Abstract

The Health Sciences Library Microlab is an essential computing facility for students in the Health Sciences. While the Microlab provides a range of useful services and clear benefits to our primary clientele, some of the needs expressed in several recent surveys of our students have not yet been met. We propose to replace bulky CRT monitors with LCD panels in one of our group collaboratories and to purchase licenses for frequently requested software packages.

Background

The Health Sciences Microlab could be known as "UWired South" because there is no equivalent of the UWired Commons on South Campus. Therefore, most Health Sciences students use the Microlab as their primary computing center.

The Health Sciences Library Microlab was established in 1986 to support the common instructional computing needs of the six Health Sciences schools (Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health and Community Medicine, and Social Work). Funding for day-to-day operations is provided by Health Sciences Administration and lab administration is provided by the Health Sciences Library. The Microlab currently consists of a common drop-in area for general use (70 seats), a traditional lecture style computer teaching room that can be divided into two areas by a folding wall (40 seats), a collaboratory-style teaching room (25 seats), a small Library Teaching Lab (13 seats), and an email area of 14 stations. The Microlab is open seven days a week for a total of 90 hours.

The Microlab provides a convenient computer drop-in and teaching lab for over 4,000 graduate and undergraduate students in the health sciences and is open to all UW students. It is centrally located in the same complex as the classrooms, teaching labs and other instructional support services for five of the six Health Sciences schools (Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Public Health). The lab also supports interdisciplinary classes taught by Health Sciences faculty. The student breakdown of each school is roughly as follows:

Dentistry 317
Interdisciplinary Programs 411
Medicine 1500
Nursing 449
Pharmacy 350
Public Health 561
Social Work 450
Total 4038

Seventy STF-funded computers (Dell 1GHz PCs and Mac G4s) and other machines are available in the Microlab self-service area, all of which are available during regular hours on a ³first come, first served² basis. Sixty-five STF-funded computers (Dell 400-450 MHz PCs) are located in our teaching rooms. For approximately 90% of our open hours, the teaching rooms are available for general drop-in use. Academic course sessions are held in the computer teaching rooms during the remaining 10% of the time. These courses are instructor-led sessions that use computer software and hardware as part of the curriculum.

Student use of the Microlab ranges from assigned course software (e.g. web-based educational modules, access to electronic course reserve materials, statistical programs) to self-directed information discovery and retrieval and use of general computing software such as word processing, email, and presentation software. The Microlab is a focal point for technologically based course instruction within the Health Sciences schools. Academic courses held in the Microlab make it possible for students to learn with the technology, rather than about the technology. Multimedia tools promote the learning and retention of vast quantities of information (such as anatomy and physiology) and are an effective component in teaching skills (such as how to accomplish blood draws). An increasing number of courses in all Health Sciences schools now require web, email discussion, electronic course reserves, and other computer activities. All Microlab computers provide access to the campus network, to all of the Libraries' public databases, to unique health sciences software programs not available in other computing labs, and to general-purpose applications (e.g., word processing, presentation graphics, spreadsheets, and statistics software).

Benefits

The Health Sciences Microlab is a resource that is highly valued by our students. We conduct user satisfaction surveys at least annually, which indicate that overall satisfaction is high (see Student Endorsement section and survey results below). Students also appreciate the improvements we made in the Microlab during a recent remodel and have come to rely heavily on our improved level of service.

Based on comments from our Spring 2000 and Fall 2000 surveys, we developed questions in three topic areas for the Fall 2001 survey: additional software, LCD flat panel monitors, and wireless networking. Approximately 200 Microlab users responded to the survey, and their answers and opinions shape this proposal. See the survey and survey results at:
http://catalyst.washington.edu/webtools/webq/survey.cgi?user=hsl&survey=11
http://healthlinks.washington.edu/hsl/commons/stf/2002/Fall2001survey.htm

Wireless Networking
While student response was positive to the question about wireless access, in recognition of the STF Committee's reluctance to fund such proposals at this time, we have chosen to omit this section of our proposal until there is a higher comfort level with this popular technology. However we would welcome an opportunity to discuss this with the Committee as we feel we can make a strong argument for wireless in the Microlab based on demand from a large number of students. We also have the support of the building administration and have been communicating with Computing and Communications.

Additional Software
In the Fall 2001 survey, we listed the software programs that students had voluntarily mentioned in previous quarters. In response to the question "Would you support spending STF funds for any of the following software?" we received strong responses for the following:
Adobe Acrobat (69%)
Adobe Photoshop (44%)
ISI Researchsoft Endnote (36%)
User response towards other software titles listed in the survey ran from a low of 6% to a high of only 20% and therefore these aren¹t included as part of this proposal. The strong response for these three programs warrants a purchase of licenses for the Microlab.

LCD Flat Panel Monitors
In response to the question ³Would you support STF funding for the installation of flat-screen LCD monitors in the Microlab?² favorable responses ran at 66%. We have already begun gradually installing flat-screen monitors in the Microlab. They are now available at the 14 email stations and in the Library Teaching Lab, funded by the Health Sciences Library.

