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On the Move
2/17/2005
Mobile computing in academia is on the rise, and Dell is leading the way with a variety of solutions
These days, computing at Oklahoma Christian University (OK) is on the move.
Students receive laptop computers when they arrive on campus, and, with this
technology in tow, essentially can learn anywhere. In the library, for instance,
they can surf the Web and access the campus student information network without
ever setting foot in a computer lab. In the student center, they can type up
term papers over dinner, or in front of the big screen while they watch “The
O.C.” And on those warm spring days when Oklahoma City feels a little like
Southern California itself, students even can take their computers outside,
sprawl on the green, and dive into spreadsheets.
Across the country, other schools are taking this leap as well, embracing mobile computing in droves. Some schools, such as Oklahoma Christian and Alvin Community College (TX), have bought into mobile computing with laptops; others, such as Bentley College (MA), have opted for handheld devices and PocketPCs. The real trailblazers—schools like the University of Toledo (OH)—are doing a little of both, mixing laptops and handhelds with wireless access for truly ubiquitous environments. At a time when computers are just about everywhere, mobility really is the most important benefit that a campus can provide its constituents. The following case studies illustrate this point perfectly.
Laptop Living
The mobility movement at Oklahoma Christian dates back to 2001, when the school made plans to provide every student, faculty member and staff member with a laptop computer. At the time, the initiative was revolutionary; but problems arose with the initial vendor partnership, forcing officials to rethink their strategy as the original laptop contract expired in 2004. After considering laptops from a variety of different vendors, officials selected Dell. The school replaced its previous hardware investment in one fell swoop, purchasing 2,100 brand new Dell Latitude D600 laptops for 1,900 students and 200 faculty and staff.
Today, according to John Hermes, director of computer network services, the new Dell computers are the center of everything that happens on campus. Students pay $360 per semester to use their notebook computers and the school’s wireless infrastructure. In exchange, students receive the machines pre-configured with special settings, as well as all of the necessary software components to run Blackboard, the school’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. The laptops include wireless cards, giving students carte blanche to connect to the Internet from pretty much any place they go. Students also receive port replicating devices so they can dock the laptops when they’re working from their dorms.
“No matter how you look at it, our program enables increased productivity and increased communications,” says Hermes, who adds that every freshman class will receive new machines, and that seniors are encouraged to keep the notebooks when they graduate so they have computers as they enter the business world. “This was all part of our effort to enhance the learning experience.”
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