Five projects were awarded student technology fee funds this fall by Vice President for Information Technology Bonnie Neas, acting at the recommendation of the Technology Fee Advisory Committee. NDSU's student technology fee funds a broad range of projects designed to improve information technology capabilities and services available for students, faculty and staff.
Projects awarded funds in fall 2011 include:
- “Meteorological Daily Observation Form Maintenance” directed by Adnan Akyüz, soil and range sciences. Students taking the “Introduction to Meteorology and Climatology” course are required to take daily weather observations that consist of air temperature, wet bulb temperature, dew point temperature and relative humidity and log into a designated web server to enter their data. The same form is utilized by microclimatology graduate students. The program is not found anywhere else in the country, and it teaches students the fundamentals of meteorology via an exciting and fun technology.
- “Student Clicker Buy-back During Vendor Transition” directed by Nancy Lilleberg, Information Technology Services. Currently, NDSU is piloting two clicker vendors with the help of participating faculty and students and will adopt one as the standardized clicker solution for campus by spring semester 2012. This project will provide funds to buy 500 pulse clickers back from students who will no longer have need for them.
- “Flood Monitor” directed by Anne Denton and Adam Helsene, Department of Computer Science and Operations Research. This technology uses Google maps and inserts pins that are clickable and indicate existence and level of flooding. It aims to provide helpful information to North Dakota citizens and the NDSU volunteer network for emergency management. The project will refine the mobile aspect of the technology, which all NDSU students have the ability to use.
- “Classroom Technology Update” directed by Steve Porter, aerospace studies. The funds awarded will enable the aerospace department to build and improve its primary classroom, room 203 in the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse, with the addition of an overhead projector, wireless remote, new computer equipment, DVD capability, new speakers and a useful podium. This classroom also is shared with other departments on campus; it is expected that once it has been updated, its use will increase.
- “Hosting TutorTrac, a Web-based Tutor and Learning Center Management and Tracking Application” directed by Aida Martinez-Freeman, TRIO Student Support Services. This data management software application will ensure that services are meeting student needs; outcome data is provided to NDSU administration and external funders; and scheduling and communication with students is efficient and effective. TutorTrac offers the possibility for an integrated system for all NDSU students.
More information about projects submitted during fall 2011 and about the proposal review process is available at www.ndsu.edu/tfac.
Questions regarding the Technology Fee Advisory Committee may be directed to committee chair Rian Nostrum at rian.nostrum@ndsu.edu or 1-7890, or to the vice president for information technology at 1-5646.