In Global Peace Through The
Global University System
2003 Ed. by T. Varis, T. Utsumi, and W. R. Klemm
University of Tampere, Hameenlinna, Finland
Educational Technology in Hawaii
Public Postsecondary Institutions
Robert M. Albert, Stephen G. George,
G. Robert Converse, Thomas P. Wright
Maui Community College
Abstract
Many institutions of higher
education have positively demonstrated the potential of a Global University
System (GUS) linking the people of the world through distance education via the
Internet. The University of Hawaii
System, which includes Maui Community College, has been involved in the use of
technology to overcome the problem of serving a community of students on
separate islands for more than 20 years.
The authors hope to make a contribution to the implementation of the GUS
vision by sharing some of the history in the use of educational technology from
the perspective of Media Services, Computer Services, Special Projects and
Software Development at Maui Community College. This paper contains links to Internet sources. The Power Point Presentation on the CD
(File name: uhedtech-CD.ppt) will be more efficient for downloading graphics
and animation files.
Introduction
The University of Hawaii
(UH) comprises all public postsecondary education systems in the state of
Hawaii. UH is ten independent
university and community college campuses, an employment training center, and
five education centers located on six islands.
Map of locations:
Maui Community College is a
part of the University of Hawaii Higher Education System. The campus is centrally located on the
northeast shore of Maui. The service area of the College includes the islands of Molokai, Lanai and Maui.
A view of the campus:
Information Technology at Maui Community
College
Computing Services
Computing Services plans, installs and supports the
tri-isle and Campus Network, data communications, Internet connectivity,
administrative and instructional systems and manages central servers for these
systems, as well as providing user support for administrative, campus-wide,
community-college system and university-wide applications. Students have classes, or complete assignments, in 16 Microcomputer Classrooms and labs at the main campus in Kahului, and 3 smaller (12-15 stations) classroom/labs at each of the outreach educational centers at Hana, Lanai and Molokai.
Outreach educational centers
receive technical support in a number of ways. A technician flies to the Islands of Molokai and Lanai, or
drives to Hana an average of at least twice each year. Between these site visits, problems are
handled in a variety of ways.
First, problems are discussed by phone; the technician normally tells
the outreach center staff how to troubleshoot the problem, and then technical advice
is given after hearing the test results.
In some cases it may be necessary to use teleconferencing so that the
outreach staff member can see where dip switches or how to remove the case from
a piece of equipment; usually a teleconferencing room is used if available, but
desktop teleconferencing is used as well.
Second, an instructor, counselor or administrator from either the main
campus or the particular outreach area serves as a courier to bring a broken
computer to the main campus for repair or take a new hub or special cable to
the outreach center; usually at least one individual travels between the two
locations each week. Third, each
outreach computer has a non-proprietary program installed on it that enables a
technician to take over the computer across the Internet. This technology works well when
software needs to be installed or configured, or to support outreach center
staff with software usage problems.
Maui Community College Data Communications
A new conduit system
connecting each Kahului campus building by fiber with the new Ka`a`ike
Technology Center was completed March 2002. Each campus facility has12single-mode and 6 multimode fibers
for special video functions that terminate in Ka`a`ike 117; 6 single-mode and
12 multimode fibers connect to Computing Services in Ka`a`ike 221 and are used
for computing data communications.
Most buildings connect to the campus Cisco 6006 layer-3 switch in
Ka`a`ike 221 using fast Ethernet (100mbps), but buildings with high volume
traffic, such as the Learning Center complex, Laulima and Ka Lama, connect at
gigabit speeds (1,000 Mbps).
A second switch (Cisco
6506), located in Ka`a`ike 106A, is used primarily for the interactive distance
education teleconferencing systems, SkyBridge and the Hawaii Interactive
Television System. The distance education classes are carried over an OC3 (100 T1s) microwave link to the University of Hawaii at Manoa and from there to other branches of the University, including MCC's outreach education centers on the islands of Molokai and Lanai and in Hana -- each of which also has OC3 connectivity. The Cisco 6506 has a gigabit connection
with the Cisco 6006 switch, providing redundancy. Actually, both connect to a
pair of Cisco 3508G gigabit switches, which, in turn, connect to a LuxN
WS-3208, which transmits data at gigabit speeds over fiber to the Maui Research
and Technology Center (MRTC) in Kihei, Maui. MCC data, along with other branches of the University and
State Offices then share an OC3 fiber link to Oahu and the University of Hawaii
at Manoa. This link is used for
traditional data communication, while the microwave OC3 link is used primarily
for teleconferencing; however each link provides valuable redundancy in case the
other should fail.
Each building on the main
campus in Kahului and at each outreach education center has a data room or
closet. The main switch for the
building (either Cisco 3524 or 2924 or Allied Telesyn 8224XL or AT-FS709FC,
depending on building traffic) is located in the data room along with necessary
hubs, which connect with computers in the building via Category 5 or 5e
cable. The Ka`a`ike Technology
Center also has fiber to offices, specific labs and classrooms, in addition to
Category 5e.
