Meeting Notes - Oct 13, 2017
Meeting Notes
Legend:
- Assignment: highlight indicates assignment
- Recommendations: italics
Attendance:
- Ken Heidebrecht, Scott Powell, Thelma Gunn, Marlo Steed, Len Sproule, Robert LeBlanc, Josh Markle,
Regrets: Jeff Meadows (Teaching Centre)
Reports
- Ken - NA
Chair (Marlo):
- reviewed terms of reference and showed how to access the committee web site
- reported that the Flexible Innovative Space Proposal was passed on to the administration in the summer and that the large monitors in 341 and 373 were a result of that but the rest of the proposal is on hold with the dean
Scott (Tech support):
- Scott reported on:
- the updates to TH 341 and TH 373 with large monitors
- IT initiative Knowbe4 to get Faculty up to speed with evaluating email scam
- updated Mac OS (High Sierra) - tech support issues with this
Teaching Centre:
- NA
Ken:
- NA
Items for Action
Flexible Learning Space Proposal
When the dean returns, Marlo will follow up and have a conversation with the dean about this.
Updating Classroom Technology
1170b was discussed and all those people who use the space agreed that it needs improvement. Scott indicated that he has started the process and requisitioned a new monitor for this space. The location of the display in the room was discussed and Scott and Len were tasked with going down to 1170b and evaluating where the large monitor might go. Len noted that there is noise bleeding from the open space in the adjacent area of the Curr Lab and suggested that we a have microphone systems so that the instructor's voice can carry.
Thelma indicated that there were rumours suggesting that central admin might be taking back all the teaching space. Marlo suggested that it wouldn't matter, that we still need the technology put into the classrooms that we will be teaching in.
Various options were set forward for more effectively connecting the monitors to various devices. Switchers and splitters along with Crestron options were discussed. Scott was tasked with exploring all these options.
Student Laptops
The question was raised if we still need laptop carts or can we require students to have their own devices. After some discussion it was agreed that the committee make the following recommendation to Nancy Grigg (Associate Dean):
- That the Faculty inform students coming into our program that we highly recommend that they have laptops or equivalent devices (e.g. tablets).
We felt that we didn’t want this to be mandatory - that wording felt too restrictive but most of our students already have laptops or tablets, so this seems like a reasonable request. The laptop carts are getting less use but we still need those for the few students who might not be able to afford laptops, forget theirs or their batteries are drained. Marlo will forward this recommendation to Nancy (done and done).
innovation Funding Proposal Wording
It was noted that the proposal and information regarding the Innovation Fund is not explicit about who owns the technology in the end. It seems obvious that the Faculty is funding the proposal so the equipment and software is the property of the Faculty. It was agreed that we need a statement making that explicit in the proposal. The wording we came up with is:
Important Note: The equipment or software acquired through this proposal is for the designated time frame agreed to but remains the property of the Faculty of Education. It should be returned to the Faculty once the designated time has expired or the proposer is no longer with the University or Faculty of Education.
Marlo will pass the wording by the committee and then make the change in the forms.