Compliance Certification Report
| 3.4.14 | The institution's use of technology enhances student learning, is appropriate for meeting the objectives of its programs, and ensures that students have access to and training in the use of technology. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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[Compliance] |
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Narrative: |
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| The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is in compliance with Principle 3.4.14 because the University provides access to and training in the use of technology which enhances student learning appropriate for meeting the objectives of its programs. The Institutional Goals of UAH require that the University establish colleges in administrative science, engineering, liberal arts, nursing, and science, as well as programs in continuing education, regional economic development, and technological innovation. In the past decades, UAH has followed two major strategies for using technology, especially new computer technology, to enhance student learning. A decentralized strategy has developed as the colleges and programs have chosen technology appropriate to their goals and needs. Another centralized strategy emerged largely from the Library with the assistance of Computer and Network Services (CNS) as these organizations sought to support the activities of the colleges and programs. The institution attracts a student body that is, in general, very skilled in the use of technology. Institutional resources are in place to address individual needs of students. The narrative for Standard 3.8.2 also addresses technology resources available to students. The remaining portion of this section describes technologies used to enhance student learning, covering first the colleges and programs, and then the Library and CNS. College of Administrative Science (CAS) The Administrative Science Building (ASB) is among the newer on campus, with state-of the art computer labs, team rooms, and comfortable study areas and classrooms. Five computer labs, dedicated computer classrooms, plus a computer equipped study room all have the latest equipment and software including email and Internet connections. Also, on the CAS website there are links to the computer labs that serve as the center for computer assisted business instruction. The CAS webpage provides access to numerous services for faculty members and students, including: account request forms, ASB labs, audio visual resources, calendar software, class schedules, emailing lists, class rolls, exam scanning services, Faculty Activity Report (FAR) forms, faculty handbook, faculty instruction policies, and lab hours. All business students must take MIS 146, Introduction to Computer Applications, and MIS 301, Management Information Systems, to graduate. WebCT and instructor maintained websites are widely used by business faculty to supplement their courses' classroom instruction. The CAS Faculty Web is a user-friendly interface for the Student Information System (SIS). Faculty Web provides convenient access to information such as faculty member class schedules, class rosters, registration status, telephone numbers, and email addresses of students enrolled in classes taught by the instructor, and a greatly simplified grading process. College of Engineering (COE) The COE's two buildings - Engineering Building (EB) and Technology Hall (TH), are also home to 13 state-of-the-art computer labs. The COE website is the gateway for information services and support. Through the links offered at the COE site, students, staff, faculty members, alumni, and the community have access 24/7 to the COE and the University. The Computer Operations link provides support both technical and informational on the COE computer labs. The 13 labs are housed in two buildings - EB and TH. Information at this site includes: hours of operation; documentation; frequently asked questions (FAQ) page; UAH web mail support and information; and a web-based Help Request Form. Additionally, the COE provides 5 technical support staff to aid in support and training. Links from these websites provide access to undergraduate and graduate catalogs, class schedules, department links, academic forms, maps and placement tests. The FAQ page is an additional resource for learning and technical support links. The FAQ pages include but are not limited to information on registration, co-op programs, accredited engineering programs, and graduates studies. College of Liberal Arts (CLA) Within the CLA are opportunities for students to learn and use technology to expand their education. The CLA offers several lab areas on the campus to expand the role of technology in its programs. The CLA labs available to the students include computers, software and hardware designed for specific tasks in a discipline, internet access, keyboards for music (in specific labs and areas), CD burners (in specific labs and areas), scanning (in specific labs and areas), and printing. Those labs designed for specific disciplines are the Liberal Arts Lab in the Library, the Writing Center, the Women's Studies Resource Center, the Foreign Language Lab, and the Liberal Arts Lab in Morton Hall. The Foreign Language Lab, located in Morton Hall, was renovated in 2003 and offers thirty work stations with CD burners. The Liberal Arts Lab, located in Morton Hall, offers twelve work stations for student use and includes printing. The lab is staffed with an assistant to help students with computer needs and printing. The Women's Studies Resource Center offers students information and maintains a computerized searchable collection of relevant books, magazines, videos, and other materials, as well as an internet access. The Writing Center provides resources to students to include print materials on writing, composition, and style guides and manuals. Three computers are available for word processing. The Library labs are available for classes and contain the necessary hardware and software to support the teaching mission of the college. When a class or schedule makes lab use difficult, the student has computer access in the Library's Information Arcade with its more flexible hours. Specific work stations in the Information Arcade have been equipped to match the software and hardware capabilities of the Library Liberal Arts Lab and require a student log-in. College of Nursing (CON) The College of Nursing (CON) incorporates technology in all its programs. Learning outcomes relating to the use of technology in health care delivery are identified for both undergraduate and graduate programs and are described more fully in the College of Nursing unit profile on the UAH Online Profile System (UAH OPS). The CON supports two computer labs. One lab housing ten computers and two laser printers is located in the Nursing Building. The second lab consisting of 30 computers and one laser printer is located in the UAH Salmon Library. There are an additional five computers networked to printers located in the Information Arcade of the Library that are dedicated to the CON and have the college's software loaded. All of these computers have internet and email capabilities as well as current specialized nursing software. Information related to computer labs, including hours of operation, hardware, software, contact information and student access may be found on the CON website. All nursing students have access to and training in the use of technology through multiple avenues. The course, NUR 339, "Computers in Nursing" is offered as an elective each semester and is required of students completing the RN to BSN track. Computer labs and the