The University of Hawaii
Office of Information Technology Services also provides the Kahului campus with
a 56Kb frame relay for a redundant communications link. Currently, Maui Community College's T1 connects to UH Manoa via the Hawaii State microwave backbone; a second T1 is a c onnection (six T1s) to the Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC). This latter connection not only provides reasonable bandwidth for communicating with MHPCC's supercomputer, but will also provide redundancy for MCC's connection to other branches of the university and the Internet. A Cisco 7010 routes the traffic on the three main campus
networks, as well as that from the T1 carrier and the frame relay. A Kentrox ATM switch is used for the
connection to MHPCC via the Maui Research and Technology Center in Kihei.
In addition to direct
connections to Ethernet and Internet these communication capabilities enable
users to log on to a single user account from their offices or classrooms and
access (seamlessly, via a menu system) a variety of administrative,
instructional and standard applications and information services available on
the several different Maui Community College minicomputers and servers; the
University-wide administrative, library and instructional systems; Hawaii State
information systems, and a variety of information sources located on the
World-Wide Web.
Microcomputer Classrooms and Labs
|
Ka Lama 201 |
(23)
Pent/133MHz Systems w/32MB |
|
Ka Lama 202 |
(25)
486/75MHz Systems w/32MB |
|
Ka Lama 204 |
(25)
Pent/100MHz Systems w/32MB |
|
Ka Lama 206A |
(25) Pent
II/450MHz Systems w/256MB |
|
Ka Lama 206B |
(25)
Pent/200MHz Systems w/32MB |
|
Ka`a`ike 107 |
(21) Pent
III/1GHz Systems w/128MB & zip |
|
Ka`a`ike 108 |
(21) Pent
III/1GHz Systems w/128MB & zip |
|
Ka`a`ike 218 Digital Media
Lab |
(25) Pent
4/3.06GHz Systems w/512MB, 2/75GB drives, CD-RW, DV-Storm, Digi001, 24"
disp. |
|
Ka`a`ike 219 |
(25) Pent
4/1.5GHz Systems w/128MB & zip |
|
Kupa`a 203 |
(25) Pent
4/1.6GHz Systems w/256MB |
|
Kupa`a 204 |
(25) Pent
4/1.5GHz Systems w/256MB |
|
Laulima 108 |
(29) Pent
III/800MHz Systems w/128MB |
|
Laulima 212 |
(25) PIII/733MHz
Systems w/128MB |
|
Laulima 226 |
(25) Pent
II/450MHz Systems w/256 |
|
Molokai Education Center |
(25) Pent
II/350 Systems w/128MB |
|
TLC L-02 |
(24) Pent
4 1.6GHz Systems w/128MB |
Computing Labs
|
(Open Lab) |
Ka Lama
203 |
(36)
Celeron 333/MHz Systems w/64MB |
|
Office Simulation Lab |
Ka Lama
207 |
(2)Pent
4/2.26GHz Systems w/256MB |
|
Electronics Lab |
Ka`a`ike
217 |
(21) Pent
III/1GHz Systems w/128MB & zip |
|
OCET Digital Media Lab |
Laulima
211 |
(24) Macintosh
G4 (11 w/CD-RW) |
|
OCET ACT Lab |
Laulima
227 |
(16) Pent
II/450MHz Systems w/256MB |
|
University Center Lab |
Laulima
214 |
(7) Pent
III/700MHz micros w/128MB, zip |
|
Science Lab |
Science
20B |
(7) Pent
III/650MHz Systems w/128MB |
|
TLC Main Lab
(Open Lab) |
TLC L-03 |
(10) Pent
III/1GHz Systems w/256MB (8) Pent
III/450 Multimedia Systems (10)
AMD-K6/366MHz Systems w/32MB (2)
AMD-K5/133 Systems for Japanese only |
|
TLC Advanced ICS Lab (Open Lab) |
TLC L-04 |
(8) Pent
4/1.7GHz Systems w/256MB (2)
AMD-K6/366MHz Systems w/192MB (4)
Celeron/500MHz Systems w/64MB |
|
UNIX Lab |
Kupa`a
201 |
(15) IBM
RISC6000 systems running AIX |
|
Hana Educ. Center Lab |
Han-1 |
(10) Pent
III/733MHz Systems (6) Pent
2/200 |
|
Lanai Educ. Center Lab |
Lan-2 |
(15) Pent
III/1GHz Systems w/256MB DVD |
|
Molokai Ed. Center Lab |
Mol-Lib |
(8) Pent
III/733MHz Microcomputers |
The Learning Center
|
The Learning Center is an academic support
facility offering a wide variety of services. |
Testing Services
|
|
Tutoring Services
|
|
English and math placement
tests are offered on a walk-in basis throughout most of the year. Make-up tests and tests from distance
education courses can also be arranged to be taken at The Learning Center. |
|
Students may receive help
on an appointment or walk-in basis.
