June 2001 — Features
Print this article | Email this articleClick here to receive your FREE subscription to T.H.E. Journal
Wireless Laptops and Local Area Networks
Wireless connectivity at St. Louis Community College allows students to experience hands-on interactive learning with laptop computers during library bibliographic, paralegal and biotechnology instruction sessions. The library at the Florissant Valley Campus of the St. Louis Community College began using wireless technology for bibliographic instruction during the spring 2000 semester. Because English Composition students require advanced instruction in bibliographic citation, library faculty members provide students with a combined lecture and hands-on interactive learning experience using wireless laptops. A wireless lab is now a part of the classroom in the library.
When paralegal and biotechnology instructors identified interactive learning needs, they requested the setup of a portable wireless lab. The college funded a $120,000 capital project that set up two 24-station labs and one 15-station lab. Each lab consists of hardware, software and a secure storage cabinet. Acer 501T laptop computers were purchased and installed with Lucent Technologies WaveLAN PC adapters. The wireless network uses WavePoint-II access points, which function as bridges between the college’s Ethernet backbone and the PC adapters. A gigabit connection runs between the buildings, and a 100mbs connection links the desktops on the Florissant Valley campus.
Prior to the use of wireless laptops, the library faculty at the Florissant Valley Campus of the St. Louis Community College used the traditional lecture method. Students were provided with the information necessary to navigate the library resources, but they were not grasping and applying search strategies. With the use of wireless laptops, library faculty members were able to provide an interactive hands-on environment that helped students apply learned techniques for their assignments. Thanks to the use of wireless computing, the students are motivated, and the English faculty is very satisfied with their students’ results.
Solution Implementation
Library faculty members on the Florissant Valley Campus were aware of wireless technology in the nineties, but it took some time for it to gain support. Over the years, a team of librarians and staff continued to investigate wireless technology. Near the end of the nineties, changing student needs and advances in technology provided an opportunity to change the library’s instructional delivery methods. Librarians wanted a hands-on instructional environment for students. The library director was successful in gaining support for wireless technology after promoting the idea repeatedly, and after collaborating with faculty, information technology personnel, computer technicians and college administrators. Wireless networking proved to be both affordable and the least disruptive to instruction. A physical evaluation of the library’s classroom revealed electrical and network limitations. The library director sought assistance from a number of sources to develop the wireless laptop network proposal that would improve learning opportunities for students.
