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Discussion Paper on Equity and Access Issues in the Provision of IT
Resources to Students
Alan McMeekin
Dennis Wheeler
Information Technology Services
5 August 1999
1. Background
From a strategic perspective, the provision of high quality IT related
services to support teaching and learning is a visible example of Monash
university's commitment to providing quality graduates for the new millennium.
Equally, the provision of such services raises certain issues of access
and equity. The Information Technology Services Division (ITS), together
with the University's faculties, is working to ensure that all students
have access to appropriate IT services.
2. Current Issues
Through Monash's Learning & Teaching Operational Plan (LTOP), the
university has made a commitment to restructuring curricula and to the
organisational transformation of teaching and learning. As part of LTOP
implementation, and responding to the changing IT environment, the ITS
Division has:
- considered current student access issues, including those of equity
group students;
- assessed the strategic options available to the university; and
- developed actions to meet these challenges.
Submissions to ITS from student representative groups have raised concerns
relating to students' access to computers and related issues, viz:
- the total number of workstations available;
- opening hours of laboratories;
- Internet access;
- software provision;
- remote area access;
- access for students with disabilities; and
- credit card payment.
This paper looks at these concerns and indicates where remedial action
has, or is, being taken by ITS and faculties. It also indicates where
longer-term action is planned, and how any issues of future concern may
be addressed in a constructive dialogue with University management.
In response to particular concerns about consequences of the recent
devolvement of the management of computer laboratories to faculties, an
investigative report on student access to computer laboratories was undertaken
by ITS in early 1999. The analysis has revealed that there has been little
change in access hours available to students when comparing services provided
in 1998 with the current year. This data will be a useful reference point
and will prove invaluable for future planning activities. It will soon
be published on the university Web site for public access.
3. An overview of current services
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ITS Divisional services to the University community
Information Booklet
A booklet and CD ROM, "IT Services for Students", has
been prepared and widely distributed this year to students enrolling
for the first time at Monash. It comprehensively describes IT services
that are available. The CD ROM contains an electronic version of
the document as well as computer-based training for commonly used
application software packages. An electronic version of the document
is located on the University Web site.
Help Desk
"Help desk" advisory services are provided between 8.00am and 6.00pm
and offer advice on connecting to the network and student access
issues. At Berwick and Caulfield campuses where teaching occurs
at night, hours are extended to meet the specific needs. Training
about how to connect to network is also provided, to complement
the booklet and CD-ROM, "IT Services for Students".
Access to general purpose computing facilities
All ITS laboratories at Gippsland, Berwick and Peninsular are designated
non-teaching areas and are therefore available to students for general
activities. Twenty-four hour access is currently available through
ITS laboratories located at Gippsland.
Work is advanced on the provision of additional ITS services at
Caulfield and Clayton. A general access facility on the Caulfield
campus will soon be provided in T Block and will offer 40 computers
plus scanning facilities, available 24 hours a day, dependent on
demand.
In addition, work is almost completed on the establishment of a
120-unit laboratory complex in temporary buildings at the Clayton
campus. This replaces existing facilities in Room G16, Building
28, and includes an additional 40 computers for general access,
also available over extended hours. This will be available in week
six of Semester 2.
Library facilities
The Library has worked with the ITS and established a large number
of networked computer workstations within their buildings on all
campuses to support the electronic provision of library services.
Disabled Access
The Monash University Advisory Committee for People with a Disability
(MUACPD) has funded a project investigating on-campus computer accessibility
for students with a disability. This will involve assessing both
physical accessibility and requirements for adaptive technology.
In the first instance, an audit of computer laboratories on the
Clayton campus will be conducted, and a set of accessibility standards
for use by laboratory managers will be developed. These standards
will then serve as a benchmark for the evaluation of computer services
on other campuses.
Wheel chair access has been provided at all but one ITS laboratory.
Internet access and remote access to campus resources
The University provides a number of services which increases the
opportunities for students to access services and resources available
on the campus network.
All students may access the Internet from campus computer laboratories.
In addition, dial in modem services are available to all students
on request, so electronic resources available on the campus network
may be accessed from home or remotely. Dial in services are subject
to quota restrictions which presently allow students 30 hours access
per month.
