USM Faculty Survey: Classroom Equipment & Improvement Summary of Faculty Responses (Spring 2018) Prepared by: Office of Academic Assessment University of Southern Maine Spring 2018 1
USM Faculty: Classroom Equipment & Improvement Survey (N=51) Faculty Opinions about Equipment at USM Faculty Opinions about Equipment/Technology Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree a. It is easy for me to use the technology in the rooms where I teach. b. I usually need some assistance in using the technology in the classroom. c. Most of the classrooms have equipment that is in poor condition. d. I believe that technology upgrades in the classroom would enhance my teaching. N % N % N % N % N % 10 19% 30 59% 6 12% 5 10% --- --- 1 2% 9 18% 8 14% 26 51% 7 14% 1 2% 14 28% 18 35% 17 33% 1 2% 23 45% 20 39% 5 10% 2 4% 1 2% 2
Classroom Upgrades Have you taught in a classroom that has broken equipment: N % Yes 33 66% No 17 34% If Yes: Which Classrooms Need Upgrades JMC classrooms 229, 265 JMC 201, 301, 301C Bailey Hall 312, 405 Bailey Hall 166 Hastings LAC classrooms 362 Science Bldg 200, 203 Payson Smith 303, 306 Payson Smith 208, 241 Luther Bonney 326 Luther Bonney 402, 403 Luther Bonney 524 Luther Bonney 3
What kinds of technology or function would you like to see in the upgrade N % Projectors 37 73% Screen 31 61% Clickers 18 35% Other Technologies for Classrooms Webcams and mics for web conferencing Big & Bright Convert black boards to white boards Don t allow screen placement to take away the whiteboards Decent sound Audio Mobile notebooks and network devices for one to one Reach screen to pull it down Toggles for projectors Microphones around the classroom and reliable internet Hardwired Interactive Whiteboards Adjustable height desks for laptop hookup and use Replace whiteboard in 326 LB Speakers Document cameras Moveable screens so they don t obscure the whiteboards 4
Open-ended Responses from Faculty *What challenges can you identify when using the technology in the classroom? I find that having the screen right in the middle of the whiteboard is challenging, this leaves space on either side of the screen for writing. It is too awkward (and confusing) to have to write half of the content on one side of the screen and the other half on the other. So, I usually end up just using one side of the screen for writing (a space which is about 3ft across). To deliver content, I prefer to use both slides and drawings during lecture. It would be useful to have the screen moved all the way to one side of the whiteboard which would allow me to better implement this mixed media approach. Occasionally had to shut down and start over with the system in Payson-Smith 303 because it wouldn t recognize my laptop (via mdmi). The biggest challenge is that the projector screen in some rooms (Payson-Smith all of 2 nd floor) completely covers the board, so cannot easily use both slides and the board. Using the projector and white/board simultaneously. Any good teacher in the sciences will predominately use a white/blackboard but it s useful for some lectures to have access to a projector. But raising/lowering a screen is disruptive to the flow. One possible solution is for me to learn to write on a tablet but I m not there yet. Missing wires. Missing cables, lots of older input (aka VGA ), minimal new inputs (aka HDMI/DP), blurry Usually the projector screen covers the white board. Please move the projector and screens to one side of the board. Damaged cord that connects my laptop to the black box getting sound to work. Not really up to date on running presentation software OS? Just not always set up as I requested, but this is past semester was fine. Having cables that work well (connections). Lack of support when something doesn t work at the last minute. It is hard to get someone to help when already in class and something malfunctions. In Hastings, the rooms sometimes lack appropriate cables I have taken to bringing my own but it is frustrating to never know what to expect. There is little or no soundproofing in the rooms so that if a classroom near mine is using audio it will disrupt my classroom. I occasionally encounter a situation to where a previous instructor uses using a mac laptop in a classroom and leaves the technology set up for that specific accommodation. 5
Sometimes mouse disconnects. I still need vhs players and dvd and internet access. What I would really like available in every classroom is the ability to record lecturers. In 44 Payson, the table for the instructor is so timey that once I put down my books, etc, I barely have space to use the keyboard. Consistency. I m never sure if my needs are going to be met room to room. Being an adjunct, I don t always have the equipment I need or the small components available to connect. Students remotely accessing class cannot hear discussions, same for meetings. Chalkboard next to Smartboard. Lack of tech support after hours (LA campus only). USM does not have adequate equipment for courses that are taught with some participants live on campus and some participants joining via videoconferencing. Very occasional difficulty, media service is always right there to help. I always want to project and write on the board. Things can be a little slow to load or turn on. Many students have difficulty seeing the data projections with the current lighting conditions. I find it bizarre that I do not have keys to open classrooms The bulbs in the projectors are not strong enough to see and the rooms don t have working blinds to help block out light. Trouble shooting. Some of the equipment doesn t work. The biggest issue is that the VGA cables have bent prong due to instructors not knowing how to plug them into the device. Students attending virtually cannot hear what is going on in the classroom. There are no directions for what buttons to push, which channel makes what work, and how to switch from one function to another without messing something up. The USM pages do not display adequately within the screen. Needing to put a request in to use the projector that is in the room only because the cabinet is locked. Just leave the cabinet unlocked. Need a lecture podium that I had to borrow from another classroom each week. MAC connections. Chalk boards are outdated, dirty and health hazards. I teach online synchronous courses which require a lot of time setting up a cart with a camera and conference microphone. Trying to show students work on the cheap document cameras is difficult. Broken window blinds/shades and odd lighting. 6
*Please give a short description of any issues you have experienced with the classroom equipment. Biggest issue, especially in Payson-Smith, is that the projector screens cover most of the black/white boards. All the rooms in Payson Smith have too many desks and chairs. Screen placement and projector/interface software sensitive. Having cables that work well using the sound systems. Room 524 Luther Bonney-the projector screen will not stay down unless you hold it for a long period of time. Speakers that didn t work. Flickering and flashing is not only irritating but can trigger migraines or other issues for students and faculty. Missing markers. Very few issues. I am fairly adept at most of the classroom technologies. Cannot connect to Tempest, cannot connect to projector. Remotely bringing students to class need two devices and microphones Occasionally the smartboard doesn t work because of calibration or other issues. Quality of projectors, cameras, and microphones is inadequate. Occasionally the mouse needs batteries or I can t format the screen. Occasionally, the wire that connects a laptop to the classroom PC will have bent/broken pins making it impossible to project from a laptop. Occasionally the batteries in the mouse/keyboards will die, or there will be a master switch in Masterton 113 that should be on. Many students have difficulty seeing the data projections with the current lighting conditions. Converting from my laptop to VGA input on the black box The computers are very slow and take forever to boot up. VGA cable issues Speakers that don t work, not knowing how to use it. Projector was broken; mice batteries dead. Smart board in Payson on 205 is nonfunctional. Not sure if it s actually broken but the projector in Masterton G38 shakes which makes the picture shake. Students with MACs unable to connect, cannot load videos. Projector in 202 Luther Bonney needs to be upgraded and installed to permit better use of screen and to avoid instructor s eyes. 7