, and natural gas lines.
Rooms 410 and 411 in the Alfriend building support Organic Chemistry laboratories
(CHEM 312 and 314). They are configured like the general chemistry laboratory but
have additional and more sophisticated equipment such as melting point apparatus, gas
chromatographs, access to FTIR in an adjoining room and FTNMR. Room 405 supports
the Analytical Chemistry course (CHEM 322). It contains fume hoods, water, natural
gas, top-loading balances (analytical grade), spectrophotometers and pH meters. Room
406 currently supports biochemistry, physical chemistry, and the instrumental analysis
sequence. It contains instrumentation to support all three laboratories. These include an
FTIR, UV-VIS spectrophotometer, Cyclic voltammetry, fluorimeters, and three Pentium
computers.
Room 204a in the Alfriend building contains the FT-NMR, which is used to support the
undergraduate organic laboratory and the instrumental analysis laboratory. The Silicon
Graphics workstations are also housed in this room as a support to the molecular
modeling effort in the biochemistry laboratory. Room 205 houses an Atomic absorption
unit, which supports the Instrumental Analysis course.
The Department of Computer Science operates a number of computer labs designed for
student use. The Problem Solving Lab, with 18 Sun Ultra 10 workstations, is used for
programming assignments, software engineering assignments, operating systems
assignments, and web-enabled applications. The Programming Instruction Lab, with 24
Pentium III 400MHz and above PCs, is used for formal instruction in various CS courses
and for laboratory assignments. The Advanced Projects Laboratory, with 12 Pentium III
and above PCs and 12 Sun workstations, is used by upper-level CS students for
laboratory assignments and course/research projects. The High Performance Computing
Laboratory, with 18 Sun Ultra 10/30/60 workstations, is used for advanced problem
solving for programming projects related to high-performance computing and
communication.
The Distance Learning/Instruction Laboratories (Ed 230-A, Virginia Beach Higher
Education Center, and Peninsula Graduate Center) are equipped with 26, 12, and 8 Intel
Pentium III 600Mhz and above workstations respectively. The three locations are
connected via a 10Mbps virtual private network and feature interactive remote
instruction software developed by research grants within the department. These labs are
used to teach a variety of traditional and distance-enabled CS courses.
The Oracle Instruction Laboratory is used by the Information Systems and Decision
Sciences Department, the Computer Science Department, and the Center for Global
Business and Executive Education. The 16 networked computers, equipped with 266
Mhz processors, are used in Oracle Database Administration Certification instruction.
The Hands-On Laboratory provides students with access to a variety of state-of-the-art
networking hardware (ATM switches, routers, Ethernet switches, and voice-over IP
networking hardware), UNIX workstations, and NT workstations.
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The CS Department maintains and supports its own computer network. The CS network
consists of over 400 switched Ethernet and ATM connections. In addition to the
computer network, the department maintains its own UNIX and Windows 2000 servers.
The department houses three Sun Enterprise 450 servers with over a terabyte of disk
storage and several gigabytes of memory. It also maintains five Microsoft 2000 servers,
as well as its own e-mail, DNS, Web, and NIS services. An Oracle 8I server supports all
database courses and research projects within the department. A cluster of eight Linux
machines supports the needs of high-performance computing projects. A Lotus
Notes/Learning Space server supports distance-learning courses offered through the
departmental TechEd Initiative. The department maintains over 2000 accounts and a
dial-up system with 16 modems for faculty, staff, and student use.
The Department of Mathematics and Statistics maintains two electronic classrooms: Ed
128, with 19 Pentium III 500MHz PCs; and Ed 131, with 21 Pentium III 500 MHz PCs.
Both rooms include computer projection systems. This setting allows instructors to
incorporate computer demonstrations as well as hands-on computer activities (there is
one PC per two students) into the class time to enrich the mathematical content of the
course. The rooms are used to teach all sections of computer-based Calculus I, II, and III
(MATH 211, 212 and 312) and to host closed labs associated with these courses. Courses
in statistics, geometry, linear algebra, and numerical methods are also offered in these
rooms.
