Planning and Selecting Planning and Selecting a Digital Language Laba Digital Language Lab

Jian Wu, Associate DirectorJian Wu, Associate Director

Jenise Rowekamp, DirectorJenise Rowekamp, DirectorCLA Language CenterCLA Language Center

University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota

Pre-Planning QuestionsPre-Planning Questions

Why digital?Why digital? What does it mean to be digital?What does it mean to be digital? Is there a choice?Is there a choice? Budget - Do you have the money???Budget - Do you have the money???

Who are the players?Who are the players?

Language lab vendorsLanguage lab vendors InstructorsInstructors Technical staffTechnical staff AdministratorsAdministrators School purchasing office (bidding)School purchasing office (bidding)

Steps, Stages & Factors to Steps, Stages & Factors to ConsiderConsider

Needs AssessmentNeeds Assessment Technical PlanningTechnical Planning Vendor Selection ProcessVendor Selection Process Installation PlanInstallation Plan Training & SupportTraining & Support

Needs AssessmentNeeds Assessment

Types of lab: classroom vs. open lab, or bothTypes of lab: classroom vs. open lab, or both Types of traditional instructional activities: Types of traditional instructional activities:

Drills, guided discussion, pairing, recording Drills, guided discussion, pairing, recording student voice, playing audio/video source, student voice, playing audio/video source, etc.etc.

Additional instructional activities: Internet Additional instructional activities: Internet browsing, chatting and messaging, writing browsing, chatting and messaging, writing and spell-checking in different languages, etc.and spell-checking in different languages, etc.

Two Important QuestionsTwo Important Questions What old audio lab functions do we want to What old audio lab functions do we want to

keep?keep? Playing audio source to student stations Playing audio source to student stations Monitoring and recording student speechMonitoring and recording student speech Setting up pairs or groups, randomly or manually Setting up pairs or groups, randomly or manually

What new features do we want to have?What new features do we want to have? Broadcast video to all student screensBroadcast video to all student screens Monitoring student screensMonitoring student screens Automatic collection of student filesAutomatic collection of student files Burning collected files onto CDsBurning collected files onto CDs Internet capabilityInternet capability Language capabilityLanguage capability

Technical Planning -Technical Planning -Components of a Digital LabComponents of a Digital Lab Computers Computers Language lab softwareLanguage lab software

All-in-one or modularized systems All-in-one or modularized systems Language lab hardware & electronicsLanguage lab hardware & electronics

Audio/video control system, and computer Audio/video control system, and computer monitoring systemmonitoring system

Other softwareOther software FurnitureFurniture

Raceway and power outletRaceway and power outlet LayoutLayout ADA compliantADA compliant

Technical Planning - More Technical Planning - More ConsiderationsConsiderations

Is there enough power in the designated Is there enough power in the designated location?location?

Who is going to provide the Internet Who is going to provide the Internet access and set up the local area access and set up the local area network (LAN)?network (LAN)?

What kinds of AV equipment are What kinds of AV equipment are needed, e.g., DVD player, VCR, needed, e.g., DVD player, VCR, document camera, data projector? document camera, data projector?

Vendor/Product Selection Vendor/Product Selection ProcessProcess

Finding the vendors/products Finding the vendors/products Conferences, websites, word of mouthConferences, websites, word of mouth

Getting more information about the Getting more information about the vendors/productsvendors/products Campus presentation, brochure, request for Campus presentation, brochure, request for

proposals (RFPs, bids)proposals (RFPs, bids) Evaluating and selecting the vendor/productEvaluating and selecting the vendor/product

Selection committee consisting of instructors, Selection committee consisting of instructors, technical staff and administratorstechnical staff and administrators

(Continued)(Continued)

Selection criteriaSelection criteria Audio lab hardware/softwareAudio lab hardware/software Furniture and computersFurniture and computers Total costTotal cost Terms of conditions for installation, training, Terms of conditions for installation, training,

warranty and support servicewarranty and support service Others (see sheet)Others (see sheet)

Point value and narrative commentsPoint value and narrative comments

(Continued)(Continued)

Important questions to askImportant questions to ask Are features and functions integrated or Are features and functions integrated or

modularized?modularized? Is a feature presented really what we want?Is a feature presented really what we want? Does a certain feature require a third-party Does a certain feature require a third-party

product, such as Microsoft NT server and product, such as Microsoft NT server and license?license?

What are the specifications of the cabling What are the specifications of the cabling system and physical devices?system and physical devices?

Are there good training and user manuals?Are there good training and user manuals?

(Continued)(Continued)

Some adviceSome advice Read the proposal carefully; do not take things Read the proposal carefully; do not take things

for grantedfor granted Get clarification for unclear points from vendors Get clarification for unclear points from vendors

as much as you can, through emails or phones.as much as you can, through emails or phones. Ask direct and straight-forward questionsAsk direct and straight-forward questions

Decision made!!!Decision made!!! Relieved? Yes!Relieved? Yes! Happy? Yes! …at least for now.Happy? Yes! …at least for now.

Installation Plan - Sample Installation Plan - Sample TimelineTimeline

Week 1, Vendor site inspectionWeek 1, Vendor site inspection Week 2, Old furniture removalsWeek 2, Old furniture removals Week 3-5, Power installationWeek 3-5, Power installation Week 6, Furniture installationWeek 6, Furniture installation Week 7, PC and LAN installationWeek 7, PC and LAN installation Week 8, Language Lab electronics & cable Week 8, Language Lab electronics & cable

installationinstallation Week 8, Language Lab electronics & cable Week 8, Language Lab electronics & cable

installationinstallation Week 9 & 10, TestingWeek 9 & 10, Testing Week 11 & 12, Training & orientationWeek 11 & 12, Training & orientation

Training & SupportTraining & Support

Training issuesTraining issues Vendor-provided trainingVendor-provided training Local (Language Center) trainingLocal (Language Center) training

Support issuesSupport issues Vendor-provided supportVendor-provided support Local (Language Center) supportLocal (Language Center) support

DiLL - Our New Digital DiLL - Our New Digital Language LabLanguage Lab

A virtual tourA virtual tour Http://languagecenter.cla.umn.edu/lc/asclab/VRlab.movHttp://languagecenter.cla.umn.edu/lc/asclab/VRlab.mov

Our DiLL guides Our DiLL guides Http://languagecenter.cla.umn.edu/lc/asclab/DiLLGuide.pdfHttp://languagecenter.cla.umn.edu/lc/asclab/DiLLGuide.pdf

Contact InformationContact Information

Jian Wu, Jian Wu, wuxxx015@wuxxx015@tctc..umnumn..eduedu Jenise Rowekamp, Jenise Rowekamp, rowek001@umn.edurowek001@umn.edu http://LanguageCenter.cla.umn.edu/http://LanguageCenter.cla.umn.edu/