Tutoring encompasses one-on-one assistance by a professional staff or
a peer tutor in English, math, foreign language and other subject areas upon
tutor availability. |
|
|
|
|
Learning Services
|
|
Computing Services
|
|
A wide range of practical
study skills and individual skills is offered that can help students in their
classes like speed reading, test taking, time management. |
|
There are two computer
laboratories with Linux and Windows based computers that have internet access
and contain office, graphics, math, accounting and English tutorials. |
Media Services
The Media Center supports
college audio-visual and multimedia services, including xerography, graphics
design and teleconferencing. It
produces and schedules the programming for, and operates, cable channel 54, as well as maintaining and operating SkyBridge, MCC's interactive instructional teleconferencing system which delivers teleclasses to the outreach centers in Hana and on the islands of Molokai and Lanai. Media Services also supports upper-division and graduate instruction via the Hawaii Interactive Telecommunications System (HITS).
MCC-TV
MCC-TV (Cable 54) is the
Educational Access channel of the PEG Access consortium & Akaku
Television http://www.akaku.org/
MCC-TV reaches approximately
130,000 viewers. Programming
(24/7) consists of live televised classes and pre-recorded educational programs
produced by MCC. The State of
Hawaii Department of Education, other campuses located throughout the University
of Hawaii system, and a variety of Federal, State, County, and public and
private educational institutions.
A number of students register for classes offered via MCC-TV, and
"attend" without ever visiting the campus. MCC-TV also devotes airtime to culture and the arts
programming, live satellite feeds, and educational productions and programs
supplied by non-profit entities, and the general public. All programming is recorded on DVCAM
and Beta-SP tape formats.
Programming is then replayed for late night/early morning rebroadcast.
Instructional Technology
Many faculty and staff have
their course syllabi on the web, even those who are not offering a class over
the Internet. Some offer quizzes
via QuizServer,
a joint effort between MCC and UH Office of Technology Transfer; others have
students utilize multimedia materials on the web; and some faculty have used
Java or HTML for developing interactive instructional modules All-full time faculty and most
offices of lecturers have the minimum of a Pentium III 550MHz microcomputer
system directly connected to the Internet, and more than 40 of them have had a
minimum of a week-long workshop in development of websites and uses of the
World Wide Web for purposes of instruction.
Electronics and Computer Engineering
Technology (ECET)
The Advanced Educational
Technology Project funded by The National Science Foundation, (NSF) in 1994,
started web-based
instructional technology as part of the program Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology (ECET).
Office of Continuing
Education and Training (OCET)
This department offers a large variety of non-credit courses, including the technology items below. COMPTECH
Computer
Aided Design (CAD)
These hands-on lab classes
introduce students to working in AutoCAD, the industry-standard for
computer-aided design and drafting.
The explosive growth of the
Internet, e-mail, and the World Wide Web continues unabated. At the heart of
this revolution in human communication are computer networks. Individuals
skilled in the design, implementation, and maintenance of computer networks are
in high demand, and the need for such professionals is expected to mushroom.
The Cisco Networking Academy Program is the leading training vehicle for tomorrow's networking professionals. Semesters 1 through 4 of the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNATM) program include 280 hours of instruction and hands-on laboratories, and provide students with a broad foundation in networking theory, practice, and implementation. Students who successfully complete this portion of the program are eligible to earn the highly desirable CCNA certification.
Maui Community College's CompTech is offering Cisco Academy CCNA, taught by Cisco certified instructors. Semesters 1 and 2 will be offered during the fall of 2003 and Semesters 3 and 4 during the Spring 2004 session. Upon the successful completion of all four semesters, students will be eligible to take the CCNA certification examination.
Web Site Design &
Management Certification Program
Prerequisites: Knowledge and
experience in Windows and ability to use the Internet. (All classes taught in
Windows environment).
Required classes for the
Certificate in Web Site Design and Management are as follows:
- Introduction to HTML Level I (9 hrs.)
- Students must take two classes in one of these
Web editors:
a) DreamWeaver - Introduction and Intermediate (18 hrs.); or
b) FrontPage Introduction and
Intermediate (18 hrs.), or - Internet Graphics (12 hrs.);
- Web Design Essentials (6 hrs.); and
- On-Line Business and Marketing (6 hrs.)
Each class will provide assessments for
participants seeking the Certificate.
Students must complete all 5 requirements within an 18 month period to gain the
Certificate.
In 2001, the 2-meter Faulkes Telescope, the largest telescope that is exclusively for education, was installed on Haleakala. This telescope, which is used by students in Hawaii and the United Kingdom, is controlled over the Internet. The telescope monitoring/assistance center for Hawaii is located at Maui Community College. The Faulkes Telescope Project will allow students in schools and colleges in the United Kingdom, Hawaii and Australia to make astronomical observations with research class telescopes, direct from the classroom via the Internet.
Faulkes Telescope UK Web Site
Sky Bridge
Video: (CDROM: mov1.avi) or See Power Point
Presentation
Skybridge is the college's "distance education" system.
Skybridge enables students on the neighbor islands of Moloka'i, Lana'i and rural Hana (East Maui) to attend classes from MCC without moving to MCC's Kahului campus. All four sites are
linked via a digital microwave network.
Video and audio are encoded into a data stream, and then
"piped" from the MCC campus to Haleakala, Lanai, Molokai, and Hana,
and then return, via the same path.
