Classroom Technology

We are fortunate to have been assigned to Wallenberg 125, a state of the art computer classroom, for our class meetings. During the quarter, we will have the opportunity to work with laptops, plasma screens, a smart panel, and two large interactive Webster computers controlled by a stylus. I assume that you will treat all the equipment responsibly and with respect, and that you won't remove any of the laptops or other peripherals from the classroom without my permission.

 

When you enter class each day:

• Please take and boot up your assigned laptop at the beginning of each class, unless otherwise directed.
• If you have problems with your battery, you can grab a power cord from the laptop cart and hook it up during class.

At the end of the class session:

• You should shut down the computer - not just close it up - and stow it again in the laptop cart on the appropriate shelf. Be sure to plug your laptop into the power cable located on that shelf.
• Also, you should carefully wind up any extra power cords you used during class and stow them on the bottom shelf of the computer cart.

If you prefer, please feel free to bring your own laptop to class to use instead of the Wallenberg laptops. I do request, however, that you only bring personal laptops to class that have active wireless (so you can access the internet and class resources during class).

Tech Etiquette

We use computers constantly in class, and I'm expecting you to use them productively to further our work in class -- not to IM, check e-mail, or visit ESPN.com. However, you're encouraged to take notes with your laptop on class material whenever you are inspired to do so; you can e-mail these notes to yourself or post them up into your Forum folder.

Look at the Tech Resources list below for additional tech support options.

Keep in mind that although this class takes place in a computer classroom, it is not a computer class. Accordingly, I will not be teaching "how-to" lessons on using technology, beyond the most necessary skills. For additional help on technology-related issues, you should make friends with your RCCs and familiarize yourself with the Meyer Help Desk and the Acomp website. In addition, draw on each other's strengths in the class - your classmates will be some of your most effective teachers.

One last tech etiquette note: cell phones should be turned off when you arrive at class. If you forget and your phone rings during class, please don't answer it: let it go to voicemail.

Class website

Our class website is a indispensable component of the course; you should mark it as a favorite or bookmark it on your computer as soon as possible. It provides you with access to a constantly updated weekly class schedule (the Section 3 & Section 8 homepages, to our conference schedule (the "Conferences" link), to contact information for the class ("Contacts" link), to assignment information (the "Assignments" link) as well as links to our Forum ("Forum" link) and our class blog ("eRhetblog" link) & class wiki (eRhetwiki). You should check your section's homepage habitually for current information on the reading and writing assignments for each class. Also, since this is a community site, it is important that you report to me any broken links or content/design errors as soon as possible.

 

Discussion forum

I have set up a course forum for eRhetoric through Coursework that will be shared by both winter sections. Each student will have a folder on Forum for archiving his/her class materials; you are responsible for posting all of your assignments to your folder as you complete them.

 

By doing so, not only will you create an electronic portfolio of your work that you can access from different locations on campus, but you will also have a complete back-up of your work in case the worst happens. Once you have registered for the class through the Coursework website, you can connect directly to the Forum through the button on the top navigation bar.

Note: We will not being using the other features of Coursework for this class.

 

eRhetBlog & eRhetWiki

As part of exploring different forms of delivery in electronic environments, we as a class will keep a class blog and maintain a class wiki. These spaces will provide us with the ability to experiment not only with alternative electronic forms of writing, but also to work productively with collaborative modes of composition and delivery.

Technology Resources

Residential Computing webpage: http://rescomp.stanford.edu/home/

The student page from Residential Computing offers helpful links to many Stanford resources. Be sure to check out the "Technical Stuff" links midway down the page. Also visit the main ResComp homepage (http://rescomp.stanford.edu) for a broader overview of services and campus events and issues of interest. For a list of Resident Computer Consultants, connect to the RCC webpage at http://rescomp.stanford.edu/directory/rcc.php.

 

Academic Computing's Homepage (Acomp): http://acomp.stanford.edu/

A general resource to Stanford computer facilities and services, the Acomp website provides links to cluster hours, study spaces, and instructions on getting connected on campus. For multimedia needs, link to Meyer's multimedia studio to find out software availability and hours of operation (http://academiccomputing.stanford.edu/clusters/studio_index.html).

 

Computing and Communication Page: http://www.stanford.edu/home/computing/index.html

This site provides links to many tools and resources available to Stanford students and faculty. Be sure to visit the IT help page (at http://www.stanford.edu/home/computing/help_resources.shtml) and to familiarize yourself with the HelpSU option (available at http://remedy-prod.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/helpsu2) for personalized answers on computer problems. In addition, you can find a vast array of resources available -- advice on everything from purchasing a computer to desktop security by browse the "Topics" list at the bottom of the Computing and Communication page.

 

Essential Stanford Software: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/itss/ess/

This indispensable site provides downloads to recent versions of software (from web browsers to virus protection programs) available free to the Stanford community.