The next area where we would like to install LCD monitors is in Classroom C. The arrangement of workstations in this room is ideally suited for collaborative learning. However, these workstations (which are almost 3 years old) are particularly cramped. The tables are in an octagonal arrangement, and the placement of the CRT, CPU, mouse, and keyboard leaves very little space on the tabletop for even a small book or notepad. Moving the CPU to the floor as a means to gain table space isn¹t an option due to the compact octagonal arrangement. LCD panels would allow more group interaction (and more easily allow students to double-up at a workstation) in this classroom and group study/work space.

Replacement of the bulky CRTs would free up considerable table space as shown by the before and after illustrations at http://healthlinks.washington.edu/hsl/commons/stf/2002/lcd.htm. The extra table space would be immediately useful to students, allowing them to put more papers, books and research materials close at hand where they need them.

Replacing these monitors is supported by student requests for group work space in the Microlab:

"Perhaps work stations/tables where multiple people can congregate in order to work projects that require computer use."
- Anonymous, Public Health

"... there needs to be a seperate computer lab area where multiple students can work on projects w/o disturbing us who are working alone."
- Anonymous, Nursing

While benefits would be gained by replacing bulky CRTs at all Microlab workstations, we feel it is most cost effective to concentrate funds on the particular benefits of upgrading the monitors in the collaboratory at this time, and wait for a compelling argument to replace additional monitors as the rest of the Microlab equipment reaches the end of its natural life span.

In summary, to continue the process of enhancing computing access and service for Health Sciences students, we would like to request Student Technology Fee funding for the following items:

* 25 Dell LCD Panel displays for our collaborative group computing classroom (Microlab Classroom C).

* Concurrent software licenses of the following software packages.
> Adobe Acrobat
> Adobe Photoshop
> ISI Researchsoft Endnote

Our proposed updates will provide significant benefits for students. These changes will:

* Sustain the quality of Microlab equipment, which is highly valued by our students.
* Improve the user's computing experience by making a current collaborative space more interactive, as well as add additional table workspace for students. An additional benefit is power savings due to the decreased power consumption of LCD panels when compared to CRTs.
* Give students more options and control over their research, studies, and document creation through the addition of popular software tools.

Student Access

Since the Microlab is open 90 hours per week, Health Sciences students have ready access to computing resources at a location that is convenient to their classes, labs, and patient care responsibilities. Other campus computing facilities are located too far from the Health Sciences complex for drop-in use between classes and lack the specialized software needed for Health Sciences student assignments.

Available Resources

Health Sciences Administration (HSA) and the Health Sciences Library (HSL) continue to fund the core services of the Microlab, including providing funding for educational licenses for software and computer manuals (e.g. Stata for the PCs and Food Processor) and purchasing computers for the Library Teaching lab which is available as a quiet study computing area during evening and weekend hours. Support for daily operations of the Microlab includes the contributed time of a librarian and library support staff, a 1.0 FTE senior computing specialist, and 5.5 FTE student assistants as well as funding for ongoing customer service and technical training for Microlab staff.

During the summer of 1999, HSA and HSL jointly funded a renovation of Microlab facilities and equipment. The renovation included construction of a new classroom; installation of upgraded PC workstations, re-design of Microlab space to accommodate more computers; and installation of improved electrical and networking services including an upgrade from 10mb Ethernet to switched 100mb Ethernet. Current Microlab facilities and staff were used to house, install, and support the added resources and services. Additional construction support was provided by the Capital Projects Office.

Funding for the renovation was provided by:
Health Sciences Library $234,000
University Libraries $ 56,000
Health Sciences Administration $250,000
STF Award to School of Nursing $ 53,800
STF Award to HSL Microlab $112,000
Total $705,800
Non-STF Total $540,000

HSL continued an ongoing renovation schedule by providing approximately $66,000 in the spring and summer of 2001 to upgrade wiring, power, air conditioning, and rack mounts in a server room that houses equipment servicing the Microlab.

Additional technology for students provided by HSL includes 31 public search stations (with access to UW Libraries databases, full text journals and the internet) and two laser printers (which are also networked to Microlab computers). The HealthLinks web site (http://healthlinks.washington.edu/) supports off-site students with links to numerous health related resources including UW Libraries databases, full-text journal articles and textbooks, and course-related materials. Library staff also support the HealthLinks "Ask a Question" service on the web which allows students to ask questions about how to access these resources remotely. The UW Libraries supports a proxy server to authenticate users who wish to access online resources where access is restricted to current UW students, faculty and staff. Students who use HealthLinks resources remotely include participants in the regional educational network and distance degree programs as well as local students who wish to access these resources from the comfort of home.

Installation Timeline

If funds are awarded before the end of May 2002, the proposed services should be operational before the start of Autumn Quarter 2002.

Departmental Endorsement

Funding and project support provided by the UW Libraries and the Health Sciences Schools is described in the "Resources" section of this proposal.