Maui Community College's charge to provide higher education for students on the islands of Lanai and Molokai, and the remote area of Hana, stimulated faculty to be pioneers in distance education. Receiving
federal funds through Title III in 1982, MCC installed a 9-meter satellite dish
to bring telecourses originating elsewhere in the world to broadcast over their
own cable TV station. The grant
also provided funds for developing a computing infrastructure, enabling email
between faculty and students. Four
years later a grant from NTIA enabled the construction of the SkyBridge
full-motion interactive analog video teleconferencing system.
The Technology Facility, Ka'aike
Video: (CDROM: mov2.avi) or See Power Point Presentation
This new Building which
houses both Media and Computing Services was completed May 2001. The high technology facility provides a
new lab for the Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology (ECET) program,
advanced classroom/labs for Information & Computer Science including two 8
node Beowulf PC Clusters, a 24-workstation digital media classroom/lab, a 2,000
sq. ft. soundstage, and video editing labs. Currently new programs are being planned in the areas of 3D-modeling, animation,
multimedia development and telecommunications. It serves as a center for integrating a broad range of
multimedia, computing and telecommunications technologies for instruction,
academic support, and distributive learning. It houses facilities for expanded courses in television
production, digital media, and high performance computing applications.
Coupled with Hawaii Interactive Television Service-2 (HITS2), the University of Hawaii's high bandwidth inter-island data and video network housed in Ka'a'ike, MCC has two links, each with the capacity to transfer 155 Megabits of data per second between all islands.
This provides the ability to run dozens of simultaneous interactive television classes, along with instantaneous worldwide Internet connections. In addition, satellite downlink and uplink capabilities provide the college an additional method of video and data transfer. Ka'a'ike also has a direct connection between the college and its link to Maui Research and Technology Center (MRTC) and Maui's Supercomputer. Connected by 1 gigabit fiber, MCC students now have the opportunity to directly access the MRTC, and Maui's High Performance Computing Center.
Distance Education
Distance Education has grown
at MCC and continues to do so. For example, in 1983 MCC offered 4 Distance Education classes via MCC-TV, the colleges' cable channel. Today,
MCC-TV is a 24/7 operation, broadcasting 30 credit courses weekly. Fifteen of these courses are originated "live" from the MCC-TV studios, with the remaining courses received via the HITS2 network from campuses statewide.
Classes held "closed-circuit" via SKYBRIDGE and the HITS2 Distance Education (DE) Network make up the bulk of DE offerings. These courses are either originated
from MCC over the SKYBRIDGE network, or are received via the HITS2
network. There are 47 credit
courses being received and transmitted this semester (Spring 2003). This equals a total of 77 credit
courses available at MCC during the Spring 2003 semester. And, these numbers do not reflect
courses offered on-line. MCC is in
the process of expanding their web instruction offerings. Each semester, more instructors are
offering their courses on-line. It is a growing part of the college's DE program.
A number of students taking
classes via DE are students located on Molokai, Lanai and Hana. The majority of these students are
obtaining their Associate in Arts (AA) or
Associate in Science (AS)
degree through MCC.
Upper-division students seeking Masters and Bachelors' degrees are enrolled in various campuses. Their degrees are brokered through The
University Center on Maui and offered via the HITS2 network, with the majority
of courses originating at the Manoa campus. A large number of classes originating from UH-Hilo are also
available.
Bachelors and Masters
degrees are currently available in:
Education
Administration (MA)
English (BA) Marine Sciences (BA)
Business
Administration (MA) Psychology (BA) Hawaiian Studies
(BA)
Nursing
(MS/BS)
Computer Science (BA)
To support a distance-delivered BA degree in Hawaiian Studies, the UH
Hilo College of Hawaiian Language has upgraded its Internet server and is
producing new web-based curriculum materials. At this time, the College operates the only World Wide Web in Hawaiian supporting students statewide. With the new initiative in distance learning, new web-based
curriculum materials are being developed and will be made available on the web
for off-site students. Students
will be trained in the usage of computers, asynchronous Internet access and
access to chat rooms, e-mail, etc. These forums will be provided in the Hawaiian language. UH Hilo web site
Alaskan and Hawaiian Native Serving Institutions -- Title III
Maui Community College (MCC)
serves a multicultural community from its main campus in Kahului, Hawai`i. Maui Community College joined the
University of Hawai`i Community College System in 1966 and serves some 2,800
students on three islands in the Pacific.
The following is an abstract of each of the five activities:
Development of Academic
Programs
Expanding
the Hawaiian Studies Program.
Statistics clearly indicate that the present educational system has
failed to adequately provide for the needs of the indigenous population of
Hawaii. MCC, as part of this system of educators, acknowledges its
responsibility to create, implement and evaluate a culturally appropriate
curriculum that provides Native Hawaiian students with a viable alternative to
current "traditional" Associate Degree offerings at the community
college level. This activity
develops and implements articulated Associate of Arts Degree and Associate of
Science Degree Programs in Native Hawaiian Language and Culture to meet the
needs of the community in preserving and perpetuating their native
heritage. Additionally, MCC
provides instruction in Native Hawaiian dance, music, folklore, mythology,
history and art.