The department operates an Open Computer Lab with 16 Pentium III 500 MHz PCs. This
lab, staffed with two or three assistants for approximately 35 hours per week, provides
support to students enrolled in computer-based mathematics and statistics courses (Math
Lab Schedule). The assistants in the lab also conduct calculus help sessions, available to
all students enrolled in both Introductory Calculus (MATH 205-206) and Calculus
(MATH 211-212-312) sequences.
A computer room with three Pentium III 500 MHz PCs, a Sparc Ultra and a Silicon
Graphics workstation is available to graduate students. All the departmental PCs have
mathematical and statistical software (Mathcad, SPSS, and Geometer’s Sketchpad)
installed. The Department also has a site license for Matlab on the Unix.
The Department of Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences (OEAS) maintains a
computer lab with 17 Pentium Pro PCs for use in teaching. Two graduate computer labs
are available: OCNPS 316, with 4 Pentium III PCs, 1 PowerMac G3 and 5 Sparc Ultras;
and OCNPS 452, with 4 Pentium IIIs and 1 PowerMac G3. The CCPO computer facility
contains 41 Sun workstations, 8 Silicon Graphics workstations, 2 IBM RS6000s, 1
PowerMac, 10 Pentium PCs and 9 laptops. OEAS also operates three teaching labs. The
Chemical Teaching Lab is equipped with a Guildline portasal salinometer, two UV-VIS
spectrometers with sipper system, a scanning recording UV-VIS spectrometer, a
computer-controlled amperometric oxygen titrator, electronic analytical and top loading
balances, a table-top centrifuge, an ultrasonic disruptor, one Pentium III PC, a Nanopure
DI watersystem, and an 8’ fumehood. The Geological Teaching Lab has a Macintosh G3
workstation. The Biological Teaching Lab (OCNPS 328) has a Pentium III PC, a drying
oven, an analytical balance, and a top-loading balance.
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V. Educational Support Services
5.2 Instructional Support
OEAS operates a 65-foot vessel, the R/V Linwood Holton, with three hydraulic winch
stations and an articulating hydraulic crane/winch. It also has four small research boats.
The Department of Physics operates the Computational Physics Laboratory, with ten
Pentium III PCs and ROOT data analysis software. The facility is used in Computational
Physics courses (420/520 and 711/811) for teaching students how to address real-life
research problems through the use of computational techniques. The Introductory
Laboratories I and II each feature nine Pentium PCs and Pasco experimental set-ups with
computer interfaces for automated data collection and display. These facilities, used by
Physics 101N, 102N, 111N, 112N, 231N, 232N and 210, allow for classic experiments at
the introductory level to use computerized data collection so that students can quickly
obtain and analyze results.
The department also maintains the Astronomy Laboratory, used by Physics 103N and
104N, with nine Celeron 700 MHz PCs for data analysis, a roof-top observatory with
telescope and electronic data transmission to the laboratory, and a large-screen computer
monitor to display images from the observatory for an entire class. The Electronics
Laboratory, used by Physics 403/503 and Physics 404/504, has one PC and extensive
equipment to build and test both analog and digital electronic devices. The Senior
Laboratory, used by Physics 413/513 and 414/514, with two PCs, permits milestone
experiments in modern physics, to teach students experimental research methods. The
department operates a network consisting of four DEC-Alpha-type computers, plus one
NT server.
The Physics Learning Center, voluntarily staffed for approximately 20 hours per week by
faculty members and graduate students, provides walk-in help to students in any
introductory courses offered by the department. The Center has two computers (Pentium
II) for use by students to access Web Assign, the computerized homework system used in
several of these courses. The department also maintains a Lecture Demonstration
Inventory, where set-ups are maintained for use in introductory courses (Physics
Demonstrations).
