Guide to Campus Computing

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

What percentage of campus courses use electronic information to enhance the course (for example, syllabi, reading lists, discussion groups, demonstrations)?

The Graduate Extension Studies office of Salve Regina University provides four graduate programs and four graduate certificate programs that are offered completely online. In addition there are some RRN degree completion courses provided online. In total, there are about sixty (60) courses included.

There are fifty-five (55) undergraduate courses that are using WebCT, some with multiple sections bringing the overall class sections total to eighty-five (85).

There are thirty-three (33) graduate faculty actively teaching with WebCT, and nineteen (19) undergraduate faculty who use WebCT to varying degrees.

Are technology resources available, used effectively to enhance the learning experience, and designed to prepare graduates in your major for successful technology use in their careers?

The University has seventeen (17) general use and four (4) discipline specific technology enhanced classrooms consisting of a teacher station configuration with a computer, internet connection, VCR, DVD, document camera (in most cases) and ceiling suspended projection unit. In addition, there are four (4) full computer general use classrooms (three PC and one MAC) with teacher station configurations. There is a staffed multimedia center available for students and faculty to assist in their development of multimedia presentations.

The University has started an Information Literacy and Technology Across the Curriculum program for its faculty and students. The goal of this effort is to develop a life-long learning framework by cultivating a University academic community that possesses a deeper level of information literacy and technology fluency skills. The Library also regularly offers a series of workshops for faculty and students on information literacy skills and procedures.

What library resources are available online (catalog, data bases, special collections)?

The McKillop Library, provides an online library catalog (HELIN) (http://helin.uri.edu) that includes the collections of most higher education institutions of Rhode Island (Brown University, Bryant College, Community College of R.I., Johnson & Wales University, Providence College, Rhode Island, Roger Williams University, Salve Regina University, and the University of Rhode Island). This catalog provides access to 4.1 million titles of which one hundred fifty thousand tiles are available in McKillop Library. Titles held at other institutions are available through online reservation and can be picked up within 48 hours. The library also provides approximately complete text to 4,000 titles online through netLibrary (http://library.salve.edu/netLibrary/netLibrary.html).
McKillop Library provides access to a large number of databases (http://library.salve.edu/articlesources.html) many of which include full-text articles. Students have full-text access to over 7000 current journals (http://inside.salve.edu/mckillop/serials.cfm).

What electronic reference materials are licensed and how accessible are they from outside the library (for example, in the residence halls or off-campus)?

Beside the online databases and journal collection, the library provides access to online encyclopedias, almanacs, dictionaries, style manuals and more. The library also provides online interlibrary loan service (http://library.salve.edu/ILLindex.html), reference support through live reference, where a reference librarian aids the user online through guided chat and email (http://library.salve.edu/referenceq.html). A wide range of subject and research guides are available to aid a student doing research online http://library.salve.edu/research.html).

These resources are accessible from anywhere on campus, including the residence halls. They are also accessible from off-campus where students identify themselves as University community members via an authentication mechanism before accessing the materials (http://library.salve.edu/proxy.html).

How does the campus help students develop computer skills?

The essential technology concepts pertaining to the use of the computer, the internet, and the general Office Suite of products are included in a series of introductory ISM (Information Systems Management) courses; taking one of these courses is required of many major study areas as well as a popular elective. The following is a list of these one credit classes: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Visio, Microsoft FrontPage, Microsoft Publisher, HTML, JavaScript, and Visual Basic Scripting Language.

Does the campus allow students to receive credit for courses taken electronically from other sources?

The University will receive as transfer credit, appropriate credit granted by other accredited colleges and universities. Official transcripts are required. As a matter of practice, most collegiate transcripts do not record the medium in which the course was taken, whether campus based, or through electronic media, independent study or extension.

Does the campus have a specific computer/IT competence requirement for all undergraduates?

At this time the expected level of competency in specific computer/IT skills is dependent upon the major course of study. The University is actively developing an Information Literacy and Technology Across the Curriculum program for its faculty and students in which more specific guidelines will be addressed. For the Information Systems Management (ISM) classes, skills assessment exercises have been developed using the SAM/XP program and are frequently used in their introductory courses.

Are course reserves and other materials available online/via the Web site?

Yes, much of the materials reserved for current courses are available online. Depending upon the teacher, materials such as class notes, practice tests, journal articles, video clips, music clips and images are available online through McKillop Library website’s course reserves page (http://library.salve.edu/newreserve.html)

What percentage of faculty has a networked computer available to them?

All full time faculty are provided with a networked computer for their office use. For adjunct faculty, computer and printer facilities are provided in a shared office environment.

What percentage of faculty use e-mail regularly?

Every faculty member is provided with an e-mail account. The use of email depends upon the individual teacher and the nature of the course.

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