Impact - A strong signal is
sent to all that the community places a great value on the rich cultural
heritage of the islands, and wants to preserve and perpetuate the culture
language and history of the Hawaiian people.
Developing and Implementing a Program in Media Arts TechnologyU. Maui Community College is funding the construction of, and over $431,000 worth of computers for the Digital Media Laboratory. This lab was completed in Fall 2001. MCC will develop and implement a program in Media Arts Technology with applications in Native Hawaiian art, music, and culture. MCC plans to meld new technology with heritage to expand creativity in the study of music, art and language. Technologically, MCC plans to provide opportunities to use geographic information systems to identify culturally significant physical areas of the county and surrounding ocean. In sum, MCC will educate Hawaiian students by creating a project environment that simultaneously supports research and development, knowledge acquisition, and strengthens self-expression and self-development through the arts.
Alaskan
and Hawaiian Native Serving Institutions
Impact - Students will be able to recognize
the impact of high technology and how it is used to identify and explore
various elements of language, culture and other art forms.
Upgrade
Scientific Laboratories. MCC
will upgrade the
poorly equipped scientific laboratories to accommodate advancements in
technology for island-specific environmental sciences. With these improvements, science
instructors will have the means available to prepare new laboratory courses in
island-related sciences and in areas where internship providers are requesting
courses (i.e., laser technology - for the Haleakala Observatories; fiber optics
and parallel processing at Maui High Performance computing Center.)
Impact - Students will be able
to perform many more scientific experiments using advanced technology and will
be able to enroll in more transfer science laboratory courses in
island-specific sciences. Additionally,
students will be better prepared to follow scientific courses of study at four-year
institutions.
Develop
and Implement Vocational Programs and Internships for Students in Moloka`i
Outreach Center. Moloka`i is
the island of choice for the development and implementation of outreach
vocational programs. The college
will develop a series
of on-site certificate occupational programs that will teach students the
necessary vocational skills for employment in the
building trades and construction areas and will provide internships and
apprenticeships for students on the Hawaiian Home Lands building sites within
their own physical and social environment. As part of this project students through internships will
renovate Moloka`i farm building into a series of construction trades shop
areas. This practical work
experience will assist students in developing their skills and work habits in
an actual island working environment.
Impact - Outreach students will
gain employable skills in the
construction trades while renovating a portion of their campus. Additionally, they will serve paid
internships that will financially assist families in this impoverished area of
Maui County.
Skill
Building Laboratories for Minority Students. The purpose of the activity is to provide the outreach
centers and the Kahului-based Learning Center with academic skill-building
laboratories that focus on developmental mathematics and English. Basic skills have always been a
challenge to the native Hawaiian Population. Many students entering college do not possess the skills
necessary to enter many of the college programs. Factors that inhibit academic growth include educational
quality in elementary and high school and the pidgin-language used throughout
Hawaii. In order to combat the
problem, this activity was proposed and approved. Computers and software (SkillsBank) were purchased for all
sites and tutor training was provided at The Learning Center on the main campus
and at each of the three outreach campuses.
Web Based Educational Software
The University of Hawaii is
a licensed site for the Distance Learning System WEBCT. The system includes all phases of
course presentation and administration via the Internet. It is in use by many University and
Community College Faculty.
UH Quiz Server
In the early 1990s the
University of Hawaii Office of Technology Transfer and Economic Development in
cooperation with Maui Community College created an on-line assessment program
called Quiz Server. This
collection of Common Gateway Interface (CGI) scripts became the free service
known as Quiz Center. In 1997 the
service was offered to teachers wherever the Internet was available. The Quiz Server software is licensed by
the University and, during the period from 1997 to 2000, licenses were sold to
more than 100 educational institutions, including all of the Texas Community
Colleges. In 2000 a five year
license was sold to Discovery.com to run the free service on their Discovery
School Web site.
Prior to the transfer of the
free service to Discovery, the system had acquired 4,600 users, including
teachers from all of the 50 states and many from Canada, Australia, New
Zealand, England, Europe and the Pacific Rim. The experience of making Internet connections with teachers
and students from far away was convincing proof that the Web can provide a
basis for friendship among nations through educational programs.
Quiz Server Features
Quiz Server is a collection
of separate quiz tools. Here are
some of things available through the Quiz Server:
Automatic
quiz generation: Without any knowledge of the HTML web page language, users
can make on-line quizzes using a simple three-step process through the
QuizMaker. QuizMaker uses the
input to generate a generic quiz file and answer key, which are stored on the
server for easy Web access. With
the addition of inline images and hypertext links, the quiz can be its own
self-contained learning module.
Immediate
quiz correction: In addition to creating the quiz Quiz Server can correct
it on-the-fly. After the student
fills out the quiz form and submits his/her answers, CorrectQuiz checks the
answers against the answer key, determines which answers are correct, and
tallies the total score. Within
seconds it produces a page, which shows the results and, if the teacher
chooses, displays the correct answers.
It is a very useful tool for practice tests.
