Classroom Technology

Marc Hoit, Interim Associate Provost for IT

The University of Florida is now one of the very few universities in the United States to have installed instructional technology with Internet-2 access in every general classroom on campus primarily scheduled by the Registrar. An overwhelming majority of faculty now require classroom technology for routine instruction. To meet the faculty’s need for classroom instructional technology, Academic Technology has been engaged in a multi-year effort to install computers, VHS/DVD players, and data projectors in all Registrar classrooms. The completion of this process at the end of the Fall 2004 term marked a milestone which will require Academic Technology to significantly increase maintenance and instructor support for future terms. Along with this change, equipment delivery services will cease for the beginning of the Summer 2005 semester, as these resources are being reallocated to equipment maintenance and support of faculty using the installed equipment.

In addition to Academic Technology’s responsibility for Registrar classrooms at the University of Florida, upon departmental request, Academic Technology will take responsibility for equipping departmentally-controlled general-purpose classrooms with UF-standard classroom instructional technology. Colleges and departments who currently support their own classrooms and plan to continue doing so will not be affected. The potential number of classrooms fully equipped and supported by Academic Technology increases from 249 to 324 with this change. Temporary projectors, VHS/DVD players, and computers will be provided to departmentally-controlled general-purpose classrooms for which this service has been requested until such time as the equipment can be permanently installed. All other equipment must be picked up and returned to the Academic Technology Media Center in 1215 Turlington Hall, as equipment delivery services will no longer be available. Colleges and departments remain responsible for equipping their special- purpose classrooms and laboratories with instructional technology. Equipment check-out can be made from the Classroom Support Media Center in 1215 Turlington Hall. Equipment check-out services will be available on a first- come, first-served basis, with reservations available not more than 7 calendar days in advance of scheduled need.

Academic Technology Classroom Support looks forward to continuing to meet the evolving instructional technology needs of faculty at the University of Florida. Questions, comments, reservation requests, and suggestions should be directed to Classroom Support at 392-6683 or classrooms@ufl.edu. More information is available on the web at http://www.at.ufl.edu/classrooms.