Evolving needs and goals for “computer labs”
One of the most interesting ideas for me in the session this morning was the reflection on the original goal of computer labs as a way to close the digital divide: access to computer resources for those who didn’t have their own “at home.” When I was a student, almost nobody had their own at home because personal computers were so new. The computer lab made absolute sense because it enabled us to word process where we would otherwise have to type on our typewriters, and it enabled us to connect to the mainframe to compute, to connect with others, etc.
Data from Dartmouth (change from 56% of student computer purchases being desktop machines several years ago to 0% desktop purchases now) corroborates other such data: students are generally purchasing portable laptops, and they’re using mobile devices. Though the digital divide still exists in some locations, many students do have access to “their own” computers and devices wherever they want to use them.
Given this change in need, we began to brainstorm current goals for “labs” or “learning spaces” or “learning commons.” What do you see as most critical current needs for spaces with computer resources where students, faculty, and staff can gather in the same place? What are the kinds of activities that cannot be accomplished solo at home or virtually in online collaborative spaces? Why have a lab today?
- Gina Siesing
March 13th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Along with the closing of the digital divide, there were many good points made in yesterday’s session… such as a greater need to distinguish general lab use from the specialized hardware and software that are course, or department, specific.
What also stood out were the long lists created by participants of possible computer lab locations, such as student dorms and the library. The lists basically represented the ubiquitous concept. This, along with the portable, smaller devices that students use on their own leads me to think of schools who are implementing virtual labs, where students log in through their personal device and access the school’s general lab image, making frequently used applications readily available. These include programs like MS Office, the Adobe Suite, and basic video editing and desktop publishing software. That would provide ubiquity and convenience while preserving the physical space for a wider range of purposes. As long as network access is available, students could use the virtual lab software from anywhere.