Test
taking, hi-tech and easy: Instead of setting aside a class period for a
simple test, why not do it right on the Web? QuizMail takes the answers submitted from inside the quiz, deciphers it, sorts it, and then mails it directly to the teacher's email address. It saves time and saves
paper. Ideal for
"open-book" or "take-home" exams.
Grading
simplified: Correcting short quizzes one by one can become tedious. CorrectMail performs on-the-fly quiz
correction and then mails the results to the teacher instead of displaying them
for the student. It reduces the
time required for grading by eliminating the need to check each question
against an external answer key.
Privatized
quizzes: Just because the user places a quiz on the World Wide Web, it doesn't mean letting the whole world see it. Restrict-a-Quiz provides the capability to restrict quiz
viewership to specific individuals using a password protection scheme. The only ones who can take the quizzes
are those with the password.
Quiz
file management: Not only does the QuizCenter store quizzes on the server,
it provides control of those quizzes.
Quiz files can be edited after they are created, and deleted once they
are no longer needed. All this is
done exclusively over the web.
QuizServer Software
Licensing:
Beowulf Mini-Supercomputer
Network Project
Featured
in the Fall 2002 issue of "High Tech Maui", Newsletter of the Maui
Economic Development Board.
"A National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technology Education Center of Excellence for High Performance Computing (HPC) Technology project has formed a consortium of four community colleges, each serving a geographically defined region, together with seven affiliate supercomputer sites and business partners. Maui Community College in Hawaii, as
lead institution and with a $5 million NSF grant, is in a consortium with Wake
Technical Community College, Pellissippi State Technical Community College, and
Contra Costa College, -- each of them having HPC facility, and each was chosen
because of the diversity of student populations, partnerships with HPC sites
and regional business and industry, and potential four-year college
affiliations.
Maui Community College as
the National Center will partner with business and industry to develop skill
set standards and competencies needed for certifying HPC technicians and for
developing an articulated Associate Degree (two year, undergraduate) program in
HPC technology. The Regional
Education and Training Centers (RETCs), established at each community college,
are developing curriculum in HPC Technology that will articulate with four-year
college information science, computer science, and high performance computing
technology programs and will include the establishment of 2 + 2 agreements with
regional high schools Tech Prep Programs.
The "2 + 2 agreements" is the agreements between community colleges and high schools that allow students to take community college courses during the junior and senior year and get credit both at high school and at college.
An NSF planning-grant (award
0101643) supported a nation-wide survey that
revealed "within the next 2 to 5 years,
a) 71% of surveyed business and industry will utilize
high performance computing,
b) PC-cluster use will grow by 9% and there will be a
distinct shift offsetting the balance between PC-cluster and supercomputer use
in favor of PC-clusters and
c) industry will continue to struggle to recruit,
train and/or retain HPC employees.
Based on survey findings and employment projections, the number of HPC
positions for which associate degree (2 year, undergraduate) holders will be
eligible will be 164,397--at minimum--by 2008."
The National
Center administrator is responsible for
(a) creating and administering a web-based
certification examination for technical personnel;
(b) overseeing curriculum development and
teaching methodologies;
(c) developing strategies for recruitment,
retention and placement;
(d) creating a national repository of
PC-cluster software, curricula and training materials for HPC technician
educational programs;
(e) providing professional development
activities for college faculty, secondary teachers and business professionals;
(f) developing and providing a consortium
communications infrastructure; and
(g) supervising dissemination, evaluation and reporting
activities.
RETC directors
are accountable for:
(a) developing curriculum and learner
centered teaching methodologies;
(b) training business, industry and secondary
teachers in PC-cluster construction, management and use;
(c) providing professional development
activities;
(d) developing and coordinating professional
internship programs at HPC sites and business for college faculty and secondary
teachers;
(e) coordinating student internship programs;
(f) assisting with program graduate placement
and
(g) developing four-year
college articulation agreements and local high school 2 + 2 agreements.
University System Overview
"Distance
learning" occurs when students
are physically separated from their instructor but connected by
technology. Students in multiple
locations interact with the instructor and their fellow classmates using
technology.
Technologies
Cable Access Television
- Cable access provides UH a tool to distribute pre-produced or live cable
programming directly to homes.
Pursuant to cable franchise agreements, UH has access to cable access
television channels on all islands for the distribution of educational
programming to cable subscribers in the state. There are only five commercial cable operators within the
state. UH has connectivity to each of the cable companies' head end, thereby laying the framework for both statewide as well as local island educational program distribution. Interaction for live programming is
facilitated through a phone bridge.
For more information, check http://www.hawaii.edu/dlit/sched/Cable.html
Hawaii
Interactive Television System (HITS) - HITS is an interactive
inter-island closed-circuit television network designed as an electronic
communication service for use by the University of Hawaii and other State and
county agencies. HITS provides
full-motion (not compressed) analog video services, with 4 outgoing channels
from UH Manoa to all sites, and a signal return channel from each neighbor
island UH campus. HITS uses both
point-to-point microwave and Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS)
signals to connect the origination and receive classrooms, with all sites
connected to the UH complex at the hub of the network.
