The Wayne State University Law Library values law student suggestions and relies on input from a Computer Lab Advisory Team to help improve service. This standing committee of law students serves as a de facto focus group, and provides a student perspective on lab services and infrastructure. Use of the law student lab at Wayne State has skyrocketed over the past few years, especially since course web pages became popular with the law faculty. Also, like most law libraries, the Wayne State Law Library faces a growing demand to provide database instruction to law students. To provide database instruction, however, the computer lab had to be partially closed which conflicted with regular student use.
In response to feedback from our Computer Lab Advisory Team about these conflicting needs, we consulted with personnel from Library Computing & Media Services (LCMS), a University Libraries division at Wayne State which is responsible for instructional media support and training. LCMS personnel suggested a “mobile computer classroom” as a possible solution. This equipment consists of a mobile laptop storage cart, portable wireless access point, and laptops that together function as a mobile computer classroom.
The Law Library at Wayne State obtained two mobile computer classrooms in August of 2003 - just in time for fall semester. We used the equipment extensively throughout the 2003-04 academic year, and in so doing, demonstrated that the concept of a mobile computer classroom is a viable option for providing database instruction.
Equipment - Using this equipment, any instructional setting can enjoy web access provided there is at least one data port within 50-100 yards of the target classroom. Simply deliver a cart to the room and plug in the wireless access point. The cart stores and secures the laptops, as well as houses the wireless access point. The laptops contain wireless cards and the mobile computer classroom users share the signal. Housing the equipment in a self-contained unit reduces much of the need for technical support that would otherwise be associated with set up and tear down of temporary computer classrooms. Information about this type of equipment is available on the web. Simply enter “mobile wireless computer lab” into a search engine and numerous examples will be identified. A photograph of the equipment we purchased is available at: www.gateway.com/work/ed/wirelesslab.shtml.
Cost & Source of Funds - The law library submitted a grant proposal to the University and received funds from student technology fees to purchase the equipment. A pilot project was developed to assess the feasibility of the concept within the law building, with an eye toward also determining whether the equipment could work in other departments and colleges. We purchased 30 Gateway laptops with a full three-year warranty, two storage carts to transport and recharge the laptops, and two wireless access points. We also purchased a small projector to keep with each cart. The total cost of this equipment was $51,837.
Usage - The mobile computer classrooms have proved to be extremely reliable. During the first six months, librarians and vendor trainers used the mobile computer classrooms to provide more than 160 separate instructional sessions for more than 1,700 attendees. Students and faculty now enjoy database training and access to other substantive material on the internet simply by bringing in a cart. Underutilized rooms with data ports, such as conference rooms, can easily be turned into training rooms. Set up time can be managed by a single instructor without technical support.
Survey - A web survey tool was created to gather user feedback (www.lib.wayne.edu/lawlibrary/survey.php). Two-hundred-sixty-one responses from students and instructors alike were tabulated and assessed during the first six months of usage. Below are some of the student comments:
Instructor comments are also favorable:
Marketing - Group demonstrations were provided to market the new equipment to law faculty. The law librarians also used the equipment for two faculty instruction sessions on course web page software, both of which were well attended. A page describing the equipment was added to the faculty library handbook and the law library instructional services web page (www.lib.wayne.edu/lawlibrary/services/faculty/laptops.php).
Scheduling - All equipment requests are coordinated by one law librarian in order to prevent double-booking. Server-based calendar software automatically notifies the appropriate individuals by email.
Storage & Mobility - Storage space and physical barriers to transporting the carts are important considerations. We chose to obtain two smaller carts with 15 laptops each, rather than one large cart with 30 laptops. This enables us to offer two simultaneous seminars, or to employ both carts for a larger group when necessary. The smaller cart size allows us to easily move the laptops about the building. At the risk of stating the obvious, it is good to know in advance if your elevators and doors are large enough to accommodate a cart.
Power Supply - Battery life is a major concern. Removable, individual battery chargers come with the laptops and are plugged into a power strip inside the cart. The cart, in turn, is plugged into an outlet to initiate charging. It is important to ensure that the laptops are connected to the chargers when they are returned to the cart for storage, or the laptops may not be ready for the next class. We remove the chargers from the cart and use them to extend battery life in classrooms with power outlets. This is especially helpful during lengthy instructional sessions. Separate charger bays for charging multiple batteries are available, but were not purchased as part of the pilot project.
Peripherals - We keep extra mice on hand for students who are not yet regular users of laptop touch pads. This is especially helpful when we use the equipment for long classes. We also keep on hand several data cables in case we are working in a wired room. Although the wireless signal is extremely reliable, it is slower than a wired connection.
Laptop Security - Security may be an issue; it is important for the instructor to maintain control of the classroom environment. Students milling about the classroom could provide an opportunity for someone to slip out of a door with a laptop. To prevent this possibility we ask the students to line up to retrieve and return their laptops to the cart. This keeps the students occupied during set-up and tear-down periods, and allows the instructor to strategically position him or herself near the exit while directing students on login and shut down procedures.
User Authentication - Wireless radio signal broadcasters employ an SSID to permit signal access. An SSID is a unique identifier that client devices use to associate with the access point. LCMS personnel configured the signal broadcasters to hide their SSIDs thus preventing access by unauthorized users. The laptops in our mobile computer classrooms access the broadcasters’ signals through wireless cards that are configured to associate with our broadcasters’ unique SSIDs.
Hidden Costs - A mobile computer classroom comes with hidden maintenance costs. In our dedicated, networked lab, maintenance of the operating system and applications is done remotely. The laptops in our mobile classrooms are not networked and each unit must be handled separately in order to update the laptop profile.
Update - Wayne State now offers wireless internet access from within the law library. However, this did not diminish our use of the mobile computer classrooms because we continued to rely on the equipment to facilitate legal research instruction outside of the computer lab.
Other Applications - This equipment has applications that go beyond database instruction. A mobile computer classroom could be used for law school examinations where complete control of equipment or software is desired. The equipment would also allow law schools to provide examination laptops to students who do not own a laptop. Mobile computer classrooms are ideal for staff and faculty training sessions in conference rooms. Finally, a mobile computer classroom could be used in the library stacks to teach print and online legal research skills simultaneously, in a totally integrated environment. This could be an especially promising application with either laptops or personal digital assistants (PDAs). Pocket PCs are now being sold in mobile cart packages.
* Carol Parker is the former Assistant Director of the Law Library, Wayne State University Law School. She is currently the Law Library Director, University of New Mexico School of Law.