November 2004 — Applications
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Des Moines Area Community College Utilizes Handhelds for On-the-Go Education
While data can be maintained on the handhelds’ interchangeable memory cards, students’ notes and course materials are also saved to a storage area network (SAN) - eliminating concerns about irreplaceable information on lost, stolen or damaged devices. Working closely with HP and other technology partners, the Synerg.e Center has been able to create a workable wireless infrastructure on a limited budget that delivers the mobility and flexibility which is attractive to current and future students.
A Textbook Case
For students at DMACC’s West Campus and Synerg.e Center, the iPAQs provide a highly affordable option compared to desktop or laptop computers. As digital textbooks are 33%-66% less expensive than traditional bound textbooks, students are able to justify the cost in four or five semesters. In addition, the lightweight handhelds alleviate the burden of constantly carrying around heavy books.
Digital textbooks are also easier to keep current since it is much simpler and less costly for publishers to revise them. In contrast, traditional bound textbooks must often be used for years without updates due to printing and distribution costs. In addition, digital textbooks’ electronic searching and bookmarking capabilities are useful when studying.
And while text can be easily read on iPAQ screens, students also have the option of viewing content on larger monitors by using PCs that have been equipped with card readers. During the beta phase of the Synerg.e Center’s wireless project, a college partnership with book publisher McGraw-Hill enabled participating students to receive digital textbooks for free.
Proving Ground for New Technologies
The wireless project at the West Campus and Synerg.e Center coincided with a broader DMACC objective to eliminate the technological separation between its six campus locations, which are spread across more than 11 counties in Iowa. The campuses also were on different operating systems and desktop standards, with no shared storage processes for data. Today, while the West Campus is still the proving ground for new technologies, all six campuses are networked, standardized on HP desktop PCs, and operate their own mini-data centers that communicate using T1 and dual T1 lines. Using HP StorageWorks Enterprise Modular Array with Veritas software (www.veritas.com) for storage management, DMACC’s Ankeny Campus serves as the network hub and is also where reliable storage, backup and recovery systems for all the campuses reside. In addition, helping to simplify administration, Altiris software (www.altiris.com) is used to install and manage desktops and servers throughout the college.
Due to the success of the wireless initiative at the West Campus and Synerg.e Center, wireless pilots are also beginning at other DMACC campus locations. For its mobility initiatives, DMACC has partnered with top technology solutions providers including HP. Through these partnerships and the technology that can be offered, the West Campus and Synerg.e Center have been able to better attract students.
The West Campus and Synerg.e Center are committed to the use of new and emerging technologies to increase learning and enhance student motivation. As students come to expect more options and greater flexibility in the delivery of course content, schools and colleges need to respond.
- Dr. Anthony Paustian
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