Technology Innovations: TAMU College
Mitch McKinley
CMGT/555
September 9, 2013
Tammy Borunda

TAMU Computer Network: Current Technology Use
Current Network Use: TAMU Technology Use The Texas A&M computer network uses a standard enterprise infrastructure model for the computer networks. This design is found in most corporate enterprise environments and is the standard of operations of any large organization using a computer network. The addition of wireless technology has changed how the Texas A&M computer network is managed and designed. Wireless technology required a solution of upgrading the current distributed design with built in redundancy, and for infrastructure security purposes. This also adds data security for information flow within the university and access to lower levels of the network for community wireless communications with verification of credentials.. This change in the Texas A&M network system upgrade was completed to satisfy the need of the students, faculty and staff using laptops, tables and other wireless products throughout the campus.. This project is a welcomed addition with the support staff and the faculty upon working on repair and maintenance of the facility’s and the communications between professors and students. Another major change and innovation in technology is the move to an interactive classroom. This allows for students to ask questions live during the lecture via email and have those questions answered during the talk. This technology also allows for class surveys to be taken to further explain a topic if it is not understood at the time of explanation. Web services such as Blackboard, Moodle, Ecampus and several others allow for students to manage their material, assignments and feedback to professors. This also allows for real time assessments from the student and professor of the students’ progress in the course material and overall degree plan. This also allows guidance counselors, and parents of a student to view areas of need through the education program, arrange classes and schedules and plan for a graduation date.
Technology: Changing Texas A&M. The current classroom design is reliable but as online schools appear the standard view of the classroom is changing. Using the current classroom design that has been in place for over hundreds of years Texas A&M can spring-board and reuse most of this existing equipment with also expanding to meet the needs of future students.. The current system of using walk-in traffic and emails but is ineffective when addressing an online presence of students. The number of online students is planned to grow dramatically and Texas A&M has a plan in place to satisfy this need. Texas A&M has hired education/technology specialist to create an online presence and to integrate more technology into the classroom. This will allow for a mix of tradition and technology to entice new students to the university and keeping the old traditions of the university. The proper module is a blend of the old and new as some topics are best taught in a classroom and lab setting and some ideas are best demonstrated in a virtual world.
Texas A&M Services Changes in Technology The requirements of a Texas A&M is to create a safe place to exchange data with professors about ideas and an environment for learning. This environment has changed with the use of the Internet, Skype, Projectors, Smartboards, and Video from live events. Lectures give via distributed mobile devices without students returning to the campus daily for lecture is one of the updates to student needs. Classrooms have been updated with use of projectors for PowerPoint presentations the use of Skype to invite experts to guest lecture in a particular field to lecture for students with the cost of travel. Smartboards are another advance in technology and students and professors can take a snapshot of a project or idea drawn out on a Smartboard for future talks and for classroom notes. Last the use of the Internet in the classroom allows for the use of live events and video created by other professional in the field of study to be used as they are occurring. As an example a physics class were able to watch via live feed the startup of the Large Hadron Collider in the South of France while in there classroom in College Station Texas. The use of email, text messages, instant messages, and online conferences allows a large class of hundreds to be better connected with the exchange of information. Professors can show items on their web page or direct students to a link on the web for help on a particular topic of information needed on a assignment or item of review.
Texas A&M and the Technology Big Picture The process of change is slow in a large university as approvals have to occur at the university level but the college level and the state levels of the organization. With this TAMU is held to the governing bodies of state spending and the rules and regulations presented by local and federal laws concerning how colleges can operate. HIPPA and FERPA standards for information storage and retrieval also have to be honored with these changes. Texas A&M is not the leader in this technology change in the classroom but it is not at the back of the back. This schools in know for producing leaders in Agriculture, and Mechanical Engineering and many other industries. Without this draw of talent in these industries for professors and students the university would not survive. A great example has been created with online schools and many intuitions are suing this example to model their own online presence. This process takes time and the parties involved need an understanding that this is a slow process and the rate of change of academia is a sluggish pace. Texas A&M Emerging Technology Texas A&M is investing in muti-media rooms that allow for 3D effects, touch screen technology and combining of virtual classrooms This investment of time and money in deploying a system of classrooms with this technology will keep Texas A&M as a leader in education. Texas A&M is also hiring programmers and education technology specialists to view and implement technology changes in the classroom. The university is also investing in training programs to teach the teachers on how to use existing and new technology to create a more interactive experience for students. This makes for a more efficient use of valuable classroom time and inform can be viewed again if needed on a lecture or class interaction. Using the proper tools can find quickly a potential loss of student attention and lack in interest in the material.
Conclusion
In conclusion the new generations of students require a higher level of integration for education. With the use of video games, television, cell phones and other devices calling the attention of students new way to reach the mind if a student is required. It is the responsibility of Texas A&M to understand this change and make an important considerations in network design to accommodate this need. This change is part of the growing process of Texas A&M University to quickly resolve information technology issues and change the way our youth is educated. Security concerns need to be addressed for the internal and external usage of the computer network and allowing for the right information to be accessed quickly and easily. As the business expands and the number of students, faculty, and staff increases so does the needs and resources of management to supply the students with a top level of quality of service with proper data management. These decisions define what is in the best interest of Texas A&M and monitoring of essential process of data flow, security and management of new technology. Upon completion of this research of resources there is an enormous opportunity to save revenue and increase the infrastructure stability and security while advancing how teaching technology is used. This also creates a stronger public image of the university as a leader allowing specific tasks, such as the security and efficacy to increase with an increase in future student body numbers.