I-NET
- The Oceanic Cable digital video institutional network is a 16-channel
high-speed digitized video and audio transport system interconnected by fiber
optic cable to various users hooked up in a ring topology. Per Oceanic Cable's franchise agreement with the state regulatory agency, Oceanic required to provide video local access to various users to Olelo, the cable access provider of Oceanic cable. I-NET allows UH campuses on
the island of Oahu to distribute their cable courses to Olelo. In addition, I-NET allows video and
audio interactivity between UH campuses on the island of Oahu for instructional
use.
Internet
- The advent of the World Wide Web and the development of course management
tools have made the Internet a viable distance learning tool. Combined with the data network
available throughout the state, students have increased access capabilities.
IP-Based
Video --H.323 standard provides 2-way videoconferencing capabilities over IP data networks. IP-based video conferencing
can be used for guest lectures and periodic connections with classes throughout
the world for student collaborations.
ISDN-
Compressed digital video over ISDN
(Integrated Services Digital Network) phone lines provides two-way
dial-up video conferencing. While
ISDN capabilities allow for two-way video interaction throughout the world, the
current cost of ISDN connectivity is prohibitive for regular instructional use. However, it has been used effectively
for guest lectures and periodic connections with classes throughout the world
for student collaborations.
Instructional
Satellite - UH can receive
satellite programs via downlink facilities of the UH Manoa Language
Telecommunications Resource and Learning Center (LTRLC) or at Hawaii Public Television. Although satellite technology is not
currently used for regular use, it provides access to live and interactive
teleconferences for faculty and staff development for the University of Hawaii
system. The LTRLC also operates a
satellite uplink facility, which can be used to broadcast live video programs
from Hawaii to the Mainland and
Asia/Pacific regions.
Maui
High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC)
Air Force Research Laboratory Center managed by the
University of Hawaii.
Maui
High Performance Computing Center Creates Access Grid for Project TOUCH
Extracted from an article in the
archives of the High Technology Development Corporation Newsletter:
Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC)
installed and maintains a full Access Grid at the University of Hawaii (UH) and
a mini-Access Grid at Maui Community College (MCC) to assist the John A. Burns
School of Medicine at UH and the University of New Mexico (UNM) School of
Medicine on Project TOUCH (Telehealth Outreach for Unified Community Health)
who have partnered to help deliver better healthcare options to their unique
communities. Project TOUCH
recently created and tested a virtual reality problem-based learning (PBL)
educational system to demonstrate that advanced computing technology can
improve medical training in rural areas.
During Phase 1, a traumatic brain injury served as the first clinical
case for 21 students at UH, two students at MCC, and 21 students at UNM. Participants at each location wear
head-mounted displays and four position trackers on their head, lower back and
both hands to collaborate in a 3D virtual reality classroom where they see each other as full moving figures.
Participants can manipulate their
viewpoints and use voice recognition to speak with and examine a virtual
patient and to request information for diagnostic purposes, such as vital
signs. The "classroom" meets over the emerging Internet Access Grid, which employs broad bandwidth Next Generation Internet video conferencing to create real-time interactions between multiple participants, applications and sites. Inspired by the Chinese proverb, "I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand!" Project TOUCH's goal is to help student's better understand concepts and increase retention while assisting professors to more efficiently and accurately evaluate the student's performance and level of understanding. Immersive virtual reality technology creates "real-life" scenarios that engage students and encourage them to become actively involved in each case study more seriously than if reading about it in a textbook. For example, if the student does not ask the virtual patient the necessary questions to obtain an accurate diagnosis or is too slow in solving the patient's condition, the severity of symptoms increase to the point where the patient may even expire. In virtual reality, the student can
simply start over with the same patient, having learned the necessity of
responding quickly and precisely.
In Spring 2002, Phase 2 of Project TOUCH focused on evaluating the difference between students following an identical clinical case model using these cutting-edge technologies versus students using paper-based tools. Project TOUCH expects to incorporate their virtual reality Problem Based Learning (PBL) system into the UH and UNM curriculum by Spring 2004.
In the future, Project TOUCH will expand to include more case scenarios and clinical models, PC-versions for increased distribution and opportunities for nursing, pharmacy and other health sciences.
Project TOUCH is a collaboration between the State of Hawaii, the State of New Mexico, Maui High Performance Computing Center, the Albuquerque High Performance Computing Center, Sandia National Laboratories, the National Foundation for Functional Brain Imaging, Maui Community College and the Schools of Medicine of the University of Hawaii and University of New Mexico."
Conclusions
The vision of a Global
University System involving Higher Education Faculty Worldwide is an idea that
is significantly important for the future that all adults desire for their
children and future generations.
Each of us may view current events from a different perspective but we
can all agree education has the potential to create a better world.
References
(all sites retrieved March 15, 2003)
Maui
Research and Technology Center.
Maui Economic
Development Board Newsletter.
UH Information
Tecnology Services.
ITS Distributed Learning and
User Services
Maui High Performance
Computing Center
MCC Computing
Services
MCC Electronics and computer Engineering
Technology
MCC Media and Computing
Services Building
Alaskan and Hawaiian Natives Title III Project
NSF National Center of Excellence in High
Performance Computing
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to
thank the staff of Abdul Computer Systems for the contribution of expertise in
the area of CGI Programming and PC Cluster Technology. We are particularly indebted to the NSF
National Center Project Administrative Assistant, Mervlyn Tamura, for her
steadfast support and cooperation.