The Department of Psychology operates a computer lab with 20 Pentium PCs in support
of Psychology 317 and 318: Quantitative Methods and Research Methods. It also
supports graduate courses in quantitative methods and other instructional purposes. The
computers have SPSS software installed. The department also owns a videotape editing
system, enabling faculty to edit tapes for classroom instruction.
The College of Sciences maintains a variety of facilities and services to support its
programs. The college’s faculty and staff are committed to using the best technology
available to benefit student learning. One area of concern is the substantial funding
required for maintenance and periodic upgrades of equipment.
The Senior Student Satisfaction Survey (SSSS) is used to assess students’ satisfaction
with many aspects of their education. Questions are asked concerning the general
education program, campus life, and campus facilities. Three items in the 1998-1999
cycle relate to the computing facilities and Information Technology. The results are
shown below:
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V. Educational Support Services
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1. Overall Satisfaction with Services: When asked to rate their overall
satisfaction with the Computer Labs at the university, 63 percent responded
“Very Satisfied” or “Satisfied.”
2. Within the General Education section: When asked to rate the extent to
which the General Education program contributed to development of their
computer competence, 65 percent responded “To a Very Great Extent” or
“To a Great Extent.”
3. Within “The Major Program” section: When asked to rate their satisfaction
with their experiences with computer facilities in their major and computer
applications in their major, 53 percent responded “Very Satisfied” or
“Satisfied.” Fifty-seven percent responded “Satisfied or Very Satisfied.”
College-by-college breakdowns are also presented in these survey results. The questions
and the results are located in the displays.
Overview of
Student
Satisfaction
Student evaluations indicate a high degree of satisfaction with the TELETECHNET
Distance Learning degree programs. For the period 1994 to 2000, the TELETECHNET
student retention rate is over 80 percent. The students are highly satisfied with the
overall education experience and highly satisfied with the instruction received.
TELETECHNET was one of the distance-learning programs highly rated by the U.S.
Department of Education / EDUCOM Case Study conducted in 1997.
Recommendations/Suggestions
None.
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V. Educational Support Services
Must Statement
5.2 Instructional Support
Must Statement Compliance Table
5.2 Instructional Support
Compliance
Supporting Documentation
Exhibit Numbering Key:
Statement
5.2/1 of 3. To support its curriculum,
each institution must provide a
variety of facilities and instructional
support services (e.g., educational
equipment and specialized facilities
such as laboratories, audiovisual and
duplicating services, and learning
skills centers) which are organized
and administered so as to provide
easy access for faculty and student
users.
Compliance
5.2/2 of 3. Facilities and services
must be adequate to allow fulfillment
of the institutional purpose and
contribute to the effectiveness of
learning.
5.2/3 of 3. These requirements apply
to all programs wherever located or
however delivered.
Compliance
Criteria#/MustStatement#:Exhibit
5.2/01-03:01 OCCS
•
Computer Labs Fall 2000
•
Computer Lab Overview
•
Total Daily Student Usage for Computer
Labs
•
Computer Lab Usage Statistics for
Instruction
•
Lab Software Inventory
5.2/01-03:02 Library
•
Library Quick Guide
•
Primary Library Web pages
•
Art Library
•
Diehn Composers Room
•
Digital Services Center
•
Disabled Library Services
•
Library Survey Information
5.2/01-03:03 Student Services
•
Academic Skills Development brochure
•
Upward Bound brochure
•
Student Support Services brochure
•
Writing Center brochure
•
Disability Services Student Handbook and
brochure
•
Developmental Mathematics brochure
5.2/01-03:04
•
College of Arts and Letters technology
inventory and organizational chart
5.2/01-03:05
•
OCCS Conclusion: Senior Survey
Conclusion and User Survey Results
5.2/01-03:06
•
College of Engineering and Technology
Labs and Equipment
5.2/01-03:07
•
College of Education: Lab use
5.2/01-03:08
College of Sciences: Math Lab Schedules
5.2/01-03:09
•
Physics Demonstration
See Exhibits cited for 5.2/01-03 of 3.
Compliance
See Exhibits cited for 5.2/01-03 of 3.
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