Computer Labs: Time to Pull the Plug?

Computer labs are increasingly targeted for removal due to space concerns, budget constraints, or the desire to meet sustainable initiatives. An evaluation of how and why they are used is critical to determining the impact of labs, should they be decommissioned. It is just as important to determine how the instructional and academic needs currently met by labs, including access to academic software, will be met in the future, should labs go away entirely. At the University of Colorado Boulder, the Office of Information Technology has performed such an evaluation and will discuss their evaluation strategy and their vision for the future of labs.Learning Objectives:
*Learn to evaluate how and why computer labs are used in your academic environment
*Consider future directions for software delivery and supporting instructional computing that will meet student and faculty needs
*Hear about the lessons learned from the University of Colorado Boulder study to determine the future of computing labs on campus
*Review the assessment of new tools and services that have led to improved capabilities in software provisioning
*Plan how to best take advantage of your skill set and budget to achieve your goals