Future Plans and Recent Achievements
We evaluate available technologies for potential implementation, seeking innovative ways to provide enhanced instructional tools that serve our community of scholars.
If you are interested in a pilot project, or have suggestions for other technologies, please contact us help@collaborate.ucsb.edu.
2015 - 2016
Enterprise Box Online Storage: Over 5000 accounts, with over 80 TB storage used
Departmental Classroom Projects: 16 teaching spaces, 9 unique departments
Collaborate Funded Wireless Enhancements: 17 locations
GauchoSpace: Registered one million page visists in an average month with over 1300 course sites created each quarter
Faculty Resource Center: Served approximately 300 instructors and faculty and hosted weekly GauchoSpace training sessions
Instructional Labs: Renovated 5 labs
Student Support Center and Software Workshops: Answered approximately 1500 help tickets per quarter and offered 16 workshops
Key Collaborate accomplishments during the first five years
2014 - 2015
Departmental Classroom Projects: 15 rooms, 10 unique departments
Collaborate Funded Wireless Locations: 16 locations
GauchoSpace: 3,533 GauchoSpace course sites were created (Fall: 1157; Winter: 1213; Spring: 1163)
Faculty Resource Center: Newly-Remodeled, Fall 2014. Provides a centralized drop-in support for faculty, with a focus on instructional applications.
2013 - 2014
Departmental Classroom Projects: 22 rooms, 10 unique departments
Collaborate Funded Wireless Locations: 16 locations
Virtual Computing Lab (VCL): Completed Fall 2013. Provides remote access to select academic software via GauchoSpace.
2012 - 2013
Departmental Classroom Projects: 22 rooms, 11 unique departments
Collaborate Funded Wireless Locations: 17 locations
General Assignment Classrooms Wireless Project: 2012 (29 locations)
Instructional Labs: 16 instructional labs and 3 open access labs became operational in support of computer-based teaching and learning.
PrintSpot: Summer 2012. Sustainable instructional printing services provided for enrolled students. Printing costs subsidized by Collaborate funding.
2011 - 2012
Departmental Classroom Projects: 19 rooms, 15 unique departments
Collaborate Funded Wireless Locations: 20 locations
GauchoSpace: 1150 instructors and TAs received GauchSpace training
2010 - 2011
Departmental Classroom Projects: 30 rooms, 18 unique departments
Collaborate Funded Wireless Locations: 25 locations
Instructional Labs: Three new instructional labs available in the SSMS Buidling
Digitization: Supports the creation of instructional digital materials for use in classroom presentations and on GauchoSpace course sites for Letters & Science courses.
Winter 2010: The Instructional Technology Enhancement Initiative Course Materials Fee is approved
Other Special Projects
For other instructional technology needs, please consult with Collaborate staff to determine what solutions are available at UCSB. Special project requests can be considered and will be evaluated by Collaborate staff and the Letters & Science Deans based on costs, instructional impacts, and alignment with curriculum planning processes.
Pilot Projects
Proctored Online Exams
Collaborate is currently evaluating the feasibility of using our Instructional Labs to administrer proctored online exams. The key issues we are looking at include:
- Access: this will be handled through the routine lab reservation request process. We have set up finals week as a separate schedulable period to better reflect actual lab availability during that time.
- Features: we do not currently have a mechanism to easily modify computer settings for exams versus other usage. In particular, restricted internet access can't be accomplished at the network level, and if desired would need to be enforced via the proctoring process rather than using technology.
- Proctoring: the specifc type of proctor oversight desired can vary, and needs to be specified. Currently we only have undergrad lab consultants available to serve as proctors, which isn't always appropriate.
What we have found so far is that 1) the size of our labs limit the potential use of this service where it could be the most useful -- in the large survey courses; and 2) the design of the online exam can mitigate many of the limitations of our facilities and available staff.
If you have an interest in this area, we'd love to hear from you! Contact us at help@collaborate.ucsb.edu