Learning Resource Center (LRC) are staffed with the following personnel: Director of Learning Resource Center, Director of Instructional Technology, Learning Resource Center faculty (part-time), and student workers. All personnel are available as needed or by appointment to instruct students in the use of the LRC, computer labs, and classroom technology. This includes general hardware/software and software specific to the CON. Instruction in the policies and use of the Learning Resource Center is made available during campus orientations for incoming upper-division students and graduate students. The LRC has extended morning and evening hours that are posted on a semester basis. The library labs are available and hours are posted according to the library schedule. Students who are enrolled in courses with web-based components receive instruction in the use of that technology at the beginning of each semester. The CON website has links to resources that support both Nursing students and faculty members and provide access to online learning resources such as WebCT or class web information, UAH web mail, and Student Services for registration and class schedule information. The class web information and email access allow students to communicate with their instructors and one another and to view instructional resources and course materials online. All of these methods of access are strategic to the CON and its distance education programs. In addition to the use of computer technology, students receive instruction and practice in using other technologies as part of their clinical education in health care delivery settings. The clinical evaluation of students in courses includes the appropriate use of technology in the care that they deliver to patients with whom they work. College of Science (COS) Each of the departments in the COS has one or more computer laboratories available on a drop-in basis for students enrolled in science and mathematics classes. COS students routinely take advantage of the laboratories for homework, preparation of laboratory reports, research projects, and other activities. Atmospheric Science, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematical Sciences, and Physics all have classes in which computer-assisted learning is heavily involved. All majors in College of Science undergraduate programs are required to complete CS 100 (Introduction to Computers and Programming), CS 102 (Introduction to Programming), or a higher level computer science course.
In addition to information technology, science and mathematics students use modern instrumentation in many of their classes.
The COS webpage gives students, faculty members, and visitors convenient access to numerous science and mathematics-oriented websites including:
Departmental websites are linked to the COS webpage and provide access to
Continuing Education (CE) CE designed, equipped, furnished, and maintains a classroom for the main purpose of production of distance learning courses and certificate programs. CE equipped, furnished, and maintains five computer labs on campus; four in Wilson Hall and one in the Administrative Science building. Each lab is equipped with student machines, an instructor machine, projectors, screens, internet access, and network printers. The smallest lab seats 20 and the largest seats 25; processors range from Pentium 3 to Pentium 4; several labs have 19 inch flat screen monitors to support engineering courses. Professional Development offers eTraining Solutions courses, which are presented in a hybrid CD-ROM and web-based format. Each classroom in Wilson Hall is equipped with internet access and any needed audio/visual equipment to support courses. UAH Campus Computer Labs show the decentralized nature of campus technology. It also verifies substantial student access to and instruction and training in the use of technology. UAH Campus Computer Labs enhance student learning by allowing students access to computers for research and other needs in numerous and convenient locations. Computer and Network Services (CNS) The university network provides students with campus-wide access to all areas of learning, and point-to-point as well as multi-cast distance learning and teleconferencing from several points on-campus to multiple off-campus sites. The InterCampus Interactive Telecommunications System (IITS) provides the campus with not only teleconferencing between most state universities, but point-to-point distance learning for engineering and nursing. IITS is a joint project between the campus and The University of Alabama System Office. Internet2 is a joint endeavor involving universities, corporations, and non-profit organizations to develop a networking opportunity that would revolutionize research capabilities for educational institutions in the US. These new network connections are being provided at UAH and allow increased capabilities for UAH students to perform research. Live H.323 (Internet-based) Audio Video Conferencing
Live Streaming Video
Asynchronous Delivery of Streaming Video with Synchronized PowerPoint Slide Material
M. Louis Salmon Library The UAH Library has long served as a central resource for students and faculty, and new technology has acted to enhance its long-standing role as repository of information and a communication center. The Library administers the Turnitin program, including system maintenance and instructional support. Turnitin is an educational tool used to teach students how to avoid plagiarism by demonstrating to students what plagiarism is during the learning process, and helping instructors determine whether writing assignments are plagiarized. Instructors have the option of allowing students to see the originality reports of their work. Instructors can also type comments on student papers within Turnitin's web-based software. The Library also has a state-of-the-art communications system with video capabilities in the UAH Library Multi Media Lab. The UAH Library Media Lab is a collection of technologies that enhances student learning by allowing the use of streaming video and other media in the classroom and other learning environments The Library is among several campus buildings that have added wireless access to enhance student learning by allowing students to utilize their own personal lap tops for research. Wireless access gives them the freedom to engage in learning activities without being bound to a lab or classroom. The Library also serves as the training center for Web Course Tools (WebCT). WebCT is a web-based course management system that many instructors at UAH use to make course materials available to students. WebCT also allows students to communicate with their instructor and/or with one another. WebCT is a technology that enhances student learning by allowing students to participate in an online course environment, share ideas, take tests, and turn in homework. WebCT is used in supporting online, distance learning (DL) course delivery. The Library also provides instruction to students in the use of its technology. During the Library orientation classes, subject librarians routinely poll the students regarding special software/technology training needs. As a result of these polls, the Library, sometimes in conjunction with Computer and Network Services (CNS), has provided various training overview sessions on various topics not included in the previous list. Updated regularly to include new products, services, and offerings, such as wireless access and federated search tools, the following items are topics covered in each Library instruction class session: Library Topics
Technology Topics
Microform and web hosting support |
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