All distance education students and others included in specially
defined categories, such as the disabled, are permitted to use the
University's dial in services to access the Internet from their
home or remote locations.
Advice is also available to students to assist with the selection
of a suitable Internet Service Provider (ISP), so that an informed
choice can be made in this highly competitive market. As a further
aid, ITS has negotiated arrangements with Ozemail as the preferred
(ISP) for the University. The company offers numerous points of
access across Australia and this is especially beneficial for students
in country areas. This arrangement is to be reviewed in the near
future.
Payment by Debit Cards
Concerns have been raised that Ozemail discounts were only available
to students who paid by credit card. Following negotiations with
Ozemail, students may now pay for Internet services by debit card
and receive discounted rates. Arrangements have been made with Bendigo
Bank and the Bank of Melbourne, with steps being taken to extend
this access through other banks. This measure will overcome the
problems experienced by those students who do not wish or are unable
to use a credit card.
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Non-ITS services
In 1998, most computing laboratories owned and managed by ITS were transferred
to faculties through a process under the oversight of the Committee
of Academic Deans Teaching (CADeT). The transfer was completed for the
start of Semester 1, 1999. The devolvement of laboratories is expected
to result in a much closer alignment between the making of academic
decisions and the provision of resources to service those decisions.
The need for greater access to IT resources arising from changes to
the academic program can now be managed within the one organisational
unit, ie the faculty.
For the immediate future at least, it is understood that faculties will
not prevent students from other faculties using their computing laboratories.
This policy is to be commended.
4. Further improving student access to electronic resources
A University wide strategy has been adopted to provide general purpose,
non-teaching computer laboratories, network access points and computer
kiosks to offer students more flexibility to complete their studies at
Monash.
A commitment has been made to provide non teaching general access laboratories
on every campus and these will be available for use over extended hours,
provided security is not compromised. In addition to those already available
at Berwick, Gippsland and Peninsula, new facilities will be provided at
Clayton and Caulfield during Semester 2 1999.
Twenty four-hour access to computing facilities will be provided at
the Caulfield campus by the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology
during Semester 2. This will be in K Block and will improve access to
IT services to students. A firm date will be established once a problem
with swipe card access has been rectified.
A centrally located computer annex is planned to be constructed on the
Clayton campus for the year 2001. It is expected that this will accommodate
120 computers from the temporary buildings, plus an additional 20 units.
Facilities will be accessible over extended hours of operation.
Plans are well advanced for the introduction of workstation kiosks in
selected locations around campus to provide quick and convenient access
to electronic services. Initially there will be 20 kiosks established
in 1999:
- 10 at Clayton (5 in the Menzies Building and 5 planned for another
area, possibly the Union Building);
- 5 at Caulfield campus; and
- 5 at Gippsland.
A further 50 kiosks are planned for the year 2000 with exact locations
yet to be determined.
In response to an increasing incidence of laptop ownership, network
access points will be provided in campus buildings, initially as a trial,
so students may use their own laptops to access teaching resources and
on-line services.
5. Attention to equity issues.
There have already been useful and productive exchanges between ITS
and student representative groups about a wide range of issues. The following
avenues are available for future dialogue to ensure equity issues are
adequately considered in the provision IT services at Monash:
- There is a student representative on the premier University IT committee,
UNITAC;
- Scheduled meetings between student representative groups and ITS;
and
- Students may approach faculty IT Committees to address issues about
facilities and services managed at a faculty level.
6. Conclusion
Strategies defined in the University's Learning and Teaching Operational
Plan (LTOP) confirm that IT services are a critical and essential component
of the Monash academic experience. Over the past twelve months a number
of issues have been raised with the Executive Director of ITS and his
staff. All of these issues have been or are currently being addressed.
Most notably, access hours and the quality of ITS facilities are being
improved. Information continues to be provided to students through the
Help Desks on each campus and the quality has been enhanced through the
publication of the booklet, "IT Services for Students".
The devolvement of computer laboratories to faculties has been of some
concern to students, however, strategies are now in place to address the
perceived shortcomings.
Importantly, communication channels have been identified which will
enable any future issues or concerns that might arise to be discussed
openly and cooperatively with ITS or the faculty responsible for the service.
(Alan McMeekin) |
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