ISS Loan Centers check out laptops that serve many purposes around campus. ISS laptops are used for electronic exams, student projects, student group events, office hours, to stream live events or do presentations, to help people while they get their own laptop fixed… the list goes on and on! This past fall, the Loan Center managed over 300 Macbook checkouts and over 400 Windows laptop checkouts.The laptops are used in a variety of classes, from American Culture to Biology, to Communication Studies to Chemistry. However, it's been four years since our last overhaul of the Loan laptop collection and technology has continued its steady advance. It’s time for upgrades!
The new MacBook Pro kits have added processing power, and new high speed connections through the Thunderbolt 3/USB C ports. Since these ports don’t take the more ubiquitous rectangular USB A that most of us are familiar with, the kits also include a USB C dock. The dock has 3 USB 3.0 ports for all your USB devices, a 3.5mm headphone jack, SD/Micro SD card readers, video outs (VGA, HDMI, and Mini Displayport) and a network jack. The new interface should work great to handle large data transfers, and cover all the bases for any other connectivity needs. These docking stations are also available separately, and will work with other compatible USB C devices.
One of the most exciting features about the Microsoft Surface Pro is the touch screen. In conjunction with the Surface Pen, the advanced touch screen capabilities open up a new set of options and functionality for our community to take advantage of—whether it’s for art, digital presentations or streaming, note taking, or new ideas that we haven’t even thought of yet, we are eager to see them in action!
The loan policies for the laptops will also be changing. The increase of the number of laptops in our Loan collection is allowing us to increase the maximum checkout time from 24 to 72 hours this semester. To find out more about the software available, please check out this list (laptops have the same loadout as the classroom computers). If you have any questions about the laptops or loan policies, or to reserve a laptop for use, please contact or visit our Loan Center. For a consultation on incorporating the laptops (including the touch screen functionality) into your course design, please contact the ISS Learning Technology and Consulting Group.
