Technology
Technology plays a central role in the Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business at UWM. A completely wired building with open connectivity to external computing facilities allows for the effective dissemination of instructional material, both on-site and at remote locations. The availability of a number of computer labs and specialized teaching classrooms, equipped with modern hardware, software, and ready internet access provides students an integrative computing environment for academic support.
The bulk of computing in the Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business is driven off approximately 10 NT servers connected to the campus Ethernet 10/100 switched backbone network. The servers support everything from simple file and print sharing to advanced web development to Oracle Database Administration. The School of Business has just entered into the SAP University Alliance program and will also be supporting SAP for instructional and research needs. In addition, videoconferencing capabilities are provided for some networks in the Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business. Individual workstations connected to the network with 10/100 switched Ethernet and are minimally Pentium II-class machines and are primarily running either Windows 2000 Professional or Windows NT Workstation.
Classroom TechnologyEach classroom in the Lubar Hall is a fully equipped multimedia capable unit. It contains a networked PC, video playback and recording capability, overhead projection, and campus cable and satellite downlink facilities — all of which are controlled from a central command console. The networked PC includes the standard suite of software, allowing instructors to illustrate key concepts directly. In addition, the system is also connected to the Internet, thereby providing a totally connected environment. The console also permits connection of external laptops. Lighting and audio controls are also built into the console. The larger classrooms also support separate audio systems and wireless microphones for hearing-impaired students.
PC LabsAccessibility to microcomputers in the Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business has been greatly expanded through the installation of three student labs in N234A/B/C. These labs house approximately 165 workstations, with a wide variety of capabilities. In keeping with the overall School of Business computing design, these workstations are linked via a set of Ethernet LANs, and connected to the campus fiber-optic backbone. The workstations use Windows 2000 as the operating system and are equipped with the standard suite of software, which includes several productivity tools, spreadsheet and database management packages, statistical packages, and a user-friendly interface to the Internet.
Software that is specific to course needs is also available. This includes sophisticated CASE tools and client/server data base management software. Access to the campus computers and other Internet facilities allow these workstations to serve as terminals, thereby reducing the need for additional terminal-based facilities. A set of high-speed printers round out the facilities.
Emerging Technologies LabThe Emerging Technologies Lab, located in N223 in Lubar Hall, is devoted to the dissemination of instruction on new and innovative information technologies. The lab is primarily designed to meet the needs of undergraduate and graduate courses in emerging technologies. It also serves as a multimedia development facility. At present, the focus of the lab is on hands-on experience with operating systems, networking, multimedia development, and web development. The lab capabilities change continually to reflect new trends in information technology. The lab is primarily used for the course 216-435 Emerging Information Technologies.
Teaching LabsThe teaching lab located in N219 in Lubar Hall provides a unique opportunity for instruction in computer-based topics. The lab is equipped with 48 multimedia machines, linked via a token ring networked, and connected to the campus Internet backbone through a router. The workstations use Windows 2000 as the operating system and are equipped with the standard School of Business suite of software, which includes several productivity tools, spreadsheet and database management packages, statistical packages, and a user-friendly interface to the Internet. Software that is specific to individual courses is also available at each workstation. In addition, there is a suite of software tools for multimedia creation and playback.
A unique feature of the facility is the ability of the instructor to take control of individual student workstations for immediate assistance and feedback. The ability to project information from any workstation onto a large screen at the front of the room contributes to an effective instruction process.
ETL/Group Presentation Practice LabThe Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business has used Differential Tuition funds to develop a new lab for student use. The ETL/Group Presentation Practice Lab is designed to give business students a place to practice and fine-tune their group presentation skills. As more courses and employers require individuals to be able to make effective presentations, the need to develop those skills has never been greater. However, because of the high demand for classrooms in Lubar Hall, such a resource has not been available to meet this need until now.
Tuition Differential funds have permitted adding appropriate technology to an existing work space and convert it to a lab that is available only to business students. The upgraded lab (room N223), now called the ETL/Group Presentation Practice Lab, has a projector, a VCR/DVD player, computer, and laptop hookup. This facility will allow student groups to practice their presentations in an environment similar to a classroom — allowing them to work out kinks and hone their skills.
The room is reserved on a first-come, first-served basis with a few days set aside for use as the ETL Lab. Students may visit www.sba.uwm.edu/projectroom/ for more information and to check on the room’s current availability. The website also serves as a request form to make a reservation to use the room.
Collaborative Decision Making & Groupware SupportAs organizations strive to forge ahead in today's volatile business environment, they constantly seek ways to gain competitive advantage. A host of strategies have been advocated, including corporate restructuring, downsizing, business process reengineering, workflow streamlining, and quality improvement, to name a few. These interventions require a collaborative approach to decision making. As corporations race to improve individual productivity through desktop computing, support for collaborative and group work is gaining attention. Surveys show that the bulk of strategic corporate decisions are made in group settings, and that a sizable portion of an executive's time is spent in meetings. Corporations can ill-afford to ignore opportunities to improve productivity.
Support for group or collaborative work takes many forms, including electronic mail, bulletin boards, shared information systems, video-conferencing, and electronic meeting rooms. These systems allow individuals who may be dispersed in time and location to work on common tasks. This support has variously been labeled groupware, group decision support systems, and computer supported cooperative work. It goes beyond traditional personal computing support and includes networking, sharing of files and notes, and projection and recording facilities for dissemination of ideas. These tools afford corporations new opportunities for competitive edge by revolutionizing group processes and making effective use of scarce executive availability.
Distance LearningThe Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business at UWM plays an active part in distance education, particularly to 2-year colleges that serve as feeders for the UW System. Courses are currently being beamed out to students in West Bend and Waukesha. With this mode of education becoming a standard option, the School has dedicated classroom S250 as its distance learning facility.
In addition to the standard classroom instructional technology, the room is equipped with two 50-inch monitors, Elmo scanner, a wireless mouse, and a separate fax machine. Four cameras are mounted in the room, one of which tracks the instructor on a wireless microphone, and two others are voice activated to capture student interaction. Separate microphones are also built into the facility for student usage. The facility supports distance education and audio teleconferencing. The modes of operation include 30 frame-per-second PicTel, and 45-mile range ITFS transmission.
