Department Interviews - 1996

Interview:  Chuck Mlynarczyk, Teacher Education
     Date:  3/20/96


1. Do you have plans for special initiatives and/or projects for the 96-97 
   school year that involve technology?  -- for your students, your faculty, 
   your department?
 
   a. The ITMM program needs to provide more technical experience (network
      installations and support; troubleshooting, etc) for their students. 
      One possible suggestion is to support internships with Distributed
      Computing/Telemedia (DC/TM).  Chuck will look into this possibility.

   b. Web authoring should be part of the Teacher Ed. curriculum.  Teacher Ed.
      is satisfied with the current level of resources and training that DC/TM
      provides.

   c. Need support for the "Professional Development School" program that is
      being developed.  Currently, Teacher Ed. has a contractual commitment
      with Salmon River to provide Potsdam students with teaching experiences.
      What is needed is a benefit for Salmon River teachers who provide these
      experiences.  Chuck suggested that providing access to the Internet via        
      SUNY Potsdam is highly desired and would provide an ideal benefit.
     
      Additional program contracts are being pursued with Potsdam Central,
      Canton, Parrishville, and Huevelton.  This program will be initiated
      in the Fall of '96 or Spring of '97.
   
   d. Need a faster, higher capacity printerfor faculty.  Eventually, color
      would be desirable, when affordable.

   e. Post-Masters degree opportunities:  provide courses and special training
      to teachers via distance learning technology to provide them with 
      "Certificates of Advanced Study".

   f. Would like to use the special BOCES distance learning classroom, if
      Potsdam participates, for holding conferences with others and to provide
      "virtual" field experiences for students at Potsdam.



2. Student Computing Access Program (SCAP) proposals:

   a. Wiring the residence halls will be important for students and faculty.    
      Assignments can be given that are more computer-intensive.

   b. Off-campus access for graduate students, student teachers (doing field
      experience) and support for Watertown courses that could use 
      network-based resources.

   c. More multi-media support and resources (e.g., video and digital cameras, 
      digital imaging software, headphones, A/V computers, CD players).

   d. Add 5 more computers to Satterlee 300.

   e. Smart Classroom (to be located in current Reading Center facility).  See
      notes from Les Crawford interview for more info.

   f. Consistent equipment for Sat 300 (too many varieties of hardware now).



3. What are your most important concerns and priorities for the 96-97 school 
   year?  -- for your students, your faculty, your department?

   a. Printing problems.

   b. "Professional Development School" program (see description above).

   c. Distance learning opportunities; that is, access to the campus network.

   d. Multi-media equipment.

   e. Additional computers for Saterlee 300.



4. How can we improve our services and support to meet your needs? 

   - Need a printer that can be swapped for any printer they need to send in
     for repair.

   - Perfoma 6116 computers are continually freezing up in Saterlee 300.
     Centris 610 is totally "dead".

   - Consolidating HELPDESKs and office staff into Kellas:  Expressed concern
     that they would not get questions answered as they do now, though having
     ccess to a  HELPDESK in Kellas (main) would address this concern.

   - No particular concerns over moving Levitt Center to Kellas or moving the
     Mac classroom to the library, though convienence of doing library work
     in addition to computer work is a benefit of the current setup.

   - We should offer special "train-the-trainer" workshops for individuals
     who currently provide support to their colleagues.