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Thursday, August 19, 2010

Language Center Classrooms - Policies and Tips

The following policies and tips will help keep your second-language class running smoothly.

When using a Language Center classroom, please remember:
  • No food or drink allowed!
  • Please keep audio volume in your classrooms at reasonable levels.
  • Please collect your materials at the end of class. The Lost and Found is upstairs in the Main Office Jones 110.
  • All classroom activities may be monitored: Rooms 30 & 35 can be videotaped, Apple Remote Desktop software used to maintain the Mac computers can remotely display classroom desktops from Rooms 10, 15 and 30
  • If you cannot attend your reservation, please notify the LC of your cancellation. Repeat no-shows maybe negatively impact your ability to reserve rooms in the future.

Saving Files - All files are deleted nightly!
Keep in mind that all Language Center classroom and lab computers are public computers and that all files may be viewed, edited or deleted by other users. For this reason, and for your protection, we delete all files at the end of each day. There are two places where you can temporarily save your files while you work:
Local_Save: Files saved here are only accessible from the computer at which you work.
LC-Server: Files saved here are accessible from most computers in the Language Center.

**We highly encourage you and your students to use external media such as a USB flash drive or networked storage space like Netfiles to save your files.

Printing
  • Printing is available for in-class activities in all of the classrooms. Prints will be sent to a printer in Room 5.
  • Printing is only allowed for in-class activities
  • Does NOT include class handouts and student essays written before class.
  • Printing is limited to 3 pages per student per class session.
  • Instructors must pick up all prints from Room 5. Students are not allowed to pick up prints from Room 5.
  • Note that if you are printing from the Laptop Lab, you will first need to connect to the Internet.

Videotaping
The Language Center can video record classes onto VHS tapes, DVD+R or DVD-R discs. Instructors must provide their own media for the recording.

If the video recording will be shown publicly after the class or presentation, all video recorded participants should grant permission for the recording. Participants can grant permission by completing the Videotaping Permission Form found at: http://languagecenter.cla.umn.edu/downloads/lcforms/videoPermission.pdf

Software Installation Requests
All classrooms include the following software: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), Audacity, Hot Potatoes, and Firefox. In addition to these programs, the three Mac Classrooms (10, 15 and 30) include: Mac DiLL, Safari, iLife (iMovie, PhotoBooth, GarageBand) and Parallels for operating Windows on a Mac.

If you need a special program or a plug-in installed prior to your class, you will need to complete a software installation request form. Download from:
http://languagecenter.cla.umn.edu/downloads/lcforms/swinstall.pdf

Please be aware that:
  • We require at least 2 weeks notice prior to installation.
  • We cannot make copies of copyrighted material without express written consent of the copyright owner. You are responsible for showing proof of licensing appropriate for the number of installations requested.
  • We reserve the right to not install software that is incompatible with our systems or may pose a threat to our equipment or users.
  • You are responsible for arranging a time to test the installed software to ensure that it meets your specific classroom needs.

Training
The more comfortable you are with technology, the smoother your classes will go. For individual or small-group hands-on training, complete an online reservation request form for the room you are using and indicate on the form that you would like training. If you have questions about how much training you need, contact Alyssa Ruesch rues0022@umn.edu

For more information on how to use the software installed in the Language Center classrooms, such as the Mac DiLL or Apple Remote Desktop, check out our online guides at http://jonesclassroomguides.pbworks.com

The Language Center sponsors a variety of presentations and hands-on workshops on how to make effective use of technology in the classroom. For a list of upcoming events, see http://iteachworkshop.pbworks.com

Consider subscribing to this blog for Language Center related updates and tips on how to make effective use of technology.

Classroom Reservations
To use Language Center classrooms, you must intend to use technology. To make a reservation, go to http://languagecenter.cla.umn.edu/reserve