This proposal is supported by the following Health Sciences deans:

Paul G. Ramsey
Dean, Medicine

Nancy F. Woods
Dean, Nursing

Patricia W. Wahl
Dean, Public Health & Community Medicine

Sidney D. Nelson
Dean, Pharmacy

James Steiner
Acting Dean, Dentistry

Student Endorsement

A statistical summary of student support for these enhancements is described in the survey results available at: http://healthlinks.washington.edu/hsl/commons/stf/2002/Fall2001survey.htm.

These are some of the pertinent comments from the survey:

"Statistical analysis and writing are fundamental to the practice of epidemiology and public health. Software to perform these functions, such as all Stata, EndNote, and Acrobat are crucial to all phases of these endeavors."
- Chris Bryson, Epidemiology
[Note: We already have Stata loaded on all workstations.]

"The TFT monitors at the email stations are fasntasic. It would be wonderful to see them spread to all workstations."
- John Newman, Medicine

"Very impressed with the facilities and help in the computer lab."
- Anonymous, Medicine

"Great job so far and thanks for asking for our input!"
- Nadine Chan, Health Services

"keep up the good work on developing computer facilities!"
- Krisztina Zajdo, Speech & Hearing Sciences

As part of our Fall 2001 survey, we asked students the question, "May we use your name in our Student Technology Fee funding proposal?" In response to this question, the following students have agreed, as individuals to support STF funding for the Health Sciences Library Microlab:

Rachel Anderson, Medicine, rea2@u.washington.edu
Kristie Bjornson, Nursing, Kbjorn@chmc.org
Eric Blackstone, Molecular & Cellular Biology, eblack@u.washington.edu
Tracy Brockman, Medicine, tbrockma@u.washington.edu
Kate Bruya, Medicine, kbruya@u.washington.edu
Chris Bryson, Epidemiology, cbryson@u.washington.edu
Nadine L. Chan, Health Services, nlchan@u.washington.edu
Hsien-tzu Chen, Nursing, katak@u.washington.edu
Susan Chen, Dentistry, sueychen@u.washington.edu
Visal Chin, International Health Program, cvisal@u.washington.edu
Angela Costanzo, Microbiology, costanzo@u.washington.edu
Sharlaina Donoho, Rehabilitation Medicine, sdonoho@u.washington.edu
Deborah L. Frost, Medicine, dfrost@u.washington.edu
Kirk E Fuhriman, Dentistry, kirkf@u.washington.edu
Michele Garcia, Medicine, mg3@u.washington.edu
Shaun Gonda, Medicine, sgonda@u.washington.edu
Yuqing Guo, Nursing, yg4@u.washington.edu
Alethea Hanley, Medicine, ahanley@u.washington.edu
Audrey Hendrickson, Epidemiology, ahendric@u.washington.edu
Thomas S. Hnasko, Neurobiology & Behavior, tshnasko@u.washington.edu
Angela Hunter, Medicine, ajh17@u.washington.edu
Orrin Jolly, Pharmacy, ojolly@u.washington.edu
Bethany Katz, Environmental Health, bskatz@u.washington.edu
Nicole L. Kerkenbush, Nursing, nlk3@u.washington.edu
Scott Knight, Health Services, sck8@u.washington.edu
Edmond Lee, Medicine, edmond@u.washington.edu
Garin Liu, Dentistry, gmliu@u.washington.edu
Emily Lowe, Microbiology, emy759@u.washington.edu
Elizabeth Madison, Nursing, emadison@u.washington.edu
Marie Martin, Environmental Health, mmmartin@u.washington.edu
Christina Mwachari, Epidemiology, cwm3@u.washington.edu
John Newman, Medicine, newmanj@u.washington.edu
Amelie Peryea, Microbiology, aperyea@u.washington.edu
Sabrina Peterson, Nutritional Sciences, spete@u.washington.edu
Danise Podvin, Public Health, dwp2@u.washington.edu
Amy Rovner, Nutritional Sciences, arovner@u.washington.edu
Melissa Rubin, Nursing, melrubin@u.washington.edu
Claudia A. Salinas, Epidemiology, csalinas@u.washington.edu
Susan Sheldon, Environmental Health, ssheldon@u.washington.edu
Evan Simonson, Nursing, evander@u.washington.edu
Sharil Simmons, Nursing, ekgsjs@u.washington.edu
Erin Smith, Epidemiology, ensmith@u.washington.edu
Ben Spiger, Dentistry, bspiger@u.washington.edu
Jennifer Talbot, Nursing, demojen@u.washington.edu
Lisa J. Trigg, Informatics/Nursing, trigger@u.washington.edu
Kathie Weakly, Nursing, weakly@u.washington.edu
Travis Widman, Medicine, twidman@u.washington.edu
George Wise, MEDEX, gnw@u.washington.edu
Zac Yates, Bioengineering, zacyates@u.washington.edu
Krisztina Zajdo, Speech and Hearing Sciences, zajdo@u.washington.edu
Margaret Zatloukal, Biostatistics, mzat@u.washington.edu

Items

Below are the items making up the current proposal. The asterisk (*) beside items signify that they were approved by the committee. This however was not implemented correctly for our database before 2005, so earlier years may not show this.

Click an item's title to view details on that item, or show all item details.