Instructor Survival Guide for Teaching in Applied Science Uptown Campus Computer Labs

Table of Contents

• Common Features of all labs
• Common Equipment Use (How to use the projector and other equipment)
• Unique Features in Sander L203 (So what makes this room special?)
• Logging on to the network (Why doesn't that student have an account!?)
• Printing (How do I print?)
• Problem Reporting (You won't believe what happened in class today...)
• Success Reporting (I like what happened in class today!)
• Suggestions for the Lab (Could we have this feature, could we have that piece of equipment...)
• Suggestions for this Guide (This guide would be better if...)
• Support Staff (Who the heck is responsible for this?)

 

Common Features of all labs (What kind of gadgets do we have in here, anyway?)

• Instructor Station
• Student Workstations
• Ceiling-Mounted Projector
• Whiteboard
• Retractable Screen
• Network Printer
• Software

There are a variety of lab floor plans: Computers are arranged in rows and columns, perimeter seating, perimeter and middle, no aisles, one aisle, multiple aisles. Capacities ranging from 20-40 seats.

Return to Table of Contents

Common Equipment Used
Instructor and Student Computer Workstations:

All faculty and students have network accounts that enable them to log on in any classroom. All workstations are IBM PC clones running the Windows XP operating system. In addition to the Microsoft Office XP applications suite, there are several commercial applications available. All applications can be found by using the Program menu choice from the Start Menu. For a complete list of software available in any lab, check

Forms

Ceiling-Mounted Projector: A ceiling mounted projector is connected to the instructor workstation, and it can be operated by a remote hand held device, or through the instructor workstation. The remote controls can be checked out from a lab assistant in the open lab. Current policy requires leaving your keys in order to get a remote. The remote control program can be on the instructor station desktop.

Laser Pointer: Laser pointers are available for check out with the Lab Assistants.

Whiteboard: Whiteboards are provided in each classroom. Boards are cleaned daily, and markers and erasers are stocked as needed. If there are no markers or erasers, a Lab Assistant can provide them for you.

Retractable Screen: A switch can be found (but you may have to search a little!) to raise and lower a projector screen. Rooms 208 and 215 in Sander have manual screens.

Networked printer: Students and instructors may print homework, results of class exercises, and other classroom activities in any lab. Network printers are NOT TO BE USED FOR MASS PRODUCTION OF LARGE DOCUMENTS. Reproduction services should be available to all faculty in their respective departments. Students get 100 pages of free printing every quarter. Thereafter printing is 7 cents per page. For more information about this system, see http://www.uc.edu/print/.

Return to Table of Contents

Unique Features in Sander L203

Wireless microphone: A wireless microphone is available if desired. It is independent of all other multi-media systems in the classroom, and can be used independently, or in conjunction with any other media delivery. The microphone can be checked out from the Lab Assistant.

To use the microphone:

1. Push the power button on the SHURE LX amplifier found on the instructor station.
2. Connect the remote microphone to your lapel, and the transmitter to your waist, belt, or other comfortable location.
3. The transmitter has an “OFF PWR” switch which must be set to “PWR”. It also has a toggle switch labeled “MUTE” and “ON”, which must be set to “ON”. The “MUTE” option is useful when you a re having a private conversation. CAUTION: Adjusting the “LEVEL” knob may produce feedback. Adjust cautiously. If you are having a problem broadcasting your voice through the mike, try adjusting the location on your lapel. Please, , DO NOT WRAP THE MICROPHONE CORD AROUND THE TRANSMITTER. The wiring is rather fragile, and wrapping the wire may result in a break in the wire.

VCR: To use the VCR, insert the tape. It should automatically power on and start to play the tape.

1. To send the video to the ceiling projector, choose VCR from the Projector Remote program
2. To hear the audio, set the large function knob on the left end of the Aiwa receiver to Aux. Volume control is a large knob on the right.
3. Finally, the Sony Audiovisual switch box, sitting on top of the VCR must be set to #2. Any time you want to switch back to the Instructor Station screen image, click the “Computer” button in the Projector Remote control program.

Document Camera: To use the WolfVision Document Camera, push the power button on the back of the camera, and place the object to be viewed on the camera tablet.

1. To send the video to the ceiling projector, choose the “Document Camera“ button in the Projector Remote program.
2. The Sony Audiovisual switch box, sitting on top of the VCR, must be set to #3. Any time you want to switch back to the Instructor Station screen image, click the “Computer” button in the Projector Remote control program.

Return to Table of Contents

Logging on to the network (Why doesn’t that student have an account!?)

If you have the Windows desktop image on the screen, click the start menu, choose Shut Down, select Log Off (userID) from the drop down menu and choose OK. You will then get the Novell login prompt, telling you how to get the login screen.

Hold the CTRL and ALT keys down, push the Delete key, and let go of all. You will next see the Novell log in prompt asking for your ID and password. Your user ID is the first 6 letters of your last name plus your first and middle initial. For example, Brian K. Smith’s ID would be SMITHBK. If there were other Brian K Smiths, the account creation program would find the first letter after K to substitute that did not represent an existing account. A duplicate here would produce SMITHBL, for example. Your default password is and eight digit number. The first four digits represent the month and day of your birth; the last four represent the last four digits of your social security number. The same is true for student accounts.

For security purposes, you should change your password from the default. Contact a lab assistant if you need assistance.

Generic Accounts: Generic accounts are not used in our labs. Anyone having a problem determining their account ID should contact a lab assistant.

Where can students save? Students enrolled in Applied Science Uptown Campus are provided with a folder on the server (drive H:) of 100MB of drive space available on the network, enabling them to save work from any lab workstation, and retrieve it from any other lab workstation. Students should be encouraged to use this space in lieu of floppy or zip disks. Student folders are backed up to tape daily.

Account Problems: Students or instructors not having a personal network account, or having problems with their account, may report that problem by contacting a Lab Assistant. When necessary, Lab assistants can create temporary accounts for your use until the problem is resolved.

Return to Table of Contents

Printing (Where do I print?)

Printing is available to all students and instructors in any lab. Printing should be available from any program being used in the lab. Generally, you can print by clicking the printer icon found in most Windows based programs, or you can choose Print from the File drop down menu in the program.

Printing Problems? Before raising the white flag, insure that the printer is turned on, and the on-line light is illuminated.
If you click print and nothing seems to happen and there is no error message, there may be print jobs in the queue ahead of yours. If so, you should see a printer icon in the system tray (far right end of your Windows task bar). Double clicking that will open a window showing you all print jobs in the queue for that printer, and the ID of the user who submitted those jobs.

Still can’t print – shut down and restart (The standard Microsoft solution)

Still can’t print – Contact a Lab Assistant.

Return to Table of Contents

Problem Reporting (You won’t believe what happened to me in class today …)

To report a problem contact our help desk:
helpdesk@uc.edu
556-HELP (4357).

Return to Table of Contents

Success Reporting (Wow, I want you to know this is a great feature in the Lab!!)

To report a success encountered in the lab, email Matt Huffman.

Return to Table of Contents

Suggestions for this Lab (Could we have this feature, could we have that piece of equipment …)

To forward a suggestion for the lab, email Matt Huffman.

Return to Table of Contents

Suggestions for this Guide (This guide would be better if…)

To forward a suggestion for improving this guide, email Matt Huffman.

Return to Table of Contents