CCUMC: The Consortium of College and University Media Centers

College & University Media Review:
A Look at Practices, Trends & Research
Spring 1999 Volume 5, Number 2

• Through the editor's lens,
   Beverly Teach, Indiana University
• An assessment of computer skill levels among user groups on campus,
  Joan B. Hirt, Laura Bayless, Denise Collins, Tom Dobbins, Phil Fravel, Kimberley LaBoone, Emet LaBoone, Margaret Lichty, Pat Werth and Paula Wood, Virginia Tech University

  Colleges and universities are investing in technology systems at unprecedented rates. The general assumption underlying these investments is that technology benefits faculty, staff and students. Evidence to support this assumption, however, is limited. Are certain user groups on campus advantaged in terms of using technology? This study examined technology skills among various constituencies in one college of a major research university. Skills were assessed through self-reports on a survey, direct observations of participants, and interviews with select respondents. Results revealed differences in skill levels by gender, race, and status (faculty, staff, undergraduates, and graduate students). Implications for future practice and research are offered.

• Computer-mediated communication: Knowledge and behaviors of users,
  Timothy B. Rumbough, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

  A total of 611 undergraduate students at a large northeastern university were surveyed to determine their knowledge, attitudes, and usage of computer-mediated communication (CMC). Specific variables that were studied include the use of e-mail, the World Wide Web, chat lines, and Internet newsgroups. Because of the extensive use of these new technologies, the project is significant to students, instructors, and professionals. Results indicated that there are many people who are still unfamiliar with major components of computers and the Internet. Many subjects choose to visit controversial web sites, such as sites containing sexually related material and how to manufacture illegal drugs. Furthermore, deception is common when subjects use e-mail and chat rooms.

• Center Focus: The Media Resources Center at Wichita State University,
  Mike Wood, Wichita State University
• Center Focus: Delivering technology through collaboration at the University of Virginia,
  John Alexander, Rick Provine, Rachel Saury and Ralph Schultz, University of Virginia
• Developing and supporting classroom technologies at Indiana University Bloomington,
  Sonja Johnson, Beverly Teach, Gary Wittlich, Indiana University

  The Bloomington campus of Indiana University, faced with mounting needs for installed technology in classrooms, develops a cost model for classroom renovation and technology installation. The model is applied to existing conditions to develop a ten-year plan that will bring all general purpose classrooms up to date.

• Technology classroom completion--Now what?
  John Kalmbach, University of Toledo

  During the 1990s, the University of Toledo allocated funds to permanently mediate 20 technology classrooms. These technology classrooms are scattered about in numerous academic buildings on two campuses of the university. Since opening the majority of technology classrooms in 1995, Audio-Visual Services has assumed responsibility for the training of faculty and the repair/maintenance of the technology. Issues of staffing, security, repair/maintenance, and obsolescence of equipment remain long after the dedication and grand opening of the technology classrooms. This article relates Audio-Visual Services’ experience with these issues to ensure the university’s investment in technology classrooms is maintained and kept current.

• Organizational change resulting from a media retrieval system,
  Michael Rhoadarmer, Kentucky State University

  The Media Center at Kentucky State University has installed a media retrieval system that reaches most classrooms on campus. This new system created some unexpected changes in operations in the Media Center. By installing an automated delivery system, the Media Center now puts primary emphasis on maintaining the system and not on the actual delivery of media technology. The delivery of content is left entirely to the retrieval system. The addition of media retrieval has also changed the Media Center into an organization that most closely resembles a computer help desk--almost all the work is now performed inside the Media Center and not in the classroom. It takes about two minutes to fill a request, after which the automated systems take over. In all, more media is being delivered to classrooms without the addition of any personnel.

• Video Reviews New Media/New Humanity Post Modem Schools
  Jeff Clark, James Madison University