TABLET PC PROGRAM FAQs
What is a tablet PC?
What else is inlcuded in the Tablet PC program?
Will students be trained on the how to use the tablet PCs?
When will I recieve my tablet PC?
Will I have wireless access everwhere on campus?
Will there be a fee for wireless access on campus or in the dorms?
What is the benefit of Tablet PC program over students purchasing their own laptops?
What is the benefit to everyone having the same laptop?
Will the tablet come with a keyboard?
What software will be installed? How will specific programs needed for courses be handled?
Can I load my own software?
How will students print from their tablet PCs on campus?
Can I connect to my own printer?
How will a students back up files and special programs in the event of machine or hard drive failures?
Can a student gain access to the network and software from his or her personal computer?
What will happen to the current campus PC labs?
How will technology be integrated into classes?
Can the laptop substitute for note taking and homework traditionally done on engineering graph paper?
Will typing and computer alerts be a distraction in class?
What if I need to refer to my notes or an instructor's example?
Is it easy to erase things I've written on the tablet screen ?
Does the laptop have handwriting conversion? How well does it work?
How has the university prepared to implement the Tablet PC program?
What is the cost of the Tablet PC program?
Can I use the laptop during summer and breaks?
What if my tablet PC is damaged?
What happens at the end of the three years? How will students be able to keep up with technology improvements and greater demands of software?
What happens in year four and later?
What happens when I leave the School of Mines?
What if I am an upperlevel student taking a lower-level class during the the phase-in years?
Who can I contact with additional questions or for more information?
What is a tablet PC?
The tablet PC has all the functionality of a regular laptop with the added benefits of a pivotal screen to become an electronic notepad on which you can write with a stylus. The Tablet is wireless-equipped so that students will be able to access the internet from any of our classrooms or even outside on the quad. Students will participating in the Program will be able to download any of the specialized software for which the School of Mines has site licenses.
What is inlcuded in the Tablet PC program?
MSOffice, DyKnow and Virus software are included. In addition, wireless access points will be added (and maintained) and there will be battery stations around campus to swap out run-down batteries. The program also has a dedicated campus technician to keep all the machines up and running.
Will students be trained on the how to use the tablet PCs?
Training sessions are held each semester during orientation and at Tablet hand-out. Students requiring additional training are welcome to contact the Help Desk or Tablet Central.
When will I receive my tablet PC?
The first week of classes.
Will I have wireless access everywhere on campus?
ITS's long-term planning includes a substantial increase in the number of wireless access points so that your tablet would never lose its wireless connection on campus. That means you could work with a group of students out in the quad on the grass if you so chose. Any classroom would be a computer lab of sorts since all students would have a network connection and a tablet.
Will there be a fee for wireless access on campus or in the dorms?
No. The only fee is the semester fee for the tablet.
What is the benefit of Tablet PC program over students purchasing their own laptops?
SDSM&T is unable to supply any site licensed software to privately owned machines. Students with their own laptops will not be allowed access to the state network (where all the servers reside), so they would basically only have access to the internet and nothing else. Having the university own the laptops and lease them to the students solves all those problems.
What is the benefit to everyone having the same laptop?
Standardizing to one brand of laptop allows the School of Mines to have spare parts, battery stations and spare machines in our tech shop so that if anything failed on a laptop, the student can be supplied with a working laptop within minutes instead of weeks.
Will the tablet come with a keyboard?
Yes, the tablets we are looking at are convertible tablets where the screen rotates to turn into a tablet. They have a standard keyboard and mouse input pad just like a regular laptop. (See Specs for the Gateway M295E)
What software will be installed? How will specific programs needed for courses be handled?
The basic install will come with Windows XP, and Office XP with FrontPage. There is Virus software installed as well as plug-ins for web browsers. Specific departmental programs and additional programs would then be downloaded by the student from a software server on the network.
Yes, anything that can be loaded onto a regular PC can be loaded onto the tablet PC.
How will students print from their tablet PCs on campus?
Any tablet PC can print to any computer lab printer.
Can I connect to my own printer?
Yes.
How will a students back up files and special programs in the event of machine or hard drive failures?
The machine comes with a CD/DVD burner. All SDSM&T students have an H: drive on the network of 300 Mb. Students may back up to this site, as well.
Can a student gain access to the network and software from his or her personal computer?
Only students using tablet PCs will have access to the software and network. Other wireless capable computers will only have access to the Internet.
What is happening to the current campus PC labs?
Three major computer labs will still be maintained for intensive applications like Autocad, Solidworks, and so on. Phasing out our smaller computer labs during the next four years will allow us to save money and minimize the need to raise student fees. CB and McLaury lab were phased out Summer 07
How will technology be integrated into classes?
Many instructors have already put their material on WebCT. ITS will continue to train faculty members and help them get their course content out ton the Web. Tablet PCs will allow students to download the day’s lecture and highlight and take notes right in the electronic documents.
Can the laptop substitute for note taking and homework traditionally done on engineering graph paper?
Yes, very easily. And it would also then be placed into a directory on your machine so that you could easily find and retrieve older notes, labs, and so on.
Will typing and computer alerts be a distraction in class?
Since the tablets can use the stylus (pen), typing can be kept to a minimum. Faculty members will monitor their classes and ask students to close their screens or turn off the sound when appropriate.
What if I need to refer to my notes or an instructor's example?
The advantage of the tablet PC over traditional chalkboard and notes is that all of the writing on the tablet with the stylus is saved just as written. It can be converted into text, but doesn’t need to be. All notes taken in your handwriting can be saved to review at any time.
Is it easy to erase things I've written on the tablet screen ?
There is an eraser icon that allows you to erase any portion of the writing.
Does the laptop have handwriting conversion? How well does it work?
Yes, and it works extremely well with no teaching involved. It has some issues with upper and lower case if you don’t always use the same sized letters when you write, but it is very good.
How has the university prepared to implement the Tablet PC program?
We have piloted the Tablet PC program and have been ramping up for this initiative for many years. This includes getting the wireless network, academic software, and other things in place so that the program will be successful from the start. There will also be many training sessions to keep instructors up to speed with this new tool.
What is the cost of the Tablet PC program?
The semester cost is set by the SD Board of Regents each year. The cost for 2008-2009 is $372.75 per semester. Since this is a required fee, financial aid can be used to cover this cost.
Can I use the laptop during summer and breaks?
Yes.
What if my tablet PC is damaged?
Brad O'Brien and his team are on hand to assist in maintenance and warranty issues. There is supply of extra parts and loaner machines so students should never be without.
What happens at the end of the three years? How will students be able to keep up with technology improvements and greater demands of software?
If a student needs a faster machine, he or she can enter back into the program and receive the latest technology at that time.
What happens in year four and later?
Students will return the tablet to Tablet Central liocated in the basement of the Library.
What happens when I leave the School of Mines?
Any time a student leaves he or she must turn in the tablet to the program technician in Tablet Central, located in the basement of the Devereaux Library.
What if I am an upper-level student taking a lower-level class during the the phase-in years?
There is library of laptops available to rent for students. A small daily fee will be charged
Who can I contact with additional questions or for more information?
Brad O'Brien is available to take your questions. You can email him at Bradley.O'Brien@sdsmt.edu or visit him in Tablet Central which is located next to the Help Desk in the lower level of the Library.
