Optimas lab software

He had our training for our new Optimas lab software today. We had some questions the trainer didn't know how to answer!!!!

Any one using this?

Can I hit you with questions as they arise?

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Permalink Reply by Leigh Thelmadatter on June 3, 2009 at 11:33am: This is one reason I really dont like specialized lab software. Sorry I cant help ya!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Nancy McKeand on June 4, 2009 at 10:35am: Sorry; we have Sanako. Do they have community forums on their website? That may be a place to look for help - if it exists.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Melissa on June 5, 2009 at 11:28am: Nancy McKeand said:
Sorry; we have Sanako. Do they have community forums on their website? That may be a place to look for help - if it exists.

Thanks for the idea Nancy, I went to their web page and didn't see any forums, the company Roycan is Spanish. They have their manual and a tutorail on line, but the rep left those with us as well.

Leigh,
This lab is set up for class use (not self access) It replaced a nearly 20 year old audiolab thing-y. You can send up to 10 different audio/video files to groups or indivudual stations. They can chat, voice or text, with the whole group, small groups, or pairs, That sort of thing. If you don't have "controller" software how do you do that sort of thing? or do you just not do that sort of thing?

I know some of my colleagues are disappointed because they thought we should have just had updated self access materials, but it wasn't our decision. >(; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Leigh Thelmadatter on June 8, 2009 at 8:57am: I just wouldnt do it. Why do chat with a person who is sitting in the same room as you? That is not what chat is for. Im with your disappointed colleagues. Vendors are still making a lot of money because most administrators and teachers do not understand how to effectively use technology. Fortunately, or unfortunately, as the case may be, technology, esp. computer and internet technology allows us to do so much more than we can with traditional classroom situation, but it requires working in a very different way... and thats the problem most, if not all, schools are having. Technology changes a whole lot faster than our own mindsets. As much as I like what technology can do, I have to struggle with the same problem.. Ill admit that.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Nancy McKeand on June 10, 2009 at 9:25pm: I feel the same way. The university I am at just got a new lab the year before they hired me. I don't see anything that this nearly USD $500,000 lab can do that I couldn't do with open source software on a handful of computers. And even much of that isn't necessary. I am glad to teach in a computer lab, but it could be any computer lab with internet access.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Leigh Thelmadatter on June 11, 2009 at 9:37am: 500,000 =:0 wow... can you imagine what you could do with a half a million bucks, knowing what we know????

Sorry we cant be much help to you Melissa. Its just a shame that so many schools are still getting sucked into money pits.; ▶ Reply to This