We also want to thank the contributors of the content found in the web
pages cited under References.
Authors' Biographical Sketches
Robert M. Albert
Media Services Director Maui Community College 310 Kaahumanu Ave. Kahului, Hawaii 96732 (808) 984-3620 office
phone (808) 984-3251 fax E:mail: ralbert@hawaii.edu |
|
Robert M. Albert is a faculty member and Director of The Media Services Center at Maui
Community College. He also teaches
Television and Digital Film Production at the college.
He is a 1979 graduate of the
University of Hawaii and has been with MCC since 1992.
Prior to coming to Maui
Community College, Mr. Albert worked in the film and television industry. He began his work as a cinematographer,
and worked his way through the ranks of lighting director, writer, director,
and producer. He has worked for
the major film production companies, major television networks, local and a
number of independent production houses.
He has won numerous awards and is currently working on a Digital Film
Production handbook.
Stephen G. George
Professor/Director of
Computing Services Maui Community College 310 Ka`ahumanu Avenue Kahului, Maui, HI 96732 Phone (808) 984-3283 FAX (808) 984-3251 |
|
Stephen G. George has co-authored several major grants that were funded: a NTIA SkyBridge interactive instructional teleconferencing grant proposal; the Title III grant that initiated MCC's cable television channel, administrative computing, and the 9.3-meter satellite earth station; two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants spread over five years for the development of an Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology instructional program with scientific lab simulations for distance education; and a second grant through Title III which is funding the development of a digital media arts program, as well as improving educational opportunities for native Hawaiians. He co-authored the grant
proposal to NSF, which funded Maui Community College (along with consortium
partners) as its 14th National Center of Excellence; the function of
this Center is to develop the workforce for high performance computing
technicians, emphasizing PC-cluster technology.
During the past eight years he has designed the technical aspects of seven new buildings, which have added 15 microcomputer classrooms and 5 specialized computing labs, at MCC's Kahului campus and the education center on Molokai. The culmination of this Capital Improvement Program is a new
fiber infrastructure and the Ka`a`ike Technology Center which houses
specialized computing labs, eight teleconferencing classrooms, a television
studio, and the Maui Regional Education and Training Center for High
Performance Computing Technology.
He earned BA and MA degrees at Occidental College in Los Angeles.
G. Robert Converse
PD/PI NSF National Center
of Excellence Maui Community College 310 Ka`ahumanu Avenue Kahului, Maui, HI 96732 Phone (808) 875-2351 E-mail: gconvers@hawaii.edu |
|
G. Robert Converse has held a number of administrative posts at Maui Community College, including Special Assistant to the Dean, Director -- The Learning Center, PD/ NSF ATE Project, Project Director/Principal Investigator -- Beowulf Project, Project Director DOE Title III Project, Intern Manager - Faulkes Telescope Project, Coordinator -- Maui High Performance Computing Center/Pacific Disaster Center Internship Program and Principal Investigator -- VOCED IT Project.
He was formerly Dean of the American Samoa Community College and has
held Administrative positions at Penn College of Technology (Penn State) in
Williamsport, PA. He received his
B.A. in Mathematics from the US Naval Academy and served as a naval officer
during the Vietnam War. He earned
an M. S. in Mathematics from Rutgers University. In addition to several awards as an administrator, teacher,
and proposal/grant writer and administrator, Converse has written over $12M in
extramural funding grants. He
founded the American Samoa Community College Foundation and has taught for
several years as a television teacher.
He has presented at numerous National and International conferences
including the Emerging Global Distance Learning Conference in Finland, AACC and
the League for Innovation for the Community College. He serves on the board of the State of Hawai`i NSF DOE
Initiative. He was one of the
founders of Little League Baseball and American Football in American Samoa and
has served as football and wrestling coach in both secondary school and at the
collegiate level.
|
Thomas
P. Wright Faculty,
Maui Community College University
of Hawaii (Retired) Consultant
to NSF Center of Excellence Project 590
Lipoa Parkway, Ste B105 Kihei,
Maui, Hawaii 96753 Phone
(808) 875-2353 FAX (808) 879-5795 E-mail: wrightt@hawaii.edu |
|
Thomas P. Wright, is the CEO and Founder of MFA Inc., a Maui Software Development Company. He is the developer of the popular
software, Quiz Server, which powers the Discovery School QuizCenter.
His professional experience
includes teaching science and mathematics in secondary schools and serving as
an instructor of Computer Science and as an administrative dean in the Rancho
Santiago Community College District in Orange County, California. His biography is found in Marquis Who's Who in Media and Communications, Marquis Who's Who in Science and Engineering, Marquis Who's Who in America and Marquis Who's Who in the World. He received his M. A. in mathematics
from Louisiana State University and served on active duty in the Marine Corps
Reserve during World War II and the Korean War. He retired from teaching Information and Computer Science at
Maui Community College in 1994.