Innovative Uses of Students to Support Academic Computing

1
Innovative Uses of Students to Support Academic
Computing

• Stephen K. Pollard, Assistant Vice-President,
  Academic Information Services
• Chris Kaufman, Manager of User Services, Academic
  Technology Support

2
Introduction

• Focus of our presentation is on ways and means we
  have successfully used students to provide
  support for academic computing at California
  State University, Los Angeles.
• We highlight our Student Scholar Training Program
  that is designed to increase computer literacy,
  empower students and enhance the career and
  marketability of our students.

3
Campus Overview

• Cal State LA has over 20,000 students enrolled
  with a full time of equivalent (FTE) of 14,000.
• One of 23 campuses in the California State
  University System.
• Academic Technology Support (ATS) is one of the
  divisions of Information Resource Management
  (IRM).

4
Academic Technology Support (ATS)

• ATS oversees
• network services
• email for faculty and students, faculty
• student desktop services (hardware and software)
• technologically mediated classrooms and labs
• open access labs for student
• Campus help desk
• informational technology consultants.

5
ATS

• ATS employs 60 FTE staff and over 80 student
  assistants. A complete organizational chart and
  description of services can be found at
  http//www.calstatela.edu/ats

6
IT Staff Needs
7
IT Staff Needs

• The corporate world continues to demand more IT
  workers.
• The supply of labor isn't keeping up with demand.
  
• A Gartner report predicted that by the year 2004,
  demand for IT skills will outstrip supply by 20
  percent.

8
ATS Staff Needs

• How understaffed we are based on industry
  standards
• Total full time staff of 50
• Difficulty in hiring full time staff in all areas
  from off campus sources

9
Use of Students

• Solution Use Students
• Number of staff who started as students out of
  present 27, 54 of the total
• Includes lead positions ATS Manager of Users
  Services, Staff Training and Lab Supervisor, Lead
  Enterprise Architect, Senior Software Integration
  Engineer

10
Current Uses of Students

• Help Desk(put in number)
• Enterprise Services
• Desktop Services
• Equipment Maintenance
• Open Access Labs
• User Services
• Video/Media Production

11
Students Duties/tasks

• Unix System Administration
• Web Administration
• Web Page Design
• Maintenance of PC/Mac Hardware
• First level help desk support
• Desktop assistance for staff/faculty
• Open Access Lab Consultant
• Student Scholar Training Program

12
Examples of Work/Outcomes

• Media Streaming
• Web page design
• Help Desk structure
• AL ITC replacement
• Software Deployment
• Equipment Maintenance

13
The STA Program

• Student Technology Assistant Program (STA).
• Student Recruitment
• Student Hiring

14
The STA Program

• Student Training
• STA Career Paths
• Promotions

15
The STA Program

• Empowerment of students
• Development of marketable set of skills
• Examples of where alumni have gone to in private
  industry and government

16
Computer Literacy Initiatives

• Cal State LA recognizes importance of student
  computer literacy
• Current curriculum needs
• Workplace skills
• Reduction in the Digital Divide for Minority
  Students

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The Role of ATS in CL

• SSTP-Student Scholar Training Program
• When started
• How
• Growth
• Trends
• Courses taught
• Idea that this is for students by students
• Specialized courses provided to class sections

18
Smartforce Courses

• CSU system wide contract with Smartforce
• Provide over 650 IT courses via the web
• CBT is the mode of instruction
• Available to all students at Cal State LA
• CD available as of Fall 2000
• An alternative to the SSTP as well as regular
  classroom instruction
• CIS 100 required of all majors

19
Comparison of SSTP, Smartforce and Classroom
Instruction

• Used the Flashlight Cost Analysis Handbook
• Calculated costs based on activity/function
  rather than by positions involved
• Allows for identification of cost drivers
• Assessment of benefits of alternative modes

20
Key Activities

• Major activities are shown in Table 1 for the
  SSTP for one academic quarter.
• Staff time is equally shared among preparation,
  teaching and administrative duties.
• Rank order Prep time, Administration, Teaching.
  
• Grad students and STA both contribute to
  teaching and preparation.

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Key Activities

• 83 of teaching done by students with 61 of this
  done by STAs (51 of total teaching).
• Course preparation 72 done by students with
  81 done by STAs (59 of the total teaching).

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Distribution of Hours
23
Distribution of Personnel Costs
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Distribution of Costs
25
Equipment Costs
26
Summary Costs
27
SSTP Data
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Student Evaluations of SSTP

• Evaluation is given after each workshop.
• For Winter Quarter 2000
• Eighty-one percent of those surveyed either
  agreed or strongly agreed with the statementMy
  goals for this workshop were met.
• Eighty-four percent of those surveyed either
  agreed or strongly agreed with the statementI
  would recommend this workshop to others.

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Cost Comparisons
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Cost Drivers
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Cost Drivers
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Cost Drivers

• Development and Administration
• Less reliance on ATS Software Engineers
• Photocopying
• Hidden costs computer for staff and space 

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Smartforce

• Is anytime, anywhere
• 24x7 mentoring while the student is enrolled
• Assumes student access
• Cost of on campus resources

34
SSTP

• SSTP empowers students
• SSTP provides a career track and practical
  training for staff
• Supports ATS mission
• Has to schedule around student needs
• SSTP provides material after class is done

35
Lessons Learned

• Well motivated students can be taught the skills
  necessary to conduct many of the IT functions
  normally supported by full time staff.
• Customer Service skills are much more important
  than any technical skills a student brings to the
  position.
• Creating a Career Path helps motivate students
  and encourages them to expand their skill set.

36
Next Steps

• Continue to expand the use of student assistants
  through out ATS.
• Expand the amount of professional development
  offered to the student workers beginning with
  their first day on the job and continuing through
  graduation.