The Education Technologies Section works side by side with the other sections at the LRC to develop the use of educational media that will serve the specializations offered at CAS-Ibri. In addition to supporting a variety of activities at the College, the Section provides multimedia services, such as projectors and projection screens.
Services Provided by the Education Technologies Section:
The Section provides a variety of services including:
- Lending of devices and learning materials such as cameras, projectors, CDs and cassettes
- Printing of posters for the College activities, Design courses and local community activities
- Identifying technical specifications of devices and purchasing them
- Providing technical support and maintenance for the devices in classes and laboratories
- Providing scanners and colored printing services for academic staff members and students
- Providing E-Learning services (Blackboard)
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The Section’s policies:
Policy (1): Provision of devices and software based on the specializations’ requirements
The Section works with different academic departments to fulfill their requests books, devices, and software. The Section, then, contacts the Department of Financial and Administrative Affairs to make the necessary purchases.
Policy (2): Maintenance of Class Devices:
- Class devices are examined on a daily basis at 7 a.m
- Devices with minor malfunctions are fixed before 8 a.m. lectures
- Devices with major malfunctions are moved to the LRC repair section or Multimedia Laboratory
- Unfixable devices are replaced
- Malfunctioning device are checked by specialized technicians to identify and repair the device if possible
- The device is sent to the supplier along with a repair request specifying the malfunction
- The company acknowledges receipt of the device.
- A copy of the repair request is kept in the repair file at the LRC.
- After examining the device, the company sends a letter specifying the malfunction and repair cost. If the device is under warranty, the company has to fix it or replace it.
- After examining the device’s age and the repair or replacement costs, specialists in the Section, in coordination with the LRC Head, reach a decision about whether to go through with the repairs or get the device back without repair.
- In case the supplier is unable to repair the device, the device is sent to the LRC and stored for scraping or discarding.
- Old and expired devices are discarded and replaced with new ones based on the academic departments’ needs. The discarding of any device is documented in the Section’s custody file.
Policy (3): Activities and Events:
- The applicant department addresses the Head of LRC specifying the device type and the number of posters required.
- Materials and devices are lent after a relevant loan form has been filled out.
- Correspondences are kept in a special events and activities file.
Policy (4): Purchasing of Devices:
- The Section submits a list of the required devices with their specifications to the Head of the LRC.
- The Head of the LRC obtains the Dean’s agreement on the purchase and follows up with the Head of Administrative & Financial Affairs Department.
- Both the media specialists and the other staff in the Department of Administration and Finance participate in analyzing bids to choose the best bid.
- Purchased devices are received and checked in accordance with the applicable procedures.
Policy (5): Preservation and Discarding:
- The details of the audio and visual materials under the custody of the Section are preserved in the loaning and cataloguing system at the LRC.
- Damaged and expired materials and devices are scrapped based on applicable regulations.
Policy (6): Device Repair:
Malfunctioning devices are checked by media specialists to identify the malfunction. In case they are unable to fix a device, the device is sent for repair via the Administrative & Financial Affairs Department.
Policy (7): Scraping devices and materials:
Malfunctioning devices are checked by media specialists who decide on the possibility of repair. In case they are unable to fix any device, the Administrative & Financial Affairs Department sends the device to the College’s storehouse.
Policy (8): Use of Education Technologies laboratory:
- Users are not allowed to move or unplug devices except in the presence of the course instructor or a media specialist.
- Users are allowed to use the media for learning and activities purposes only.
- Users are not allowed to use computers and colored printers to surf the internet or print personal pictures/photos. The color printer can be used to print project materials related to study under the supervision of media specialists.
- Users have to request a media specialist’s help if he or she is using the device for the first time.
- Users have to comply with instructions issued by the Section.
Policy (9): Lending/loan:
· A maximum of three electronic devices and five educational items can be lent to the same user at the same time.
· A loan can be renewed once only.
· A valid university ID card has to be presented to the Section for issuing loans and the borrower should be present in person.
· Loans for extracurricular activity groups are issued to the group supervisors only; not to any student member in the group.
· Borrowed devices/materials have to be kept in a good condition and returned on the due date.
· Users should ask for usage instructions before the actual use of devices/items.
· The loan service closes at 3:00 pm.
· All loans should be electronically recorded in the Center loan system.
· The delay in returning borrowed materials results in a fine of OR 1 per day for electronic devices and 200 Baisa per day for educational items.
· A lost or damaged item/device has to be replaced by the user or otherwise he/she will be charged the actual cost of the item plus 25% to cover administrative expenses.
· The Section is responsible for providing sound devices for the users.